MAUDE: WALTER'S PROBLEM {PART 1 OF 2} {SECOND SEASON PREMIERE} (TV)
Summary
The second season premiere in this series of comedy programs, a spin-off of "All in the Family," about the outspoken, liberal Maude Findlay and her family. In the first half of this two-part episode, Maude wakes up after a night of partying to find Arthur, rather than Walter, in her bed. He swears that nothing happened between them, and they conclude that they were all too inebriated to realize the mistake. Downstairs, Florida and Carol attempt to tidy up the house, and the revelers try to recall their ill-mannered actions of the previous night. Walter begins to make bloody Marys, and Carol notes that they are all from the "cocktail generation" and drink more heavily than they should. Maude and Arthur dismiss her claims that they are addicted, however, and decide to swear off drinking. Arthur suggests that Walter will have a more difficult time with it, and though he is at first reluctant, Walter accepts his $100 bet to stay sober the longest. Later, they meet for lunch at a restaurant and order Shirley Temples instead of alcohol. Arthur points out that he is used to drinking with lunch, but Walter claims that he is not a "common drunk" and can stop without trouble. However, Arthur realizes that Walter has turned his beverage into a Shirley Temple Black, and Walter admits that he has lost the bet.
At home, Carol brings in a bicycle to surprise Phillip for his birthday, and is dismayed when she catches Maude drinking. Maude explains that the bet is off because of Walter, and Carol reiterates that he has a serious problem. Walter then comes home quite drunk, and when Carol leaves to buy party supplies, he and Maude decide to decorate the birthday cake themselves. They make a great mess and eventually ruin the cake, and their argument turns serious when she tells him that he is a different person when he drinks. He denies that he has a problem and grows angry at her "resentment" of him and ends up slapping her across the face. He immediately breaks down upon realizing what he has done, and she comforts him. Continued on B:14749. Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: CBS
- DATE: September 11, 1973 8:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:30:00
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:14747
- GENRE: Comedy
- SUBJECT HEADING: Comedy
- SERIES RUN: CBS - TV series, 1972-1978
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Norman Lear … Executive Producer, Created by
- Rod Parker … Producer
- Gene Marcione … Associate Producer
- Hal Cooper … Director
- Bob Weiskopf … Writer
- Bob Schiller … Writer
- Alan Bergman … Theme Music by
- Marilyn Bergman … Theme Music by
- Dave Grusin … Theme Music by
- Donny Hathaway … Theme Music by
- Beatrice Arthur … Cast, Maude Findlay
- Bill Macy … Cast, Walter Findlay
- Adrienne Barbeau … Cast, Carol Traynor
- Conrad Bain … Cast, Dr. Arthur Harmon
- Rue McClanahan … Cast, Vivian Cavender Harmon
- Jeannie Linero … Cast, Sally