AMEN: THE COURTSHIP OF BESS RICHARDS (TV)
Summary
One in this comedy television series about a dishonest church deacon and his relatives and friends.
Deacon Frye is to attend a wedding and Thelma is to be a bridesmaid, but she does not wish to go, feeling that people will ridicule her for not yet being married. At the wedding, guest Bess Richards, a noted local singer, is invited to take the stage and she performs a song. Deacon Frye is impressed and vows to get her to sing in his church choir despite the fact that she already sings for a church they are in competition with. He takes Bess out on a series of dates in order to convince her, and she is quite enamored by his lavish attentions. Eventually she agrees to leave her church and sing in his, but indicates that she is under the impression that Deacon Frye intends to marry her. Cassietta and Amelia are furious about Bess’s inclusion in the choir despite Reverend Gregory’s attempts to placate them. The three of them speak to Deacon Frye about the matter and Cassietta and Amelia begrudgingly agree to give Nell a chance. Privately, Deacon Frye tells Reverend Gregory about the situation, and he chides Deacon Frye for getting himself into trouble again. Reverend Gregory advises him to tell Bess the truth about his intentions and apologize.
Bess comes over that night and Deacon Frye haltingly tries to tell her the truth. He explains that he was interested in her only insofar as wanting her presence in the choir, and says that he is not romantically interested in her. He characterizes this as “misleading” her, but Bess is upset at him for lying to her and attacks him, throwing him to the ground. They engage in a protracted struggle, and eventually Bess prevails. However, she feels bad about the fight and tries to speak to Deacon Frye, noting that it had been a long time since any man showed her affection the way he did, making her emotional. They apologize to each other and come to an understanding. Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: NBC
- DATE: 1986 9:30 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:23:15
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:62225
- GENRE: Comedy
- SUBJECT HEADING: Comedy; African-American Collection - Comedy
- SERIES RUN: NBC - TV series, 1986-1991
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Ed. Weinberger … Executive Producer, Created by
- Jack Michon … Supervising Producer
- Peter Noah … Producer
- Reuben Cannon … Co-Producer
- Ken Johnston … Co-Producer
- Michael Donner … Associate Producer
- Herbert Kenwith … Director
- Andrae Crouch … Music by, Theme Music by
- Vanessa Bell Armstrong … Theme Music by
- Sherman Hemsley … Cast, Deacon Ernest Frye
- Clifton Davis … Cast, Reverend Reuben Gregory
- Anna Maria Horsford … Cast, Thelma Frye
- Barbara Montgomery … Cast, Cassietta Hetebrink
- Roz Ryan … Cast, Amelia Hetebrink
- Jester Hairston … Cast, Rolly Forbes
- Nell Carter … Cast, Bess Richards
- Arthur Adams … Cast, Father of the Bride
- Robert Rigamonti … Cast, Maitre'd
- H.B. Barnum … Cast, Band Leader
- Charles Walker … Cast, Harold
- Ellaraino … Mrs. Fletcher
- Sheeneeka Smith … Cast, Bridesmaid
- Kuiana Walker … Cast, Bridesmaid
- Tori Phelix … Cast, Bridesmaid