AMERICAN PLAYHOUSE: ARMISTEAD MAUPIN'S "TALES OF THE CITY" {EPISODE 1} (TV)
Summary
One in this dramatic anthology series. The first episode of this three-part miniseries about the personal lives and relationships of a group of people living in San Francisco in 1976, set partly at an apartment complex run by an eccentric landlady, Anna Madrigal. Mary Ann Singleton of Cleveland, Ohio, decides to remain in San Francisco, and her search for an apartment brings her to Barbary Lane, a charming apartment complex run by Anna Madrigal, who shocks Mary Ann by welcoming her with a complimentary joint. Mary Ann's downstairs neighbor, the redheaded Mona, has a strong friendship with Mrs. Madrigal. Mary Ann lands a job as a secretary for advertising executive Edgar Halcyon. At the office, Edgar's son-in-law and employee Beauchamp Day is drawn to Mary Ann's innocence and takes her out to lunch. Beauchamp's wife, DeDe, is upset when she sees them together but is well aware that her marriage is in trouble. Meanwhile, Edgar's doctor tells him that his failing kidneys won't last much longer. He goes to the park, where he meets Mrs. Madrigal for the first time. Also, Mona's gay friend, Michael Tolliver, moves in with her after breaking up with his boyfriend.
Later, Mary Ann accepts Beauchamp's invitation to go away with him for the weekend. In spite of Beauchamp's initial promise that nothing will happen, the two sleep together. Beauchamp proclaims his love for Mary Ann but then ignores her when the weekend is over. In her husband's absence, Beauchamp's desperate wife, DeDe, has an affair with the Chinese man who delivers her groceries. DeDe later finds Mary Ann's scarf in Beauchamp's car. Mary Ann contemplates returning to Cleveland until her nagging, conservative mother calls, which reminds her of her reasons for leaving home in the first place. Meanwhile, Mary Ann's womanizing neighbor, Brian, picks up her friend Connie at the laundromat, but after getting to know him, Connie feels that he is insensitive. Mona and her gay friend Michael go to a nude beach, and Mona complains that she doesn't know any straight men. The next day at work, Mona is rude to a stuffy, sexist client and Edgar fires her. Edgar and Mrs. Madrigal, who appear to be forming a romantic attachment, meet for lunch and go to the beach together. Mrs. Madrigal asks Mona about her relationship with Michael, and Mona begins to sense that Mrs. Madrigal is hiding something. Meanwhile, Michael goes to a gay bar and is picked up by Chuck, who admits to pursuing Michael since Michael was wearing Bass Weejun penny loafers with white socks. After the two part ways, Michael meets Dr. Jon Fielding at a rollerskating rink; upon spending a passionate night together, both men wake up happily smitten. Includes a promotion for the book "Tales of the City" in which the series' writer, director, and cast comment on the story. Commercials deleted.
Acquisition and cataloging of this program was made possible by a grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
Details
- NETWORK: PBS
- DATE: January 10, 1994 Monday 9:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:54:35
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T:31159
- GENRE: Drama
- SUBJECT HEADING: Drama; Gays - Drama; LGBT Collection
- SERIES RUN: PBS - TV series, 1982-
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Sigurjon Sighvatsson … Executive Producer
- Tim Bevan … Executive Producer
- Michael Schwartz … Executive Producer
- Lindsay Law … Executive Producer
- Richard Kramer … Executive Producer, Writer
- Armistead Maupin … Executive Producer, Based on the novel by
- Matt Loze … Co-Executive Producer
- Antony Root … Supervising Producer
- Alan Poul … Producer
- Alastair Reid … Director
- John E. Keane … Music by
- Olympia Dukakis … Cast, Anna Madrigal
- Donald Moffat … Cast, Edgar Halcyon
- Chloe Webb … Cast, Mona Ramsey
- Laura Linney … Cast, Mary Ann Singleton
- Marcus D'Amico … Cast, Michael Tolliver
- William Campbell … Cast, Dr. Jon Fielding
- Thomas Gibson … Cast, Beauchamp Day
- Paul Gross … Cast, Brian Hawkins
- Barbara Garrick … Cast, DeDe Halcyon Day
- Nina Foch … Cast, Frannie Halcyon
- Edie Adams … Cast, Ruby Miller
- Robert Downey Sr. … Cast, Edgar's Doctor
- Meagen Fay … Cast, Binky Gruen
- Lou Liberatore … Cast, Chuck
- Country Joe McDonald … Cast, Joaquin
- Mary Kay Place … Cast, Prue Giroux
- Parker Posey … Cast, Connie Bradshaw
- Kevin Sessums … Cast, Peter Cipriani
- McLean Stevenson … Cast, Hunter Manigault
- Syd Straw … Cast, Laurel
- David Brisbin … Cast, Lemon Candles
- Vicki Preston Brown … Cast, the Opera Singer
- Lou Cutell … Cast, Herb Siegel
- Darin Heames … Cast, Skate Guy
- Carolyn Lowery … Cast, Hillary
- Michael McFall … Cast, Michael's Friend
- Phillip Moon … Cast, Lionel Wong
- Tom Alan Robbins … Cast, the Supermarket Creep
- Amy Ruder … Cast, Frieda
- Hank Stratton … Cast, Robert