A Family for Joe

I'm a fan of every Robert Mitchum movie. And then this TV series came along and he played this sentimental role as homeless man, who finds a place in a family of 3 children, without parents, each needing the other to sustain their independence and for the children to not be separated into foster care. I found it to be less comedy and more on family values. Heart-warming situations every week for about the 6 episodes that it ran.

I was sad when it ended. But a couple of years ago I searched the web and found a commercial source for the DVD of the entire TV series.

Robert Mitchum was so under appreciated for his natural talent. If you look at the body of his work, he could play any type of role. My favorite was "El Dorado". "Promises to Keep" was a TV movie that showed his softer side. And, yes, he played too many "B" movies. But he didn't care. He liked not being poor and making, as he called it, "easy money". Did you know he even wrote the story, acted the lead in the movie, and recorded the song "Thunder Road"? What a guy!!!

I don't remember a lot about how good or bad the show was. However, I'm remembering the premise slightly differently.

For reasons that I don't remember, the kids were orphaned (not in an orphanage, just that the parents were out of the picture). Rather than have themselves be split up in a number of orphanages/foster families, they decided to find a homeless man (Mitchum), and have him pose as their uncle (or something like that).

From what I remember, the show was more of a comedy with dramatic overtones. The comedy part revolved around the differing habits of the children and the (formerly) homeless man, as well as hiding the fact that he wasn't related to them. The dramatic overtones that occasionally surfaced revolved around the loss of the parents, as well as the homeless man's growing attempts to fill that void as they bonded.

This was Robert Mitchum's only attempt at a television series up to this point and it didn't quite work out. Only 9 episodes of A Family For Joe were filmed before the series got the ax.

Mitchum reprises his role as the faux grandfather for the Bankstons who without his presence in the home the kids would be split up to foster parents or orphanages. The two older kids have a wider age spread with the two younger kids here than in the film. The kids are David Lascher, Juliette Lewis, Ben Savage, and Jessica Player the only one to repeat her role from the film.

The movie had some sweet and poignant moments in it. This series is your typical family situation comedy.

Never thought I'd see Robert Mitchum with a laugh track.

I was married to a woman at the time who enjoyed comedy. I never have been crazy about the 30 minute sitcoms and feel less so today. This one did appeal to me but it ended too soon to get started.

As for Robert Mitchum, I enjoyed most of his work and a little jewel that gets overlooked is when he played a rebel priest in a spaghetti western called "The Wrath Of God". No matter what part he played, he was always Robert Mitchum. He did it his way even playing a priest. In this movie he was joined by two other colorful characters, Frank Langella and Victor Buono and they did not get in each other's way.

Someone once asked him something like, how did he become a successful actor to which he replied, " Show up on time, know your lines, and stand where they tell you to". He also once said it beats working.

Rest in peace Mr. Mitchum and thank you for giving us a life time of good entertainment.

I remember only one line from this show: A divorced woman complaining about her ex-husband--a dentist whose "idea of high adventure was using unwaxed dental floss".