Benson is an American tv sitcom that initially aired on ABC from 1979-1986. The collection was created by Susan Harris and stars Robert Guillaume as Benson Dubois. In 1985 Guillaume received an Emmy Award for Excellent Lead Actor in a Comedy Sequence for his function in Benson. The sitcom was a spin-off from the collection Cleaning soap, through which the character Benson first appeared because the sarcastic level-headed butler for the extremely dysfunctional Tate household.
Specializing in the conflicts and relationships throughout the Governor’s family, the collection facilities round Benson DuBois, who’s employed as the top of family affairs for widowed Governor, Eugene X. Gatling (James Noble), cousin of Jessica Tate (Katherine Helmond), and his daughter Katie (Missy Gold).
All through the collection, Benson works his strategy to turn out to be the state funds director, then the lieutenant governor, and finally runs for Governor in opposition to Gatling. The sitcom ended simply as a broadcaster started to announce {that a} winner was finally being declared, stopping on a freeze-frame of Benson and Gatling. With over 40 years since Benson first premiered on ABC, here’s a fond look again on the solid and characters.
Robert Guillaume as Benson DuBois
Robert Guillaume was identified for his portrayal of the sarcastic Benson DuBois within the controversial sitcom Cleaning soap and its spin-off Benson, for which he received two Emmy Awards. Guillaume’s profession spanned greater than 50 years whereas he labored on stage, tv, and movie. In 1990, Guillaume was solid within the Los Angeles manufacturing of The Phantom of the Opera, changing Michael Crawford within the title function, and was the primary African-American actor to painting the character. He later voiced the clever mandrill Rafiki within the Disney franchise The Lion King, and can also be identified for his function as Eli Vance within the 2004 online game Half-Life 2.
Robert Guillaume has additionally made a number of visitor appearances on sitcoms, together with The Jeffersons, Good Instances, Sanford and Son, Saved by the Bell: The School Years, The Recent Prince of Bel-Air, and A Completely different World. Sadly, Robert Guillaume handed away on October 24, 2017, from prostate most cancers, on the age of 89.
James Noble as Eugene X. Gatling
James Noble was finest identified for starring because the well-meaning however typically naive Governor Eugene X. Gatling on the ABC sitcom Benson. After serving in World Struggle ll, Noble studied performing underneath Lee Strasberg and made appearances in Broadway theater. Throughout his tv profession, James starred in cleaning soap operas together with The Brighter Day, Because the World Turns, The Medical doctors, and A World Aside. Within the Seventies, Noble appeared because the spokesperson in numerous commercials for Pepto-Bismol and later appeared within the Eighties sitcom, Excellent Strangers, as the daddy of Larry Appleton.
Noble’s movie profession consisted of One Summer time Love, Guarantees within the Darkish, Being There, Airplane ll: The Sequel, A Tiger’s Story, Paramedics, and Probabilities Are. James was married to actress Carolyn Coates till her passing in 2005, and on March 28, 2016, on the age of 94, James Noble handed away after struggling a stroke.
Missy Gold as Katie Gatling
Missy Gold portrayed Katie Gatling, the governor’s daughter on the sitcom Benson. Earlier than her portrayal because the governor’s daughter, Missy Gold appeared on Eight Is Sufficient, Fantasy Island, The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries, and Trapper John, M.D.
A former little one actress, Missy Gold grew up with fellow actor siblings, together with her older sister Tracey Gold, who portrayed Carol Anne on the Eighties sitcom, Rising Pains, and her youthful sister Brandy Gold, who had a recurring function within the hospital drama, St. Elsewhere. Missy Gold is now a licensed psychologist who earned a B.A. at Georgetown College and a Ph.D. from California College of Skilled Psychology.
Inga Swenson as Gretchen Kraus
Inga Swenson performed the governor’s chef, Gretchen Kraus, who’s a fiercely proud German immigrant typically at odds with Benson, buying and selling insults with him usually. Gretchen is commonly heard shouting from off-stage at Benson, “I He-e-e-ear You-u-u-u!”
In her early movie profession, Swenson appeared in a number of Broadway productions and was nominated twice for the Tony Award, for Greatest Actress in a Musical for her performances as Lizzie Curry in 110 within the Shade, and portraying Irene Adler in Baker Road. Swenson performed supporting roles within the movies Advise and Consent and The Miracle Employee, the place she starred as Helen Keller’s mom. She additionally appeared in two episodes of the Western tv collection Bonanza. Swenson married actor/singer Lowell Harris and the couple had two sons, Mark and James. Sadly, on July 23, 2023, Swenson handed away on the age of 90.
René Auberjonois as Clayton Endicott lll
René Auberjonois starred because the overbearing snobby hypochondriac Clayton Endicott lll, who changed John Taylor because the governor’s chief of workers starting in season 2. With greater than 200 credit to his title, Auberjonois was most well-known for his function as Clayton in Benson, as Odo on Star Trek: Deep Area 9, and as Paul Lewiston on Boston Authorized. In 2018, Rene Auberjonois was inducted into the American Theater Corridor of Fame.
Auberjonois has had a number of voice performing credit as nicely, together with Chef Louis within the movie The Little Mermaid, through which he sang the enduring and hilarious “Les Poissons”. René additionally voiced the character Flanagan within the animated comedy musical Cats Do not Dance, the butler in Joseph: King of Goals, and André in Planes: Fireplace & Rescue. In 2018 Auberjonois underwent painful chemotherapy for lung most cancers and sadly in 2019 found that the most cancers had unfold to his mind. On December 6, 2019, underneath the California Finish of Life Choice Act, René Auberjonois took the treatment prescribed for assisted suicide, as a result of his doubtlessly critical cognitive unwanted side effects, and handed away on the age of 79.
Ethan Phillips as Peter “Pete” Downey
Ethan Phillips performed PR man Peter “Pete” Downey, the Governor’s high-strung press secretary for 5 seasons. Showing in over 50 movies, Ethan started his movie profession in Ragtime and adopted in function movies together with For Richer or Poorer, Lean On Me, The Island, Dangerous Santa, Irrational Man, and James DeMonaco’s The Purge: Election Yr. Phillips is at the moment starring as Spike Martin in the area comedy Avenue 5 on HBO.
Philips additionally made visitor appearances on many tv collection, together with Pushing Daisies, Bones, Eli Stone, Prison Minds, Legislation & Order, Boston Authorized, Fortress, Rizzoli & Isles, The Good Spouse, and Veep. Ethan started his Star Trek profession enjoying the Ferengi physician Farek in Star Trek: The Subsequent Era and later because the Talaxian character Neelix on Star Trek: Voyager.
Caroline McWilliams as Marcy Hill
Caroline McWilliams portrayed Marcy Hill, the governor’s private secretary, and Benson’s closest pal within the mansion, with whom she would typically confide. Marcy was incessantly unfortunate in love, however she finally married and left the governor’s employment early in Season 3. Hill has additionally appeared within the collection Cleaning soap starring as Sally and later was an everyday on the CBS drama Guiding Gentle, as Janet Norris.
McWilliams additionally appeared within the NBC cleaning soap opera One other World, and afterward had a recurring function on Beverly Hills, 90210 portraying Ray Puits’ mom. After quite a few appearances in tv collection together with Kojak, Residence Enchancment, Murphy Brown, Almost Departed, Cass Malloy, and Judging Amy, Caroline appeared in two main movement image movies that embrace, White Water Summer time and Mermaids. In her private life, Caroline was married to Michael Keaton, with whom she had a son. Sadly, Caroline McWilliams handed away from a number of myeloma on February 11, 2010, on the age of 64.
Didi Conn as Denise Stevens
Didi Conn starred as Denise Stevens, the sweet-natured, cheerful however naive private secretary to Governor Gatling, who changed Marcy Hill (Caroline McWilliams) beginning in season 3 of Benson. Conn is most famously identified for her function as Frenchy, a member of the Pink Women, within the movies Grease and Grease 2. Later portraying Stacy Jones on Shining Time Station and Helen on The Apply, Conn reprised her function because the Shining Time Station supervisor in Thomas and the Magic Railroad.
Conn has been married to composer David Shire since 1984 and has an adopted son named Daniel, who has autism. On November 13, 2008, Didi Conn was named nationwide superstar spokesperson for Autism Speaks and has carried out at advantages for the Basis for Schooling Youngsters with Autism. In 2019, Conn was a contestant on the eleventh season of the British tv collection Dancing on Ice at age 67, the place she was the oldest individual ever to compete on the present.
Billie Chicken as Rose Cassidy
Comic Billie Chicken performed Rose Cassidy, the Governor’s housekeeper and chef in seasons 6 and seven of the sitcom Benson. Rose started working as a maid for the Governor’s mansion and would typically humorously state, “35 years of cleansing up after a bunch of sloppy politicians and that is what I get?”
Chicken was identified for her portrayal of Margie within the tv sitcom, Expensive John, and made quite a few appearances on collection together with Glad Days, Silver Spoons, Eight Is Sufficient, The Information of Life, and Who’s the Boss? She was typically solid in director John Hughes’s movies together with Sixteen Candles, Residence Alone, and Dennis the Menace. Nonetheless, Chicken’s final movie look was in Jury Obligation, which starred Pauly Shore. On November 27, 2002, after a number of years of affected by Alzheimer’s illness, Billie Chicken handed away on the age of 94.
Lewis J. Stadlen as John Taylor
Lewis J. Stadlen stars as John Taylor, Governor Gatling’s chief of workers within the first season of Benson. Stadlen was changed within the second season by Rene Auberjonois. Stadlen is best identified for his function as Ira Fried within the drama tv collection, The Sopranos and has additionally appeared in Legislation & Order.
Stadlen made his movie debut in Portnoy’s Criticism, and later earned roles in Serpico, The Verdict, To Be or To not Be, Windy Metropolis, Between The Traces, and In & Out. In 2000, he co-starred with Nathan Lane and Jean Good within the Roundabout Theater’s revival of the basic comedy The Man Who Got here to Dinner. After gaining most of his recognition in theater, Stadlen earned a Drama Desk Award and a Theatre World Award, following his efficiency within the Broadway musical Minnie Boys.