FRANK'S PLACE: FRANK JOINS THE CLUB (TV)
Summary
One in this comedy-drama series about Frank Parrish, a Brown University professor who moves to New Orleans when he inherits his father's restaurant, Chez Louisiane. In this episode, Frank talks with his insurance agent, Halloway, who offers him some advice about cutting costs. He then strikes up a friendship with a guest, Ozell Dryer, who is a fellow Brown alumnus, though he is distracted by the news that Big Arthur has lost one of his beloved knives. When Hanna returns the knife and mentions that Frank himself misplaced it, Frank quickly pins the blame on her fiancé instead. Halloway's niece arrives to install sprinklers in the kitchen to prevent a fire hazard, and Dryer returns and invites Frank to his "gentleman's club," the Capital C. When Tiger learns of his plans, he invites Frank to his own club, the Coachman, to which Reverend Deal also belongs. Frank attends a meeting and is greeted cordially by the other men, and a quartet performs music as Frank enjoys several drinks and learns about the members' interest in Mardi Gras Indian culture.
In the morning, a badly-hungover Frank arrives at work and then heads for lunch at the Capital C club, though he abstains from drinking. He is questioned at length by the snobby Mr. Broussard, who seems to hold some outdated opinions on race and class, while back at the Chez the newly-installed sprinklers malfunction and soak the kitchen. Frank returns to the restaurant and guiltily observes the mess, and when he mentions that he may be invited to join the Capital C, Anna-May informs him that the club used to be known for performing the "paper bag test" and inviting only light-skinned blacks, or capital-C "Creoles," to join the club, as opposed to darker-skinned "creoles." Startled by this, he accuses Dryer of inviting him to the club only to embarrass him, and Dryer admits that he was attempting to use the darker-skinned and educated Frank as a "guinea pig" to change the club's policies. Frank rejects his offer of membership, and when he learns that he has been invited into the Coachmen club, he gladly accepts. Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: CBS
- DATE: 8:30 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:23:44
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:67536
- GENRE: Comedy
- SUBJECT HEADING: African-American Collection - Comedy; Comedy; Drama
- SERIES RUN: CBS - TV series, 1987-1988
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Tim Reid … Executive Producer
- Hugh Wilson … Executive Producer, Created by
- Max Tash … Producer
- David Chambers … Producer
- Neema Barnette … Director
- Samm-Art Williams … Writer
- Tyrell Music Group … Music by
- Tim Reid … Cast, Frank Parrish
- Robert Harper … Cast, Bubba 'Si' Weisberger
- Daphne Maxwell Reid … Cast, Hanna Griffin
- Francesca P. Roberts … Cast, Anna-May
- Frances E. Williams … Cast, Miss Marie
- Virginia Capers … Cast, Bertha Griffin-Lamour
- Tony Burton … Cast, Big Arthur
- Charles Lampkin … Cast, Tiger Shepin
- Lincoln Kilpatrick … Cast, Reverend Deal
- William Thomas Jr. … Cast, Cool Charles
- Don Yesso … Cast, Shorty
- Ron O'Neal … Cast, Ozell Dryer
- Jay Flash Riley … Cast, Mr. Broussard
- Hank Rolike … Cast, Secretary
- Jay Brooks … Cast, Grand Driver
- Charles Walker … Cast, Jasper Halloway
- Candy Ann Brown … Cast, Janet
- Peter Fitzsimmons … Cast, James Dayton
- Donny Gerrard … Cast, Coachman Club Quartet
- Al Goodman … Cast, Coachman Club Quartet
- Bobby King … Cast, Coachman Club Quartet
- Harry Ray … Cast, Coachman Club Quartet