Mama (American TV series) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mama |
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The original cast
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| Genre | Comedy drama |
| Based on | Mama's Bank Account |
| Written by | Frank Gabrielson and others |
| Starring | Peggy Wood Judson Laire Rosemary Rice Dick Van Patten |
| Theme music composer | Edvard Grieg |
| Opening theme | Holberg Suite |
| Ending theme | The Last Spring |
| Composer(s) | Billy Nalle |
| Country of origin | United States |
| No. of seasons | 8 |
| Production | |
| Producer(s) | Ralph Nelson Carol Irwin |
| Release | |
| Original network | CBS |
| Picture format | Black and white |
| Audio format | Monaural |
| Original release | July 1, 1949 – March 17, 1957 |
Mama was a popular TV show that aired every week on CBS from 1949 to 1957. It was a comedy-drama series, meaning it had both funny and serious moments. The show was based on a book called Mama's Bank Account by Kathryn Forbes. This book also inspired a play and a movie before the TV series.
The story was about a loving Norwegian family, the Hansens, living in San Francisco in the 1910s. The show was told through the eyes of the oldest daughter, Katrin Hansen (Rosemary Rice). At the start of each episode, Katrin would look through a family album and say:
"This old album makes me remember so many things in the past. San Francisco and the house on Steiner Street where I was born. It brings back memories of my cousins, aunts and uncles; all the boys and girls I grew up with. And I remember my family as we were then. My big brother Nels, my little sister Dagmar, and of course, Papa. But most of all, when I look back to those days so long ago, most of all, I remember ... Mama."
The show was first broadcast live from Manhattan, New York. It was sponsored by well-known brands like Maxwell House coffee and Post Cereal.
Contents
Meet the Hansen Family and Their Story
The main character, Marta Hansen (Mama), was played by the experienced actress Peggy Wood. Rosemary Rice played Katrin, the daughter who narrated the show. Judson Laire played Papa, and Dick Van Patten played their brother Nels.
The youngest child, Dagmar, was first played by Robin Morgan. Later, Toni Campbell took over the role. Other actors like Ruth Gates (Aunt Jenny), Carl Frank, and Alice Frost also appeared. Ruth Gates was special because she was the only actor who had also been in the original Broadway play of I Remember Mama.
Differences from the Book and Film
The TV show was a bit different from the play and the movie. For example, the TV series only had three Hansen children instead of four. The character of daughter Christine was not included. Mama also had two sisters in the show, Jenny and sometimes Trina, but her sister Sigrid was never seen.
Mama's Uncle Chris, played by Roland Winters, appeared in some episodes. However, a character named Mr. Hyde from the original stories was removed. In one episode, a similar character named Mr. Carlysle, played by Bramwell Fletcher, appeared. He was a kind, older actor whom the Hansens welcomed into their home.
Family Problems and Solutions
While earlier versions of I Remember Mama mainly focused on Mama and Katrin's relationship, the TV show often explored problems faced by different family members. The whole Hansen family would then work together to solve these issues.
The show was very popular and had high ratings. This led to the movie I Remember Mama being re-released in theaters in 1956.
From Live Broadcasts to Filmed Episodes
Mama was a huge success for CBS for many years. It became a Friday night tradition for millions of families across America. Many children would even get ready for bed and then gather around the TV at 8:00 PM to watch the Hansen family.
Changes and Challenges
By 1956, even though many people still watched Mama, the number of viewers had started to drop a little. One of the show's sponsors, Maxwell House, felt that not enough people were buying their coffee. Because of this, CBS decided to cancel the show in July 1956.
However, Carol Irwin, the show's producer, asked viewers to write to CBS and demand the show's return. An amazing 175,000 letters poured into the network! CBS quickly decided to bring Mama back.
Unfortunately, the best time slots were already taken. So, CBS scheduled Mama for 5:00 PM on Sunday afternoons, starting in December 1956. For this new run, 26 episodes were filmed instead of being broadcast live. Most of the original cast returned, except for Robin Morgan, who played Dagmar. She wanted to focus on writing instead of acting. So, Toni Campbell took over the role of Dagmar.
Because of the less popular Sunday afternoon time slot, Mama's ratings dropped a lot. The show ended just three months later in March 1957, with some filmed episodes never even airing.
Awards and Legacy
Even after the show ended, Peggy Wood, who played Mama for eight years, received her first Emmy Award nomination for Best Actress. The show itself was also nominated for Best Dramatic Show in 1951.
Most of the live episodes of Mama are now lost. However, the 26 filmed episodes from the last season have sometimes been shown on public access TV channels.
In 1985, the Paley Center for Media in New York held a special event about Mama. They showed some of the old live broadcasts and the filmed episodes. They also had a discussion with the actors who played the Hansen children: Rosemary Rice (Katrin), Dick Van Patten (Nels), and Robin Morgan (Dagmar), along with the show's director, Ralph Nelson.
The opening and closing music for the show were pieces called "Holberg Suite" and "The Last Spring" by the Norwegian composer Edvard Grieg. The director, Ralph Nelson, who was also of Norwegian descent, later directed the famous film Lilies of the Field.
Show's Achievements and Recognition
The Mama series received three Emmy Award nominations during its run. It was nominated for Best Dramatic Show in 1951. Peggy Wood, who played Mama, was nominated twice for her acting, in 1953 and 1957.
Popularity in Ratings
Mama was one of the first TV sitcoms to regularly appear in the top 30 of the Nielsen ratings. These ratings track how many people watch a show.
- 1950–1951: Ranked #10
- 1951–1952: Ranked #11
- 1952–1953: Ranked #18
- 1953–1954: Ranked #26
After the 1954–1955 season, Mama was no longer in the top 30.
