Family Affair
Family Affair
Family Affair TV Series 1960’s don’t know what season.
Cast: Kathy Garver (Cissy), Anissa Jones (Buffy), Johnny Whitaker (Jody), Brian Keith (Bill Davis), and Sebastian Cabot (Mr. French)
Family Affair is an American sitcom that aired on CBS from September 12, 1966 to March 4, 1971. The series explored the trials of well-to-do civil engineer and bachelor Bill Davis (Brian Keith) as he attempted to raise his brother’s orphaned children in his luxury New York City apartment. Davis’ traditional English gentleman’s gentleman, Mr. Giles French (Sebastian Cabot), also had adjustments to make as he became saddled with the responsibility of caring for 15-year-old Cissy (Kathy Garver) and the 6-year-old twins, Jody (Johnny Whitaker) and Buffy (Anissa Jones).
The show ran for 138 episodes. Family Affair was created and produced by Don Fedderson, also known for My Three Sons and The Millionaire.
Storyline
William “Bill” Davis, originally of Terre Haute, Indiana, is a successful civil engineer who develops major projects all over the world. A wealthy bachelor often dating socialites, he lives in a large apartment on east 62nd Street off of Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, and employs Giles French, a quintessential gentleman’s gentleman. His quiet lifestyle is turned upside-down when his two nieces and nephew move in.
Bill’s brother Bob and sister-in-law Mary had died in an automobile accident (the DVD collection notes mistakenly state “plane accident”) a year prior to the premiere episode. Their children, teen Cissy and her young twin siblings Buffy and Jody, had been dispersed among relatives in Terre Haute, but none wanted to continue raising the children, so they attempt to give the responsibility to Bill. “Uncle Bill” is not keen on the idea at first, but the children endear themselves to him. First Buffy comes along, followed by Jody, and finally Cissy. Initially mortified by the situation is Mr. French, who effectively becomes the children’s nanny, on top of his valet duties. As time passes they all become a family, albeit an accidental one.
When Sebastian Cabot became ill, Giles’s brother, Nigel “Niles” French (John Williams) was introduced, working for the Davis family for nine episodes in 1967 while Giles is said to be in England visiting the Queen. In the last season, Bill hires a part-time housekeeper, Emily Turner (Nancy Walker) to assist Mr. French.
Various other characters were also seen regularly, including several acquaintances of Mr. French who are in service (most notably Miss Faversham (Heather Angel), colleagues of Bill, and friends of Cissy.
Cast
William “Bill” Sean Davis aka Uncle Bill– Brian Keith
Mr. French – Sebastian Cabot
Catherine “Cissy” Patterson Davis – Kathy Garver
Jonathan “Jody” Patterson Davis – Johnny Whitaker
Ava Elizabeth “Buffy” Patterson Davis – Anissa Jones
Miss Faversham (Mr. French’s friend) – Heather Angel
Nigel “Niles” French – John Williams (1967)
Emily Turner – Nancy Walker (1970–71)
Ted Gaynor (Bill’s business partner) – Philip Ober and John Hubbard
Miss Lee (Bill’s secretary) – Betty Lynn
Sharon James (Cissy’s friend) – Sherry Alberoni
Gregg Bartlett (Cissy’s boyfriend) – Gregg Fedderson
Mr. Scott “Scotty” Parker (the doorman) / Mr. Parker (Handyman / Scotty’s brother) – Karl Lukas
Guest stars included (alphabetically by last name):
John Agar
Herbert Anderson
Dana Andrews
Joan Blondell
Lynn Borden (twice)
Veronica Cartwright
Jackie Coogan
Henry Corden
Brian Donlevy
Jamie Farr
Paul Fix
Joan Freeman
Rita Gam
Leif Garrett
Kipp Hamilton
Linda Kaye Henning
Kathy Hilton
Sterling Holloway
James Hong
Clint Howard
Rodolfo Hoyos, Jr.
Martha Hyer
Kym Karath (three times)
Andrea King
Patric Knowles
Anna Lee
Len Lesser
June Lockhart
Myrna Loy
Keye Luke
Ida Lupino
Ann McCrea (three times)
Lee Meriwether
Erin Moran
Butch Patrick
Eve Plumb
Marge Redmond
Robert Reed
Diane Roter
Pippa Scott
Madeline Sherwood
Doris Singleton
Ann Sothern
Vic Tayback
Joyce Van Patten
Ernestine Wade
