The Pruitts of Southampton

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Ended

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Also Known as:The Phyllis Diller Show

ABC Broadcast History September 1966-January 1967----Tuesday 9:00-9:30
January 1967-September 1967----Friday 9:30-10:00]

Phyliss Diller stars as Phyliss Pruitt a Long Island socialite who has to make the transition from luxury to poverty when she... more »

Also Known as:The Phyllis Diller Show

ABC Broadcast History September 1966-January 1967----Tuesday 9:00-9:30
January 1967-September 1967----Friday 9:30-10:00]

Phyliss Diller stars as Phyliss Pruitt a Long Island socialite who has to make the transition from luxury to poverty when she learns she owes millions in back taxes. Also stars Reginald Gardiner as 81 yr old Uncle Ned,Grady Sutton as Sturgis the butler,Pam Freeman as her daughter Stephanie, Lisa Loring as her daughter Suzie,John Astin as Rudy Pruitt,Marty Ingels as Norman Krump and Gypsy Rose Lee as Regina. David Levy (Addams Family) was executive producer and theme song sung by Miss Diller was written by Vic Mizzy (Addams Family). The series was based on the novel "House Party" by Patrick Dennis. In midseason the format was changed and the show retitled; Jan 13,67 Phyliss Diller Show premiered and the Pruitt mansion was now a boarding house.
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• Looking for "PRUITTS OF SOUTHAMPTON" aka PHYLISS DILLER SHOW

  I am looking for any episodes of "The Pruitts Of Southampton" 1966-67 ABC Phyliss Diller stars as Phyliss Pruitt a Long Isl...more »

  I am looking for any episodes of "The Pruitts Of Southampton" 1966-67 ABC Phyliss Diller stars as Phyliss Pruitt a Long Island socialite who has to make he transition from luxuary to poverty when she learns she owes millions in back taxes. Also stars Reginald Gardiner as 81 yr old Uncle Ned,Grady Sutton as Sturgis the butler,Pam Freeman as her daughter Stephanie, Lisa Loring as her daughter Suzie,John Astin as Rudy Pruitt,Marty Ingels as Norman Krump and Gypsy Rose Lee as Regina. David Levy (Addams Family) was executive producer and theme song sung by Miss Diller was written by Vic Mizzy (Addams Family). In midseason the format was changed and the show retitled; Jan 13,67 Phyliss Diller Show premiered and the Pruitt mansion was now a boarding house. I saw a clip from this series and it looks hilarious. Would love to get all 31 episodes of this series. Please e-mail me if anyone has this show and hopefully we can work out a trade. Thanks! less «

  cherisland Last online 10 days ago
  2 comments, last one Aug 19, 2007 + Add Comment

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  1 Abysmal

  Silly sitcom about sheltered millionaires that find themselves penniless, and owe vast sums in taxes. With the help of the IRS, they conceal this fact until they can pay off. Unfortunately the series didn't pay off for Phyllis Diller. hide « show »

  In 1966, Phyllis Diller was a hot new talent, in demand for any show she could do her stand up on, from the Tonight Show, to the Hollywood Palace. She became a fixture in the Bob Hope specials, appeared in some films, and even had her own comic strip. The big question was: when would she get a show?
  Universal signed her up and developed a sitcom out of a novel about a bunch of broken down ex-rich family, each wacky and eccentric. They live in an unholy and unbelievable alliance with the Internal Revenue service, which allows them to luxuriate in their mansion (Biltmore house stands in for stock shots) and pretend they're still rich as they struggle to pay off their tax debts. "The Pruitts of Southampton" has been named #20 on the all time worst list by TV Guide in 2002. Why didn't it at least escape that list? Because they didn't seem to care what Phyllis's comedy was about. In her stand up routines she plays the most horrible housewife in the world, dressing usually in something nightmarish like a garish, clashing colored mu-mu, tiny white boots, a long cigarette holder and hair frazzled out as if she'd just left a wind tunnel. Her piercing witch cackle puntuated her hilarious descriptions of improbable beauty hints, cooking tips or bizzare anecdotes describing life with her husband, "Fang".
  You'd probably think some crazy kind of middle or lower class Addams family could spring from this, but instead, they cast poor Phyllis in the role of a gracious, if faded super-upper class woman with high style clothes and servants to do the work. In the pilot, she has movie star-grade perfectly set and coiffed hair, with tasteful jewelry and make-up. They just erased Phyllis. Her family and friends included Reginald Gardiner, Gysy Rose Lee, Paul Lynde, John McIver, Richard Deacon, John Astin, Jackie Coogan, Grady Sutton etc. and seemed to have a decent budget. The music in the background is what is usually heard in lighthearted Universal comedies of the period, like the Don Knotts features. With so many people,the stories tend to expand further than Phyllis's character can remain essential, so visiting relatives become the focus, and Phyl gets nothing but reaction shots with unfunny quips to spout. Their money making schemes are unclever, or stupid. For instance, a machine that dresses hair into a glamourous 'do just by sticking your head into it for a second could have made them millions, except that it makes mistakes and gives the wrong styles/colors/cuts at random, even switching hair from one head to another! THAT is stupid. What's worse? The very next week the same misfire box with a head hole in it has now become an equally unreliable pizza machine. Yes, that's right.The two functions are apparently only a few minor adjustments apart. But it chucks pizzas out by the dozens, casting them airborne as the cast scrambles like spectators caught at a live skeet range. Such is the stuff they tossed poor Phyllis into. The last four or five episodes changed the title of the show to The Phyllis Diller Show, as if she had much to do with it, or that it would help. And it's really a shame too, because this clunker scared off any chances for better offers later. Phyllis was a very gifted, and original comedienne.

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  The1Factotum1i1 Added Aug 8, 2008 All my reviews
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  2 Terrible

  Don't quit your day job. hide « show »

  After the cancellation of 'The Addams Family', ABC seemed to need a replacement for a show and this is what they got. "The Pruitts of Southampton", which can be considered 'The Beverly Hilbillies in Reverse'. Phillis Diller seems to have a bad hair day and it looks like she's desperate for a show...or something. The theme song is dismal and also it co-starred John Astin who also was on 'The Addams Family' as well. This was considered one of the worst shows ever and was in the top-50 worst T.V. shows according to TV Guide. 'How to do'? No thank you!

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  MrCleveland Added Jun 3, 2008 All my reviews