Major Dad was an
AmericanThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
sitcom television series created by Richard C. Okie and John G. Stephens that originally ran from 1989 to 1993 on CBS, starring
Gerald McRaneyGerald Lee "Mac" McRaney is an American television and movie actor. McRaney is best known as one of the stars of the 1980s television shows Simon & Simon and Major Dad.-Early life:...
(
Simon & SimonSimon & Simon is a 1980s detective television series starring Gerald McRaney and Jameson Parker.-History:The original 1978 pilot called Pirate's Key was set in Florida...
) as Major John D. McGillis and
Shanna ReedShanna Reed is an American dancer and actress, best known for her roles on television and movies. Her most prominent role in 1983 was Lisa Norwood in the television movie Legs....
as his wife Polly. The cast also included
Beverly ArcherBeverly Archer is an American actress.She was born in Oak Park, Illinois. She attended San Francisco State University and UC Santa Barbara where she majored in drama....
(
Mama's FamilyMama's Family is an American television sitcom that premiered on NBC on January 22, 1983. It ended its run on that network in May 1984 when it was cancelled, but NBC would continue to air reruns until September 1985. In June 1986, Mama's Family returned in first-run syndication, where it aired for...
),
Matt MulhernMatt Mulhern is an American actor who has starred in such films as One Crazy Summer and Biloxi Blues, and such television series such as Major Dad, JAG, and Rescue Me....
,
Jon CypherJon Cypher is an American actor.Born in New York City, Cypher graduated from Erasmus Hall High School in 1949 and Brooklyn College in 1953. He is particularly remembered as Chief of Police Fletcher Daniels in Hill Street Blues, a role he played throughout the lifetime of the series, 1981-1987...
(
Hill Street BluesHill Street Blues is a serial police drama that was first aired on NBC in 1981 and ran for 146 episodes on primetime into 1987. Reruns are currently being aired on AmericanLife TV Network on weekday nights in the United States, and on weekday afternoons on digital network More 4 in the United Kingdom...
),
Marisa RyanMarisa Ryan is an American actress. She is best known for her role as Elizabeth Cooper McGillis in the television sitcom Major Dad, she also co-starred as Det...
,
Nicole DubucNicole Dubuc is an American writer, perhaps best known for her work on Kim Possible and My Friends Tigger and Pooh, and as an actress on Major Dad.-Biography:...
and Chelsea Hertford.
The first season is set at Camp Pendleton (called Camp Singleton in the series) where hard-headed
United States Marine CorpsThe United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States armed forces responsible for providing force projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to rapidly deliver combined-arms task forces. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
Major John D.
Major Dad was an
AmericanThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
sitcom television series created by Richard C. Okie and John G. Stephens that originally ran from 1989 to 1993 on CBS, starring
Gerald McRaneyGerald Lee "Mac" McRaney is an American television and movie actor. McRaney is best known as one of the stars of the 1980s television shows Simon & Simon and Major Dad.-Early life:...
(
Simon & SimonSimon & Simon is a 1980s detective television series starring Gerald McRaney and Jameson Parker.-History:The original 1978 pilot called Pirate's Key was set in Florida...
) as Major John D. McGillis and
Shanna ReedShanna Reed is an American dancer and actress, best known for her roles on television and movies. Her most prominent role in 1983 was Lisa Norwood in the television movie Legs....
as his wife Polly. The cast also included
Beverly ArcherBeverly Archer is an American actress.She was born in Oak Park, Illinois. She attended San Francisco State University and UC Santa Barbara where she majored in drama....
(
Mama's FamilyMama's Family is an American television sitcom that premiered on NBC on January 22, 1983. It ended its run on that network in May 1984 when it was cancelled, but NBC would continue to air reruns until September 1985. In June 1986, Mama's Family returned in first-run syndication, where it aired for...
),
Matt MulhernMatt Mulhern is an American actor who has starred in such films as One Crazy Summer and Biloxi Blues, and such television series such as Major Dad, JAG, and Rescue Me....
,
Jon CypherJon Cypher is an American actor.Born in New York City, Cypher graduated from Erasmus Hall High School in 1949 and Brooklyn College in 1953. He is particularly remembered as Chief of Police Fletcher Daniels in Hill Street Blues, a role he played throughout the lifetime of the series, 1981-1987...
(
Hill Street BluesHill Street Blues is a serial police drama that was first aired on NBC in 1981 and ran for 146 episodes on primetime into 1987. Reruns are currently being aired on AmericanLife TV Network on weekday nights in the United States, and on weekday afternoons on digital network More 4 in the United Kingdom...
),
Marisa RyanMarisa Ryan is an American actress. She is best known for her role as Elizabeth Cooper McGillis in the television sitcom Major Dad, she also co-starred as Det...
,
Nicole DubucNicole Dubuc is an American writer, perhaps best known for her work on Kim Possible and My Friends Tigger and Pooh, and as an actress on Major Dad.-Biography:...
and Chelsea Hertford.
Plot
The first season is set at Camp Pendleton (called Camp Singleton in the series) where hard-headed
United States Marine CorpsThe United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States armed forces responsible for providing force projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to rapidly deliver combined-arms task forces. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
Major John D. “Mac” McGillis is commander of the infantry training school. MacGillis's life is changed when he falls in love with a liberal journalist, Polly Cooper. The show follows Mac in his work life—where he deals with Lt. Eugene Holowachuk (Matt Mulhern), Sgt. Byron James (Marlon Archey) and Merilee Gunderson (Whitney Kershaw) -- as well as his home life as he learns to live with Polly's three daughters, Elizabeth, Robin, and Casey.
At the beginning of the second season, the MacGillis family moves to Camp Hollister (based on
Marine Corps Base QuanticoMarine Corps Base Quantico is a major United States Marine Corps training base located near Triangle, Virginia, covering nearly in southern Prince William County, northern Stafford County, and southeastern Fauquier County...
) where Mac must adapt to the role of Staff Secretary (or, “Staff Weenie”) and the crazy antics of Commanding General Marcus C. Craig, Aide-de-Camp 1stLt. Eugene Holowachuk, and Gunnery Sgt. Alva "Gunny" Bricker.
Season 1
- Pilot
- Just Polly & Me, and the Kids Make Five
- Rescue Mission
- Wedding
- Wounded Flyboy and the Nurse Who Gave Him Reason to Live
- Twinkle
- Jane Wayne Day
- Robin's Awakening
- Major Mom
- Love Doctor
- See the Hill ... Over the Hill
- Boxer Rebellion
- Discipline
- Lemon
- That Connell Woman
- Jr.
- Major Coach
- Camp MacGillis
- Not with My Daughter You Don't
- Officer of the Day
- All Quiet on the Home Front, pt. 1
- All Quiet on the Home Front, pt. 2
- See the Bridge
- Standing Tall
- Face the Music ... and Dance, pt. 1
- Face the Music ... and Dance, pt. 2
Season 2
- Safe at First Base
- Welcome to Hollister
- Get a Job
- The Goat
- First Anniversary
- Wetting Down
- Infant-ry
- Birthday Ball
- Wish You Were Here
- Love on the Run
- Operation Fun Run
- Gift of the Major
- Flying Solo
- A Bird in the Hand
- Learning to Drive
- The Name is Over Here
- Valentine's Day
- Sins of the Father
- The Possible Dream
- Private Affair
- Polly's Choice
- Silent Drill Team
- Elmo Come Home
- Together
Season 3
- The Shut Down
- Major Moonlighting
- Polly's Pen Pal
- A Few Good Men
- Poker Night
- Anything You Can Do I Can Do Perky
- Educating Casey
- Lady in Waiting
- General Unrest
- Steel Magnolia
- On the Line
- The Shell Game
- Who's That Blonde ?
- We've Got Trouble
- Three's a Crowd
- Three Angry Marines
- Close Encounters
- Base Desires
- When Gunny Talks
- The "L" Word
- Sick Bay
- Charlotte's Web
- The Noisy Drill Team
- In the Brick of Time
Season 4
- The People's Choice, pt. 1
- The People's Choice, pt. 2
- Here's Looking at You, Pol
- Catered Affair
- There's No Place Like Farlow
- The Election Show
- Gunny's Veiled Threat
- One for the Road
- Blue Tenant Holowachuk
- Old Acquaintance
- About Face
- I'll Be Seeing You
- Night School
- Piano Lesson
- Come Rain or Come Shine
- Colonel of Truth
- From Russia with Like
- The Spell of Grease Paint
- Gunny Gets Robbed
- Conduct Unbecoming
- General Disturbance (Original Air Date: 9 April 1993)
- Oops, a Daisy (Original Air Date: 16 April 1993)
While the MacGillis clan, along with the General and "Gunny" leaves VA for DC in "General Disturbance," the final episode "Oops, a Daisy" aired after "General Disturbance" shows all the characters still in VA.
External links