Hail to the Chief (TV series)

Hail to the Chief
Created by	Susan Harris
Directed by	J.D. Lobue
Starring	Patty Duke Richard Paul Ted Bessell Glynn Turman Joel Brooks John Vernon Quinn Cummings Ricky Paull Goldin Dick Shawn Herschel Bernardi
Country of origin	United States
Original language(s)	English
No. of seasons	1
No. of episodes	7
Production
Running time	30 minutes (per episode)
Production company(s)	Witt/Thomas/Harris Productions
Release
Original network	ABC
Original release	April 9 – May 21, 1985

Hail to the Chief is an American sitcom that ran on ABC from April 9 to May 21, 1985. It centered on the first woman President of the United States, portrayed by Patty Duke. The series was created by Susan Harris, and was produced by Witt/Thomas/Harris Productions. It featured one of the few recurring gay characters in a 1980s television series (Randy, the Secret Service Agent portrayed by Joel Brooks).

Synopsis

Hail to the Chief is similar in style to the TV sitcom, Soap (from the same producers as this series), in that it was a comedy with open-ended storylines that parodied a soap opera. Patty Duke had the starring role as the President, Julia Mansfield. The show focused on President Mansfield's attempt at balancing her political career with raising her family.

Cast and characters

• Patty Duke as President Julia Mansfield
• Ted Bessell as First Gentleman Oliver Mansfield
• Quinn Cummings as Lucy Mansfield
• Ricky Paull Goldin as Doug Mansfield
• Dick Shawn as Ivan Zolotov
• Glynn Turman as Secretary of State, LaRue Hawkes
• Herschel Bernardi as Helmut Luger
• Murray Hamilton as Senator Sam Cotton
• Richard Paul as Reverend Billy Joe Bickerstaff
• John Vernon as General Hannibal Stryker
• Jonna Lee as Muffin Stryker
• Joel Brooks as Randy

Episodes

Nº	Title	Directed by:	Written by:	Air date
1	"Episode One"	J.D. Lobue	Susan Harris	April 9, 1985
President Julia Mansfield is told that Brower, an Air Force general gone crazy, has taken control of a launch command center and will launch a preemptive nuclear strike against the USSR unless his demands are met. Julie calls Soviet Premier Zolotov to warn him, and is told that the Soviet Union will have no choice but to retaliate if she can't stop Brower. Later, Julia's husband Oliver confesses all of his past affairs to her, and she walks out on him.
2	"Episode Two"	J.D. Lobue	Susan Harris	April 16, 1985
General Stryker tells Head of Security Helmut Luger that Stryker's daughter is pregnant and that Luger is responsible, unaware that Julia's son Doug is really the father. Corrupt televangelist Rev. Billy Joe Bickerstaff plots to have Julia impeached. Oliver's mistress Darlene threatens to ruin him when he tries to end the affair; in an attempt to make up for all his past mistakes, Oliver promises God that he will save the world by stopping Brower.
3	"Episode Three"	J.D. Lobue	Paul Junger Witt	April 23, 1985
Oliver confronts Brower and is shot in the process; later, Julia tells a comatose Oliver that all is forgiven. Meanwhile, Ivan Zolotov, head of the KGB and the premier's twin brother, arrives at the Russian embassy and instructs his agent Darlene to stay by Oliver's side so she can continue to get information.
4	"Episode Four"	J.D. Lobue	Barry Fanaro, Terry Grossman, Mort Nathan, Kathy Speer, Tony Thomas	April 30, 1985
Oliver recovers, believing that Heaven has given him a second chance. His daughter Lucy is sleeping with Raoul the butler, but Raoul says that he can't commit to a serious relationship until his people in Contrapointa, South America, are free. Darlene visits Oliver in the hospital. Stryker tells Luger to marry his daughter Muffin, under threat of death. Rev. Billy Joe finds two wealthy oil barons, Clovis and Lamar, who are willing to help him with his plan.
5	"Episode Five"	J.D. Lobue	Paul Junger Witt	May 7, 1985
Oliver, who is now home from the hospital, still can't make love to Julia because he feels guilty about cheating on her again. Clovis and Lamar find some dirt on the President's personal accountant, Irving Metzman (George Wyner), and force him to help them plot against Julia. Oliver breaks it off with Darlene but not before having "one last time together," unaware that the KGB is secretly filming the whole thing.
6	"Episode Six"	J.D. Lobue	Mort Nathan	May 14, 1985
Clovis and Lamar give Metzman some money to secretly put into government contracts, in the names of Julia's family, as personal investments to make it appear that she gave her family inside information. They then tell Rev. Billy Joe to attack Julia on his talk show. Ivan Zolotov confronts Oliver, letting him know that if he doesn't do what Ivan says the world will see the film of him and a Russian agent.
7	"Episode Seven"	J.D. Lobue	Paul Junger Witt	May 21, 1985
Raoul leaves for South America and Lucy follows after him. Luger has dinner with Stryker's family and, after seeing how crazy they are, decides to marry Muffin if for no other reason than to get her out of the house. Ivan gives Oliver a list of demands. Later Ivan admits to a colleague that if Oliver doesn't come through for them he has a better plan — a plan to put a Soviet agent in the White House, at which point he introduces his newest secret agent: Rev. Billy Joe!

Cancellation

Hail to the Chief was canceled in May 1985 after seven episodes. ABC continued to air repeats of the series through July 20, 1985.

External links

• Hail to the Chief at the Internet Movie Database
• Hail to the Chief at TV.com