My World and Welcome to It
Encyclopedia
My World and Welcome to It was a US-made half-hour sitcom based on the humor and cartoons of James Thurber
. It starred William Windom
as John Monroe, a Thurber-like writer and cartoonist
who works for a magazine that closely resembles The New Yorker
, called The Manhattanite. Wry, fanciful and curmudgeonly, Monroe observes and comments on life, to the bemusement of his rather sensible wife Ellen (Joan Hotchkis
) and intelligent, questioning daughter Lydia (Lisa Gerritsen
). Monroe's frequent daydreams and fantasies are usually based on Thurber material. My World — And Welcome To It (note slight variation from television title) is the name of a book of illustrated stories and essays, also by James Thurber.
The television series ran one season on NBC
1969-1970. It was created by Mel Shavelson, who wrote and directed the pilot episode and was one of the show's principal writers. Sheldon Leonard
was executive producer. Another of the show's producers, Danny Arnold
, co-wrote or directed numerous episodes, and even appeared as Santa Claus
in "Rally Round the Flag."
throughout the episodes. Other Thurber cartoons are similarly animated over the course of the series, sometimes in the opening sequence, sometimes later in the episode. The episode "Cristabel" begins with Monroe lying on top of a cartoon doghouse, a reference to the non-Thurber cartoon character Snoopy
. The animation for the series was by DePatie-Freleng Enterprises
. Humorist Henry Morgan
had a recurring role as a humor writer for The Manhattanite, which was said to be based on the real-life humorist/actor Robert Benchley
. Harold J. Stone
played the editor, with whom Monroe is often at odds about cartoon content. A female writer who appeared in one episode was also loosely based on Dorothy Parker
. Guest-stars included Lee Meriwether
, Paul Ford, Joe Besser
, Ray Walston
, Craig Stevens
, Danny Bonaduce
, Talia Shire
(as Talia Coppola), Cindy Williams
, James Gregory
and Noam Pitlik
.
Live action adaptations of Thurber's writing are another show staple. For example, "Rally Round the Flag," in which Monroe purchases a very large flag as a gift, is loosely based on a Thurber piece called "There's a Time for Flags." An incident with a policeman in "Christabel" is an almost verbatim transcription of the Thurber story "The Topaz Cufflinks Mystery". Fables for Our Time is another source, as when John Monroe sees a unicorn
in the back yard, a reference to "The Unicorn in the Garden
". Many of the episode titles are taken from Thurber's Fables for Our Time (e.g., "The Shrike and the Chipmunks") and other writings ("Rules for a Happy Marriage" and many more).
Aside from his obvious resemblance to Thurber himself, John Monroe is based on one of Thurber's characters, who appeared in several short stories including "Mr. Monroe Holds the Fort" and "The Monroes Find a Terminal." Monroe and his family first came to television in a 1959 Alcoa Theatre
/Goodyear Theatre
production called "Cristabel (The Secret Life of John Monroe)", also written by Melville Shavelson. The dog Cristabel was named after a dog Thurber gave to his daughter.
Despite the liberal use of "drawings, stories, inspirational pieces and things that go bump in the night by James Thurber" (as stated in the opening credits), the show also contains character and story elements that owe little or nothing to Thurber's work. For example, there is no Thurber basis for Monroe and daughter Lydia playing chess throughout "Little Girls Are Sugar & Spice - And Not Always Nice!" Although Thurber material is woven around it, the episode's storyline itself is fairly conventional situation comedy.
s in 1970:
Also nominated for:
. The current edition is ISBN 0-89190-269-4. Part One of this collection contains 22 assorted Thurber short stories
and humorous essay
s, many of them illustrated with his cartoons. Part Two consists of an eight part comic memoir about France
, written in 1937 and 1938, about twenty years after Thurber first arrived there near the conclusion of World War I
.
The tone of these pieces ranges from lighthearted wordplay and dialect ("What Do You Mean It Was Brillig?") to literary satire ("The Macbeth Murder Mystery") to psychological horror ("The Whip-Poor-Will" and "A Friend to Alexander"). The most famous story is "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
", which bears little resemblance to the film starring Danny Kaye
.
None of the stories in the book are about the Monroe family, as seen in the television series.
James Thurber
James Grover Thurber was an American author, cartoonist and celebrated wit. Thurber was best known for his cartoons and short stories published in The New Yorker magazine.-Life:...
. It starred William Windom
William Windom (actor)
William Windom is an American actor. He is perhaps best known for his work on television, including several episodes of The Twilight Zone; playing the character of Glen Morley, a congressman from Minnesota like his own great-grandfather and namesake in The Farmer's Daughter; the character of John...
as John Monroe, a Thurber-like writer and cartoonist
Cartoonist
A cartoonist is a person who specializes in drawing cartoons. This work is usually humorous, mainly created for entertainment, political commentary or advertising...
who works for a magazine that closely resembles The New Yorker
The New Yorker
The New Yorker is an American magazine of reportage, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons and poetry published by Condé Nast...
, called The Manhattanite. Wry, fanciful and curmudgeonly, Monroe observes and comments on life, to the bemusement of his rather sensible wife Ellen (Joan Hotchkis
Joan Hotchkis
Joan Hotchkis is an American stage, screen and television actress, writer and performance artist....
) and intelligent, questioning daughter Lydia (Lisa Gerritsen
Lisa Gerritsen
Lisa Gerritsen is an American former child actor, later a computer systems consultant/networking specialist, and more recently, possibly, as an independent relocation coordinator and facilities project manager. She currently lives with her husband John Rustan and son in Northern California...
). Monroe's frequent daydreams and fantasies are usually based on Thurber material. My World — And Welcome To It (note slight variation from television title) is the name of a book of illustrated stories and essays, also by James Thurber.
The television series ran one season on NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
1969-1970. It was created by Mel Shavelson, who wrote and directed the pilot episode and was one of the show's principal writers. Sheldon Leonard
Sheldon Leonard
Sheldon Leonard was a pioneering American film and television producer, director, writer, and actor.-Biography:...
was executive producer. Another of the show's producers, Danny Arnold
Danny Arnold
Danny Arnold was an American producer, writer, comedian, actor and director known for producing Barney Miller, That Girl and Bewitched.-Life and career:...
, co-wrote or directed numerous episodes, and even appeared as Santa Claus
Santa Claus
Santa Claus is a folklore figure in various cultures who distributes gifts to children, normally on Christmas Eve. Each name is a variation of Saint Nicholas, but refers to Santa Claus...
in "Rally Round the Flag."
Sources
Most episodes open with Monroe arriving in front of the house from the Thurber cartoon "Home," which in the original cartoon has a woman's face on one side of it. In the show the house is initially house-shaped. The woman's face is often animated to appear, as Ellen says something to John. The "Home" house, without the face, is used as an establishing shotEstablishing shot
An establishing shot in filmmaking and television production sets up, or establishes the context for a scene by showing the relationship between its important figures and objects...
throughout the episodes. Other Thurber cartoons are similarly animated over the course of the series, sometimes in the opening sequence, sometimes later in the episode. The episode "Cristabel" begins with Monroe lying on top of a cartoon doghouse, a reference to the non-Thurber cartoon character Snoopy
Snoopy
Snoopy is an fictional character in the long-running comic strip Peanuts, by Charles M. Schulz. He is Charlie Brown's pet beagle. Snoopy began his life in the strip as a fairly conventional dog, but eventually evolved into perhaps the strip's most dynamic character—and among the most recognizable...
. The animation for the series was by DePatie-Freleng Enterprises
DePatie-Freleng Enterprises
DePatie-Freleng Enterprises was a Hollywood-based animation production company, active from 1963 to 1981. They produced theatrical cartoons, animated series, commercials, title sequences and television specials. Notable among these is The Pink Panther film titles and cartoon shorts and the Dr....
. Humorist Henry Morgan
Henry Morgan
Admiral Sir Henry Morgan was an Admiral of the Royal Navy, a privateer, and a pirate who made a name for himself during activities in the Caribbean, primarily raiding Spanish settlements...
had a recurring role as a humor writer for The Manhattanite, which was said to be based on the real-life humorist/actor Robert Benchley
Robert Benchley
Robert Charles Benchley was an American humorist best known for his work as a newspaper columnist and film actor...
. Harold J. Stone
Harold J. Stone
Harold J. Stone was an American film and television character actor.Born Harold Hochstein to a Jewish acting family, he began his career on Broadway in 1939 and appeared in five plays in the next six years, including One Touch of Venus and Stalag 17, following which he made his motion picture...
played the editor, with whom Monroe is often at odds about cartoon content. A female writer who appeared in one episode was also loosely based on Dorothy Parker
Dorothy Parker
Dorothy Parker was an American poet, short story writer, critic and satirist, best known for her wit, wisecracks, and eye for 20th century urban foibles....
. Guest-stars included Lee Meriwether
Lee Meriwether
Lee Ann Meriwether is an American actress, former model, and the winner of the 1955 Miss America pageant. She is perhaps best known for her role as Betty Jones, the crime-solving partner in the long-running 1970s crime drama, Barnaby Jones. The role earned her two Golden Globe Award nominations in...
, Paul Ford, Joe Besser
Joe Besser
Joe Besser was an American comedian, known for his impish humor and wimpy characters, and is now best remembered for his brief stint as a member of the Three Stooges in movie short subjects of 1957-59...
, Ray Walston
Ray Walston
Ray Walston was an American stage, television and film actor best known as the title character on the 1960s situation comedy My Favorite Martian. In addition, he is also remembered for his roles as Luther Billis in South Pacific , Mr. Applegate in Damn Yankees , J.J...
, Craig Stevens
Craig Stevens
Craig Stevens may refer to:*Craig Stevens *Craig Stevens , reporter on WSVN*Craig Stevens *Craig Stevens , British TV and radio presenter*Craig Stevens , Australian swimmer...
, Danny Bonaduce
Danny Bonaduce
Dante Daniel "Danny" Bonaduce is an American radio/television personality, comedian, professional wrestler, and former child actor...
, Talia Shire
Talia Shire
Talia Shire is an American actress most known for her roles as Connie Corleone in The Godfather films and Adrian Balboa in the Rocky series.-Personal life:...
(as Talia Coppola), Cindy Williams
Cindy Williams
Cynthia Jane "Cindy" Williams is an American actress best known for starring in the television situation-comedy series Laverne & Shirley, in the role of "Shirley Feeney", and for her role as Laurie Henderson in the classic film American Graffiti.-Early life:Williams was born in Van Nuys,...
, James Gregory
James Gregory
James Gregory may refer to:* James Gregory , South African prison guard, author of Goodbye Bafana* James Gregory , Scottish mathematician and astronomer...
and Noam Pitlik
Noam Pitlik
Noam Pitlik was an American television director and actor. In 1979, Pitlik won an Emmy for Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series for his work on the ABC-TV sitcom Barney Miller.-Early life and career:...
.
Live action adaptations of Thurber's writing are another show staple. For example, "Rally Round the Flag," in which Monroe purchases a very large flag as a gift, is loosely based on a Thurber piece called "There's a Time for Flags." An incident with a policeman in "Christabel" is an almost verbatim transcription of the Thurber story "The Topaz Cufflinks Mystery". Fables for Our Time is another source, as when John Monroe sees a unicorn
Unicorn
The unicorn is a legendary animal from European folklore that resembles a white horse with a large, pointed, spiraling horn projecting from its forehead, and sometimes a goat's beard...
in the back yard, a reference to "The Unicorn in the Garden
The Unicorn in the Garden
"The Unicorn in the Garden" is a short story written by James Thurber. The most famous of Thurber's humorous modern fables, it first appeared in The New Yorker on October 31, 1939; and was first collected in his book Fables for Our Time and Famous Poems Illustrated...
". Many of the episode titles are taken from Thurber's Fables for Our Time (e.g., "The Shrike and the Chipmunks") and other writings ("Rules for a Happy Marriage" and many more).
Aside from his obvious resemblance to Thurber himself, John Monroe is based on one of Thurber's characters, who appeared in several short stories including "Mr. Monroe Holds the Fort" and "The Monroes Find a Terminal." Monroe and his family first came to television in a 1959 Alcoa Theatre
Alcoa Theatre
Alcoa Theatre is a half-hour anthology series telecast on NBC at 9:30 pm on alternate Monday nights from October 7, 1957 to September 16, 1960. The program also aired under the title Turn of Fate, with the stories depicting the difficulties faced by individuals who are suddenly thrust into...
/Goodyear Theatre
Alcoa Theatre
Alcoa Theatre is a half-hour anthology series telecast on NBC at 9:30 pm on alternate Monday nights from October 7, 1957 to September 16, 1960. The program also aired under the title Turn of Fate, with the stories depicting the difficulties faced by individuals who are suddenly thrust into...
production called "Cristabel (The Secret Life of John Monroe)", also written by Melville Shavelson. The dog Cristabel was named after a dog Thurber gave to his daughter.
Despite the liberal use of "drawings, stories, inspirational pieces and things that go bump in the night by James Thurber" (as stated in the opening credits), the show also contains character and story elements that owe little or nothing to Thurber's work. For example, there is no Thurber basis for Monroe and daughter Lydia playing chess throughout "Little Girls Are Sugar & Spice - And Not Always Nice!" Although Thurber material is woven around it, the episode's storyline itself is fairly conventional situation comedy.
Episode list
| Episode # | Production Code | Episode Title | Airdate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | "Man Against the World" (pilot) | September 15, 1969 |
| 2 | 3 | "The Disenchanted" | September 22, 1969 |
| 3 | 4 | "Little Girls Are Sugar & Spice- And Not Always Nice!" | September 29, 1969 |
| 4 | 6 | "Christabel" | October 6, 1969 |
| 5 | 7 | "The Night the House Caught Fire" | October 13, 1969 |
| 6 | 2 | "The Ghost and Mr. Monroe" | October 20, 1969 |
| 7 | 10 | "Nobody Ever Kills Dragons Anymore" | October 27, 1969 |
| 8 | 5 | "Seal in the Bedroom" | November 3, 1969 |
| 9 | 9 | "The Saga Of Dimity Ann" | November 10, 1969 |
| 10 | 12 | "Friend Of the Earth" | November 17, 1969 |
| 11 | 15 | "Maid In Connecticut" | November 24, 1969 |
| 12 | 13 | "Native Wit" | December 1, 1969 |
| 13 | 8 | "The Shrike and the Chipmunks" | December 8, 1969 |
| 14 | 14 | "Rally Round the Flag" | December 15, 1969 |
| 15 | 11 | "The War Between Men and Women" | December 22, 1969 |
| 16 | 17 | "The Mating Dance" | December 29, 1969 |
| 17 | 18 | "Darn That Dream" | January 5, 1970 |
| 18 | 16 | "The Human Being and the Dinosaur" | January 12, 1970 |
| 19 | 19 | "'Dear' Is A Four-Letter Word" | January 19, 1970 |
| 20 | 21 | "The Middle Years" | January 26, 1970 |
| 21 | 22 | "Rules For A Happy Marriage" | February 2, 1970 |
| 22 | 20 | "The Wooing Of Mr. Monroe" | February 9, 1970 |
| 23 | 23 | "The Mea Culpa Bit" | February 16, 1970 |
| 24 | 24 | "The Fourth Estate" | February 23, 1970 |
| 25 | 25 | "Monroe the Misogynist" | March 2, 1970 |
| 26 | 26 | "Child's Play" | March 9, 1970 |
Awards
My World and Welcome to It won two Emmy AwardEmmy Award
An Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
s in 1970:
- Outstanding Continued Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Comedy Series (William Windom)
- Outstanding Comedy Series
Also nominated for:
- Outstanding Achievement in any area of Creative Arts ("Rally 'Round the Flag Boys" - special photographic effects).
Book
The similarly titled book by James Thurber, My World — And Welcome to It, was published in 1942 by Harcourt, Brace and CompanyHarcourt Trade Publishers
Harcourt was a United States publishing firm with a long history of publishing fiction and nonfiction for children and adults. The company was based in San Diego, California, with an Editorial / Sales / Marketing / Rights offices in New York City and Orlando, Florida.In 2007, the U.S...
. The current edition is ISBN 0-89190-269-4. Part One of this collection contains 22 assorted Thurber short stories
Short story
A short story is a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, often in narrative format. This format tends to be more pointed than longer works of fiction, such as novellas and novels. Short story definitions based on length differ somewhat, even among professional writers, in part because...
and humorous essay
Essay
An essay is a piece of writing which is often written from an author's personal point of view. Essays can consist of a number of elements, including: literary criticism, political manifestos, learned arguments, observations of daily life, recollections, and reflections of the author. The definition...
s, many of them illustrated with his cartoons. Part Two consists of an eight part comic memoir about France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, written in 1937 and 1938, about twenty years after Thurber first arrived there near the conclusion of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
.
The tone of these pieces ranges from lighthearted wordplay and dialect ("What Do You Mean It Was Brillig?") to literary satire ("The Macbeth Murder Mystery") to psychological horror ("The Whip-Poor-Will" and "A Friend to Alexander"). The most famous story is "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
"The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" is a short story by James Thurber. The most famous of Thurber's stories, it first appeared in The New Yorker on March 18, 1939, and was first collected in his book My World and Welcome to It...
", which bears little resemblance to the film starring Danny Kaye
Danny Kaye
Danny Kaye was a celebrated American actor, singer, dancer, and comedian...
.
None of the stories in the book are about the Monroe family, as seen in the television series.
External links
- TV Tome's My World and Welcome to It site
- TVParty.com's My World and Welcome to It page
- Flying Dreams' My World and Welcome to It page