Homefront (American TV series)
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Homefront is an American television drama series created by former Knots Landing producers Lynn Marie Latham and Bernard Lechowick in association with Lorimar Television. The show is set in the late 1940s in the fictional city of River Run, Ohio, and aired on ABC from September 24, 1991, to April 26, 1993.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The show's theme song, "Accentuate the Positive", was written by Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer and performed by Jack Sheldon.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Series overview
Homefront begins in September 1945 and focuses on three families from different backgrounds, the Sloan, Metcalf and Davis families. The Sloans, Mike Sr. and Ruth (Ken Jenkins and Mimi Kennedy), own a steel manufacturing factory initially responsible for making tank parts in the war. They are coming to grips with the death of their only son, Mike Jr., a soldier, and the arrival of his Italian war bride, Gina (Giuliana Santini), a Jewish Holocaust survivor. The Metcalfs include widow Anne (Wendy Phillips) and her three children, Hank (David Newsom), Linda (Jessica Steen) and Jeff (Kyle Chandler). Anne and Linda are dealing with being displaced from their job at the plant for returning GIs, while Hank, a returning soldier, and Jeff, a baseball player for the Cleveland Indians, are involved in a love triangle with college student Sarah Brewer (Alexandra Wilson). Meanwhile, Linda's friend, Ginger Szabo (Tammy Lauren) is shocked when her boyfriend Charlie Hailey (Harry O'Reilly) returns from the war with a British war-bride, Caroline (Sammi Davis).
Abe (Dick Anthony Williams) and Gloria Davis (Hattie Winston) are descendants from slaves and work for the Sloans as a chauffeur and housekeeper respectively. Their son Robert (Sterling Macer, Jr.) is a decorated veteran who served in Europe with the 761st Armored Battalion. He lands a job at Sloan Industries but is isolated and belittled by his racist co-workers. In the second season, he is joined by Perrette (Perrey Reeves), his white French war bride. Later cast members include Al Kahn (John Slattery), a Jewish union organiser and possible former Communist sympathiser who seduces Anne, and Judy Owens (Kelly Rutherford), a widow working as a bartender who has an affair with Mike Sr.
While the show received critical praise, it struggled in the ratings and was close to being cancelled after its first season. An April 11, 1992 issue of TV Guide ran a S.O.S (Save Our Shows) campaign to save five series from cancellation, which included Homefront, and two other period pieces (set in the 1950s), Brooklyn Bridge on CBS and I'll Fly Away on NBC. Of the five, Homefront received the most votes – 99,591 – and was subsequently renewed. Abigail Van Buren of Dear Abby also dedicated a column to the show, urging fans to write into the network to save it.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> However ratings did not improve in its second season, and after being moved around the schedule numerous times, the show was cancelled.
Cast and characters
- Kyle Chandler as Jeff Metcalf
- Sammi Davis-Voss as Caroline Hailey
- Ken Jenkins as Mike Sloan, Sr.
- Mimi Kennedy as Ruth Sloan
- Tammy Lauren as Ginger Szabo
- Sterling Macer, Jr. as Cpl. Robert Davis (season 1 & Template:Abbr 1–4 of season 2)
- David Newsom as Lt. Hank Metcalf (season 1)
- Harry O'Reilly as Sgt. Charlie Hailey
- Wendy Phillips as Anne Metcalf Kahn
- Giuliana Santini as Gina Sloan
- Jessica Steen as Linda Metcalf
- Dick Anthony Williams as Abe Davis
- Alexandra Wilson as Sarah Brewer (Template:Abbr 1–20)
- Hattie Winston as Gloria Davis
- John Slattery as Al Kahn (Template:Abbr 5+)
- Kelly Rutherford as Judy Owen (season 2; recurring season 1)
Episodes
Season 1 (1991–92)
- Note
Season 2 (1992–93)
- Note
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Category | Recipient | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | American Cinema Editors' Eddie Award | Best Edited Episode from a Television Series | Michael B. Hoggan and William B. Stich (For episode "S.N.A.F.U.") | Template:Nom |
| Casting Society of America's Artios Award | Best Casting for TV, Pilot | Irene Mariano | Template:Nom | |
| Best Casting for TV, Dramatic Episodic | Irene Mariano | Template:Nom | ||
| Golden Globe Award | Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film | Sammi Davis | Template:Nom | |
| People's Choice Awards | Favorite New TV Dramatic Series | Homefront | Template:Won | |
| Primetime Emmy Award | Outstanding Made for Television Movie | Christopher Chulack, David Jacobs, Lynn Marie Latham and Bernard Lechowick (For episode "S.N.A.F.U.") | Template:Nom | |
| Outstanding Directing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Dramatic Special | Ron Lagomarsino (For episode "S.N.A.F.U.") | Template:Nom | ||
| Outstanding Hairstyling for a Series | Jerry Gugliemotto and Barbara Ronci (For episode "Man, This Joint Is Jumping") | Template:Won | ||
| Outstanding Hairstyling for a Miniseries or a Special | Jerry Gugliemotto and Georgina Williams (For episode "S.N.A.F.U.") | Template:Nom | ||
| Outstanding Editing for a Miniseries or a Special - Single-Camera Production | Michael B. Hoggan and William B. Stich (For episode "S.N.A.F.U.") | Template:Nom | ||
| Outstanding Costuming for a Series | Chic Gennarelli and Lyn Paolo (For episode "At Your Age") | Template:Won | ||
| Outstanding Costuming for a Miniseries or a Special | Nanrose Buchman, Chic Gennarelli and Lyn Paolo (For episode "S.N.A.F.U.") | Template:Nom | ||
| Outstanding Art Direction for a Miniseries or a Special | Anne D. McCulley and Dean E. Mitzner (For episode "S.N.A.F.U.") | Template:Nom | ||
| Television Critics Association Award | Outstanding Achievement in Drama | Homefront | Template:Nom | |
| 1993 | American Television Awards<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> | Best Dramatic Series | Homefront | Template:Nom |
| Best Supporting Actress, Dramatic Series | Mimi Kennedy | Template:Nom | ||
| Golden Globe Award | Best Television Series – Drama | Homefront | Template:Nom | |
| Primetime Emmy Award | Outstanding Drama Series | Lynn Marie Latham, Bernard Lechowick, David Jacobs, Diane Messina Stanley, James Stanley and Christopher Chulack | Template:Nom | |
| Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series | Bernard Lechowick (For episode "The Lacemakeres") | Template:Nom | ||
| Outstanding Hairstyling for a Series | Jerry Gugliemotto and Georgina Williams (For episode "Life Is Short") | Template:Nom | ||
| Outstanding Costuming for a Series | Chic Gennarelli and Lyn Paolo (For episode "Like Being There When You're Not") | Template:Won | ||
| Outstanding Art Direction for a Miniseries or a Special | Dean E. Mitzner and Tom Pedigo (For episode "The Traveling Lemo All-Stars") | Template:Won | ||
| Television Critics Association Award | Outstanding Achievement in Drama | Homefront | Template:Nom | |
| Viewers for Quality Television Award | Best Supporting Actress in a Quality Drama Series | Mimi Kennedy | Template:Nom | |
| Founder's Award | Lynn Marie Latham, Bernard Lechowick, David Jacobs, Diane Messina Stanley, James Stanley and Christopher Chulack | Template:Won | ||
| Writers Guild of America Award | Original Long Form | Lynn Marie Latham and Bernard Lechowick (For episode "S.N.A.F.U.") | Template:Won |