The Fanelli Boys
Encyclopedia
The Fanelli Boys is an American sitcom
that aired on NBC
as part of its 1990-91 prime time schedule
. The series was created by the team of Barry Fanaro
, Mort Nathan
, Kathy Speer, and Terry Grossman, all of whom previously worked on The Golden Girls
.
) is prepared to sell the family business
(a funeral home
) to her son Anthony (Ned Eisenberg
) and move from Brooklyn to Florida
. Thwarting her plans are the arrival of her younger sons Ronnie (Andy Hirsch), who had just dropped out of school, and Frankie (Chris Meloni), whose engagement
has just been broken. Another brother, the slightly disreputable Dom (Joe Pantoliano
), is between hustles. Anthony learns that the funeral home is about $
25,000 in debt
, which he had not counted on. Soon, all of the boys are back at home with their mom, just like the old days. Advising the family, somewhat dubiously, are Theresa's brother, a Catholic priest known as "Father Angelo" (Richard Libertini
), and fortune teller Philomena (Vera Lockwood).
The Fanelli Boys showed fairly strong Italian-American ethnic stereotyping
; there was even an Italian
flag in the program's logo
. The series garnered low ratings and was cancelled in February 1991 after airing nineteen episodes.
table (presumably the Fanellis') as it was set by its family, followed by them sitting down and serving pasta
and wine
, which culminated in everyone toasting
. Only the family's hands were seen during the entire sequence. This was accompanied by an instrumental
, old-world Italian tune.
In January 1991, a month before The Fanelli Boys was cancelled, the opening changed to featuring videotaped scenes from the show with the cast, along with an in-house rendition of Billy Joel
's "Why Should I Worry?" as the new lyrical theme.
Situation comedy
A situation comedy, often shortened to sitcom, is a genre of comedy that features characters sharing the same common environment, such as a home or workplace, accompanied with jokes as part of the dialogue...
that aired on NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
as part of its 1990-91 prime time schedule
1990-91 United States network television schedule
This was the television schedule on all four networks for the fall season beginning in September 1990. All times are Eastern and Pacific, with certain exceptions, such as Monday Night Football.New series are highlighted in bold....
. The series was created by the team of Barry Fanaro
Barry Fanaro
Barry Fanaro is an American Emmy Award-winning television producer and screenwriter. Farano most famously was the co-producer of the television program The Golden Girls....
, Mort Nathan
Mort Nathan
Mort Nathan is an American television producer, screenwriter and film director. Nathan was one of the co-producers and head writers of the classic comedy show the Golden Girls He also has been a respected script doctor on Hollywood films.-External links:...
, Kathy Speer, and Terry Grossman, all of whom previously worked on The Golden Girls
The Golden Girls
The Golden Girls is an American sitcom created by Susan Harris, which originally aired on NBC from September 14, 1985, to May 9, 1992. Starring Bea Arthur, Betty White, Rue McClanahan and Estelle Getty, the show centers on four older women sharing a home in Miami, Florida...
.
Synopsis
Following the death of her husband, Theresa Fanelli (Ann Morgan GuilbertAnn Morgan Guilbert
Ann Morgan Guilbert , sometimes credited as Ann Guilbert, is an American actress, who played the neighbor Millie Helper in 61 episodes of the early 1960s’ sitcom The Dick Van Dyke Show, and later Yetta Rosenberg, Fran Fine’s doddering grandmother, in 56 episodes of the 1990s’ sitcom The Nanny...
) is prepared to sell the family business
Family business
A family business is a business in which one or more members of one or more families have a significant ownership interest and significant commitments toward the business’ overall well-being....
(a funeral home
Funeral home
A funeral home, funeral parlor or mortuary, is a business that provides burial and funeral services for the deceased and their families. These services may include aprepared wake and funeral, and the provision of a chapel for the funeral....
) to her son Anthony (Ned Eisenberg
Ned Eisenberg
Ned Eisenberg is an American actor known for his recurring role on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit as Roger Kressler....
) and move from Brooklyn to Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. Thwarting her plans are the arrival of her younger sons Ronnie (Andy Hirsch), who had just dropped out of school, and Frankie (Chris Meloni), whose engagement
Engagement
An engagement or betrothal is a promise to marry, and also the period of time between proposal and marriage which may be lengthy or trivial. During this period, a couple is said to be betrothed, affianced, engaged to be married, or simply engaged...
has just been broken. Another brother, the slightly disreputable Dom (Joe Pantoliano
Joe Pantoliano
Joseph Peter "Joe" Pantoliano is an American film and television actor. He played the character of Ralph Cifaretto on The Sopranos, Bob Keane in La Bamba, Cypher in The Matrix, Teddy in Memento, Francis Fratelli in The Goonies, Guido "the Killer Pimp" in Risky Business, and Jennifer Tilly's...
), is between hustles. Anthony learns that the funeral home is about $
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
25,000 in debt
Debt
A debt is an obligation owed by one party to a second party, the creditor; usually this refers to assets granted by the creditor to the debtor, but the term can also be used metaphorically to cover moral obligations and other interactions not based on economic value.A debt is created when a...
, which he had not counted on. Soon, all of the boys are back at home with their mom, just like the old days. Advising the family, somewhat dubiously, are Theresa's brother, a Catholic priest known as "Father Angelo" (Richard Libertini
Richard Libertini
Richard Libertini is an American stage, film and television actor known for playing numerous character roles and his ability to speak in numerous accents....
), and fortune teller Philomena (Vera Lockwood).
The Fanelli Boys showed fairly strong Italian-American ethnic stereotyping
Stereotype
A stereotype is a popular belief about specific social groups or types of individuals. The concepts of "stereotype" and "prejudice" are often confused with many other different meanings...
; there was even an Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
flag in the program's logo
Logo
A logo is a graphic mark or emblem commonly used by commercial enterprises, organizations and even individuals to aid and promote instant public recognition...
. The series garnered low ratings and was cancelled in February 1991 after airing nineteen episodes.
Title sequence
The show's original opening sequence was filmed footage of a dining roomDining room
A dining room is a room for consuming food. In modern times it is usually adjacent to the kitchen for convenience in serving, although in medieval times it was often on an entirely different floor level...
table (presumably the Fanellis') as it was set by its family, followed by them sitting down and serving pasta
Pasta
Pasta is a staple food of traditional Italian cuisine, now of worldwide renown. It takes the form of unleavened dough, made in Italy, mostly of durum wheat , water and sometimes eggs. Pasta comes in a variety of different shapes that serve for both decoration and to act as a carrier for the...
and wine
Wine
Wine is an alcoholic beverage, made of fermented fruit juice, usually from grapes. The natural chemical balance of grapes lets them ferment without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes, or other nutrients. Grape wine is produced by fermenting crushed grapes using various types of yeast. Yeast...
, which culminated in everyone toasting
Toast (honor)
A toast is a ritual in which a drink is taken as an expression of honor or goodwill. The term may be applied to the person or thing so honored, the drink taken, or the verbal expression accompanying the drink. Thus, a person could be "the toast of the evening," for whom someone "proposes a toast"...
. Only the family's hands were seen during the entire sequence. This was accompanied by an instrumental
Instrumental
An instrumental is a musical composition or recording without lyrics or singing, although it might include some non-articulate vocal input; the music is primarily or exclusively produced by musical instruments....
, old-world Italian tune.
In January 1991, a month before The Fanelli Boys was cancelled, the opening changed to featuring videotaped scenes from the show with the cast, along with an in-house rendition of Billy Joel
Billy Joel
William Martin "Billy" Joel is an American musician and pianist, singer-songwriter, and classical composer. Since releasing his first hit song, "Piano Man", in 1973, Joel has become the sixth best-selling recording artist and the third best-selling solo artist in the United States, according to...
's "Why Should I Worry?" as the new lyrical theme.
Episodes
| Episode # | Episode title | Original airdate |
|---|---|---|
| 1-1 | Pilot | September 8, 1990 |
| 1-2 | "You Can Go Home Again" | September 12, 1990 |
| 1-3 | "Pursued" | September 19, 1990 |
| 1-4 | "The Hex" | September 26, 1990 |
| 1-5 | "Heart Attack" | October 3, 1990 |
| 1-6 | "Take My Ex-Wife, Please" | October 10, 1990 |
| 1-7 | "Poetic Justice" | October 24, 1990 |
| 1-8 | "Father Smoke" | October 31, 1990 |
| 1-9 | "Tarnished Angel" | November 7, 1990 |
| 1-10 | "The Two Doms" | November 14, 1990 |
| 1-11 | "An Italian-American Gigolo" | December 1, 1990 |
| 1-12 | "A Fanelli Christmas" | December 8, 1990 |
| 1-13 | "Oh My Papas" | December 15, 1990 |
| 1-14 | "Accidents Will Happen" | January 5, 1991 |
| 1-15 | "Doctor, Doctor" | January 12, 1991 |
| 1-16 | "Rope a Dope" | January 19, 1991 |
| 1-17 | "The Undergraduate" | February 2, 1991 |
| 1-18 | "The Wedding (Part 1)" | February 9, 1991 |
| 1-19 | "The Wedding (Part 2)" | February 16, 1991 |