Family (1976) ABC - Kate has Nancy's number

[MrRJMGREEN]

When we watched this show in the 70's, our nickname for Sada Thompson was "Pain Face." Even when she smiles, she looks all pained out.

[snoops71]

I didn't know Sada had passed away. Heard nothing about it. Just shows how media has gone to the dogs.

Meredith, or Nancy, looks a lot like my second grade teacher.

This was such of a wonderful show. Watched it every week.

[Bloomfield246]

I just found out that Sada Thompson died. Family was my favorite show of all time. And Sada Thompson's portrayal of Kate played a big role in that. How I miss that show!

[mccarrpo]

If the plot of this show was Meredith Baxter taking a crap on the toilet. People would still tune in, just to gaze and watch Meredith Baxter.

[StukInBuf]

@mccarrpo Today, with some exceptions, TV "entertainment" has, for lack of a better description, taken a dump!

Whatever happened to TV shows that actually had something to tell us... other than the fact that there are a plentiful amount of boobs and other like cretins in this world who feel the need to openly act their shoe size (not their age) in order to get "famous"?

[swk56]

Poor Sada. She was excellent in 'Family' and TV Guide never acknowledged her death in their magazine!!!

[nauort23]

Hey! We had that exact same Corning coffee pot!  I had forgotten about it...

[Lisica2008]

@nauort23 My parents had it too! (Also casserole dishes)

[brijoli]

Sada Thompson was a great actress. I would love to see this show air in reruns again, come on Antenna TV 

[JohnELooker]

This is a touching lovely scene.

[bluemahajer]

RIP Sada I so miss this show

[AppallingRetroTrash]

@bluemahajer oh NO, you're right! Sada Thompson has died at 83. (May 4, 2011). Rest in peace Sada! We won't forget you.

[arod1964]

RIP Sada Thompson-you were one of the great ones

[evchild]

RIP Sada

[ncatina]

Thanks for what you have posted. Please post more as you get additional episodes?

[hris766]

rest in peace Sada

[disneybear]

What a great scene! I am so sad that the great Sada Thompson has now left us. She was so talented. Thank you for posting.

[redwerr]

is this in HD? it looks incredible

[AppallingRetroTrash]

@redwerr No it's straight from the SD DVD. I did upload it in the highest possible res though. :-)

[redwerr]

@AppallingRetroTrash  nice job!

[AppallingRetroTrash]

@redwerr My pleasure. I really must upload some more soon! I so wish Sony would release more seasons!

[kenjohnsonmusic]

Before we focused on Democrat and republican, Black and white, there was "Family" . It wasn't how our families really were, but how we wished them to be. It was simply...wonderful.

[key8422]

Thank you so much for posting. I was like 9 when this was on tv and I remember my parents FORBADE me to watch this show. I would try to sneak and watch it...get int trouble every time. LOL.

[AstralPixie]

Brings back memories.

[jephsteph]

The Mom on this show was depicted so well. She was like the mother you could always go to but also the mother who would tell it like it is without any b.s. !

[TadMoody]

Jusus Christ almighty! She makes me want to kill innocent people then myself.

[StilesCollection2010]

Some of the finest acting I've seen in a while. She made me well-up!

[MrFritzy1]

Sada Thompson's character ALWAYS reminded me of my grandmother on my mother's side. I tried to get my grandmother to watch this show, but she was just not a tv person. She was ALWAYS involved in loving her FAMILY! Great memories.

[onthesetflickr]

To see a miniature set of "Family" as it was at 20th Century Fox Studios, Google "Family ontheset Charles Brogdon"

[rodzilla11b]

Sada Thompson is my great aunt.She is my father's aunt and my grandmother's sister.I last saw here about 3 years ago and she is just as commanding and loving as ever.Growing up we knew she was famous,but she never flaunted it.She and my grandmother are two of the most loving people on earth and i am so amazed to see all the positive comments about her.Thank you so much!!

[AppallingRetroTrash]

@rodzilla11b ...By all means do let her know how much we love her the next time you talk to her. I so WISH they'd do a Family reunion show, even though James Broderick is no longer with us. But the rest still are and it would be amazing to see them again.

[ligreekguy]

@rodzilla11b

Good God, I love your great aunt! This woman is one of the best actresses I have ever seen. She could play anything from an upper middle class housewife (Family) to an Italian-American matriarch (Cheers, The Father Dowling Mysteries) to a small town sage (Our Town) to Mrs. Mary Todd Lincoln (Carl Sandburg's Lincoln). I even loved her in the Shredded Wheat ad she made years ago! Hats off to this great lady and thespian!

[MsTexas73]

@ligreekguy I remember she was also in the TV Movie Queen (which follows Alex's Haley's roots on his mother's side of the family).

[JBW929]

@rodzilla11b One of the best actresses of all time!!!

[BigDickMcGirk]

@rodzilla11b Great show, great actress. Where are the season 3 & 4 DVDs?!

[wheresthebeeph]

@rodzilla11b You were a lucky person! Sada reminded me so much of my own mom when I watched the series way back. I was saddened to hear of her passing today. I can't say I ever met her but she just seemed so sweet and caring.

[MsTexas73]

@rodzilla11b Your aunt was a wonderful actress and I LURVED her as Kate Lawrence. You and yor family have my condolences. Sony should honor her and James Broderick by releasing season 3-5 on DVD.

[Jefgg]

Kristy McNichol and Meredith Baxter are both lesbians. Notthattheresanythingwrongwith­that. Sada Thompson was matronly, but at least she is straight. It is ironic that Kristy McNichol's character's nickname was "Buddy", which is usually for boys and men. Rubber buddy is also slang for a dildo.

[kindredvampyre]

wow thanks for this.... oh the 70's... i wish they would release all seasons!

[JBW929]

@kindredvampyre Me too!!!!

[GlAsSaRm]

kirsty,,,, dyke  yukkkkk

[HUSKY57887]

Could'nt stand Sada in this show. Love Meredith in anything.

[screenwitch]

just excellent

[dimiracles7]

aint this something, somethings are just priceless, this is what real and true family was all about. I have been searching for this on ebay for a while, and now, I found it on your site. Thanks for posting these shows. it really allows you to reminisce on the old days

[AppallingRetroTrash]

@dimiracles7 It's my pleasure to post these! Glad you enjoy. This was my favourite show and i WISH they'd release more seasons on DVD!

[RichHartley19671]

When this was on in the Seventies, "Family" was likable and a good show to watch, but we never thought that there would come a time when there wouldn't be something to exceed it. It became a much more important show to watch the more mature I became. I remember a friend and I would talk (in the 80s) about how cool this show was, and we'd wonder why it wasn't being shown in reruns anymore (in particular, I recall my pal would stand there and say: "Doug?!?" just like Sada Thompson did).

[funkybruiser]

Why oh why in the name of all that's holy doesn't Sony release the rest of the Seasons of this show!?

[s0undtribe]

Family seasons "3 and 4" are a holy grail and do NOT exist in any form at all on the internet. If anyone has these seasons recorded on any form of tape, hold onto them they are worth a lot. (Obviously there is no DVD release of them btw)

[sahmx2]

This video is excellent. It came thru beautifully.

I miss this show. Their house imprinted in my brain as what a home should be like. So different from the way I grew up.

[charlotteguy7]

This was such a classy show. Shows like this had a slower pace and were allowed to develop their compelling characters.

[lemurianchick]

Man, the quality of this transfer is amazing! Can you post complete episodes? And why do you call your channel such a negative name if you like this show?

[AppallingRetroTrash]

@lemurianchick ...Oh it's just a light-hearted name for the channel. I do like this stuff obviously. But some of the stuff I post would definitely fall under the heading of "Guilty Pleasures".

Can't post complete episodes of Family, or Youtube will delete my account, but I will certainly post more clips!

:-)

[ellesstee]

What a classy well done show. When I watch this I realize clearly why I cancelled my cable TV - sure had nothing to do with being able to afford it. Pay $50 a month for the idiotic trash they put out these days? And to think a show like this was free!

[hyattsteven]

She was my favorite TV mother

[ritter89]

I'm not exactly sure why, but this show used to make me depressed when I was a kid. Perhaps it was the lighting. It had the same dark set lighting as soap operas which also tend to depress me. I love all the actors who starred in Family but it just wasn't for me. I'd change the channel every time it was on the tv

[edwardkiernan]

@ritter89 The show is the definition of maudlin. It's so bad, it's fascinating to me anyone would watch it.

[gaston0770]

One of the best TV shows ever. Great cast ensemble. Sada Thompson rubs shoulders with Esther Rolle from Good Times same level of intensity in their acting.

[stardaddyo9]

my mom would have slapped me and said "snap out of it"

[berlygirl123]

Great moment!

[kennyt1230]

I loved this show.  Such a good series.

[JBills16]

I really, truly wish that the rest of the seasons would come out.Does anyone know how to get more of this GREAT TV SHOW? I remember this show when I was kid and I didn't realize how great the writing really was. Me and my daughter have watched seasons 1&2 my daughter has taken a shining to this show it really gives us great bonding time. I LONG FOR THOSE DAYS BACK WHEN THINGS WHERE ALLOT LESS EXPENSIVE AND ALLOT MORE FUN!! WE HAD VALUES RESPECT FOR PEOPLE. NOW WE LIVE FOR GARBAGE!!!!!!!!!!!

[sambuka72002]

love nancy she was always my favorite

[10Dec1971]

I LOVE this show. I have seasons 1 and 2 on DVD. I wish they'd release seasons 3 and 4. I don't have a brother but, if I did I wish he'd be like Willy.

[catlovermarty]

Some of the comments on the various clips of this show say how this was really Kristy's show or Meredith's show. I disagree. This was an ensemble cast that neeed each and every character to make it work. They each brought something special to the mix.

As far as a favorite on the show; mine by far is Sada Thompson. Her facial expressions and her ability to tear up get me every time I watch her. She gets that look and I'm just crying my eyes out.

[adelgado75]

This is what I would like to see a soap opera look like: two characters talking

[MsTexas73]

@adelgado75 That's what they USED to be like and not that much long ago either. I miss the good old days when soaps were WELL WRITTEN and just as good if not better than primetime.

[nicolesperson]

do u have any other clips of meredith from this show you could upload please?

[ROBBYROB87]

Hey nicoleperson, season I & II were released together to DVD a few months ago. Meredith wasn't in the first season though.

[CARDMAN365]

GREAT SHOW .

[2harts4ever]

dear, dear sada...what a TALENT! i was just a little girl when i first saw you on family, but i knew you were something special. while my friends tuned in to see kristy and leif, i was more interested in the dynamic relationship between you and james broderick. great chemistry!! oh how i miss quality television!

[brownies4you]

I miss shows like this. I remember my brother-in-law once commented on Sada's voice production. He watched the show just to listen to her speak.

[AppallingRetroTrash]

She has a great resonant voice and commanding presence. Of course she came from Broadway. :-)

[mstewart61]

From what I understand on Family Ties they aged her a bit because many housewives were complaining that Meredtih looked too young and still look like the daughter on Family to play the mom of teenagers. To me Family Ties did make Meredith look older because the show came on not too many years after Family went off.

Meredith Baxter Birney is not a sitcom actress. She is more of a dramatic actress and we saw that on Family.

[mstewart61]

What a great series. Outstanding cast, excellent writing and great storylines. Meredith Baxter Birney was a hottie on that show and she was far better on that show than she was on Family Ties.

[AppallingRetroTrash]

I absolutely agree on all counts. Meredith was at her most beautiful in this, and had many more opportunities for showing her acting skills than in Family Ties. The show was meant to focus on Meredith and Michael Gross, but once Michael J. Fox became the breakout star, it was game over for Meredith's character.

She's still been very gracious in interviews about that. She has class.