This comedy series from Paramount, starring Nathan Lane, began September 22 on NBC and airs each Tuesday at 8:30pmET, between Mad About You and Just Shoot Me.
13 episodes of the series have been ordered from the production team at Grub Street Productions (David Angell, Peter Casey and David Lee), who have been waiting for the green light from Nathan since he guest-starred on Frasier in 1995.
The premise of the show involves Nathan's character, Joe Pinoni, an opera singer who has lost his singing voice and must retire to the family winery in the Napa Valley (and then the hijinks begin).
The fine supporting cast includes legendary actress Joan Plowright as the mother (Marie Pinoni) who attends funeral services as a hobby. Ms. Plowright, married to Lord Laurence Olivier from 1960 until his death in 1989, has played many diverse roles on stage and in film and television. Her prolific acting career spans more than 40 years and includes 45 films (Enchanted April, 100 Dalmations, Surviving Picasso, and Jane Eyre most recently). She has received two Golden Globe Awards and a Tony Award as well as an Oscar Nomination and a second Tony nomination. There is a great article about Ms. Plowright at the Independent Online site.
Acclaimed actress Glenne Headly will play the sister (Francesca) of Nathan's character. She has had a respected career in film and TV..
Also in the cast is James Patrick Stuart, an experienced film and television actor with a famous father (Chad Stuart of the pop duo of the 60's, "Chad & Jeremy"). Stuart was a regular on All My Children for three years as the good/bad Will Cortlandt. Among several TV guest roles was a hilarious appearance on Seinfeld as Elaine's boyfriend who wouldn't share "his song" so it could be "their song" ("Desperado"). His films include Gettysburg, Pretty Woman and the "Babylon 5" TV movie In the Beginning.
Rounding out the cast will be one of our favorites, Ernie Sabella, as Leo, and teen actor Trevor Fehrman as Headly's son.
Look for stage actor Michael Emerson (Gross Indecency) to make a guest appearance in the pilot episode.
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12/28/98: The decision by NBC to place Working on Mondays (originally planned to move to Wednesdays at 9:30), may have opened up the possibility for the airing of all of the remaining E!E! episodes before the sweeps antics begin again in February.
12/22/98: An unusually objective report on the current status of Encore!Encore! appeared in today's New York Daily News.
12/18/98: The 13 episodes have been completed and production is shutting down on E!E!. NBC is not ordering additional episodes at this time, but may if the final shows do well.
Overall Nielsen ratings averaged: 7.0/11 in homes and a 4.3 among young adults, holding 93% of its lead-in. Story from Variety.
12/1/98: The latest NBC reshuffling puts E!E! in the Wednesday 9:30 slot, following repeats of 3rd Rock from the Sun.
11/3/98: Encore!Encore! is being moved to Wednesdays, beginning December 9.
11/2/98: The show has been pulled from the schedule for the sweeps period -- the entire month of November.
10/23/98: Episode Guide now available.
10/23/98: Richard Huff of the NY Daily News predicts the demise of E!E. It doesn't seem to matter what they do --- replace the show with another and that is the "death knell", or decide instead to air a new episode and "oh, yes, now that's really the death knell."
10/23/98: Upcoming guests: Alan Campbell (10/27) and Patti LuPone (11/3) Note: Alan Campbell did not appear in the 10/27 episode.
10/20/98: E!E! tops the The Famous Kitman Exit Poll of 1998
10/8/98: Happy or not about the treatment of E!E!, join the Save It! Save It! campaign.
10/7/98: Copies of the E!E! pilot script are available at The Script Shop.
10/7/98: According to TV Guide, the plot of the next episode (10/13 or 10/20) will be: "Joe (Nathan Lane) wants to have a good time with his friend (James Patrick Stuart), whom Mama (Joan Plowright) is trying to match up with Francesca (Glenne Headly)."
10/7/98: Week #2 ratings results show 50th place for E!E! .
9/30/98: E!E! landed at #38 (tied with Sports Night) for the first week of ratings.
9/23/98: Small interview with Glenne Headly.
9/23/98: + Aaron Barnhart
"... the fall's most pleasant surprise to date."
9/24/98: + The New York Times checks in with Caryn James' review
9/22/98: + Two stars for the 2nd episode from the Detroit Free Press
9/22/98: - A nay from USA Today Two stars
9/22/98: From News Day: + Marvin Kitman loves it; - Diane Werts does not
9/22/98: The New York Daily News + 2-1/2 Stars
"Forget the rumors — Nathan Lane series bows with wit & lots of promise"
9/21/98: - And here is Variety's counterpoint.
9/18/98: + Barry Garron of The Hollywood Reporter calls E!E! "one of the freshest, smartest, funniest shows of the new season", an "out-and-out treat to watch." Read the entire fantastic review.
9/14/98: Emmy winning director (for Friends) Michael Lembeck is scheduled to direct an upcoming episode of E!E!
9/3/98: The new pilot has been filmed as has the first episode. These two will begin the season.
8/6/98: Roy Christopher (Emmy nominated for the Oscars show) is the designer on Encore!
7/29/98: NBC announced at the TV Critics Assoc. meeting that the official name is now Encore! (single), though TV promos and other mentions still use the double Encore! Encore!
7/14/98: Encore! will not be represented at TV Critics Assoc. junket, according to Variety.
7/10/98: Filming will begin again on August 25th. The show will debut September 22.
7/9/98: Glenne Headly and Trevor Fehrman join the cast (replacing Molly Prics and Evan Matthews). Story.
6/29/98: Reuters reports the "recasting of a couple of supporting characters"
Filming of the pilot took place on April 7 at Paramount Studios in Los Angeles. Location shooting (without complete cast) will also be done in the Napa Valley.
NBC's new Gallery of E!E! Pictures
Also visit NBC's Encore! site
Or Paramount's
