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The Classic TV Archive - US Comedy Series
"Private Secretary" (1953-57)   "The Ann Sothern Show" (1958-61)
"My Mother the Car" (1965-66)  - Accidental Family (1967-68)
My Mother the Car (1965-66)
Episode Guide compiled by The Classic TV Archive
contributions by:
Tom Alger, Rina Fox, Robert Leszczak
references:
Library of Congress (telnet://locis.loc.gov)
Internet Movie Database (https://us.imdb.com)
-----------------
MY MOTHER THE CAR
-----------------
Cottage Industries, Inc.
in association with
United Artists Television
for
NBC (Tuesdays 7:30 pm EST)
Created by Allan Burns and Chris Hayward
Produced by Rod Amateau

US comedy series 1965-66   30 episodes x 30 min Color film
starring:
Jerry Van Dyke as Dave Crabtree, lawyer
Ann Sothern as Gladys, Dave's Mother's Voice

Maggie Pierce as Barbara Crabtree, wife
Cindy Eilbacher as Cindy Crabtree, daughter
Randy Whipple as Randy Crabtree, son
Avery Schreiber as Capt. Bernard Manzini

Premise:
When looking for a car, lawyer Dave Crabtree becomes fascinated with
a 1928 Porter. When he hears a female voice coming from the car's radio,
he discovers that it is his mother who has been re-incarnated as a car.

Dave, who purchases the car and has it customized in a body shop returns
home to find that his family is opposed to the car.

Stories relate Dave's attempt to defend his mother against a family who
want a station wagon, and from the devious attempts of antique collector
Bernard Manzini to add the 1928 Porter to his collection.

"My Mother the Car" theme by Paul Hampton

############## My Mother the Car #############
############### season 1965-66 ###############
##############################################
NBC Tuesdays 7:30pm Eastern

 1.01 [--] My Mother the Car: COME HONK YOUR HORN
UA-Cottage Industries prod. no. 1001A-7503
14Sep65 NBC Tuesday 7:30pm
Guest Cast:
George N. Neise (as salesman)
"Come Honk Your Horn" synopsis:
Lawyer Dave Crabtree's mother is reincarnated as a 1928 Porter. [TA]

1.02 [--] My Mother the Car: THE DE-FENDERS
UA-Cottage Industries prod. no. 1002A-7501
21Sep65 NBC Tuesday 7:30pm
Guest cast:
Bill Daily (as Phil Durkin)
Randy Whipple (as Randy)
Synopsis:
Dave fears for his mother's safety when car strippers are reported in the neighborhood. [TA]

1.03 [--] My Mother the Car: WHAT MAKES AUNTIE FREEZE?
UA-Cottage Industries prod. no. 1003A-7505
28Sep65 Tuesday 7:30pm
Guest cast:
Tom B. Henry (as Rex Osgoode)
Paul Bryar (as the Sheriff)
Alvy Moore (as the Deputy)
Harvey Gardner (as station attendant)
Synopsis:
As Dave drives up to the mountains, his mother gets higher and higher -
from the alcohol in her antifreeze. [TA]

1.04 [--] My Mother the Car: LASSIE ... I MEAN MOTHER, COME HOME!
UA-Cottage Industries prod. no. 1004A-7508
05Oct65 NBC Tuesday 7:30pm
Guest Cast:
Pedro Gonzalez-Gonzalez (as 1st Pedro)
Nacho Galindo (as 2nd Pedro)
Norman D. Grabowski (as auto wrecker)
Synopsis:
When Dave neglects to set the brake after parking on a hill, Mother rolls
into an open van that's bound for Mexico. [TA]

1.05 [--] My Mother the Car: BURNED AT THE STEAK
UA-Cottage Industries prod. no. 1005A-7507
12Oct65 NBC Tuesday 7:30pm
Guest cast:
Peggy Miller (as Suzy)
Chuck Grodin (as Fred)
Lee Van Cleef (as Nick Fitch)
Harmon L. Stevens (as Judge)
Synopsis:
Dave's mother badgers him into patching up the quarrel between the battling
newlywed couple who lives next door. [TA]

1.06 [--] My Mother the Car: I'M THROUGH BEING A NICE GUY
UA-Cottage Industries prod. no. 1006A-7504
19Oct65 NBC Tuesday 7:30pm
Guest Cast:
Fernando Roca (as Jennay)
Barbara Bain (as Inge)
Arthur E. Gould-Porter (as Pitt)
Harmon L. Stevens (as gentleman)
Synopsis:
In a desperate effort to get the car away from Dave, Captain Manzini
resorts to Operation Unscrupulous: replacing the car with an exact replica. [TA]

1.07 [--] My Mother the Car: LIGHTS, CAMERA, MOTHER
UA-Cottage Industries prod. no. 1007A-7512
26Oct65 NBC Tuesday 7:30pm
Guest cast:
Stanley Adams (as Duane McVey)
Peter Leeds (as Ernie Stewart)
Harry Holcombe (as Doc Bensen)
Michael Quinn (as Todd Millstone)
Scott Graham .................. Freddie
John Willis ................... announcer
Richard Jury .................. Chick Flagg
Synopsis:
Dave gets back at his neighbors - who are petitioning him to get
rid of his antique eyesore - by starring the car in a TV commercial. [TA]

[08] My Mother the Car: THE CAPTAIN MANZINI GRAND PRIX
UA-Cottage Industries prod. no. 1008A-7502
2Nov65
Joseph Ryan ................... Pinky Trotter

[09] My Mother the Car: TV OR NOT TV
UA-Cottage Industries prod. no. 1009A-7519
9Nov65
Harold Peary .................. Willman
Lee Zimmer .................... TV emcee
Ed Deemer ..................... deliveryman
Dennis Turner ................. Mordecai Fish

[10] My Mother the Car: MY SON, THE VENTRILOQUIST
UA-Cottage Industries prod. no. 1010A-7513
16Nov65
Harold Peary .................. Franklin Hotchkiss
Willis Bouchey ................ Herman Elvine
The Spats

[11] My Mother the Car: MY SON, THE JUDGE
UA-Cottage Industries prod. no. 1011A-7518
13Nov 65
Bartlett Robinson ............. Horace Congrieve
Florida Friebus ............... Miss McFee
Dave Willock .................. Phil Durkin

[12] My Mother the Car: AND LEAVE THE DRIVE-IN TO US
UA-Cottage Industries prod. no. 1012A-7515
30Nov65
Frank Faylen .................. Manager
Herbie Faye ................... projectionist
Leo DeLyon .................... usher

1.13 [--] My Mother the Car: FROM WHOM THE HORN HONKS
UA-Cottage Industries prod. no. 1013A-7511
07Dec65 NBC Tuesday 7:30pm
Guest Cast:
Harry Holcombe .......... Doc
Del Close ............... Dr. Kadman (or Dr. Kadigan)
Jack Raine .............. Trembley
Dave hears that Captain Manzini is dying, but mother warns that Manzini is up to something. [TA]

[14] My Mother the Car: HEY LADY, YOUR SLIP ISN'T SHOWING
UA-Cottage Industries prod. no. 1014A-7509
14Dec65
Paula Winslowe ................ Mrs. Netwick

[15] My Mother the Car: MANY HAPPY NO-RETURNS
UA-Cottage Industries prod. no. 1015A-7517
21Dec65
Dave Willock .................. Phil
Chris Noel .................... Helen
Del Close ..................... Cheskin

[16] My Mother the Car: SHINE ON, SHINE ON, HONEYMOON
UA-Cottage Industries prod. no. 1016A-7514
28Dec65
Paula Winslowe ................ Mrs. Netwick
Alvy Moore .................... dog catcher
Stuart Nisbet ................. Manfred Heckendorn
George Ford ................... policeman

1.17 [--] My Mother the Car:  I REMEMBER MAMA, WHY CAN'T YOU REMEMBER ME?
UA-Cottage Industries prod. no. 1017A-7506
04Jan66 NBC Tue
Guest Cast:
Harry Holcombe ................ Don Benson
Norman Grabowski .............. police officer
Bruce Todd .................... ambulance driver
Buddy Garion .................. driver
A collision with a truck leaves Mother with amnesia and Dave
with a problem - how to bring back a car's memory.

[18] My Mother the Car: GOLD PORTER
UA-Cottage Industries prod. no. 1018A-7519
11Jan66
Fuji .......................... Droog
Bruno Ve Sota ................. Uncle Louie

[19] My Mother the Car: THE INCREDIBLE SHRINKING CAR
UA-Cottage Industries prod. no. 1019A-7520
18Jan66
Bill Glover ................... scientist
Gertrude Astor ................ old lady
Bruno ve Sota ................. General

[20] My Mother the Car: I'D RATHER DO IT MYSELF, MOTHER
UA-Cottage Industries prod. no. 1020A-7522
25Jan66
Guest Cast:
Anita Gordon .................. Andrea Durkin
Marge Redmond ................. Emmy Pebbles
John Wells .................... TV Emcee

[21] My Mother the Car: YOU CAN'T GET THERE FROM HERE
UA-Cottage Industries prod. no. 1021A-7516
1Feb66
Del Close ..................... camp counselor
Walter Baldwin ................ Sheriff Skinner
Shirley Chambers .............. woman driver

[22] My Mother the Car: RIDDLER ON THE ROOF
UA-Cottage Industries prod. no. 1022A-7521
8Feb66
Stanley Clements .............. Fish
Richard Kiel .................. Cracks
Frank Delfino ................. Grundy
Nacho Galindo ................. Pres. Romano
Larry J. Blake ................ police sergeant
Jose Gonzales Gonzales ........ secretary

1.23 [--] My Mother the Car: MY SON, THE CRIMINAL
UA-Cottage Industries prod. no. 1023A-7523
15Feb66 NBC Tue
Produced & Directed by Rod Amateau
Written by Phil Davis
Guest Cast:
Byron Foulger ................. Mr. Kroot
Tom Hatten .................... Agent Hanley
Don Haggerty .................. Lt. McKeever
Richard Clair ................. Agent Clark
Robert Nash ................... Harris
Irwin Charone ................. Cauldwell
James Sikking ................. Sgt. Riddle
Synopsis:
The nosy mailman sees Dave Crabtree fixing the floor of the garage, and through
a serious of coincidences is led to believe that Crabtree has buried his dead
mother under that floor. [RL]

[24] My Mother the Car: AN UNREASONABLE FACSIMILE
UA-Cottage Industries prod. no. 1024A-7524
22Feb66
Jerry Van Dyke ................ Ole Svenson
Avery Schreiber ............... sailor

[25] My Mother the Car: OVER THE HILL TO THE JUNKYARD
UA-Cottage Industries prod. no. 1025A-7525
1Mar66
Guest Cast:
Charlie Brill ................. Baxter
Dick Wilson ................... Jenkins
Richard Jury .................. Harper Cassidy
James Wellman ................. Farley
Gil Lamb ...................... Harris
Robert Easton ................. Fink
Robert S. Carson .............. Barnes
Bobby Jellison ................ Walter Frack

1.26 [--] My Mother the Car: IT MIGHT AS WELL BE SPRING AS NOT
UA-Cottage Industries prod. no. 1026A-7526
08Mar66 NBC Tue
Written by James L. Brooks
Guest cast:
Frank Faylen .................. Conrad Byron
Lois Roberts .................. Susie
Eve McVeagh ................... Goldie
George Washburn ............... Chauffeur
Synopsis:
It's mutual love at first sight for Mother and wealthy Conrad Byron,
who offers to trade his limousine and chauffeur for Dave's car. [RF]

[27] My Mother the Car: ABSORBA, THE GREEK
UA-Cottage Industries prod. no. 1027A-7527
15Mar66
Peter Mamakos ................. Absorba
John Holland .................. Henry Heckendorn
Maudie Prickett ............... Agnes Heckendorn
George Barrows ................ Chef
Dan Seymour ................... Grott Captain
Tania Lemani .................. Minerva
Jack Tesler ................... waiter

1.28 [--] My Mother the Car: THE BLABBERMOUTH
UA-Cottage Industries prod. no. 1028A-7528
22Mar66 NBC Tue
Directed by Rod Amateau
Written by Mitch Persons and James L. Brooks
Guest Cast:
Patty Regan ......... Andrea
Kelley Van Dyke ..... Kelley
Marianne Kanter ..... the reporter
Oscar Lane .......... TV producer
Synopsis:
When Barbara overhears Dave talking to his mother, the car, both Dave and Mom
come clean and tell the whole truth. And then the kids find out, and the
neighbors, and pretty soon newspaper and TV reporters are breaking down the
Crabtree's door to get the story. Luckily, it winds up all being only a bad
nightmare of Dave's, and the surreal circumstances become less so. [RL]

[29] My Mother the Car: WHEN YOU WISH UPON A CAR
UA-Cottage Industries prod. no. 1029A-7529
29Mar66
Kelley Van Dyke ............... Kelley
Joel Davison .................. boy
Bob Johnson ................... TV announcer

1.30 [--] My Mother the Car: DESPERATE MINUTES (final episode)
UA-Cottage Industries prod. no. 1030A-7530
 5Apr66 NBC Tue
Directed by David Davis
Written by Phil Davis
Guest Cast:
Barbara Bain ......... Frankie
Robert Strauss ....... Bullets Morgan
Dave Willock ......... Phil Durkin
Synopsis:
Barbara and Dave have a fight over her poorly-played bridge game at a friends house.
Upon arriving home, they are greeted by a man with a gun who turns out to be Bullets
Morgan (Robert Strauss) who, along with his girlfriend Frankie (Barbara Bain) just
held up a jewelry store. The crooks decide to hideout in the Crabtree house until
things quiet down a bit. Dave and Barbara's attempts to escape by calling the police
and poisoning the crooks' coffee fail to remedy the situation - so it's Mother to the rescue. [RL]
Interesting Notes:
Barbara Bain had previously played a crook named Inge in episode # 6, "I'm Through
Being a Nice Guy". Also, Phil Durkin is now played by Dave Willock, but in earlier episodes by Bill Daily. [RL]

############## My Mother the Car #############
################# the end ##################
##############################################

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