“Waiting for Dad to Return” /Wait Till Your Father Gets Home – the animated series from the 70s
“Waiting for Dad to Return” (original title “Wait Till Your Father Gets Home”), produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions, is an American animated television series that marked an era in the history of animated sitcoms. Broadcast from 1972 to 1974, the series was one of the first to address an adult audience, anticipating better-known productions such as "The Simpsons" by many years.
Origins and Development
The series, based on the “Love and the Old-Fashioned Father” segment of “Love, American Style,” was initially planned as a live action production. However, the lack of success of the pilot episode, featuring Van Johnson, led to the decision to turn it into a cartoon. The series draws inspiration from the popular sitcom “All in the Family” (known in Italy as “Arcibaldo”).
Plot and Characters
The plot revolves around the life of Harry Boyle, a sales agent for a garden furniture company, and his family. Married to Irma, a frustrated housewife, Harry is the father of two hippie children, Chet and Alice, and a teenager, Jamie, whose ideas are more in line with his father's. The conservative Boyle family often finds themselves at odds with their neighbor, Ralph Kane, a reactionary extremist with paranoid delusions about a Soviet plot against America.
Production and Impact
The series first aired in the United States in syndication from September 12, 1972 to October 8, 1974, for a total of 48 episodes spread over three seasons. In Italy, the series has been broadcast on Rai 1 since 2 May 1976 and on Rete 4 since 1980. “Waiting for Dad's Return” stands out for being the first animated sitcom for adults, paving the way for a genre that would become very popular in the following decades.
Dubbing and Distribution
The Italian dubbing featured the participation of well-known voices such as Gianfranco Bellini for Harry Boyle and Flaminia Jandolo for Irma Boyle. The series, despite not having had extraordinary success, remained in the collective memory for its innovative approach and for being one of the first to deal with adult themes in an animated format.
Conclusion
“Waiting for Dad to Return” represents an important chapter in the history of television animation. With its unique style and themes, the series opened new avenues for animated storytelling, influencing future generations of producers and screenwriters. Despite its short lifespan, its cultural impact is unquestionable, making it a classic of its genre.
Technical Sheet of the Animated Series “Waiting for Dad's Return”
- Original title: Wait Till Your Father Gets Home
- Original language: English
- Country of Production: United States
- Authors: William Hanna, Joseph Barbera
- Music: Richard Bowden
- Production Studio: Hanna & Barbera Productions
- First TV in the USA: September 12, 1972 - October 8, 1974
- Number of Episodes: 48 (complete series)
- Transmission Grid in Italy: Rai 1 (8 episodes), Ciao Ciao
- First TV in Italy: 2 May 1976
- Number of Episodes in Italy: 48 (complete series)
- Gender: Animated sitcom
- Created by: RS Allen & Harvey Bullock
- Directed by:
- Barrie Helmer (1972-1974)
- Charles A. Nichols (1974)
- Original Voices:
- Tom Bosley (Harry Boyle)
- Joan Gerber (Irma Boyle)
- Jack Burns (Ralph Kane)
- David Hayward and Lennie Weinrib (Chet Boyle)
- Kristina Holland (Alice Boyle)
- Jackie Earle Haley and Willie Aames (Jamie Boyle)
- John Stephenson, Frank Maxwell, Len Weinrib (various characters)
- Composer: Richard Bowden
- Country of origin: United States
- Original language: English
- Number of Seasons: 3
- Number of Episodes: 48 (list of episodes)
- Executive Production: William Hanna, Joseph Barbera
- Manufacturers: RS Allen, Harvey Bullock
- Duration: 22 minutes per episode
- Production House: Hanna Barbera Productions
- Original Distribution Network: syndicated
- Release date: September 12, 1972 - October 8, 1974