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==Synopsis==
==Synopsis==


Set in [[Fresno, California]], the story followed the fortunes of a formerly wealthy raisin-growing family, the Kensingtons, led by matriarch Charlotte (Burnett), who is locked in a bitter feud with her arch-rival, [[raisin]] magnate Tyler Cane (Coleman).
Set in [[Fresno, California]], the story followed the fortunes of a once wealthy raisin-growing family, the Kensingtons, who have fallen on hard times. The family is led by widowed matriarch Charlotte (Burnett), who is locked in a deadly power struggle with rival [[raisin]] magnate Tyler Cane (Coleman).


Unlike the skits in the ''[[Carol Burnett Show]]'' (e.g., "As the Stomach Turns"), the comedy was based more on the plot, rather than on one liners. Parodying well-worn clichés of the soap genre, the story featured multiple interweaving storylines -- the ruthless battle for domination of the Fresno raisin industry between Charlotte and her former lover Tyler Cane, the marital conflict between Charlotte's scheming son Cane (Grodin) and his bitchy wife Talon (Garr), the travails of Charlotte's 'sensitive' younger son Kevin (Heald) -- who at one point announces that he is becoming celibate as a protest again whaling -- and the gradual exposure of the byzantine hidden relationships between the main characters, including the quest by Charlottes supposedly adopted daughter Tiffany's to find her real parents, which eventually reveals that she is in fact Charlotte's biological daughter, and that she was fathered by her mother's arch-rival Tyler Cane shortly after Charlotte's husband's died in a tragic raisin dehydrator accident.
Unlike the skits in the ''[[Carol Burnett Show]]'' (e.g., "As the Stomach Turns"), the comedy was based more on the plot, rather than on one liners. Parodying well-worn clichés of the soap genre, the story featured multiple interweaving storylines -- the ruthless battle for domination of the Fresno raisin industry between the Kensingtons and Tyler Cane, the marital conflict between Charlotte's scheming son Cane (Grodin) and his bitchy wife Talon (Garr), the travails of Charlotte's 'sensitive' younger son Kevin (Heald) -- who at one point announces that he is becoming celibate as a protest again whaling -- the appearance of a mysterious stranger (perpetually shirtless ranch hand Torch), and the gradual exposure of byzantine hidden relationships between the main characters, centering on the quest by Charlotte's supposedly adopted daughter Tiffany to find her real parents. As the story reaches is climax, it is revealed that Tiffany is in fact Charlotte's biological daughter, and that she was fathered by her mother's arch-rival Tyler Cane shortly after Charlotte's husband's had died in a tragic raisin dehydrator accident.


''Fresno'' contained many [[running gag|running gags]], including
⚫
The series also includes a number of [[running gag|running gags]], such as Charlotte's repeated humiliation at having to be chauffeured around in the [[rumble seat]] of the family's old [[Chevrolet]] station wagon because their Rolls Royce is always being repaired, and the characters' constant habit of dramatically hurling drinks into the faces of their antagonists.

* the parodic nature of many of the character names (Cane, Torch, Talon, Tiffany, Bobbi Jo Bobb / Billy Joe Bobb, Desiree DeMornay, Earl Duke)
⚫
* Charlotte's repeated humiliation at having to be chauffeured around in the [[rumble seat]] of the family's old [[Chevrolet]] station wagon because their Rolls Royce is always being repaired
* the characters' constant habit of dramatically hurling drinks into the faces of their antagonists
* the repeated use of [[Armenia|Armenian]] surnames for Fresno public officials
* several characters speak with Southern accents even though the story is set in California
* Torch (Harrison) is bare-chested in every single scene in which he appears.


==Cast==
==Cast==

Revision as of 14:34, 6 March 2011

Fresno
Directed byJeff Bleckner
Written byMark Ganzel
Barry Kemp
Michael Petryni
Produced byR. W. Goodwin
Barry Kemp
StarringCarol Burnett
Dabney Coleman
Teri Garr
Charles Grodin
Gregory Harrison
Valerie Mahaffey
CinematographyRobert Steadman
Edited byAndrew Chulack
Music byJohn Morris
Distributed byCBS Television
Release date
16 November 1986
Running time
360 minutes
Country United States
LanguageTransclusion error: {{En}} is only for use in File namespace. Use {{lang-en}} or {{in lang|en}} instead.
BudgetUS$12 million

Fresno is a 1986 television comedy miniseries that parodied popular prime time soap operas of the day such as Falcon Crest, Dallas and Dynasty.

Production

Frenso was produced by for CBS Television by Mary Tyler-Moore's MTM Productions. It was created and co-written by Barry Kemp (who had previously worked on Taxi and Newhart), former stage comedian Mark Ganzel (more recently the executive producer ofTwo Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place) and Michael Petryni, whose earlier writing credits included Knots Landing, Moonlighting and Matlock.

It was directed by stage and TV veteran Jeff Bleckner, who drew on his earlier experience directing episodes of some of the shows Fresno parodied, including Dynasty and Knots Landing; his other TV credits include Trapper John M.D., Hill Street Blues, Commander in Chief, Boston Legal and Castle[1].

The music was composed by John Morris (known for his work with Mel Brooks) and the Emmy-nominated gowns worn by the female leads were designed by Bob Mackie.

The principal cast was led by Carol Burnett and Dabney Coleman, with Charles Grodin, Terri Garr, Valerie Mahaffey Bill Paxton, Anthony Heald, Gregory Harrison, Luis Avalos, Jerry Van Dyke, Charles Keating, Pat Corley and Jeffrey Jones. Michael Richards (who gained international fame in the 1990s playing Kosmo Kramer in Seinfeld) played a minor role as an inept hitman.

Fresno was screened only twice in the USA (the repeat screening reportedly being a shortened version with a laugh track added), and it is known to have been broadcast in several other countries including Australia. For unknown reasons, the series was never subsequently repeated and has never been commercially released on any consumer video format.

Synopsis

Set in Fresno, California, the story followed the fortunes of a once wealthy raisin-growing family, the Kensingtons, who have fallen on hard times. The family is led by widowed matriarch Charlotte (Burnett), who is locked in a deadly power struggle with rival raisin magnate Tyler Cane (Coleman).

Unlike the skits in the Carol Burnett Show (e.g., "As the Stomach Turns"), the comedy was based more on the plot, rather than on one liners. Parodying well-worn clichés of the soap genre, the story featured multiple interweaving storylines -- the ruthless battle for domination of the Fresno raisin industry between the Kensingtons and Tyler Cane, the marital conflict between Charlotte's scheming son Cane (Grodin) and his bitchy wife Talon (Garr), the travails of Charlotte's 'sensitive' younger son Kevin (Heald) -- who at one point announces that he is becoming celibate as a protest again whaling -- the appearance of a mysterious stranger (perpetually shirtless ranch hand Torch), and the gradual exposure of byzantine hidden relationships between the main characters, centering on the quest by Charlotte's supposedly adopted daughter Tiffany to find her real parents. As the story reaches is climax, it is revealed that Tiffany is in fact Charlotte's biological daughter, and that she was fathered by her mother's arch-rival Tyler Cane shortly after Charlotte's husband's had died in a tragic raisin dehydrator accident.

Fresno contained many running gags, including

  • the parodic nature of many of the character names (Cane, Torch, Talon, Tiffany, Bobbi Jo Bobb / Billy Joe Bobb, Desiree DeMornay, Earl Duke)
  • Charlotte's repeated humiliation at having to be chauffeured around in the rumble seat of the family's old Chevrolet station wagon because their Rolls Royce is always being repaired
  • the characters' constant habit of dramatically hurling drinks into the faces of their antagonists
  • the repeated use of Armenian surnames for Fresno public officials
  • several characters speak with Southern accents even though the story is set in California
  • Torch (Harrison) is bare-chested in every single scene in which he appears.

Cast

Award nominations

  • 1987 Casting Society of America Artio Award for Best Casting for TV Miniseries
  • 1987 Emmy Award for Outstanding Achievement in Hairstyling for a Miniseries or a Special
  • 1987 Emmy Award for Outstanding Art Direction for a Miniseries or a Special
  • 1987 Emmy Award for Outstanding Costume Design for a Miniseries or a Special
  • 1987 Emmy Award for Outstanding Editing for a Miniseries or a Special
  • 1987 Emmy Award for Outstanding Sound Editing for a Miniseries or a Special

Episodes

№ Title Airdate
1"Episode 1"16 November 1986 (1986-11-16)
Raisin Baron Tyler Cane seeks to cut off the Kensington Ranch water supply so he can control the raisin crop of Fresno, but Cane Kensington will fight him for every last drop.
2"Episode 2"17 November 1986 (1986-11-17)
Charlotte uses her female wiles to get the Duke Tract of land. The Kensingtons need that land for a way to get the water they need. Charles frames his brother Kevin to cover up his own foul deed.
3"Episode 3"18 November 1986 (1986-11-18)
Tiffany finds a kindred spirit in Torch, a drifter without a shirt, while searching for her true parents. Tyler uses Juan as a spy to get the goods on Cane.
4"Episode 4"19 November 1986 (1986-11-19)
All the skeletons come out of the closets at the Annual Raisin Festival Masquerade Ball. An attempt to kill Cane Kensington goes wrong.
5"Episode 5"20 November 1986 (1986-11-20)
The identities of two killers is revealed amid courtroom pandemonium. Cane has to be in two court rooms at the same time and tell two different stories.

References

  1. ^ IMDb - Jeff Bleckner]
  • Richard Zoglin (Monday, November 17, 1986). "Video: A Raisin in the Fun: Fresno". Time. Retrieved 9 September 2010. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Fresno_(miniseries)&oldid=417432323"