CTVA
The Classic TV Archive - US Comedy Series
<Previous          "Benson"                     Next>
Starring Robert Guillaume
Season 2 (ABC) (1980-81)
Episode Guide compiled by The Classic TV Archive
with contributions by: Jorge Galindo
references:
TV Guide /   Library of Congress (telnet://locis.loc.gov)
Internet Movie Database (https://us.imdb.com)
UCLA Film and Television Archive

################## Benson ####################
############# season 2 1980-81 ###############
##############################################
ABC (Fridays 8:00-8:30pm)
22 episodes [prod. nos. 25-46 inc.]
Production Harry Waterson  / Produced by Bob Colleary, Tom Whedon

2.01 [--] Benson: THICK AS THIEVES
prod. no. 25 - 9BEN80 / 31-Oct-80
written by ?
Directed by John Rich
Music by George Aliceson Tipton
cameras: Bill Pope, Donna J. Quante, John Rago & Bill Scott
videotape editor: Bill Petty
Benson and Kraus are taken hostage during a market stickup, and keeps all his diplomacy to keep her from
goading the gunmen into shooting them. [JG]

2.02 [--] Benson: BENSON IN THE HOSPITAL
prod. no.26 - 10BEN80 / 7-Nov-80
written by Rich Reinhart
Directed by John Rich
Music by George Aliceson Tipton
cameras: Bill Pope, Donna J. Quante, John Rago & Bill Scott
videotape editor: Bill Petty
Guest star:
James Callahan
Comical bewilderment grips the executive mansion after Benson is hospitalized - and he proves to be the most
hilarious patient ever - with a mysterious malady that has all the doctors stumped. [JG]

2.03 [--] Benson: FOOLS' GOLD
prod. no. 27 - 11BEN80 / 14-Nov-80
written by Bob Colleary & Tom Whedon
Directed by John Rich
Music by George Aliceson Tipton
cameras: Bill Pope, Donna J. Quante, John Rago & Bill Scott
videotape editor: Bill Petty
Benson discovers a secret compartment in the woodwork, and an old letter infects Governor Gatling and his
staff with gold fever. [JG]

2.04 [--] Benson: MASQUERADE
prod. no. 28 - 12BEN80 / 21-Nov-80
written by Rick McCurdy & Jeff Levin
Directed by John Rich
Music by George Aliceson Tipton
cameras: Bill Pope, Donna J. Quante, John Rago & Bill Scott
videotape editor: Bob Fisher
Guest star:
Julio Medina
Benson dresses up as a soldier and finds himself hilarious trouble at a wild costume party at the executive mansion
- an affair complicated by the presence of a priceless gold statue and a plot by foreign revolutionaries. [JG]

2.05 [--] Benson: FIRST LADY
prod. no. 29 - 13BEN80 / 28-Nov-80
written by Kathy Speer & Terry Grossman
Directed by John Rich
Music by George Aliceson Tipton
cameras: Bill Pope, Donna J. Quante, John Rago & Bill Scott
videotape editor: Bob Fisher
Guest star:
Barbara Babcock ........ Lily
Murphy's Law is operating full time when Benson tries to organize a reception for an important industrialist
and Katie is jealous of her father's hostess, pretty Lily (Barbara Babcock) [JG]

2.06 [--] Benson: CITIZEN KRAUS
prod. no. 30 - 14BEN80 / 12-Dec-80
written by Bud Slocomb & Len Riley
Directed by John Rich
Music by George Aliceson Tipton
videotape editors: Bob Fisher, Michael Riolo
Guest star:
Ray Stewart
Kraus attends night classes to obtain her American citizenship. Benson agrees to a short truce in his feud with
Gretchen Kraus, the cook, in order to help her achieve her dream of American citizenship. [JG]

2.07 [--] Benson: BENSON'S GROUPIE
prod. no. 31 - 15BEN80 / 19-Dec-80
written by Bob Colleary
Directed by John Rich
Music by George Aliceson Tipton
videotape editors: Bob Fisher, Michael Riolo
Guest star:
Beverly Todd
A summer romance turns into a nightmare for Benson when the lady follows him home and threatens to disrupt a
religious conference at the Governor's mansion. [JG]

2.08 [--] Benson: IN HIGH PLACES
prod. no. 32 - 16BEN80 / 9-Jan-81
written by Bob Fraser & Rob Dames
Directed by John Rich
Music by George Aliceson Tipton
videotape editors: Bob Fisher, Michael Riolo
Guest star:
Myron Natwick
The pilot on the Governor's chartered plane becomes ill - and there's no co-pilot. [JG]

2.09 [--] Benson: OLD SCHOOL TIES
prod. no.33 - 17BEN80 / 16-Jan-81
Written by Bob Fraser & Rob Dames
Directed by John Rich
music by George Aliceson Tipton
cameras: Bill Pope, Donna J. Quante, John Rago, Bill Scott
videotape editors: Bob Fisher, Michael Riolo
Guest star:
Dorothy Green ....... Libby
The governor's disarming sister Libby thinks that Katie should be sent to boarding school. The staff
is heartbroken when the governor sends Katie to a boarding school. [JG]

2.10 [--] Benson: THE APARTMENT
prod. no.34 - 1BEN81 / 23-Jan-81
Directed by John Rich
Written by Kathy Speer & Terry Grossman
music by George Aliceson Tipton
cameras: Bill Pope, Donna J. Quante, John Rago, Bill Scott;
videotape editors: Bob Fisher, Michael Riolo.
Guest star:
Fay Hauser ....... Rhoda
Benson rents an apartment to be alone, but everyone manages to find him. [JG]

2.11 [--] Benson: BIG BUDDY
prod. no. 35 - 2BEN81 / 6-Feb-81
Written by Bob Colleary, Tom Whedon
Directed by John Rich
music by George Aliceson Tipton
cameras: Bill Pope, Donna J. Quante, John Rago, Bill Scott
videotape editors: Bob Fisher, Michael Riolo.
Guest stars:
Shawar Ross
Paul Regina
The press secretary's scheme involves a reluctant Benson in a "Big Buddy" program. [JG]

2.12 [--] Benson: FIRESIDE CHAT
prod. no. 36 - 3BEN81 / 13-Feb-81
Written by Tom Whedon
Directed by John Rich
music by George Aliceson Tipton
cameras: Jack Denton, Donna J. Quante, Bill Scott
videotape editors: Bob Fisher, Michael Riolo.
Guest Cast:
Ted Danson ......... Dan
Hilton Smack ....... Stage Manager
13Feb81
When the Governor goes on the air live, a lover's quarrel erupts in the studio and even Benson gets into the act
when the cameras roll. Marcy falls madly for the producer of the Governor's fireside-chat telecast. [JG]

2.13 [--] Benson: MARCY'S WEDDING
prod. no. 37 - 4BEN81 / 20-Feb-81
Written by Bob Colleary, Tom Whedon
Directed by John Rich
music by George Aliceson Tipton;
cameras: Jack Denton, Donna J. Quante, John Rago, Bill Scott
videotape editors: Bob Fisher, Michael Riolo.
Guest star:
Ted Danson ...... Dan,
Allyn Ann McLerie
Marcy's mother shows a talent for disrupting Benson's wedding plans. [JG]

2.14 [--] Benson: RIVALS
prod. no. 38 - 5BEN81 / 27-Feb-81
Written by Kathy Speer & Terry Grossman
Directed by John Rich
music by George Aliceson Tipton
cameras: Jack Denton, Bill Pope, John Rago, Bill Scott
videotape editors: Bob Fisher, Michael Riolo.
Kraus's childhood rival arrives from Germany to pay her a visit. [JG]

2.15 [--] Benson: NO SAD SONGS
prod. no. 39 - 6BEN81 / 6-Mar-81
Written by Bob Fraser & Rob Dames
Directed by John Rich
music by George Aliceson Tipton;
cameras: Bill Pope, Donna J. Quante, John Rago, Bill Scott
videotape editors: Bob Fisher, Geoff Browne.
Guest star:
Beah Richards
When Benson's mother comes to visit, the Governor and his staff do their best to make her feel welcome,
but no one expects the tragedy which follows. [JG]

2.16 [--] Benson: CLAYTON, GO HOME
prod. no. 40 - 7BEN81 / 13-Mar-81
Written by Tom Whedon, Bob Colleary
Directed by John Rich
music by George Aliceson Tipton
cameras: Bill Pope, Donna J. Quante, John Rago, Bill Scott
videotape editor: Bob Fisher.
Guest star:
Ed Peck
Clayton moves into the mansion after receiving death threats. [JG]

2.17 [--] Benson: EASY KID STUFF
prod. no.41 - 8BEN81 / 20-Mar-81
Written by Bob Fraser & Rob Dames
Directed by John Rich
music by George Aliceson Tipton
cameras: Ed Payne, Bill Pope, John Rago, Bill Scott
videotape editors: Bob Fisher, Geoff Browne.
Guest star:
Shawar Ross
As a surrogate father to his young friend Mike, Benson has mixed feelings, particularly after the boy falls
out of a tree and breaks his arm. [JG]

2.18 [--] Benson: HOMEWORK
prod. no. 46 - 13BEN81 / 3-Apr-81
Written by Kathy Speer & Terry Grossman
Directed by John Rich
music by George Aliceson Tipton
videotape editor: Bob Fisher
(no synopsis)

2.19 [--] Benson: HANDWRITING ON THE WALL
prod. no. 42 - 9BEN81 / 10-Apr-81
Written by Rich Reinhart
Directed by John Rich
music by George Aliceson Tipton
videotape editor: Bob Fisher.
Katie should write a school-essay over her family. So she recalls all sorts of quaint episodes from the lives
of Gretchen, Pete, Marcy, her father, the governor and Benson. [JG]

2.20 [--] Benson: THE GOVERNOR'S HOUSE CALL
prod. no. 44 - 11BEN81 / 8-May-981
Written by Bob Colleary, Tom Whedon
Directed by John Rich
music by George Aliceson Tipton;
videotape editors: Bob Fisher, Bill Petty.
(no synopsis)

2.21 [--] Benson: ALL SHOOK UP
prod. no. 43 - 10BEN81 / 15-May-81
Written by Bob Fraser & Rob Dames
Directed by John Rich
music by George Aliceson Tipton
videotape editors: Bob Fisher, Bill Petty.
Synopsis:
An earthquake brings the residence of the governor into the unsteadiness. Benson is hidden with the blasé Clayton
in the cellar. Governor Gatling instructs on rescue measures to his team. Benson and Clayton get along slowly. [JG]

2.22 [--] Benson: LIFESAVER
prod. no. 45 - 12BEN81 / 22-May-81
(no synopsis)

################## Benson ####################
############## end of season 2 ###############
##############################################

 Have you any comments, corrections, episode titles, air dates, production numbers, directors, writers, story/synopsis, guest stars, cast lists, etc?
Have you any old videos, or tv guides? Dust them off and let us know if you have any information on this series or any other tv series from the
Golden Age of TV, which is missing from any episode guides on the web. Perhaps a certain episode of a particular series coincided with a key
moment in your life, or in world events - and or has left a vivid memory of when it was shown. Let us know. Would you like to see any other
tv series guides on this site? If so please e-mail The Classic TV Archive - see Feedback below.
This guide may be distributed and copied freely, in its entirety, for personal use. All original author and copyright information must
remain intact. Any sales or other uses of this document are expressly forbidden, without the specific consent of the author(s).
Copyright © The Classic TV Archive. All rights reserved.

Return to The Classic TV Archive Home Page
Feedback  -  Comedy Forum