Busting Loose (TV series)

• Adam Arkin as Lenny Markowitz
• Barbara Rhoades as Melody Feebeck
• Jack Kruschen as Sam Markowitz
• Pat Carroll as Pearl Markowitz
• Danny Goldman as Lester Bellman
• Steve Nathan as Allan Simmonds
• Greg Antonacci as Vinnie Mordabito
• Paul Sylvan as Woody Warshaw
• Paul B. Price as Ralph Cabell
• Ralph Wilcox as Raymond St. Williams
• Louise Williams as Jackie Gleason

Lenny Markowitz is a 24-year-old Jewish American man who recently graduated from engineering school. Tired of living with his overprotective and meddling parents Sam and Pearl, he secretly moves out on his own for the first time – "busting loose" from them – into a low-rent apartment in a rundown apartment building in New York City where his neighbor is Melody Feebeck, a beautiful, voluptuous, older redheaded woman who works for an escort service. Lacking the money even to replace the duck-covered wallpaper in his new apartment and still looking for work as an engineer, he temporarily takes a menial job at the Wearwell Shoe Store, operated by Ralph Cabell, where his coworker is Raymond St. Williams, a "hip" young African American man. His childhood friends Lester Bellman, Allan Simmonds, Vinnie Mordabito, and Woody Warshaw frequently visit him; they play poker together and get involved in various escapades. In the fall of 1977, Lenny finds a regular girlfriend, Jackie Gleason, an attractive young woman unrelated – and bearing no resemblance – to the real-life television star Jackie Gleason.{{IMDb title|0192884|Busting Loose}}{{unreliable source?|date=May 2019}}

Mark Rothman and Lowell Ganz created Busting Loose and served as its executive producers, and Rothman composed the show{{'}}s theme music. Lawrence Kasha was the producer for the first season; John Thomas Lenox produced the second season. Lenox also directed one episode; the other episode directors were Greg Antonacci, James Burrows, Mel Ferber, Norm Gray, Asaad Kelada, Harvey Miller, Tony Mordente, Alan Myerson, Bill Persky, Howard Storm, and Joel Zwick. Antonacci, Ganz, Rothman, Chet Dowling, David W. Duclon, Howard Gewirtz, Joe Glauberg, Sandy Krinski, David Lerner, Deborah Leschin, Babaloo Mandel, and Barry Rubinowitz all wrote or co-wrote one or more episodes.

During its first season, Busting Loose aired on CBS on Monday at 8:30 p.m. from January to May 1977. The show then left the air until July 1977, when reruns of the first season began to air on Wednesday at 8:30 p.m. The second season also ran at 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday in the fall of 1977.

In "Mr. Dennis Steps Out," broadcast on October 26, 1977, as the fifth episode of the second season of Busting Loose, Melody is afraid that her boss at the escort service, Roger Dennis – played by guest star Ted Knight – is going to fire her. The episode served as the pilot for Knight{{'}}s first show of his own, the short-lived 1978 sitcom The Ted Knight Show, which centered on Roger Dennis{{'}}s firm, the Mr. Dennis Escort Service. However, Barbara Rhoades and her Melody Feebeck character did not appear in The Ted Knight Show.

Busting Loose was broadcast over two seasons. Thirteen episodes aired during its first season in the winter and spring of 1977. Eight more were broadcast during its second season in the fall of 1977, and four other episodes produced for that season never aired.

{{Episode table |background=#FFD700 |overall=5 |season=5 |title=30 |director=18 |writer=23 |airdate=19 |episodes=

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=1

|EpisodeNumber2=1

|Title=Pilot

|DirectedBy=Bill Persky

|WrittenBy=Lowell Ganz & Mark Rothman

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1977|1|17}}

|ShortSummary=Tired of living with his meddling and overprotective parents, Lenny tells them that he is going on a trip and secretly searches for a cheap apartment.

|LineColor = FFD700

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=2

|EpisodeNumber2=2

|Title=Five's a Crowd

|DirectedBy=Howard Storm

|WrittenBy=Barry Rubinowitz

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1977|1|24}}

|ShortSummary=Lenny has a crush on a girl who is paranoid about male attention.

|LineColor = FFD700

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=3

|EpisodeNumber2=3

|Title=The Harder They Come, the Bigger They Fall

|DirectedBy=James Burrows

|WrittenBy=Greg Antonacci

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1977|2|7}}

|ShortSummary=A bullying deliveryman challenges Lenny to a fight.

|LineColor = FFD700

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=4

|EpisodeNumber2=4

|Title=Still Nutsy After All These Years

|DirectedBy=James Burrows

|WrittenBy=Deborah Leschin & David W. Duclon

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1977|2|14}}

|ShortSummary=Lenny's ex-girlfriend tries to rekindle their relationship.

|LineColor = FFD700

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=5

|EpisodeNumber2=5

|Title=Grandpa Markowitz

|DirectedBy=Harvey Miller

|WrittenBy=Mark Rothman & Lowell Ganz

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1977|2|21}}

|ShortSummary=Lenny's grandfather comes to visit. He hates his relatives and plans to shock them by dropping dead at his own 85th birthday party.

|LineColor = FFD700

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=6

|EpisodeNumber2=6

|Title=Hell Hath No Fury

|DirectedBy=Norm Gray

|WrittenBy=Barry Rubinowitz

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1977|2|28}}

|ShortSummary=Lenny refuses to live with Helene, so she has him jailed on trumped-up charges.

|LineColor = FFD700

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=7

|EpisodeNumber2=7

|Title=Love's Labor Lost

|DirectedBy=Asaad Kelada

|WrittenBy=Joe Glauberg

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1977|3|7}}

|ShortSummary=Lenny is determined to date a girl whose father disapproves of him.

|LineColor = FFD700

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=8

|EpisodeNumber2=8

|Title=Kiss and Dwell

|DirectedBy=Tony Mordente

|WrittenBy=Deborah Leschin

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1977|3|14}}

|ShortSummary=Lenny's friends goad him into asking Melody for a date.

|LineColor = FFD700

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=9

|EpisodeNumber2=9

|Title=A Nut at the Opera

|DirectedBy=Tony Mordente

|WrittenBy=Greg Antonacci

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1977|3|21}}

|ShortSummary=Working as escorts, Lenny and a friend accompany two socialites to the opera.

|LineColor = FFD700

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=10

|EpisodeNumber2=10

|Title=House of Noodles

|DirectedBy=Tony Mordente

|WrittenBy=Babaloo Mandel

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1977|3|28}}

|ShortSummary=Mr. Cabell refuses to give Raymond a raise.

|LineColor = FFD700

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=11

|EpisodeNumber2=11

|Title=Together Again as Never Before

|DirectedBy=James Burrows

|WrittenBy=Greg Antonacci

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1977|4|11}}

|ShortSummary=Sam is lonely while Pearl is away, and he makes a pest of himself trying to be Lenny's pal.

|LineColor = FFD700

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=12

|EpisodeNumber2=12

|Title=The Famous Announcers School

|DirectedBy=Tony Mordente

|WrittenBy=Chet Dowling & Sandy Krinski

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1977|4|25}}

|ShortSummary=Aspiring to be a sportscaster, Lenny enrolls in a fly-by-night broadcasting school run by a flaky disc jockey.

|LineColor = FFD700

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=13

|EpisodeNumber2=13

|Title=Singles Weekend

|DirectedBy=Tony Mordente

|WrittenBy=David W. Duclon

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1977|5|2}}

|ShortSummary=Lenny and his friends visit a resort, seeking sun, fun, and women.

|LineColor = FFD700

}}

}}

{{Episode table |background=#FFA500 |overall=5 |season=5 |title=30 |director=18 |writer=23 |airdate=19 |episodes=

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=14

|EpisodeNumber2=1

|Title=Smoke Gets in Your Face

|DirectedBy=James Burrows

|WrittenBy=Barry Rubinowitz

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1977|9|28}}

|ShortSummary=Lenny blames his friends for a fire that damaged his apartment.

|LineColor = FFA500

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=15

|EpisodeNumber2=2

|Title=Foiled Again

|DirectedBy=Alan Myerson

|WrittenBy=Greg Antonacci

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1977|10|5}}

|ShortSummary=Vinnie is in love, but his state of bliss comes to an end when the woman he is interested in falls for Lenny.

|LineColor = FFA500

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=16

|EpisodeNumber2=3

|Title=Roomies

|DirectedBy=Mel Ferber

|WrittenBy=Babaloo Mandel

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1977|10|12}}

|ShortSummary=Vinnie and Raymond are both looking for an apartment, and they find the same one.

|LineColor = FFA500

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=17

|EpisodeNumber2=4

|Title=A Knight in Tarnished Armor

|DirectedBy=Norm Gray

|WrittenBy=Babaloo Mandel

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1977|10|19}}

|ShortSummary=Lenny is a meek man at heart, but he nonetheless tries to impress Jackie with his machismo.

|LineColor = FFA500

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=18

|EpisodeNumber2=5

|Title=Mr. Dennis Steps Out

|DirectedBy=James Burrows

|WrittenBy=Lowell Ganz & Mark Rothman

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1977|10|26}}

|ShortSummary=Melody fears that her boss at the escort service, Roger Dennis, is going to fire her.

----

This episode was the pilot for the 1978 sitcom The Ted Knight Show.

|LineColor = FFA500

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=19

|EpisodeNumber2=6

|Title=The Decision: Part 1

|DirectedBy=John Thomas Lenox

|WrittenBy=David W. Duclon

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1977|11|2}}

|ShortSummary=Lenny becomes angry when he spots Jackie out with another man.

|LineColor = FFA500

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=20

|EpisodeNumber2=7

|Title=The Decision: Part 2

|DirectedBy=John Thomas Lenox

|WrittenBy=Howard Gewirtz & David Lerner

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1977|11|9}}

|ShortSummary=Lenny tries to choose between playing around with women and settling down.

|LineColor = FFA500

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=21

|EpisodeNumber2=8

|Title=All in Love's Unfair

|DirectedBy=

|WrittenBy=

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1977|11|16}}

|ShortSummary=Lenny sets up Vinnie with a girl he once dated who is still sweet on him.

|LineColor = FFA500

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=22

|EpisodeNumber2=9

|Title=Welcome to Fleckman's

|DirectedBy=

|WrittenBy=

|OriginalAirDate=UNAIRED

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor = FFA500

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=23

|EpisodeNumber2=10

|Title=Mordabito's Ragtime Band

|DirectedBy=

|WrittenBy=

|OriginalAirDate=UNAIRED

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor = FFA500

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=24

|EpisodeNumber2=11

|Title=Camp Sha-Man-Ga

|DirectedBy=

|WrittenBy=

|OriginalAirDate=UNAIRED

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor = FFA500

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=25

|EpisodeNumber2=12

|Title=Scenes from an Engagement

|DirectedBy=

|WrittenBy=

|OriginalAirDate=UNAIRED

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor = FFA500

}}

}}

Sources[http://www.tvguide.com/tvshows/busting-loose/episodes/200300 tvguide.com Busting Loose Episodes]

{{reflist}}

• [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6cJIHuA-rH0 Busting Loose opening credits on YouTube]
• [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ERhipNf-vcI 1977 CBS promotional advertisement for Good Times and Busting Loose]
• {{IMDb title}}

Category:1977 American television series debuts

Category:1977 American television series endings

Category:1970s American sitcoms

Category:American English-language television shows

Category:Television shows set in New York City

Category:Television series by CBS Studios

Category:CBS sitcoms