At Ease (TV series)

At Ease
Genre	Sitcom
Created by	John Hughes
Written by	Tom Biener Ron Landry Arthur Julian John Hughes
Directed by	Bob Sweeney Hy Averback Edward H. Feldman
Starring	Jimmie Walker John Vargas Jourdan Fremin Richard Jaeckel Josh Mostel David Naughton George Wyner
Theme music composer	Jack Elliott
Opening theme	Jack Elliott
Composer(s)	Jack Elliott
Country of origin	United States
Original language(s)	English
No. of seasons	1
No. of episodes	14
Production
Executive producer(s)	Aaron Spelling Douglas S. Cramer
Producer(s)	Hy Averback Jim Mulligan
Editor(s)	Samuel E. Beetley
Cinematography	Archie R. Dalzell
Running time	24 min.
Production company(s)	Aaron Spelling Productions
Distributor	Paramount Television Paramount Domestic Television CBS Paramount Television CBS Television Distribution (current as of 2007)
Release
Original network	ABC
Audio format	Monaural
Original release	March 4, 1983 – June 10, 1983

At Ease is an American sitcom that aired on ABC from March to June 1983. The series features an ensemble cast led by Jimmie Walker.

Synopsis

The series, which has a similar premise to another classic show, Sgt. Bilko, follows the misadventures a pair of conniving [G.I. (military)|GI]s, Sgt. Val Valentine and Pfc. Tony Baker, who stationed at Camp Tar Creek, an Army base located in Texas. They attempt to outwit their by-the-books commander, Major Hawkins, and his informant, Cpl. Wessel (who is derisively called "Weasel" by Baker and Valentine), and profit from their hitch in the army.^[1]

Cast

• Jimmie Walker - Sgt. Val Valentine
• John Vargas - Cardinel
• Jourdan Fremin - Cpl. Lola Grey
• Richard Jaeckel - Maj. Hawkins
• Josh Mostel - Maxwell
• David Naughton - Pfc. Tony Baker
• George Wyner - Cpl. Wessel
• Jeffrey Bannister - Maurice

Episodes

Nº	Title	Directed by:	Written by:	Air date
1	"A Tankful of Dollars"	Hy Averback	Tom Biener, Ron Landry	4 March 1983
Baker and Valentine are disciplined for on-base gambling.
2	"Chariots of Fear"	Bob Sweeney	Tom Biener, Ron Landry	11 March 1983
3	"Computer Dating"	Bob Sweeney	Arthur Julian	18 March 1983
Baker and Valentine plot to use the base's computer as a computer dating service.
4	"Prairie Moon Over Texas"	Edward H. Feldman	Tom Biener, Ron Landry	25 March 1983
Baker and Valentine get caught renting Army equipment to a nudist colony.
5	"Murder on the Tar Creek Express"	Hy Averback	Tom Biener, Ron Landry	1 April 1983
Colonel Clapp's new automated security system is sabotaged.
6	"Love Sick"	Hy Averback	Tom Biener, Ron Landry	8 April 1983
Baker pretends to be sick in order to be looked at by a pretty doctor.
7	"The Marriage of the Figaros"	Hy Averback	Tom Biener, Ron Landry	15 April 1983
Baker and Valentine rent the chapel to a couple wanting a military wedding.
8	"The Ballad of Lucinda Ballard"	Hy Averback	Stephanie Garman, Hollace White	22 April 1983
Corporal Grey bets Major Hawkins that there has been an American female war hero.
9	"The Great Computer Robbery"	Bob Sweeney	Arthur Julian	29 April 1983
After one insult too many, the soldiers get revenge on Major Hawkins by stealing his secret laser device.
10	"A PFC and a Gentleman"	Bob Sweeney	Arthur Julian	13 May 1983
Baker plans a romantic evening with Lola, but is ordered on a mission.
11	"A Tar Creek Sting"	Edward H. Feldman	Tom Biener, Ron Landry	20 May 1983
The soldiers force Corporal Wessel to help them break up a gambling ring at the saloon.
12	"Valentine's Day"	Bob Sweeney	Arthur Julian	27 May 1983
A Texas state police officer comes to the base believing that Valentine is seeing his girlfriend.
13	"Maxwell's People"	Bob Sweeney	Arthur Julian	3 June 1983
A Russian spy is working at Tar Creek and the Pentagon thinks one of the soldiers is providing her with information.
14	"The Tar Creek Chronicles"	Hy Averback	John Hughes	10 June 1983
A former All-American football player arrives at Tar Creek and Colonel Clapp wants to play him against Navy. Note: this was the original pilot film for the series, featuring a slightly different cast and setting. A new opening and closing sequence were added for this version.

References

1. The Complete Directory to Prime Time Netwrk and Cable TV Shows, 1946-Present. Ballantine Books. 2003. p. 73. ISBN 0-345-45542-8.

External links

• At Ease at the Internet Movie Database
• At Ease at TV.com
• At Ease on film.com