Payne

recurring characters:

"We'd been talking to John Larroquette for a long time about doing a show with him. When he was approached by the people who owned the American rights to Fawlty Towers, he called us, and asked if we'd like to stomp all over sacred ground. We jumped at the chance, and have been stomping ever since. After many creative meetings with John Larroquette, (how close should we stay to the original... how can we really translate the British humor/should we?... how do we really Americanize it?....etc.) We wrote the pilot. Our initial instinct was to stay very close to Fawlty, to prove a: we weren't afraid of it, and b: we could do it. Having a: proven we could do it, we were b:, afraid to keep doing it. In subsequent episodes, we made a distinct decision to stay away from the original episodes, and feel we made it our own."

1st Season Spring 1999

Production credits:
Studios USA Television/Big Phone Productions/Port Street Films
Created by Judd Pilott & John Peaslee
Based on the British series Fawlty Towers created by John Cleese and Connie Booth
Executive producers: Judd Pilott & John Peaslee, John Larroquette, Jerry Leider, Richard Reisberg
Co-executive producer: Joseph Staretski
Produced by Tim Steele

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1. "The J. Edgar Hoover Pin Story"
   gs: Gretchen German [ Carol Aubrey ], Simon Harvey [ Man ], Jill Walter [ Guest ]

   rc: Fish Guy

   Payne panics when he realizes he forgot to buy an anniversary present for his wife, Connie. Breeze saves the day when she finds a pricey antique pin left behind by a guest, and Connie is thrilled with her gift. Payne is also ecstatic since he didn't have to spend a cent on it -- until the frantic guest returns to Whispering Pines offering a $1,000 reward for the heirloom. Royal can't resist stealing the "gift" back from Connie in order to collect the money but then finds himself setting up his own reward fund when Connie discovers that her new pin is missing.

   b: 15 Mar 99 pc: E0707 w: Gail Parent d: Dorothy Lyman

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2. "Sexual Intercom"
   gs: Jonathan Nichols [ Mr. Valdez ], Terri Hoyos [ Mrs. Valdez ], Kris Hoover [ Meredith ]

   The Whispering Pines' new telephone system has an added feature that Royal and Connie unexpectedly discover -- an intercom that allows them to listen in on the guests' conversations. Connie is thrilled to discover this new form of entertainment, and Royal decides to "use the power for good" -- satisfying their guests' requests before the requests are made -- a plan that inevitably catches Payne with his pants down.

   b: 17 Mar 99 pc: E0702 w: Jennifer Fisher d: Michael Zinberg

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3. "Whatever Happened to Baby Payne?"
   gs: Sean Cullen [ Claire Weatherby ], Larry Hankin [ Delivery Man ], Amanda Naughton [ Lucille Marsden ]

   rc: Flo, Ethel, Fish Guy/Jimmy Ming

   A representative from Family Friendly Travel pays a visit to evaluate Whispering Pines, and Royal attempts to dupe her into believing that the inn is a wholesome establishment. Unfortunately, Royal is busy trying to dupe the Family Friendly woman during a week in which the inn is coping with a cross-dressing guest and a lost child.

   b: 24 Mar 99 pc: E0708 w: ______________ d: John Rich

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4. "Gossip Checks In and a Cat Checks Out"
   gs: Betty A. Bridges [ Woman ], Melora Hardin [ Danielle Harris ], Pat Millicano [ A/C Repair Man ]

   rc: Flo, Ethel

   I believe this is the pilot episode referred to above.

   b: 31 Mar 99 pc: _________ w: Judd Pillot & John Peaslee d: John Pasquin

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5. "Pacific Ocean Duck"
   gs: Roy Brocksmith [ Chef Henry Jambon ], Cheryl Carter [ Woman ], Bill Gratton [ Mr. Smith ], Susan Ilene Johnson [ Mrs. Dunkley ], Joel McCrary [ Bob Dunkley ], Jonathan Osser [ Jarrod ], Susan Wood [ Beth MacNeil ]

   rc: Flo, Ethel, Fish Guy/Larry Ming

   When the rival Sands Hotel receives two stars in the Mobile Guide, Royal resolves to put Whispering Pines on the map by adding a "gourmet night" to the hotel's attractions. After he accuses the Mobile Guide critic of being a tart and comes to believe that his four-star chef has expired, it begins to look as though success is not on the menu.

   b: 7 Apr 99 pc: 83605 w: ______________ d: Andrew D. Weyman

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6. "Trouble in Room 206"
   gs: John O'Leary [ Mr. Chandler ], Marjorie Lovett [ Mrs. Chandler ], Christopher Wiehl [ Eric ], Nancy Bell [ Jennifer ], Andrew Craig [ Elevator Repair Guy ], Bonita Friedericy [ Woman ]

   Payne gets himself into trouble when he rents a room -- already occupied -- to a young couple desperate to be together. Payne is forced to evict the young couple when the original guests return earlier than expected -- but finds that it's not so easy. He seems to be stuck with them.

   b: 14 Apr 99 pc: E0703 w: Joseph Staretski d: John Rich

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7. "I Never Forget A Face-Lift"
   gs: Caroline Aaron [ Diane Taggert ], David Beach [ Limo Driver ], Ray Laska [ Frank Taggert ]

   When a bandaged woman recovering from a face-lift mistakes Whispering Pines for the luxurious Sand Dunes Inn down the street, Royal has her check in and lets her continue with her false assumption. Figuring the woman will have bandages over her eyes during the recovery process, Royal has Mo play nursemaid to her. The situation becomes tricky, however, when the guest's husband shows up looking for her.

   b: 21 Apr 99 pc: E0706 w: ______________ d: Craig Zisk

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8. "Wedding Fever"
   gs: Robert Alan Beuth [ Minister ], Vince Grant [ Paul the Groom ], Harve Presnell [ Colonel Forest Brinkman ]

   Royal, who is hosting an expensive wedding at Whispering Pines, begins to panic when the father of the bride won't pay until after the ceremony. Determined that the wedding will go smoothly, Royal is frantic when he discovers that Breeze and the groom have the hots for each other, and desperately attempts to intervene -- which leads to disastrous results.

   b: 28 Apr 99 pc: E0704 w: ______________ d: Dorothy Lyman

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9. "Uncle Royal and Aunt Connie"
   
   b: UNAIRED pc: E0705 w: ______________ d: Michael Zinberg