Growing Pains
Encyclopedia
Growing Pains is an American television sitcom about an affluent family, residing in Huntington, New York
, with a working mother and a stay-at-home psychiatrist father raising three children together, which aired on ABC
from September 24, 1985 to April 25, 1992.
, Long Island, New York. Dr. Jason Seaver (Alan Thicke
), a psychiatrist
, works from home because his wife, Maggie (Joanna Kerns
), has gone back to work as a reporter. Jason has to take care of the kids: troublemaker Mike (Kirk Cameron
), honors student
Carol (Tracey Gold
), and rambunctious Ben (Jeremy Miller
). A fourth child, Chrissy Seaver, was born in 1988. She was played in her infant stage by twins Kristen and Kelsey Dohring (who alternated in the role). Beginning in the fall of 1990, Chrissy's age was advanced
to six years old, whereupon Ashley Johnson
took over the role.
, Ben listed his favorite TV shows as "Who's the Boss?
, Moonlighting
, and that one that comes between them. The little kid is really good." At the time, Growing Pains ran on ABC in the time slot between Who's The Boss and Moonlighting. During one other episode (Season 2, Episode 8), Maggie and Jason have an argument in Mike's car, and as the first one storms in, Maggie asks "Have you seen your father?", with Mike's reply "Tall guy, looks like a talk show host?" (Alan Thicke used to host American night time talk show, Thicke of the Night
and Canadian show The Alan Thicke Show
). Enter Jason, who asks "Have you seen your mother?", with Mike's reply "Blonde lady, looks like Donna de Varona
?" Donna de Varona was an Olympic swimmer and is Joanna Kerns' sister.
The opening credits from Seasons 2 through 5 featured an opening shot of the cast in front of the house where establishing shots of the Seaver house are used, switching to photos of each cast member from childhood and, in Alan Thicke and Joanna Kerns' case, to adulthood, mixed with various episode clips. In all episodes that aired from 1986–1990, the opening sequence ends with a "house gag" immediately after the final episode clip, and, starting with the fifth season, ran while the executive producers names' were listed. The house gag changes from episode-to-episode, and usually features the cast standing in front of the Seavers' house. A typical gag featured all but one member of the cast (this was usually the cast member whom the main story was about in that particular episode) leaving to go inside the Seaver house, with the other leaving seconds later. This was a running visual joke mildly similar to that of the "couch gag" sequences on The Simpsons
. Most house gags last only about 10 seconds, but the longest one lasted about 20 seconds. Certain house gags include:
The opening used in Seasons 6 and 7 featured an opening shot of the mantle on the Seavers' fireplace panning over pictures of the cast. The past photos of each cast member were kept, but the clips where each cast member's name is overlaid was replaced with current photos of each cast member. In this sequence, the males wore tuxedos and the females wore formal dresses. The only exception was Leonardo DiCaprio: when he was added to the cast, his photo featured him wearing a hooded shirt and jeans, although for the first few episodes he appeared in, the camera would zoom to a wide shot, then his name was displayed. The end of this sequence featured various still-shots of the entire cast trying to get together for their picture, closing with a shot of the pictures on the wall on and above the mantle.
(Lyrics) and Steve Dorff
(Music). It was performed by:
There were nine versions of the theme song; others included a Halloween-themed version not sung by Thomas or Warnes used in a two-part Halloween episode in 1990. The first three seasons featured an instrumental part at the end of the theme, but in the fourth season, the original last verse of the TV version of the theme song, "Sharing the laughter and love," was added in its place.
There was also an a cappella
version of the song which was used for all of Season 6, but this version was abandoned for most of Season 7 in favor of the reinstatement of Thomas' and Warnes' duet version, although the a capella theme returned for three episodes as well as the series finale. A full-length version by Thomas and Springfield was released as a single in 1988.
A soundtrack was released in 1988 titled "Steve Dorff and Friends: Growing Pains and Other Hit TV Themes." The soundtrack contains songs penned by Steve Dorff from his other television series theme songs and 3 tracks from "Growing Pains"
1- Theme Song "As Long As We Got Each Other" (BJ Thomas and Dusty Springfield)
2. Aloha Episode - "Swept Away" by Christopher Cross
3. Graduation Day Episode - "This Is The Day" performed by BJ Thomas
was once an atheist
, but when Kirk was 17, during the height of his career on Growing Pains, he developed a belief in God, and became a born-again Christian. After converting to Christianity, he began to insist that story lines be stripped of anything he thought too adult or racy in Growing Pains. A decade later, Cameron agreed to appear in The Growing Pains Movie
, where the entire main cast reunited with one another. Cameron said, "It’s a lot less crazy of a time than when we were teenagers. It’s an opportunity to begin new friendships as adults, and I’m really looking forward to that."
Julie McCullough
landed the role of nanny Julie Costello on Growing Pains in 1989. She appeared in eight episodes until she was fired in 1990, Kirk Cameron's conversion to evangelical
Christianity
, a conversion that, according to The E! True Hollywood Story episode focusing on the show, served to alienate him from his fellow cast members, as he did not invite any of them to his wedding. He called for McCullough's termination because of his objections to her having posed nude in Playboy
, and accused the show's producers of promoting pornography. A decade later, Cameron apologized to his TV family, attributing his prior behavior to his lack of maturity, but did not reconcile with McCullough, who claims that Cameron refused to speak to her during a later encounter, and who remains critical of him, stating that she lost a lot from the public criticism she endured from the controversy. Although McCullough herself is Catholic
, she has criticized the evangelical television programming Cameron has produced, which she has viewed on one occasion, saying on her MySpace
page:
In 1988 at age 19, Tracey Gold
gained some weight over the Growing Pains series hiatus. That season, the show's scripts called for her to be the brunt of fat jokes from her television brothers for many episodes in a row. Beginning in October 1988, Gold dieted from 133 pounds to about 110 pounds on a medically-supervised 500 calorie a day diet, but still occasionally the scripts included fat jokes at her expense. In her autobiography, she says that between 1989 and 1991, she became increasingly obsessed with food and her weight and continued to slowly and steadily lose weight. In 1990 Gold began group therapy in an eating disorder program, but only learned more ways to lose weight. That season, her problem with weight loss was touched upon slightly on her television series, when Gold is seen looking at her body in a carnival mirror, and describes to another character the distorted image in her head. In 1991, she started starving herself more than ever and vomiting
, and lost a massive amount of weight, to the point that she was admitted to a hospital in early 1992. Her lowest weight is estimated to have been near 80 pounds. She was suspended from the show for her skeletal appearance. Photos of Gold's emaciated body were plastered all over tabloid magazines, and she was one of the first celebrities ever to be formally outed for anorexia. She last appeared in the 1991 episode, "Menage a Luke" after missing the two prior episodes where her problem is very obvious in some scenes, and did not return until the last two shows of the series in the late spring of 1992, although she was not nearly recovered at this point.
, which featured Coach Graham Lubbock, Mike and Carol's gym teacher, moving to California with his large family to teach at an all boys Catholic school after he was fired from Thomas Dewey High School.
, followed by Growing Pains: Return of the Seavers
in 2004.
has released the first two seasons on DVD in Region 1. Season 2 was released on April 26, 2011.
Season 1 was also released on DVD in Region 4 on June 5, 2007.
On December 6, 2011, Warner Bros.
will release Growing Pains The Movie and Growing Pains: Return of the Seavers on DVD in region 1 via their Warner Archive Collection. These are Manufacture-on-Demand (MOD) releases, available exclusively through Warner's online store and only in the US.
and the expansion of Home
to an hour (from 11:00am-noon), the reruns moved to 12:00pm.
In the fall of 1989, the show was sold to local syndication, which continued until 1997. The show also aired on TBS for several years.
Reruns aired on the Disney Channel
from September 1997 to September 2001. The cable rights for the show moved to sister network ABC Family
, where it ran from 2001 to 2004. It has also aired on ION Television during the fall of 2006 into the spring of 2007.
Nick at Nite
began airing Growing Pains on February 12, 2007, launching with a marathon from 9:00PM ET-1:00AM ET. It was pulled from the line-up shortly after, and later moved to sister network The N/TeenNick
, where it aired up until early 2010. TeenNick re-aired the series on Monday, September 13, 2010, in a 5:00AM hour block, and aired its final showings on December 27, 2010.
Taiwan
Japan
Huntington, New York
The Town of Huntington is one of ten towns in Suffolk County, New York, USA. Founded in 1653, it is located on the north shore of Long Island in northwestern Suffolk County, with Long Island Sound to its north and Nassau County adjacent to the west. Huntington is part of the New York metropolitan...
, with a working mother and a stay-at-home psychiatrist father raising three children together, which aired on ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
from September 24, 1985 to April 25, 1992.
Synopsis
The show's premise is based on the fictional Seaver family, who reside in HuntingtonHuntington, New York
The Town of Huntington is one of ten towns in Suffolk County, New York, USA. Founded in 1653, it is located on the north shore of Long Island in northwestern Suffolk County, with Long Island Sound to its north and Nassau County adjacent to the west. Huntington is part of the New York metropolitan...
, Long Island, New York. Dr. Jason Seaver (Alan Thicke
Alan Thicke
Alan Thicke is a Canadian actor, songwriter, and game and talk show host. He is best known for his role as Jason Seaver, the patriarch on the ABC television series Growing Pains.- Early life :...
), a psychiatrist
Psychiatrist
A psychiatrist is a physician who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders. All psychiatrists are trained in diagnostic evaluation and in psychotherapy...
, works from home because his wife, Maggie (Joanna Kerns
Joanna Kerns
Joanna Kerns is an American actress and director best known for her role as Maggie Seaver on the family situation comedy Growing Pains from 1985-1992.-Early life:...
), has gone back to work as a reporter. Jason has to take care of the kids: troublemaker Mike (Kirk Cameron
Kirk Cameron
Kirk Thomas Cameron is an American actor best known for his role as Mike Seaver on the television situation comedy Growing Pains , as well as several other television and film appearances as a child actor...
), honors student
Honors student
An honors student is a person recognized for achieving high grades or high marks in their course work.Honors students may refer to# Students recognized for their academic achievement on lists published periodically throughout the school year, known as honor rolls, varying from school to school, and...
Carol (Tracey Gold
Tracey Gold
Tracey Gold is an American actress and former child star best known for playing Carol Seaver on the 1980s sitcom Growing Pains. In early 2009, she co-hosted with Fred Roggin on the live show GSN Live.-Early life:...
), and rambunctious Ben (Jeremy Miller
Jeremy Miller
Jeremy James Miller is an American actor best known for his portrayal of Ben Seaver on Growing Pains and its two reunion movies...
). A fourth child, Chrissy Seaver, was born in 1988. She was played in her infant stage by twins Kristen and Kelsey Dohring (who alternated in the role). Beginning in the fall of 1990, Chrissy's age was advanced
Soap Opera Rapid Aging Syndrome
Soap Opera Rapid Aging Syndrome is a term used to describe the practice of accelerating the age of a television character in conflict with the timeline of a series and/or the real-world progression of time. Characters unseen on screen for a time might reappear portrayed by an actor several years...
to six years old, whereupon Ashley Johnson
Ashley Johnson
Ashley Suzanne Johnson is an American actress, best known for her two-season role as Chrissy Seaver in the TV show Growing Pains, and for her voice work in television series such as Teen Titans and Ben 10 Alien Force....
took over the role.
Principal cast
- Alan ThickeAlan ThickeAlan Thicke is a Canadian actor, songwriter, and game and talk show host. He is best known for his role as Jason Seaver, the patriarch on the ABC television series Growing Pains.- Early life :...
as Dr. Jason Roland Seaver - Joanna KernsJoanna KernsJoanna Kerns is an American actress and director best known for her role as Maggie Seaver on the family situation comedy Growing Pains from 1985-1992.-Early life:...
as Margaret Katherine "Maggie" Seaver (she used her maiden name "Malone" when she got a TV reporter job, but was known as Maggie Seaver at home and her previous newspaper job) - Kirk CameronKirk CameronKirk Thomas Cameron is an American actor best known for his role as Mike Seaver on the television situation comedy Growing Pains , as well as several other television and film appearances as a child actor...
as Michael Aaron "Mike" Seaver - Tracey GoldTracey GoldTracey Gold is an American actress and former child star best known for playing Carol Seaver on the 1980s sitcom Growing Pains. In early 2009, she co-hosted with Fred Roggin on the live show GSN Live.-Early life:...
as Carol Anne Seaver (1984–1992) (Gold replaced Elizabeth Ward after the pilotTelevision pilotA "television pilot" is a standalone episode of a television series that is used to sell the show to a television network. At the time of its inception, the pilot is meant to be the "testing ground" to see if a series will be possibly desired and successful and therefore a test episode of an...
.) - Jeremy MillerJeremy MillerJeremy James Miller is an American actor best known for his portrayal of Ben Seaver on Growing Pains and its two reunion movies...
as Benjamin Hubert Horatio Humphrey "Ben" Seaver - Ashley JohnsonAshley JohnsonAshley Suzanne Johnson is an American actress, best known for her two-season role as Chrissy Seaver in the TV show Growing Pains, and for her voice work in television series such as Teen Titans and Ben 10 Alien Force....
as Christine Ellen "Chrissy" Seaver (1990–1992) - Leonardo DiCaprioLeonardo DiCaprioLeonardo Wilhelm DiCaprio is an American actor and film producer. He has received many awards, including a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor for his performance in The Aviator , and has been nominated by the Academy Awards, Screen Actors Guild and the British Academy of Film and Television...
as Luke Brower (1991-1992)
Recurring characters
- Josh Andrew Koenig as Richard Milhous "Boner" Stabone (1985–1989, and character was also mentioned during flashbacks in the series finale in 1992); Mike's friend. Left to join the United States MarinesUnited States Marine CorpsThe United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
. - K. C. MartelK. C. MartelKevin Christopher Martel is a Canadian former child actor. His most prominent film role was as Greg, Elliott's older brother's friend in E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial.-Filmography:*White Water Summer...
as Eddie; Mike's friend. - Lisa Capps as Debbie (1987–1988)
- Rachael Jacobs as Shelley (1987–1988)
- Jodi Peterson as Laura Lynn (1989–1991); Ben's girlfriend / love interest.
- Jane PowellJane PowellJane Powell is an American singer, dancer and actress.After rising to fame as a singer in her home state of Oregon, Powell was signed to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer while still in her teens...
as Irma Seaver (1988–1990); Jason's mother. - Gordon JumpGordon JumpAlexander Gordon Jump was an American actor best known as the clueless radio station manager Arthur "Big Guy" Carlson in the TV series WKRP in Cincinnati and the incompetent "Chief of Police Tinkler" in the sitcom Soap...
as Ed Malone (1989–1991); Maggie's father. - Betty McGuireBetty McGuireBetty McGuire is an American television and film actor. She has appeared in such TV show as ER, CSI: Miami, Murder One, Murphy Brown, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Growing Pains, Falcon Crest, Hill Street Blues and films such as Wishmaster , The Incredible Shrinking Woman and Up in Smoke .- External...
as Kate Malone (1989–1991); Maggie's mother. - Chelsea NobleChelsea NobleChelsea Noble is an American actress who is best known for her role as Kate MacDonald on the American television sitcom Growing Pains...
as Kate MacDonald (1989–1992) - Jamie Abbott as Stinky Sullivan (frequent guest star 1987–1989, regular cast member 1989–1991); Ben's friend.
- Julie McCulloughJulie McCulloughJulie Michelle McCullough is an American model, actress and stand-up comedian. She was Playboy magazine's Playmate of the Month for February 1986, and played "Julie Costello" on Growing Pains until she was fired on series regular Kirk Cameron's insistence, for having posed nude in Playboy...
as Julie Costello (1989–1990); Mike's former girlfriend. - Bill KirchenbauerBill KirchenbauerBill Kirchenbauer is an American actor and stand-up comic who has appeared in television shows and films since the 1970s...
as Coach Graham Lubbock (1987–1988 on Growing Pains, starred in spin-off Just the Ten of UsJust the Ten of UsJust the Ten of Us is an American sitcom starring stand-up comedian Bill Kirchenbauer as Coach Graham Lubbock, a teacher and the head of a large Catholic family with eight children living in Eureka, California. The series was a spin-off of Growing Pains, in which Kirchenbauer portrayed the same...
); gym teacher. - Sam AndersonSam AndersonSam Anderson is an American actor.-Early life:Anderson was born in Wahpeton, North Dakota. He is a graduate of the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks. During the 1970s, Sam taught drama at Antelope Valley College in Lancaster, California.-Career:Anderson is perhaps best known for his roles...
as Principal Willis DeWitt (frequent guest star); who had started as Mike's history teacher early in the series. - Fred ApplegateFred Applegate (actor)Frederick Applegate is an American actor, singer and dancer. He is best known for originating the roles of Inspector Kemp and The Blind Hermit in The New MEL BROOKS Musical Young Frankenstein. Other Broadway credits include M. Dindon/M...
as Francis X. Tedesco (1991), principal of the learning annex where Mike teaches
Notable guest stars
- Danielle HarrisDanielle HarrisDanielle Andrea Harris is an American film and television actress, best known as a scream queen for her roles in several horror films, four of them in the Halloween series: in Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers and Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers as Jamie Lloyd and in Halloween and...
(1 episode) - Matthew PerryMatthew PerryMatthew Perry is Canadian-American television and film actor.Matthew Perry or Matt Perry may also refer to:*Matthew C. Perry , American naval officer who forcibly opened Japan to trade with the West...
(3 episodes) - Brad PittBrad PittWilliam Bradley "Brad" Pitt is an American actor and film producer. Pitt has received two Academy Award nominations and four Golden Globe Award nominations, winning one...
(2 episodes) - Candace Cameron BureCandace Cameron BureCandace Helaine Cameron is an American actress and author best known for playing DJ Tanner on the television series Full House from ages 10 to 18. She is the sister of Kirk Cameron and the sister-in-law of Chelsea Noble...
(2 episodes) - Jennie GarthJennie GarthJennifer Eve "Jennie" Garth is an American actress and director, best known for starring in the prominent role of Kelly Taylor throughout the Beverly Hills, 90210 franchise...
(1 episode) - Dana PlatoDana PlatoDana Michelle Plato was an American actress notable for playing the role of Kimberly Drummond in the U.S. television sitcom Diff'rent Strokes.Plato appeared in over 100 television commercials as a young girl...
(1 episode) - Hilary SwankHilary SwankHilary Ann Swank is an American actress. Swank's film career began with a small part in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and then a major part in The Next Karate Kid , as Julie Pierce, the first female protégé of sensei Mr. Miyagi...
(2 episodes) - Olivia d'AboOlivia d'AboOlivia d'Abo is an English actress and singer-songwriter, best known for portraying Karen Arnold in The Wonder Years and Nicole Wallace, the recurring villain in Law & Order: Criminal Intent.-Acting career:...
(2 episodes) - Heather Graham (2 episodes)
- James T. CallahanJames T. CallahanJames Thomas Callahan was an American film and television actor who appeared in more than 120 films and television shows between 1959 and 2007...
(1 episode) - Dennis HaysbertDennis HaysbertDennis Dexter Haysbert is an American film and television actor. He is known for portraying baseball player Pedro Cerrano in the Major League film trilogy, President David Palmer on the American television series 24, and Sergeant Major Jonas Blane on the drama series The Unit, as well as his work...
(2 episodes) - Jenny LewisJenny LewisJennifer Diane Lewis , is an American singer-songwriter musician and actress. She was the primary vocalist of the indie rock band Rilo Kiley, and has released two solo albums. She currently performs as part of the duo Jenny & Johnny with boyfriend Johnathan Rice...
(1 episode) - Kelly RowanKelly RowanKelly Rowan is a Canadian television and film actress and former fashion model. She is best known for portraying Kirsten Cohen on The O.C.-Early life:...
(1 episode) - Judith BarsiJudith BarsiJudith Eva Barsi was an American child actress. She was small in stature and often played characters younger than her actual age...
(1 episode) - Kelly HuKelly HuKelly Ann Hu is an American actress and former fashion model. She was Miss Teen USA 1985 and Miss Hawaii USA 1993.-Early life:Hu was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, the daughter of Juanita, an engineering drafter for Honolulu, and Herbert Hu, a salesman and exotic bird breeder; the two divorced during...
(3 episodes) - Leah ReminiLeah ReminiLeah Marie Remini is an American actress and model. She is best known for her role as Carrie Heffernan on the CBS sitcom The King of Queens and as Stacey Carosi on the NBC sitcom Saved by the Bell...
(1 episode) - Kristy SwansonKristy SwansonKristen Nöel "Kristy" Swanson is an American actress best known for playing Buffy in the 1992 film Buffy the Vampire Slayer, she also played Catherine "Cathy" Dollanganger in the movie version of the V.C...
(1 episode) - Alan Hale, Jr.Alan Hale, Jr.Alan Hale, Jr. was an American film and television actor, best known for his role as Skipper on the popular sitcom Gilligan's Island. Hale was the lookalike son of popular supporting film actor Alan Hale, Sr....
(1 episode) - Dawn WellsDawn WellsDawn Elberta Wells is an American actress known for playing Mary Ann Summers on the sitcom Gilligan's Island during its run from 1964 until 1967.- Early life :...
(2 episodes) - Annette FunicelloAnnette FunicelloAnnette Joanne Funicello is an American singer and actress. She was Walt Disney's most popular cast member of the original Mickey Mouse Club, and went on to appear in a series of beach party films.-Early life and early stardom:...
(1 episode)
Self-referential humor
Growing Pains was notable for self-referential humor as early in its history as Season 3, Episode 10. While being administered general anesthesia for a tonsillectomyTonsillectomy
A tonsillectomy is a 3,000-year-old surgical procedure in which the tonsils are removed from either side of the throat. The procedure is performed in response to cases of repeated occurrence of acute tonsillitis or adenoiditis, obstructive sleep apnea, nasal airway obstruction, snoring, or...
, Ben listed his favorite TV shows as "Who's the Boss?
Who's the Boss?
Who's the Boss? is an American sitcom created by Martin Cohan and Blake Hunter, which aired on ABC from September 20, 1984 to April 25, 1992...
, Moonlighting
Moonlighting (TV series)
Moonlighting is an American television series that aired on ABC from March 3, 1985, to May 14, 1989. The network aired a total of 66 episodes...
, and that one that comes between them. The little kid is really good." At the time, Growing Pains ran on ABC in the time slot between Who's The Boss and Moonlighting. During one other episode (Season 2, Episode 8), Maggie and Jason have an argument in Mike's car, and as the first one storms in, Maggie asks "Have you seen your father?", with Mike's reply "Tall guy, looks like a talk show host?" (Alan Thicke used to host American night time talk show, Thicke of the Night
Thicke of the Night
Thicke of the Night is an American late night talk show produced by MGM Television, distributed in syndication by Metromedia and broadcast in first-run syndication during the 1983-1984 TV season....
and Canadian show The Alan Thicke Show
The Alan Thicke Show
The Alan Thicke Show was a Canadian talk show hosted by Alan Thicke. It aired on CTV between 1980 and 1983. The show aired in different versions also re-titled as Prime Cuts and as Fast Company....
). Enter Jason, who asks "Have you seen your mother?", with Mike's reply "Blonde lady, looks like Donna de Varona
Donna de Varona
Donna Elizabeth de Varona is a former American swimmer of Mexican and Irish descent.-Swimming career:...
?" Donna de Varona was an Olympic swimmer and is Joanna Kerns' sister.
Opening sequences
The Season 1 main opening featured various works of art, closing with a shot of the cast, which goes from black-and-white to color.The opening credits from Seasons 2 through 5 featured an opening shot of the cast in front of the house where establishing shots of the Seaver house are used, switching to photos of each cast member from childhood and, in Alan Thicke and Joanna Kerns' case, to adulthood, mixed with various episode clips. In all episodes that aired from 1986–1990, the opening sequence ends with a "house gag" immediately after the final episode clip, and, starting with the fifth season, ran while the executive producers names' were listed. The house gag changes from episode-to-episode, and usually features the cast standing in front of the Seavers' house. A typical gag featured all but one member of the cast (this was usually the cast member whom the main story was about in that particular episode) leaving to go inside the Seaver house, with the other leaving seconds later. This was a running visual joke mildly similar to that of the "couch gag" sequences on The Simpsons
The Simpsons
The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
. Most house gags last only about 10 seconds, but the longest one lasted about 20 seconds. Certain house gags include:
- Jason starts leaving before the rest of the cast, only to stop and turn back, and the rest of the cast leaves seconds later. (This was the static open for the 1986 and 1987 seasons.)
- In the Season 4 episode "Birth of a Seaver", in which Chrissy is born, the sequence goes as normal, though the clips are abbreviated in the form of the syndication airings, while the full theme plays as normal. Near the end of the sequence, a pregnant Maggie realizes and announces to the rest of the family that she is in labor, to which everybody follows and guides Maggie back in the house.
- Near the end of the opening credits in the next episode, fittingly, Carol holds up a sign saying "It's a Girl", which blocks Mike's face.
- Everybody leaves, except for Carol. Noticing this, Ben, Mike, and Jason then turn back and pick Carol up and carry her into the house.
- Everybody leaves to head into the house, except for Mike. Carol angrily turns back and taps Mike on the shoulder, and makes a hand gesture telling him to come in with them.
- The family stands outside in the rain wearing raincoats and carrying umbrellas, and they all head toward the house.
- Everyone leaves, except for Ben. When Mike notices, he comes back, whispers something in Ben's ear, and they both go in the house.
The opening used in Seasons 6 and 7 featured an opening shot of the mantle on the Seavers' fireplace panning over pictures of the cast. The past photos of each cast member were kept, but the clips where each cast member's name is overlaid was replaced with current photos of each cast member. In this sequence, the males wore tuxedos and the females wore formal dresses. The only exception was Leonardo DiCaprio: when he was added to the cast, his photo featured him wearing a hooded shirt and jeans, although for the first few episodes he appeared in, the camera would zoom to a wide shot, then his name was displayed. The end of this sequence featured various still-shots of the entire cast trying to get together for their picture, closing with a shot of the pictures on the wall on and above the mantle.
Theme song
The show's theme song is "As Long as We've Got Each Other," which was written and composed by both John BettisJohn Bettis
John Bettis is an American lyricist who has co-written many famous popular songs over the years. In 2011, John was inducted into both the Songwriters Hall of Fame as well as the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame....
(Lyrics) and Steve Dorff
Steve Dorff
Steve Dorff is an American songwriter and composer whose work is mainly in the field of country music.Dorff has written several songs for other artists, including "Hypnotize the Moon" and "My Heart Will Never Know" for Clay Walker, "The Man in Love with You" and "I Cross My Heart" by George Strait,...
(Music). It was performed by:
- B.J. Thomas (singing solo); Season 1
- B.J. Thomas & Jennifer WarnesJennifer WarnesJennifer Jean Warnes is an American singer, songwriter, arranger and record producer. She is known for her interpretations of compositions written by herself and many others, as well as an extensive playlist as a vocalist on movie soundtracks.Between 1979 and 1987 Warnes surpassed Frank Sinatra as...
; Seasons 2, 3, 5, part of 7 - B.J. Thomas & Dusty SpringfieldDusty SpringfieldMary Isobel Catherine Bernadette O'BrienSources use both Isabel and Isobel as the spelling of her second name. OBE , known professionally as Dusty Springfield and dubbed The White Queen of Soul, was a British pop singer whose career extended from the late 1950s to the 1990s...
; Season 4 - Unknown; Season 6, part of 7, series finale
There were nine versions of the theme song; others included a Halloween-themed version not sung by Thomas or Warnes used in a two-part Halloween episode in 1990. The first three seasons featured an instrumental part at the end of the theme, but in the fourth season, the original last verse of the TV version of the theme song, "Sharing the laughter and love," was added in its place.
There was also an a cappella
A cappella
A cappella music is specifically solo or group singing without instrumental sound, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. It is the opposite of cantata, which is accompanied singing. A cappella was originally intended to differentiate between Renaissance polyphony and Baroque concertato...
version of the song which was used for all of Season 6, but this version was abandoned for most of Season 7 in favor of the reinstatement of Thomas' and Warnes' duet version, although the a capella theme returned for three episodes as well as the series finale. A full-length version by Thomas and Springfield was released as a single in 1988.
A soundtrack was released in 1988 titled "Steve Dorff and Friends: Growing Pains and Other Hit TV Themes." The soundtrack contains songs penned by Steve Dorff from his other television series theme songs and 3 tracks from "Growing Pains"
1- Theme Song "As Long As We Got Each Other" (BJ Thomas and Dusty Springfield)
2. Aloha Episode - "Swept Away" by Christopher Cross
3. Graduation Day Episode - "This Is The Day" performed by BJ Thomas
Behind the scenes
Kirk CameronKirk Cameron
Kirk Thomas Cameron is an American actor best known for his role as Mike Seaver on the television situation comedy Growing Pains , as well as several other television and film appearances as a child actor...
was once an atheist
Atheism
Atheism is, in a broad sense, the rejection of belief in the existence of deities. In a narrower sense, atheism is specifically the position that there are no deities...
, but when Kirk was 17, during the height of his career on Growing Pains, he developed a belief in God, and became a born-again Christian. After converting to Christianity, he began to insist that story lines be stripped of anything he thought too adult or racy in Growing Pains. A decade later, Cameron agreed to appear in The Growing Pains Movie
The Growing Pains Movie
The Growing Pains Movie is a made-for-television movie that premiered on ABC November 5, 2000, as a two-hour episode of ABC's The Wonderful World of Disney anthology series. It was the first of two reunion movies based on the sitcom Growing Pains....
, where the entire main cast reunited with one another. Cameron said, "It’s a lot less crazy of a time than when we were teenagers. It’s an opportunity to begin new friendships as adults, and I’m really looking forward to that."
Julie McCullough
Julie McCullough
Julie Michelle McCullough is an American model, actress and stand-up comedian. She was Playboy magazine's Playmate of the Month for February 1986, and played "Julie Costello" on Growing Pains until she was fired on series regular Kirk Cameron's insistence, for having posed nude in Playboy...
landed the role of nanny Julie Costello on Growing Pains in 1989. She appeared in eight episodes until she was fired in 1990, Kirk Cameron's conversion to evangelical
Evangelicalism
Evangelicalism is a Protestant Christian movement which began in Great Britain in the 1730s and gained popularity in the United States during the series of Great Awakenings of the 18th and 19th century.Its key commitments are:...
Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
, a conversion that, according to The E! True Hollywood Story episode focusing on the show, served to alienate him from his fellow cast members, as he did not invite any of them to his wedding. He called for McCullough's termination because of his objections to her having posed nude in Playboy
Playboy
Playboy is an American men's magazine that features photographs of nude women as well as journalism and fiction. It was founded in Chicago in 1953 by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from Hefner's mother. The magazine has grown into Playboy Enterprises, Inc., with...
, and accused the show's producers of promoting pornography. A decade later, Cameron apologized to his TV family, attributing his prior behavior to his lack of maturity, but did not reconcile with McCullough, who claims that Cameron refused to speak to her during a later encounter, and who remains critical of him, stating that she lost a lot from the public criticism she endured from the controversy. Although McCullough herself is Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
, she has criticized the evangelical television programming Cameron has produced, which she has viewed on one occasion, saying on her MySpace
MySpace
Myspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
page:
In 1988 at age 19, Tracey Gold
Tracey Gold
Tracey Gold is an American actress and former child star best known for playing Carol Seaver on the 1980s sitcom Growing Pains. In early 2009, she co-hosted with Fred Roggin on the live show GSN Live.-Early life:...
gained some weight over the Growing Pains series hiatus. That season, the show's scripts called for her to be the brunt of fat jokes from her television brothers for many episodes in a row. Beginning in October 1988, Gold dieted from 133 pounds to about 110 pounds on a medically-supervised 500 calorie a day diet, but still occasionally the scripts included fat jokes at her expense. In her autobiography, she says that between 1989 and 1991, she became increasingly obsessed with food and her weight and continued to slowly and steadily lose weight. In 1990 Gold began group therapy in an eating disorder program, but only learned more ways to lose weight. That season, her problem with weight loss was touched upon slightly on her television series, when Gold is seen looking at her body in a carnival mirror, and describes to another character the distorted image in her head. In 1991, she started starving herself more than ever and vomiting
Bulimia nervosa
Bulimia nervosa is an eating disorder characterized by binge eating and purging or consuming a large amount of food in a short amount of time, followed by an attempt to rid oneself of the food consumed, usually by purging and/or by laxative, diuretics or excessive exercise. Bulimia nervosa is...
, and lost a massive amount of weight, to the point that she was admitted to a hospital in early 1992. Her lowest weight is estimated to have been near 80 pounds. She was suspended from the show for her skeletal appearance. Photos of Gold's emaciated body were plastered all over tabloid magazines, and she was one of the first celebrities ever to be formally outed for anorexia. She last appeared in the 1991 episode, "Menage a Luke" after missing the two prior episodes where her problem is very obvious in some scenes, and did not return until the last two shows of the series in the late spring of 1992, although she was not nearly recovered at this point.
Nielsen ratings
| Season | Rank | Viewers (in millions) |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1985–1986 | #18 | 16.75 |
| 2 | 1986–1987 | #8 | 19.83 |
| 3 | 1987–1988 | #8 | 19.83 |
| 4 | 1988–1989 | #14 | 15.91 |
| 5 | 1989–1990 | #21 | 14.18 |
| 6 | 1990–1991 | #27 | 13.31 |
| 7 | 1991–1992 | #75 | N/A |
Spin-off
Growing Pains spawned the spin-off series, Just the Ten of UsJust the Ten of Us
Just the Ten of Us is an American sitcom starring stand-up comedian Bill Kirchenbauer as Coach Graham Lubbock, a teacher and the head of a large Catholic family with eight children living in Eureka, California. The series was a spin-off of Growing Pains, in which Kirchenbauer portrayed the same...
, which featured Coach Graham Lubbock, Mike and Carol's gym teacher, moving to California with his large family to teach at an all boys Catholic school after he was fired from Thomas Dewey High School.
Reunion movies
In 2000, the cast reunited for The Growing Pains MovieThe Growing Pains Movie
The Growing Pains Movie is a made-for-television movie that premiered on ABC November 5, 2000, as a two-hour episode of ABC's The Wonderful World of Disney anthology series. It was the first of two reunion movies based on the sitcom Growing Pains....
, followed by Growing Pains: Return of the Seavers
Growing Pains: Return of the Seavers
Growing Pains: Return of the Seavers is a 2004 American television film, first airing on ABC Family October 16, 2004...
in 2004.
DVD Releases
Warner Home VideoWarner Home Video
Warner Home Video is the home video unit of Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., itself part of Time Warner. It was founded in 1978 as WCI Home Video . The company launched in the United States with twenty films on VHS and Betamax videocassettes in late 1979...
has released the first two seasons on DVD in Region 1. Season 2 was released on April 26, 2011.
Season 1 was also released on DVD in Region 4 on June 5, 2007.
On December 6, 2011, Warner Bros.
Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., also known as Warner Bros. Pictures or simply Warner Bros. , is an American producer of film and television entertainment.One of the major film studios, it is a subsidiary of Time Warner, with its headquarters in Burbank,...
will release Growing Pains The Movie and Growing Pains: Return of the Seavers on DVD in region 1 via their Warner Archive Collection. These are Manufacture-on-Demand (MOD) releases, available exclusively through Warner's online store and only in the US.
| DVD Name | Ep # | Release dates | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Region 1 | Region 4 | ||
| Season 1 | 22 | February 7, 2006 | June 5, 2007 |
| Season 2 | 22 | April 26, 2011 | N/A |
International names
| Country | Name | Literal translation |
|---|---|---|
| Mainland China Mainland China Mainland China, the Chinese mainland or simply the mainland, is a geopolitical term that refers to the area under the jurisdiction of the People's Republic of China . According to the Taipei-based Mainland Affairs Council, the term excludes the PRC Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and... |
成长的烦恼 (Chéngzhǎng de Fánnǎo) | Growing vexation |
| Taiwan Taiwan Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following... |
歡樂家庭 (Huānlè Jiātíng) | Happy Family |
| France | Quoi de neuf docteur? | What is new doctor? or What's up doc? |
| Germany | Unser lautes Heim | Our noisy home |
| Italy | Genitori in blue jeans | Parents in blue jeans |
| Israel Israel The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea... |
להתבגר ולהתגבר (Lehitbager Ve Lehitgaber) | Growing up & getting better |
| Japan | 愉快なシーバー家 (Yukai na Seava (Seaver) Ke) | Happy Seaver's family |
| Latin America Latin America Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area... |
¡Ay! Cómo duele crecer | Ouch! How painful is growing up |
| Poland | Dzieciaki, kłopoty i my | Our kids, trouble and us |
| Slovenia Slovenia Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of... |
Ne mi težit' | Don't bother me |
| Turkey Turkey Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe... |
Büyümenin Bedeli | The Price of Growing Up |
| Spain | Los problemas crecen | The problems grow |
| Sweden | Pappa vet bäst | Dad knows best |
United States
ABC aired reruns of the show on its daytime schedule from July 1988 to August 1989. The show originally aired at 11:00am (EST) until January 1989, when with the cancellation of Ryan's HopeRyan's Hope
Ryan's Hope is an American soap opera, revolving around 13 years of trials and tribulations within a large Irish American family in the Riverside district of New York City. It aired from July 7, 1975 to January 13, 1989 on ABC...
and the expansion of Home
Home Show
Home, also referred to as The Home Show, was a daytime/nighttime informational talk show that aired on ABC from 1988 to 1994.The program was co-hosted by Robb Weller and former Good Morning America co-host Sandy Hill during the first season. Gary Collins hosted the show for the remainder of its run...
to an hour (from 11:00am-noon), the reruns moved to 12:00pm.
In the fall of 1989, the show was sold to local syndication, which continued until 1997. The show also aired on TBS for several years.
Reruns aired on the Disney Channel
Disney Channel
Disney Channel is an American basic cable and satellite television network, owned by the Disney-ABC Television Group division of The Walt Disney Company. It is under the direction of Disney-ABC Television Group President Anne Sweeney. The channel's headquarters is located on West Alameda Ave. in...
from September 1997 to September 2001. The cable rights for the show moved to sister network ABC Family
ABC Family
ABC Family, stylized as abc family, is an American television network, owned by ABC Family Worldwide Inc., a subsidiary of the Disney-ABC Television Group division of The Walt Disney Company...
, where it ran from 2001 to 2004. It has also aired on ION Television during the fall of 2006 into the spring of 2007.
Nick at Nite
Nick at Nite
Nick at Nite is the nighttime Cable network that broadcasts over the channel space of Nickelodeon on Sundays from 8.p.m.-7.am., Monday through Fridays from 9 p.m.-7 a.m. and Saturdays from 10 p.m.-6 a.m. . Though it shares channel space with Nickelodeon, A.C. Nielsen Co...
began airing Growing Pains on February 12, 2007, launching with a marathon from 9:00PM ET-1:00AM ET. It was pulled from the line-up shortly after, and later moved to sister network The N/TeenNick
TeenNick
TeenNick, formerly The N, is an American television network aimed at the teenage market. TeenNick is owned by the MTV Networks subsidiary, Viacom. The channel was originally known as The N from its April 1, 2002 launch until September 28, 2009....
, where it aired up until early 2010. TeenNick re-aired the series on Monday, September 13, 2010, in a 5:00AM hour block, and aired its final showings on December 27, 2010.
Asia
Mainland ChinaMainland China
Mainland China, the Chinese mainland or simply the mainland, is a geopolitical term that refers to the area under the jurisdiction of the People's Republic of China . According to the Taipei-based Mainland Affairs Council, the term excludes the PRC Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and...
- This show was dubbed in Chinese by the Shanghai TelevisionShanghai TelevisionShanghai Television is a TV station based in Shanghai, China. It was founded in early 1980s. Its old web site address was www.stv.sh.cn. In 2001, it was merged with Radio Shanghai, Eastern Radio Shanghai, Oriental Television Station and Shanghai Cable Television under the name of Shanghai Media...
in the late 1980s with the title of "Chéngzhǎng de Fánnǎo" (成长的烦恼; literally "Growing vexation"). - The Disney ChannelDisney ChannelDisney Channel is an American basic cable and satellite television network, owned by the Disney-ABC Television Group division of The Walt Disney Company. It is under the direction of Disney-ABC Television Group President Anne Sweeney. The channel's headquarters is located on West Alameda Ave. in...
series Lizzie McGuireLizzie McGuireLizzie McGuire is an American teen sitcom which premiered on the Disney Channel on January 12, 2001 and ended February 14, 2004. A total of 65 episodes were produced and aired. Its target demographic was preteens and adolescents...
was titled in Chinese as the "New Growing Pains". - The Chinese sitcom Home with KidsHome with KidsHome with Kids , is a sitcom/drama from Mainland China. There are four series of Home with Kids, i.e. Home with Kids 1, Home with Kids 2, Home with Kids 3 and Home with Kids 4, which were released respectively in 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007. It is considered to be an equivelant to Growing Pains, a...
is considered to be a Chinese adaptation of Growing Pains.
Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
- This show was dubbed in Chinese by Chinese Television SystemChinese Television SystemChinese Television System is a broadcast television station in Republic of China .-History:Founded on October 31, 1971, CTS started off as a joint venture between the ROC's Ministry of National Defense and the Ministry of Education. At the time of its establishment, CTS was the only VHF-supported...
during 1980s – 1990s, and was given a Chinese title called "Huānlè Jiātíng" (歡樂家庭; Happy Family).
Japan
- Growing Pains was dubbed in Japanese, and broadcasted by the NHKNHKNHK is Japan's national public broadcasting organization. NHK, which has always identified itself to its audiences by the English pronunciation of its initials, is a publicly owned corporation funded by viewers' payments of a television license fee....
of Japan in the title of "Yukai na Seaver Ke(愉快なシーバー家)" (Happy Seaver's family) from 1997 to 2000.
France
Two books published in French exclusively about Growing Pains: Cyrille Rollet, Ph.D (EHESS, Paris),- Physiologie d'un sitcom américain (voyage au cœur de Growing Pains), (volume 1) – Physiology of an American Sitcom (Journey to the Heart of Growing Pains)
- Circulation culturelle d'un sitcom américain (volume 2) – The Cultural Circulation of an American Sitcom
Australia
- Digital free-to-air channel 7TWO7Two7TWO is an Australian free-to-air standard definition digital television channel which was launched by the Seven Network on Sunday 1 November 2009 at 12pm....
began reruns of Growing Pains in OctoberOctoberOctober is the tenth month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian Calendars and one of seven months with a length of 31 days. The eighth month in the old Roman calendar, October retained its name after January and February were inserted into the calendar that had originally been created by the...
2010, and reached the final episode in JuneJuneJune is the sixth month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars and one of the four months with a length of 30 days. Ovid provides two etymologies for June's name in his poem concerning the months entitled the Fasti...
2011, replacing it with Night CourtNight CourtNight Court is an American television situation comedy that aired on NBC from January 4, 1984, to May 20, 1992. The setting was the night shift of a Manhattan court, presided over by the young, unorthodox Judge Harold T. "Harry" Stone...
. The Nine NetworkNine NetworkThe Nine Network , is an Australian television network with headquarters based in Willoughby, a suburb located on the North Shore of Sydney. For 50 years since television's inception in Australia, between 1956 and 2006, it was the most watched television network in Australia...
first aired the show back in the 1980s1980sFile:1980s decade montage.png|thumb|400px|From left, clockwise: The first Space Shuttle, Columbia, lifted off in 1981; American President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev eased tensions between the two superpowers, leading to the end of the Cold War; The Fall of the Berlin Wall in...
and 1990s1990sFile:1990s decade montage.png|From left, clockwise: The Hubble Space Telescope floats in space after it was taken up in 1990; American F-16s and F-15s fly over burning oil fields and the USA Lexie in Operation Desert Storm, also known as the 1991 Gulf War; The signing of the Oslo Accords on...
.