alt.tv.mad-about-you FAQ, Part 2/9
Ramaswamy
Archive-name: tv/mad-about-you/faq/part2
Posting-frequency: quarterly
Last-modified: 97-01-30
Version: 5.1
URL: http://www.alumni.caltech.edu/~witelski/may-faq2.html
Copyright: (c) 1994-1997 by Ramaswamy [ra...@ultranet.com]
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Frequently Asked Questions list (2/9) for
"Mad About You" and the
Usenet newsgroup alt.tv.mad-about-you
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Archive-name: tv/mad-about-you/faq/part2
Posting-frequency: quarterly
Last-modified: 97-01-30
Version: 5.1
----------------------------------------------------------------------
This Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) list for the TV Comedy show
"Mad About You" is, as a collection of information,
Copyright (c) 1994-1997 by Ramaswamy [ra...@ultranet.com].
All Rights Reserved.
This document may be freely distributed in electronic form for
personal use only, provided it is distributed in its entirety
and with all original author and copyright information intact.
Distribution by any other means must be by permission of the
copyright holder. This material is for non-commercial use only
and any sale for profit is expressly forbidden. It may not be
included in any commercial documents, archives or CD-ROMs, nor
uploaded to any BBS or online service without the permission
of the copyright holder. The removal of this copyright notice
is prohibited.
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Sections with updates will be flagged with asterisks (*) in the
Local Table Of Contents below. Almost all sections have
updates in this re-organized document, hence none is flagged.
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Please send in corrections/comments to: [ra...@ultranet.com]
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Main Table of Contents
Local Table of Contents
2.0 Who are all those characters on MAY?
2.1 Who are the principal characters?
Paul Buchman
Jamie Stemple Buchman
Lisa Stemple
Fran Devanow
Mark Devanow
Jay Selby
Ira Buchman
Murray
2.2 Who are the other family members?
2.3 Who are the other supporting characters?
2.4 What other TV shows and movies have some cast members been in?
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2.0 Who are all those characters on MAY?
We can start with Paul and Jamie Buchman, who are the only characters
to be featured so far in each and every episode of MAY.
Jamie's older sister Lisa (Stemple) and best friend Fran Devanow
have been in the story-line from the beginning, but are not featured
in every episode. Fran's husband Mark Devanow left at the end of
season #1 and returned toward the end of season #2 for 2 episodes.
Mark was featured in seasons #3 and #4, but is unlikely to be part
of the MAY ensemble from season #5 on. Paul's college buddy (Jay)
Selby was written out of the series midway through season #1, and
a fraternal cousin Ira Buchman introduced.
Ursula, the waitress at Riff's, was introduced in season #2 and
phased out after season #3. Jamie's ex-boyfriend Alan Tofsky and
Ira's girlfriend Susannah Gould were featured in season #3. Nat the
dog-walker was introduced in season #4 and Debbie's girlfriend Joan
Golfinos has been introduced in season #5.
Through it all, Jamie's parents Gus and Theresa Stemple have been
featured (in alternate seasons) as well as Paul's parents Burt and
Sylvia Buchman (the latter was introduced in season #2), and his 2
sisters Sharon and Debbie. Paul's dog Murray is another constant.
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2.1 Who are the principal characters?
The definition of a principal character in this FAQ is inclusion of
the actor's name in the opening credits. Murray is the sole exception
to this rule; without him the show would have none of its Murray-ness.
Paul Buchman [Paul Reiser]
Born and raised in New York, Paul is a documentary filmmaker
(Buchman Films [1.6]) who attended New York University (NYU) Film
School and won an NEA (National Endowment for the Arts) grant [1.11].
After several nominations for the Silver Sprocket award that he covets
[2.23], he has finally won one [4.20].
Paul lived in an apartment at 129 West 81st Street [1.11] before he
met Jamie. He lived with his parents until age 18 and after college
lived with his cousin Ira for a while before
being kicked out [3.16].
Paul is quite the dutiful son, calling his mother often and then
regretting telling her things. He has a typical father-son
relationship with his father [1.18, 5.5], who has a better
understanding of Paul's abilities than Paul gives him credit
for [3.5]. Paul also gets along well with his in-laws [1.5, 5.6].
While his college days (with Selby) were certainly eventful, Paul
really does not have "any guys" [3.16]. Ira is about it. He found a
collie-mix puppy in Central Park one night [2.1], adopted it and
named the dog Murray [2.20], who has become a significant part of
his life.
Paul likes the Three Stooges [2.5], is a big Beatles fan [1.17, 2.17],
is strangely attracted to "Saved By The Bell" [3.13], and watches or
tapes "Baywatch" regularly [3.11, 3.22]. He hates the Opera [1.10]
and hates to shop even more [1.2, 2.12]. He loves pizza [1.10, 3.21]
and cinnamon toast [2.5, 2.10]. He usually took the subway or a cab,
but never a bus [1.8], until he bought Mark Devanow's old car [4.2].
Jamie Stemple Buchman [Helen Hunt]
Born and raised in New Haven, Conn., Jamie graduated from Yale [1.11].
Having gone through 2 majors and 7 boyfriends [2.10] and spent some
time hanging out at a biker bar (sporting a tattoo) [3.11], she went
to work at the Public Relations firm of Farrer, Gantz. After 5 years,
she was promoted to be the Regional VP, succeeding her mentor Fran
Devanow [2.16], and landed many big accounts like Computron [1.6],
the NY Tourism campaign [1.13] and the Central American Tourism
account [2.4]. She quit her PR job because her boss Jack Farrer
didn't give her credit for her good ideas [2.4].
Jamie went back to school [2.21], and then joined forces with Fran
to form her own PR business [3.5, 3.17, 3.19]. After a slow start
with Ira as the sole client [3.6], they do publicity for the Mayor
[4.4] and soon are running the mayoral campaign of Lance Brockwell
[4.16]. Jamie is still working for that campaign [5.2].
Jamie usually does not interfere in other people's affairs, except
when her older sister Lisa is concerned [1.19, 2.7]. She avoids
involvement in Paul and Ira's squabble [3.19]; even when Fran and
Mark separate, she does not judge the matter. She genuinely dislikes
her mother's interference in her life [1.5, 3.13].
She lived in an apartment at 142 West 81st Street [1.11] before
moving in with Paul on Valentine's Day, 1991 [2.16] and marrying him
a year later. She likes to shop at sales [2.6, 2.17], has a weakness
for chocolates [2.2] and ice-cream [2.20], but fudge is another matter
[5.8]. Oddly enough, she cannot program a VCR Plus [3.16].
Lisa Stemple [Anne Ramsay]
Jamie's unmarried older sister by 3 years [1.19], who spent 5 years
in high school [1.16] and is a college dropout [1.5]. A character
with decidedly odd logic [2.8, 2.21], Lisa is able to handle her
parents in a manner Jamie is not [1.5, 2.20].
With a semi-permanent eating disorder and on Prozac [1.9], Lisa is
under a therapist's care, who features her in a book under the
pseudonym Edna [2.11]. Among her friends in group therapy are
two bulimics named Harriet [2.11] and a man named Gunther [1.14].
Jamie has tried to fix her up from time to time [2.7] and can
monitor her telepathically [1.19], while Lisa goes through a
string of boyfriends; sometimes they are gay [1.3], and usually
married if straight [1.5]. Things changed dramatically for Lisa
in season #4 after finding steady employment at Klarik's [3.17]
and being groomed for she knows not what by her employer [4.1].
She ended up engaged to the heir to the Klarik fortune, Sanford
[4.18], though that is now presumably off [5.12].
In the old days, Lisa used to do her laundry on Tuesdays at the
Buchmans' [1.4], where her entrances are preceded by full use
(or abuse) of their buzzer [2.1, 2.11, 2.12], seemingly in Morse
code [3.3]. She also constantly raided their fridge [2.12, 2.14].
We do not know where she lives, but it is in the vicinity of the
103rd Street subway station [3.17], and her fifth floor apartment
[3.1], #5-G [3.22] is featured in [1.19]. Her purse is a world to
itself and figures prominently in [3.17]; 7 kinds of pills can be
found in there [3.20].
Fran Devanow [Leila Kenzle]
Jamie's former boss and confidant, 3 years her senior and formerly
married to Mark Devanow. A Regional VP at the Public Relations
firm of Farrer, Gantz for 5 years [2.4], she quit her job to spend
more time with her young son Ryan [2.16]. Fran likes to shop [1.11,
1.12, 2.17], take charge in every conceivable situation, and fix up
her single friends at annual Valentine's Day parties [1.16] (at least
before Mark left). Paul considers her his friend-in-law [4.1].
Fran's husband Mark often took his cue from her [1.1, 1.2]; in fact
she proposed to him [1.8]. However, after they separate [1.21],
Fran had a rough time adjusting to single life again. She had quick
affairs with Jamie's ex-boyfriend Sherman [1.21] and Paul's cousin
Ira [2.9, 4.2], and even dated Jamie's college classmate Nick [2.22].
Fran appeared to have adequate means of support in Mark's absence,
even though she was not working (in season #2). She went back to
work at Farrer, Gantz [3.1], but quit because she thought Jamie
resented her taking Jamie's old job there [3.9]. She then joined
forces with Jamie in her PR business [3.11], but left it [4.21]
after reconciling with Mark. They toured Europe for 3 months [5.1],
but she is (presumably) back home alone in New York [5.7, 5.11].
Fran drives in NYC [2.1, 2.4, 2.21] and the Buchmans often borrowed
her car in a pinch [3.1, 3.16, 3.17]. Her apartment (#1925 [2.14],
at #171 on an unnamed street [3.7]) is in the Upper East Side of
New York City and the subject of a re-painting exercise [2.14].
She packed off her young son Ryan to her mother's in Boca Raton,
Florida from time to time [1.9, 1.21]; he attends a local school
though [2.14, 5.11].
Mark Devanow [Richard Kind]
Fran's now ex-husband, a gynecologist and obstetrician who had a
considerable practice in Manhattan ($300,000 a year) [2.22]. An
easy-going, good-natured person who likes opera [1.10] and eating
out [1.2], he summed up his outlook on life on the train-ride back
from a Connecticut Thanksgiving [1.9]: "... gotta live in the
moment, keep moving on; everything else is just riding backwards."
After 10 years of marriage [2.9], he left Fran and Ryan to lead a
bohemian existence on the road [1.22], with no regard to his wife's
or son's welfare. Returning a year later to attempt a reconciliation
with Fran [2.22], he found her indifferent to the idea [2.24]. But
he persisted [4.8] and Fran relented in the end [4.21]. In between,
he managed to stay in touch with his son Ryan, spending weekends
[3.1], and once Thanksgiving as well [3.8].
- Although the character of Mark Devanow has not been written out
of the series, it is unlikely he will return to MAY after season #4.
Jay Selby [Tommy Hinkley]
Paul's college buddy and bachelor-at-large, who was a constant
visitor at the Buchman apartment in the first months of their
marriage [1.1]. An inveterate womanizer who considered donating
to a sperm bank [1.9], he caused Paul great anxiety by dating
Paul's ex-girlfriend [1.4]. He also counseled Paul strongly
against surrendering the lease on his old apartment to Kramer [1.8].
He worked for his Dad's (unnamed) business, goofing off at the first
opportunity [1.4]. For $50, he posed as Lisa's boyfriend during the
Thanksgiving outing at her parents' in Connecticut, and bested Paul
by getting invited to a day of golf with her father Gus Stemple [1.9].
- The character of Selby was written out of the series after [1.12].
Ira Buchman [John Pankow]
Born and raised in Sheepshead Bay, NY [1.20], Ira is Paul's fraternal
cousin, older by a few years. They've competed all their lives [1.20,
4.14]. First referred to in [1.3], Ira was introduced in [1.15]. He
is a sometime band leader of Ira and the Nightcaps [3.22], who
played at Paul and Jamie's wedding, as well as at their friends'
wedding [1.15]. Ira also worked in his uncle Burt's sporting goods
store [1.18, 2.3, 2.16] and has since taken over its management [3.5].
He makes Paul a silent partner in the store due to the mistaken belief
that Paul resents his inheriting the store [3.9].
Ira loves to gamble, and often took Paul with him on Atlantic City
junkets, without Jamie's knowledge [1.15]. On another trip, he takes
the house for $700 after asking Paul not to give him money [2.9].
His connections at Belmont help find a final resting place for the
ashes of Jamie's uncle Van [3.3]. When he remembers to, Ira attends
Gamblers Anonymous meetings [3.3].
Ira once advised Paul not to get involved with Jamie [3.19], advice
that Paul correctly ignored, but Jamie is sufficiently used to Ira's
ways now, to the point of referring to him as "my cousin Ira" [3.12].
Ira was married in late 1973 to Marianne Lugasso; they were together
for all of 6 months, officially divorcing after 20 years [2.9]. But
Ira has been playing the field for a long time. He had liaisons with
one of Jamie's clients, Diane Caldwell ("Spy Girl") [1.20],
with Lisa at Paul and Jamie's Wedding [1.18, 2.1] and then with the
separated Fran [2.9, 4.2], leading to Fran's possible pregnancy
[2.14]. After a brief liaison with Velma [3.10], he stumbled into a
surprisingly steady relationship with Susannah Gould [3.12, 3.19,
3.20, 3.22], even brushing off Paul rather than miss a date with her
[3.16]. That liaison dissolved without notice after season #3, and
Ira is roaming again [4.10, 4.15, 4.22, 5.1].
Ira lives at 196 West 93rd Street, apartment 6-S [3.22]. He owns a
car [1.18, 2.1, 2.17] and has a cat named Roscoe that Murray appears
to dislike [3.20].
Murray [Smiley/Maui]
Paul's out-to-lunch dog is a collie-shepherd mix [1.10] that Paul
found in Central Park as a puppy [2.20]. After a 7-year separation,
Murray gets to meet his mother Mona [2.20]. He has been walked to
great advantage by Paul and Ira to meet girls, and also by Lisa to
meet guys [2.1].
Murray also had a brief acting career doing TV commercials [3.14],
even appearing in a MegaDeath video and auditioning for a TV
series. But for Paul's and Jamie's sake, he ends all prospects of a
show-biz carrer by doing an impression of Cujo [3.14], something only
Mark Devanow [1.7, 1.21] and Paul have seen before [3.1].
Known primarily for his immobility ("a rug with organs" [2.20]) and
lack of awareness of his surroundings -- "Murray-ness" [2.1], his
tendency to chase an imaginary mouse [2.2] acquired legendary status
in season #2. He once had an affair with Sophie [1.10], the Conways'
Cairn Terrier show dog from across the hall, but love blossomed
in season #3, and they had 5 puppies [3.2]. He has been Maggie
Conway's favourite ever since [3.14].
While Murray sees in black and white, he dreams in color [3.14],
one sure sign of a wonder dog!
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2.2 Who are the other family members?
Burt Buchman [Louis Zorich]
Paul's father, who gains his fifteen minutes of fame on the
Regis Philbin show [1.18]. Burt was the owner of Buchman's
Sporting Goods store (#867 Broadway [2.16, 3.5], and had a mild
angina attack when attempting to move a fibreglass pool-table in
the store [2.3]. After running the store for 43 years, complete
with an annual Midnight Madness sale, he hands over the reins to
Ira [3.5], but helps out from time to time [5.7]. And he is still
smarting about the loss of exclusive distribution rights for the
Hoola Hoop to Ziggy Klarik more than 40 years ago [4.22].
Burt is adored by his daughter-in-law Jamie [1.18, 3.5].
Sylvia Buchman [Cynthia Harris]
Paul's mother, whose barbs never miss their mark, whether directed
at son Paul, daughter Sharon or daughter-in-law Jamie [2.3]. Sylvia
was heard only on the phone in season #1 [1.3, 1.10, 1.18] and it
was at her suggestion that Freddy Stadler presented Paul with Ringo's
drums [1.17]. She was also the force behind Burt's decision to retire
and hand his store over to Ira [3.5].
Sylvia was 19 when she married Burt Buchman [2.24] on May 12, 1951
[4.22]. Paul chafes under her constant reminder of his 'bad' career
choice as a filmmaker rather than be a doctor [2.3]; Ira and Lisa
have no problem dealing with her [2.20]. Sylvia always makes a point
of calling Lisa "sweet" [2.3, 2.24, 3.1]. Though initially stunned
by her daughter Debbie's "outing" [4.9], she adjusted remarkably
well to the new realities [5.1].
Jamie is often suspicious of her motives in the gifts Sylvia gives
(an electric blanket [2.2], an answering machine [2.8], a gaudy
flame-retardant parka [3.22]), forever wishing she would move to
Florida [2.3], but nevertheless admires her spirit [2.20, 2.24].
After a few routine tussles [4.3], they now appear to have reached
an understanding [5.7]. Sylvia has had similar problems in dealing
with her own mother-in-law [3.8].
Sharon [Randy Graff]
Paul's older sister (by 2 years) [2.24], who is a either divorcee
[2.3] or is separated from her husband Steve [4.3]. She has 2
children, one a 4-year old daughter [2.3] (then). An MBA, Sharon
lived on Long Island [2.3], but has moved to New Jersey [4.3],
and is not a very good driver [2.3]. She wasn't one of the three
bridesmaids at her brother's wedding [3.13]; it is not known if
she even attended the ceremony.
Debbie [Talia Balsam/Robin Bartlett]
Paul's sister, possibly a younger sibling, who has 2 sons, Jed and
Noah [2.6, 2.24]. She is not mentioned by Sylvia when discussing
Paul's birth: "Sharon was 2..." [2.24], and so was probably
born after Paul.
Debbie separated from her husband Gary on the eve of Paul and Jamie's
wedding, after 15 years together [3.13], so it would appear to have
been a high school romance. 4 years later she found romance with Joan
while on a trip to Vermont [4.9] and they've moved in together [5.1].
Debbie takes great exception to Paul and Jamie not selecting Joan as
their ob/gyn [5.1], which they ultimately do.
Jed [Bradley Pierce]
Debbie's older son, who spent a Halloween with Paul and Jamie [2.6].
Jamie took him trick-or-treating in an Aladdin costume she improvised,
with Murray in tow as a camel. Jed holds the distinction of being the
best-behaved kid on MAY, even making Jamie wish for a child [2.6].
Noah [Andrew J. Ferchland]
Debbie's younger son, whose noisy behavior at his mother's lunch
celebrating Paul and Jamie's second anniversary makes a deep
impression on Jamie [2.24]. His mother copes with the tantrums by
using a trip to Disney World as the stick.
Gus Stemple [Paul Dooley/John Karlen/Carroll O'Connor]
Jamie's father, a successful butcher [1.5] who has spent more than
34 years in the business [3.14]. He likes Paul, has no great opinion
of his tool-handling skills [1.5], and never invites Paul to a golf
outing [1.9]. But they end up at a lackluster New York Jets football
game together [5.6] and manage to talk about sports, politics and the
stock market. Gus lobbies hard for beef to be served at the wedding
reception, in place of squab [3.13]. He can be quite helpless without
his wife, and Jamie has to go up to keep him company when her mother
is away [3.16].
The Stemples lived comfortably in New Haven, Connecticut [1.9] and
drove down to New York City often to spend time with the Buchmans
[1.5, 2.20, 3.8]. After 37 years of marriage trying to crack his
wife's code, one day Gus decided to buy an RV to tour the US and
Canada [5.6]. When his wife opted out of the trip, he drove off by
himself. He keeps in touch with Theresa [5.6], and presumably
knows about Jamie's pregnancy.
Theresa Cooper Stemple [Nancy Dussault/Penny Fuller/Carol Burnett]
Jamie's mother, who is naturally bubbly [2.20] and tortures her
daughter with advice [1.5]. She also uses Lisa to get at Jamie when
they are fighting [2.20]. Theresa is often heard on the phone [2.2,
2.20], but like her husband Gus, seen infrequently [1.5, 3.8, 3.13,
3.14, 5.6, 5.7]. She is not amused when she first hears about her
grandchild-to-be on the radio [5.7].
A former beauty who snagged parts in 5 episodes of the Alan Brady
Show [3.15], she has undergone a face-lift [3.11] and, presumably,
breast-reduction surgery [2.11]. Jamie resembles the young Theresa,
so much so that when Alan Brady is first introduced to Jamie, he
wonders if they have met before [3.15].
Ryan Devanow [Spencer Klein]
Fran and Mark's "devil child" [1.16], whose tantrums once prevented
his parents going to the circus with the Buchmans [1.7]. Ryan could
recite Hiawatha's poem [1.9] and sing the Muffin Man song off-key
[1.6], and played Cupid at his mother's Valentine's Day parties
[1.16].
Ryan was featured only in season #1, until a violin recital 4 years
later [5.11]. After his parents separated for the first time [1.21],
he was packed off to his grandmother's in Boca Raton, Florida [1.22].
But he is back in school in NYC [2.4], and Paul, Jamie and Ira went
with Fran to a benefit at his school [2.14], while Jamie and Paul
attended his violin recital [5.11]. When his parents were separated,
he got to spend weekends [3.1] and Thanksgiving [3.8] with his father.
Marianne Lugasso [Cyndi Lauper]
Ira's long-forgotten wife of 20 years, who once managed a casino in
Atlantic City [2.9]. They were married in 1973 and lived with both
sets of parents for 6 months, and were finally divorced in 1993 so
she could legally marry her unseen beau (a Count [3.19]) and move to
Luxembourg [2.9].
She returned briefly as a widowed Contessa [3.19], and tried to engage
Ira's attentions by offering him an interest-free loan to finance his
new catalog business. It is possible she was feeling guilty about the
peyote incident in 1974 involving Ira, the night before he took his
SAT exams [3.19].
Aunt Lolly [Meg Wyllie]
Jamie's 73-year old maternal aunt [3.15], who initially had trouble
figuring out whom she was related to [3.8]. She was the toast of the
Catskills in the 50's, where she played a harp in Grossinger's Lobby
[3.15], dating Alan Brady among many others. She also played the
viola at Paul and Jamie's wedding, except Paul insists it was a
ukelele [3.13].
Twice widowed [3.13], she dated Paul's editor Sid for a while [3.20].
She drives a Buick Skylark and lives in Connecticut [3.20].
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2.3 Who are the other supporting characters?
Hal Conway [Paxton Whitehead/Jim Piddock]
The Buchmans' neighbour in 11-C, a visiting professor at Columbia
University teaching Diplomacy [1.10], who is Maggie's husband.
The Conways are from Cambridge, England and believe that New York
is populated by raving loons. They are undiplomatic enough to tell
Paul and Jamie they don't like them, but accept an invitation from
their friends (the Devanows) to go to Opera at the Met in place of
the Buchmans [1.10]. When rumors fly about the building going co-op,
they try to buy out the rights to the Buchmans' apartment, to enlarge
their own; this hankering is even shown as alternate reality [3.22].
Hal Conway has been seen once in season #1 [1.10], and then again in
seasons #3 and #4, and heard off-camera once in season #2 [2.6].
The Conways have been visiting New York for a long time now; they had
arrived by 1991 [5.7]. Hal has written a novel [3.6] and is keenly
interested in comic books [3.21]. He claims to having been a
middleweight boxing champion at Oxford [3.22], though that may not
have been reality.
Maggie Conway [Judy Geeson]
Hal's wife, allergic to all flowers, and proud owner of Sophie,
a Cairn Terrier show dog [1.10]. Forever at odds with the Buchmans
[3.2, 3.16], Maggie refuses to trick-or-treat Paul's nephew Jed at
Halloween [2.6], but entertains an American friend and her boyfriend
at Thanksgiving [5.7]. And she shows up with eats for Jamie when
mistakenly believing that Paul had died [2.12]. Murray is the only
Buchman she cares for [3.14].
Alan Tofsky [Eric Stoltz]
Jamie's last significant other, a year or so before she met Paul
[3.21], a commercial graphics artist who did the cover for a Peter
Gabriel album [3.7], and now famous for his comic book MegaVoid
[3.21]. Apparently he had had the last word at their breakup,
something Jamie will not admit to [3.7]. They manage to work
together on an advertising campaign [3.21] and Alan even shows
up in a what-if sequence in [3.22]. He is known to carry his own
tea-bags [3.7] and to refer to Paul as Ken [3.21].
It is unlikely that Alan was being referred to in [1.3] when Jamie
talks about an artist (commercial) that she'd slept with once. It
is open to speculation if Alan and Jamie co-habited [3.22].
Susannah Gould [Anne Bobby]
Jamie's class-mate in Psychology class, who charmed Ira at their
first encounter in the Buchman apartment [3.12], so much so that
he bought towels and washed them before first use [3.19]. It is
interesting to note that but for Fran's expert interpretation of
a schizoid personality [2.21], Ira and Susannah would never have
met. But fate being what it is, they managed to meet in the
what-if sequence [3.22], no matter what.
Like Ira, Susannah was briefly married when young [3.12], and like
Ira, she has a band [3.22]. She also once worked at a psychic
phone-line [3.12] and has a knack for figuring people out, mostly
by just listening. In less than an hour after she met Ira, she read
him and they were off on their first date [3.12].
Susannah hates being called Sue [3.20] and feathers flew when a
cabbie addressed her as Mamma [3.19]. She used to have a pet canary,
that met with a sudden end [3.20].
- Unfortunately the character of Susannah Gould appears to have
been written out of the series; Ira's loss and ours.
Mel Wertzel [Louis Goss]
The Buchmans' landlord, who patiently fielded their interminable
questions as they looked over apartment 11-D six times before
signing the lease [2.16]. When an obituary of a Paul Buchman
appeared in the newspapers, he sent around a note on a Saturday
indicating the need for a 60-day notice to vacate the apartment
[2.12].
Bill Wicker [Jerry Adler]
The previously pageable super of the Buchman apartment building,
who was first alluded to in [1.5]. Always leaving a job to get to
another one [2.19], he had been a super for 33 years [2.23].
He is 64 years old and has been married for 40 years [3.4] to
Claire, whose Nyquil commercial won Jamie a $5 bet [2.19].
Mrs. Wicker was even featured on a Soap opera [3.6]. The Wickers
used to live in apartment 5-J, next to the elevator [3.4], but
appear to have moved on, since a new unnamed super has taken
over [4.12].
Eddie [Lou Cutell]
The doorman at the Buchman apartment building, who brings up
Jamie's boxes [2.4] as well as her tossed out jersey [1.8].
He also critiqued Paul's films [2.5] and offered suggestions to
explain away Jamie's outburst at Riff's regarding her boss [2.4].
Ursula [Lisa Kudrow]
First seen in season #2 as an unnamed Waitress [2.4], later
introduced as Ursula (a name she hates) in [2.7]. A routinely
ditzy character that had been waiting tables at Riff's for at
least 3 years [2.16], she also has a side job as a museum tour
guide [2.7].
Ursula has a brother with a gimpy car [3.6]. Based on the premise
of the TV comedy show "Friends" she has a twin sister named
Phoebe, but this has never been mentioned in any MAY episode, nor
the possibility that her last name is Buffay. By an odd coincidence,
Ira once makes up a story about Ursula for Paul's benefit, commenting
on how she may be having twins ("It runs in the family") [2.14].
Dutch [Steve Paymer]
The sales clerk at the Village Vogue [2.6], later known as the
Village Video [2.18], the place that has brought us the category:
Comedy, Comedy. It is located next to an antiques shop. Dutch
entertained Paul's nephew Jed with an impersonation of Larry,
one of the Three Stooges, but was severely reprimanded for his
troubles by his boss.
Kim [Darrell Kunitomi/Ping Wu]
Owner of a neighborhood mini-market [2.24, 3.8], who was also Mark's
Zen Master for the short time he employed Mark as a stocker and
delivery boy. Kim has a tendency to talk in triples. He and his
wife Tammy now have a daughter named Rose. His market, open 23
hours daily, is located at #1120 on an unnamed street [2.24], but
then again, maybe not [3.8].
Ike [Art Evans]
Paul's editor in season #1, who claimed to know or have known a
number of luminaries of the screen, like Alfred Hitchcock, Martin
Scorsese and Orson Welles [1.4, 1.6]. He pulled no punches when
criticizing Paul's work or his bumbling efforts at trying to find
out what Jamie's job at Farrer, Gantz really is. Warren succeeded
Art as editor/cameraman at Buchman Films.
Stacey [Kerri Green]
Paul's assistant in season #1, who screened all incoming calls and
was free with her opinions of his films. She deftly rebuffed Selby
[1.4] and held a low opinion of Paul as a husband [1.6]. Connie
succeeded Stacey as Paul's assistant in season #1.
Connie [Meagen Fay]
Paul's assistant, who appeared to do a lot without getting anything
done, and was in a constant state of confusion [1.17]. Connie
accompanied Warren to Paul and Jamie's first anniversary party
[1.22], but was not heard of after that. All we know about her
is that she has a cat that feels isolated [1.22]. Remy succeeded
Connie in season #2 as Paul's assistant.
Warren [Steven Wright]
Paul's editor and cameraman, whose real name is Eddie Mermelman
and whose credentials were mostly true [1.17]. He suffered Lou as
much as Paul [2.5], burned for Connie [1.22], is a self-proclaimed
peripheral visionary [2.1] and recognized Lisa as Edna in her
shrink's book [2.11]. Warren has since left Buchman Films, having
been succeeded by Sid Novak.
Lou Bonaparte [Larry Miller]
Paul's producer, replacing an unnamed, unseen, hands-off producer
[2.4]. Lou hovered around Paul and Warren, trying to get his fingers
into every aspect of production of Paul's films. He was a former
accountant [2.5], who also practiced tumbling and was the class
validectorian at Amherst [2.10]. His accomplishments at Buchman
Films included elimination of a 3-minute montage [2.10], getting
Jamie's opinion about another film [2.5], and rearranging all the
camera positions for shooting a Halloween parade [2.6]. Lou has
since left Buchman Films.
Remy [Marva Hicks]
Paul's assistant in seasons #2 and #3, introduced in [2.4]. She is
a straight-shooter and stuck to business [2.6, 3.14}. Not much is
known about Remy, but she showed up at Jamie's bridal shower [3.13].
Sid Novak [George O. Petrie]
Paul's editor (who travels back in time, as much as 3 years [3.20]),
born in Minsk [3.20] and a former employee of Alan Brady (from whom
he got a pineapple for Christmas) [3.15]. Sid appears to have known
all the comics of the Borsch Belt. With the looks of Errol Flynn,
he charmed Jamie's Aunt Lolly for the better part of a year [3.20].
Even Ira's ex-wife Marianne took him out to lunch after his offer
to fetch her some cinnamon crullers, though that was probably
Marianne's way of pumping him for information [3.19].
Sid followed Paul to the Explorer Channel [4.4, 4.11] and was even
involved in the editing of his campaign commercial for Lance Brockwell
[4.16], but in the end recommended that Paul quit his job to get a
life [4.19]. Presumably Sid did likewise, as he has not been seen
in season #5.
Ricky [Cameron Thor]
Jamie's assistant at Farrer and Gantz, who was heard only on the
phone in season #1 [1.6], but finally featured in season #2 [2.4].
It was also his last appearance, since Jamie quit her job the very
next day. In season #3, he has been heard again on the phone in
flashback episodes [3.13, 3.20, 3.22], so the memory lives on.
Manny Gantz [Wayne Tippitt/Jack Shearer]
Fran's boss (and thus Jamie's as well), who handed out the Christmas
bonus checks in [1.11] and bored everyone except Mark Devanow with
his Rose Bowl story (he played in the game, but not the way anyone
would think). And yet he mistook Ira for Mark in Fran's office [3.9].
Jack Farrer [Ken Jenkins]
Jamie's boss, who unfailingly gave insipid gifts to his subordinates,
but never any credit for their good ideas [2.4]. His remarks about
why Jamie had snagged the Central American Tourism account caused
her to quit in disgust.
Allison Rourke [Gates McFadden]
Responsible for producing documentaries at the Explorer Channel,
she lured Paul with state-of-the-art editing facilities and a very
generous compensation [4.1]. Working for a female boss with more
than 70 documentaries to her credit, Paul was wary of letting Jamie
know how attractive Allison was [4.7]. Allison was also featured
in some dream sequences, both Paul's and Jamie's [4.11]. Oddly
enough she had no part in Paul's dismissal [4.19], and presumably
has no future with the series.
Hollis Pavelle [David Strickland]
First seen as an unnamed sycophant of Allison's at the Explorer
Channel [4.5], he was the office busy-body whose mission in life
was to check up on Paul [4.6, 4.13] and reason with him regarding
expenses as Paul went for the 47th take of a shot [4.19]. His habit
of clicking his pen as he made notes never failed to irritate Paul
[4.18, 4.19] but the joint dismissal from the Explorer Channel
generated a bond. They even end up in the same unemployment line
together [4.21].
Nat [Hank Azaria]
A highly original character whose first and last language is
English [4.10] and whose love of all creatures great and small
prompts the Buchmans to hire him as Murray's walker [4.6]. Nat
and Murray bond instantly, so much so that he appears to prefer
Nat over Paul [4.6]. Even Jamie gets compliments from Nat that
Paul cannot quite manage [4.8]. Nat comes up with interesting
variations of Murray's name [4.6, 4.8, 4.10] and is 3 credits
short of becoming a male nurse [4.10].
Lance Brockwell [Alan Ruck/Harry Groener]
The Director of Public Relations at City Hall, who once received
hate mail from Paul Buchman about a denied permit (to film coyotes
in Central Park), but holds no grudge [4.4] as he hires Jamie and
Fran to do publicity for the Mayor. When he decides to run for the
office himself [4.8], Lance hires them to direct the campaign [4.16].
But his acceptance of cab-fare from a known mobster [4.19] leads to
a Grand Jury investigation, while his use of prozac leads to more
routine complications [5.3]. He has good ideas but speaks in sound
"gulps" rather than bites [5.2]. He is married, with 2 kids [4.4].
Doug Berkus [Bradley White]
Lance Brockwell's deputy, who likes to trade favors and recommends
Jamie for the chairmanship of the "Fun City" committee under unusual
circumstances [4.15]. He played all the right cards to get Paul to
produce a campaign spot for Brockwell [4.16] and arranged for a
getaway package to Massachusetts for Jamie to spend a weekend away
with Paul [4.19]. But a kiss exchanged with Jamie at the office had
major repurcussions [4.21]. These days he is stationed in Albany,
but still working for the mayoral campaign [5.2].
Sanford Klarik [Billy Morrissette]
The 23-year old heir to the $400 million Klarik fortune, who has
been kicked out of 4 Ivy League schools including Harvard, Yale
and Brown [4.17]. Then his father Ziggy asked Lisa to take him
under her wing. Obsession followed and Sanford proposed to Lisa
[4.17]; she accepted and his father threw a big bash in their
honor [4.22], but their engagement presumably has come to nought
[5.12]. Sanford has his share of secrets, but he unwittingly causes
the broadcast of Jamie's latest big secret over the airwaves [5.7].
Joan Golfinos [Suzie Plakson]
A doctor, who falls in love with Debbie on a trip to Vermont [4.9],
and who is finally introduced to Debbie's parents over a buffet
lunch [5.1] that dashes Jamie's hopes of climbing up the totem pole
of Sylvia's graces. The elder Buchmans take to Joan readily and are
amazed that Jamie would look beyond her for an ob/gyn. Always the
professional, Joan keeps Jamie's pregnancy a secret from Debbie,
leading to their first fight [5.7].
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2.4 What other TV shows and movies have some cast members been in?
Most of the information in the lists that follow is courtesy of the
Internet Movie Database, with some additions and corrections.
Paul Reiser
Born March 30 1957, New York, NY.
B.A. in music from SUNY, Binghamton, NY.
Married to Paula Ravets, a psychotherapist (1988).
They have a son, Ezra Samuel, born September 1995.
Bye Bye, Love 1995 [Donny]
Mr. Write 1994 [Charlie]
Family Prayers 1993 [Dan Linder]
Paul Reiser: Out on a Whim (HBO Cable TV)
Tower, The (TV) 1993 [Tony Minot]
3 1/2 Blocks from Home (Showtime Cable TV)
Mad About You (TV) 1992- [Paul Buchman]
Marrying Man, The 1991 [Phil]
Crazy People 1990 [Stephen Bachman]
My Two Dads (TV) 1987-1990 [Michael Taylor]
Beverly Hills Cop II 1987 [Jeffrey Friedman]
Cross My Heart 1987 [Bruce]
You Ruined My Life (TV) 1987 [Dexter Bunche]
Aliens 1986 [Carter Burke]
Beverly Hills Cop 1984 [Jeffrey Friedman]
Odd Jobs 1984 [Max]
Sunset Limousine (TV) 1983 [Jay Neilson]
Diner 1982 [Modell]
Helen Hunt
Born June 15 1963, Culver City, CA.
Daughter of Gordon Hunt, acting coach and director
(including MAY, season #3 onward).
Twister 1996 [Jo Harding]
Kiss of Death 1995 [Bev Kilmartin]
Sexual Healing (Cable TV) 1993 [Rene]
Wild West, The (TV mini-series) 1993 [voice: Abbie Bright]
In the Company of Darkness (TV) 1993 [Gina Pulasky]
Mad About You (TV) 1992- [Jamie Buchman]
Bob Roberts 1992 [Hospital reporter Rose Pondell]
Mr. Saturday Night 1992 [Annie]
Trancers III 1992 [Lena Deth]
Waterdance, The 1992 [Anna]
My Life and Times (TV) 1991 [Rebecca Miller]
If Looks Could Kill 1991
Into the Badlands (TV) 1991 [Blossom]
Murder in New Hampshire: The Pamela Wojas Smart Story
(TV) 1991 [Pamela Smart]
Only You 1991 [Claire Enfield]
Trancers II 1991 [Lena Deth]
Incident at Dark River (TV) 1989 [Jesse]
Next of Kin 1989 [Jessie Gates]
Miles from Home 1988 [Jennifer]
Shooter (TV) 1988 [Tracey]
Stealing Home 1988
China Beach (TV) 1990 [Sissy]
Project X 1987 [Teri McDonald]
Peggy Sue Got Married 1986 [Beth Bodell]
Girls Just Want to Have Fun 1985 [Lynne Stone]
Armchair Hacker, The 1985 [Serena Vickers]
Trancers 1985 [Lena Deth]
St. Elsewhere (TV) 1984-86 [Clancy]
French Lesson (Frog Prince, The) 1984 [Henrietta]
Sweet Revenge (TV) 1984 [Debbie Markham]
Bill: On His Own (TV) 1983 [Jenny Wells]
Choices of the Heart (TV) 1983 [Kathy]
Quarterback Princess (TV) 1983 [Tami Maida]
It Takes Two (TV) 1982-83 [Lisa Quinn]
Desperate Lives (TV) 1982 [Sandy Cameron]
Angel Dusted (TV) 1981 [Lizzie Eaton]
Child Bride of Short Creek (TV) 1981 [Naomi]
Miracle of Kathy Miller, The (TV) 1981 [Kathy Miller]
Transplant (TV) 1979
Fitzpatricks, The (TV) 1977-78 [Kerry Gerardi]
Rollercoaster 1977 [Tracy Calder]
Spell, The (TV) 1977 [Kristina Matchett]
Mary Tyler Moore Show, The (TV) 1977 [Laurie Slaughter]
Swiss Family Robinson (TV) 1975-76 [Helga Wagner]
All Together Now (TV) 1975 [Susan Lindsay]
Death Scream (TV) 1975 [Teila Rodriguez]
Amy Prentiss (TV) 1974-75 [Jill Prentiss]
Pioneer Woman (TV) 1973 [Sarah Sargeant]
Anne Ramsay (Anne Elizabeth Ramsay)
Born in southern California.
B.A. in Theatre from UCLA.
Final Cut, The 1995 [Sgt. Kathleen Hardy]
Perfect Alibi 1995 [Paula Simpson]
Murder of Innocence (TV)
Mad About You (TV) 1992- [Lisa Stemple]
League of their Own, A 1992 [Helen Haley]
Critters 4 1991 [Dr. McCormick]
Class Action 1991 [Deborah]
Doctor Doctor (TV) 1989 [Leona Linowitz,a psychiatrist]
Star Trek, The Next Generation (TV) 1988-89
[Assistant Engineer Clancy, Ensign Clancy]
Leila Kenzle
Born July 16 19??, Patchogue, NY.
B.F.A. in Theatre from the Mason Gross School of the
Conservatory at Rutgers University.
Married to Neil Monaco, an acting coach, April 1994.
The Charmer (TV) 1995
Something Wilder (TV) 1995 [Lena]
Mad About You (TV) 1992- [Fran Devanow]
Other People's Money 1991 [Marcia]
Princesses (TV) 1991 [Debra Kirshner]
Richard Kind
Spin City (TV) 1996- [Paul Lassiter]
Shooting Lily 1996 [a florist]
A Whole New Ballgame (TV) 1995 [Dwight Kling]
Blue Skies (TV) 1994 [Kenny Oak]
Stargate 1994 [Gary Myers, an Egyptologist]
Clifford 1994 [Julien Daniels]
Jimmy Hollywood 1994 [an angry driver]
Quest of the Delta Knights 1993 [Wamthool]
All-American Murder 1992 [Lou Alonzo]
Mr. Saturday Night 1992 [a Reporter]
Tom and Jerry: The Movie 1992 [Tom] (voice)
Mad About You (TV) 1992-96 [Mark Devanow]
Queen's Logic 1991 [an actor]
Princesses (TV) 1991 [Debra's husband]
Carol & Company 1990 [various characters in skits]
Unsub 1989 [Jimmy Bello]
Vice Versa 1988 [Floyd]
Tommy Hinkley
Five Mrs. Buchanans (TV) 1994
Star Trek, The Next Generation (TV) 1994 [a journalist]
Mad About You (TV) 1992 [Jay Selby]
Maid for Each Other (TV) 1992
Human Shield, The 1991 [Ben Matthews]
L.A. Story 1991 [Ted]
Naked Obsession 1991 [Mitch]
Angel of Death (TV) 1990
Men at Work 1990 [Jeff]
Silent Night, Deadly Night 4: Initiation 1990 [Hank]
Lethal Weapon 2 1989 [Cop #2]
Hard Knocks (Cable TV) 198?
Back to the Beach 1987 [Michael]
John Pankow
Born February 18 19??, St. Louis MI.
Majored in in Speech and Performing Arts at
Northeastern Illinois University, Chicago.
Married, has a daughter.
Mad About You (TV) 1993- [Ira Buchman]
Stranger Among Us, A 1992 [Levine]
Mortal Thoughts 1991 [Arthur Kellogg]
Year of the Gun 1991 [Italo Bianchi]
Monkey Shines: An Experiment in Fear 1988
[Geoffrey Fisher]
Talk Radio 1988 [Dietz]
Days and Nights of Molly Dodd, The 1987 (TV)
[Ron Luchesse (1990-1991)]
*batteries not included 1987 [Kovacs]
Secret of My Success, The 1987 [Fred Melrose]
First Steps (TV) 1985 [Fred]
To Live and Die in L.A. 1985 [John Vukovich]
Hunger, The 1983 [1st Phone Booth Youth]
Doctors, The (TV) 1980-82
Louis Zorich
Married to Olympia Dukakis.
Young at Heart (TV) 1995 [Joe Garraventi]
Mad About You (TV) 1993- [Burt Buchman]
Cheap Shots 1992
Brooklyn Bridge (TV) 1991-92 [Jules Berger]
City of Hope 1991 [Mayor Baci]
Missing Pieces 1991
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels 1988 [Greek Millionaire]
Club Paradise 1986 [Swiss Businessman]
Death of a Salesman (TV) 1985
Walls of Glass 1985
Master of the Game (TV mini-series) 1984 [Lieutenant Pappas]
Muppets Take Manhattan, The 1984 [Pete]
Vengeance Is Mine 1976 [Dinelli]
For Pete's Sake 1974 [Nick]
Newman's Law 1974
Fiddler on the Roof 1971 [Constable]
Made for Each Other 1971 [Pandora's Father]
Coogan's Bluff 1968 [Taxi Driver]
Cynthia Harris
Mad About You (TV) 1993- [Sylvia Buchman]
Distinguished Gentleman, The 1992 [Vera Johnson]
Mannequin On the Move 1991 [Mom/Queen]
Ask Me Again (TV) 1989
Pancho Barnes (TV) 1988
Three Men and a Baby 1987 [Mrs. Hathaway]
Special Friendship, A (TV) 1987 [Mrs. Van Lew]
L.A. Law (TV) 1986-87 [Iris Hubbard]
Izzy and Moe (TV) 1985
Reuben, Reuben 1982 [Bobby Springer]
Princess and the Cabby, The (TV) 1981
Doctor Franken (TV) 1980
Husbands, Wives & Lovers (TV) 1978 [Paula Zuckerman]
I Could Never Have Sex With a Man Who Has So Little
Respect for My Husband 1973
Isadora 1968 [Mary Desti]
Lisa Kudrow
Born July 30 1963, Encino CA.
Bachelor's degree in Biology from Vassar.
Member of the comedy troupe "The Groundlings."
Married to Michel Stern, May 27, 1995.
Father is a renowned headache specialist.
Friends (TV) 1994- [Phoebe Buffay]
Mad About You (TV) 1993-95 [Ursula]
In the Heat of Passion 1992
Unborn, The 1991 [Louisa]
Steven Wright
Born 6 December 1955, New York NY.
Mixed Nuts 1994 [man at the pay-phone]
Canadian Bacon 1994
Natural Born Killers 1994 [Dr. Emil Reingold]
Speechless 1994
Swan Princess, The 1994 (voice)
Mad About You (TV) 1993 [Eddie "Warren" Mermelman]
So I Married an Axe Murderer 1993 [Pilot]
Reservoir Dogs 1992 [K-Billy DJ] (voice)
Men of Respect 1991 [Sterling]
Short Time 1990
Stars and Bars 1988
Fire with Fire 1986 [Helicopter Pilot]
Desperately Seeking Susan 1985 [Larry Stillman DDS]
Steven Wright Live (TV) 1985
Anne Bobby
Mad About You (TV) 1994-95 [Susannah Gould]
Mother of the Bride (TV) 1993 [Anne]
Burden of Proof, The (TV) 1992 [Marta Stern]
Baby of the Bride (TV) 1991 [Anne]
Cop Rock (TV) 1990 [Officer Vicki Quinn]
Gabriel's Fire (TV) 1990
Children of the Bride (TV) 1990 [Anne]
Nightbreed 1990 [Lori]
Born on the Fourth of July 1989 [Suzanne Kovic]
Pick-up Artist, The 1987
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Please send in corrections/comments to: [ra...@ultranet.com]
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