The Cast of 227 on Today

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Sometimes I think the entertainment business plants little spies in my life. Maybe that’s paranoid, but every time I think about an old movie or television show, it surfaces on TV, as if in answer to my longing. This week, The Today Show has been interviewing the cast of classic television shows, and this morning they sat down with the cast of NBC sitcom, 227. I am not kidding when I tell you, I was just thinking about that show last weekend. Cue spooky, Twilight Zone music.

227 was the number on the Washington D.C. apartment building where a group of middle-class, African-American families grew and lived together. Originally based on a stage play, the series followed the lives of a sassy housewife, portrayed by The Jeffersons Marla Gibb, her work-a-holic husband their fourteen year old daughter, Brenda. Brenda was a leaping-off point for actress, Regina King, who has gone on to perform in a wide variety of films and television series.

The show was also a highlight in the career of the sexy and provocative actress, Jackee Harry. During the interview, Harry admitted that the extreme behavior of her character in the series was her own attempt to be comedic, but three years into the series Gibbs and Harry’s personalities clashed. Eventually, the personality clash led to Jackee’s departure from the show in the fourth season.

The families in the building interacted closely together, relying on one another for support and the latest gossip. It was a simpler time and setting, one that offered viewers a sense of comfort and hope.

One of the most interesting questions asked by a viewer was why the cast thought networks didn’t make shows like 227 anymore. A thought-provoking question, indeed, as much of today’s situation comedy has veered away from traditional families to focus on the changing times.

This interview was a refreshing trip down memory lane, and it was nice to see what the cast of 227 is doing with their careers today.

Source: http://www.realtvaddict.com/2010/03/03/the-cast-of-227-on-today/