The Nutt House

until I looked at the description here. I saw this when it was shown in the UK (I think) and I thought it was really funny(but then I was only about 11), I recorded it, but then recorded over it, damn. Wish I could see it again to see if it was really funny, but they only showed it once I think, like Maniac Mansion(cept I recorded that).

The Nutt House is an old failing hotel in New York City. Elderly owner Mrs. Nutt calls on her irresponsible grandson Charles Nutt III (Brian McNamara) for help. There is a crazy varied cast of characters working in the hotel. Ms. Frick (Cloris Leachman) is head of housekeeping. Reginald Tarkington (Harvey Korman) is the manager. Sally Lonnaneck (Molly Hagan) is a maid.

I don't remember this show. It was canceled after six half-hour episodes with eleven produced in total. Mel Brooks and Alan Spencer are the creators. The style is broad satire with outlandish situations. In a way, it doesn't fit successful American sitcoms of this era. Also, Charles is set up as the lead character, but he ends up as a secondary character. He can't hold the screen by himself. Korman does the heavy-lifting with Leachman as his powerful second. In fact, Molly Hagan would have a much bigger role as the show continues. This show takes some time to get used to. It finds its legs before the show gets pulled.

I think this ran for 6 or 7 episodes, and I laughed through all of them. As good as Cloris Leachman is as the head of housekeeping she is even better as old Mrs. Nutt. The character is kind of similar to Tim Conway's old man routine from Carol Burnett, but that routine never made me laugh, the Cloris version cracked me up. I vaguely remember her jumping her support hose. Whenever I see Gregory Itzen as President Logan on 24 I remember him as the Dennis the player bell hop, and smile. Harvey Korman is good as well. I'd love to see the 3 or 4 episodes that did not air in the U.S. (the U.K. aired all of them), and I wish this was available on DVD.

I want to find out whether the complete 1989 TV series 'The Nutt House' is likely to be released on DVD. If anyone out there knows of any way to get this actioned PLEASE email me (or just go ahead and do it). This was one of the funniest and most under-rated TV series in the whole of the last 20 years. That good! We need to nag whoever to get this DVD. The highly-sexed, crazy housekeeper, Mrs Frick (played so perfectly by the delightful Beverly Leech) who took every opportunity to entice men into her private room. Then there was the untrustworthy hotel lift that, without warning, would stop short of the floor causing everyone to have to jump, or squeeze themselves, out of it to safety...solid gold stuff. The series featured a New York hotel which had fallen on hard times. It was run by the Nutt family and involved short sitcom style programmes about the day to day lives of the staff and (rare) guests in the Nutt House world. The opening credits came up as the viewer was taken on a rickety old wooden roller-coaster ride. For some unknown reason the series was not fully aired to its end. The series was (allegedly) not as well received in the US as it was by the crazy British audience who adored it and were distraught when it ended so abruptly. Many Brits have sought to get the series made available on DVD. As more and more old classic films and series are being released on DVDE nowadays, the huge fan club of The Nutt House sit and wait in trepidation in the hope that this will be included.

This hilarious comedy series, which lasted only 6 episodes, is great fun. Mel Brooks' best work since HIGH ANXIETY back in 1977. Slapstick, puns and sight-gags galore, this makes the best use of its good cast (Harvey Korman, Cloris Leachman, Mark Blankfield, Brian MacNamara) and has great art direction (its lavish Nutt hotel). This is really hard to find, but is worth it for comedy and Mel Brooks fans.