Up and Coming (TV series)
Encyclopedia
Up and Coming is an American
television drama series which aired on Public Broadcasting Service
(PBS) during the 1980-1981 season. The series depicted the Wilsons, a successful African American
family from Oakland, California
who moves into an integrated, middle-class neighborhood in nearby San Francisco
. Although it was short-lived, it was one of the first weekly American TV drama series centered around an African American family (preceded only by Harris and Company
, a 1979 NBC
drama starring Bernie Casey
).
Among the cast members were former Stanford University basketball
star L. Wolfe Perry, Jr.
and a teenage Cindy Herron
(who years later would become a founding member of the R&B female quartet En Vogue
).
The theme song is a cover version of the Bill Withers
tune "The Best You Can". The original version can be found on Withers' 1975 album Making Music.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
television drama series which aired on Public Broadcasting Service
Public Broadcasting Service
The Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....
(PBS) during the 1980-1981 season. The series depicted the Wilsons, a successful African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
family from Oakland, California
Oakland, California
Oakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724...
who moves into an integrated, middle-class neighborhood in nearby San Francisco
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
. Although it was short-lived, it was one of the first weekly American TV drama series centered around an African American family (preceded only by Harris and Company
Harris and Company
Harris and Company is an American television drama series which aired on NBC during March and April of 1979. The series starred Bernie Casey as Mike Harris, a working-class African American father of five who relocates his family from Detroit, Michigan to Los Angeles, California after the death of...
, a 1979 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...
drama starring Bernie Casey
Bernie Casey
Bernard Terry "Bernie" Casey is a professional actor who initially had a career as an interscholastic, intercollegiate and professional football player. Casey was also a record-breaking track and field athlete for Bowling Green State University...
).
Among the cast members were former Stanford University basketball
Stanford Cardinal men's basketball
The Stanford Cardinal Men's Basketball team represents Stanford University, located in Stanford, California, United States. The school's team currently competes in the Pacific-12 Conference. The team has won 13 conference championships , the last in 2004, and one NCAA championship, in 1942...
star L. Wolfe Perry, Jr.
Wolfe Perry
Wolfe Perry is an African American actor and former college basketball player at Stanford University....
and a teenage Cindy Herron
Cindy Herron
Cindy Herron-Braggs , is an American singer and actress, who is best known as a founding member of the R&B/Pop quartet En Vogue.-Early life:...
(who years later would become a founding member of the R&B female quartet En Vogue
En Vogue
En Vogue is an American female R&B vocal group from Oakland, California assembled by music producers Denzil Foster and Thomas McElroy.The group has won more MTV Video Music Awards than any other female group in MTV history, a total of seven, along with four Soul Train Awards, six American Music...
).
The theme song is a cover version of the Bill Withers
Bill Withers
William Harrison "Bill" Withers, Jr. is an American singer-songwriter and musician who performed and recorded from 1970 until 1985. Some of his best-known songs are "Lean on Me", "Ain't No Sunshine", "Use Me", "Just the Two of Us", "Lovely Day", and "Grandma's Hands"...
tune "The Best You Can". The original version can be found on Withers' 1975 album Making Music.
Cast
- Robert DoQuiRobert DoQuiRobert DoQui was an American actor who starred in film and on television. He is best known for his role as King George in the 1973 film Coffy, starring Pam Grier, as Sgt. Warren Reed in the 1987 science fiction film RoboCop, the 1990 sequel RoboCop 2, and the 1993 sequel RoboCop 3...
as Frank Wilson - Cindy HerronCindy HerronCindy Herron-Braggs , is an American singer and actress, who is best known as a founding member of the R&B/Pop quartet En Vogue.-Early life:...
as Valerie Wilson - L. Wolfe Perry, Jr.Wolfe PerryWolfe Perry is an African American actor and former college basketball player at Stanford University....
as Kevin Wilson - Yule Caise as Marcus Wilson
- Gamy L. Taylor as Joyce Wilson