227 (1985–1990)

This series took place in an apartment building, numbered 227. The cast would frequently be found sitting outside on a large set of stone stairs, in some discussion that would unfold into the weekly plot line.

Creators:

Bill Boulware, Michael G. Moye

Stars:

Helen Martin, Marla Gibbs, Hal Williams

Nominated for 1 Golden Globe. Another 2 wins & 5 nominations.

Cast

Complete series cast summary:
Helen Martin	...	Pearl Shay (116 episodes, 1985-1990)
Marla Gibbs	...	Mary Jenkins (115 episodes, 1985-1990)
Hal Williams	...	Lester Jenkins (115 episodes, 1985-1990)
Alaina Reed-Hall	...	Rose Lee Holloway (113 episodes, 1985-1990)
Regina King	...	Brenda Jenkins (106 episodes, 1985-1990)
Jackée Harry	...	Sandra Clark (99 episodes, 1985-1989)
Curtis Baldwin	...	Calvin Dobbs (79 episodes, 1985-1990)

Storyline

Based on a play about the lives of women residing in a black apartment building in 1950s Chicago, by Christine Houston, Marla Gibbs, who first shot to stardom for playing the sarcastic housekeeper to Louise & George Jefferson, Florence Johnston, in "The Jeffersons," got her own series. In this sitcom, she starred as Mary Jenkins, a tart-tongued, sharp housewife, who enjoyed a great deal of gossip, and often spoke of what she'd believed, not-so-good results. 227 was also about the many African-Americans who resided in a Washington, D.C. apartment building, among the many of her residents were Lester Jenkins, Mary's husband who was a construction worker, Brenda Jenkins, a teenaged daughter of Mary's & Lester's, whose very scholarly, when at times, she overdoes things and apologizes, Pearl Shay, an annoying, yet open-minded neighbor, who believes in gossip, the same topic Mary believes in, and Rose Halloway, a best friend of Mary's who show sympathy to the neighbors, who in turn, had a ...

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Plot Keywords:

Apartment | Apartment Building | Neighbor | African American | Washington D.c. | 

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Genres:

Comedy

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

14 September 1985 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Columbia/Sunset Gower Studios - 1438 N. Gower Street, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures Television, ELP Communications, Embassy Television

Technical Specs

Runtime:

30 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

If Marla Gibbs was unavailable to star in 227, then, it would've debuted the season after 1985, if The Jeffersons would've been on the air. When the show was unexpectedly cancelled in 1985, Norman Lear allowed Gibbs to star in the show.

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Quotes

Sandra: By this summer, I can buy anything I want. I wonder if the Washington Redskins are for sale.

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Connections

Referenced in TV in Black: The First Fifty Years (2004)
stills

User Reviews

Very standard

I don't understand all the 'rave' reviews for this show. This was the most standard of sitcoms. There was nothing new or innovative about it at all. Sure, it might provide a few chuckles, but even that would be stretching it. It's basically just like any other bad sitcom: sophomoric writing, rehashed plots from other bad sitcoms, poor performances (including the horrid Helen Thomas). Though Jackee' Harry did supply a few laughs, overall the show didn't add anything new to the medium.