Overview
Tammy is an American sitcom, starring Debbie Watson in the title role. Produced by Universal City Studios, 26 color half-hour episodes were aired on ABC from September 17, 1965, to March 11, 1966. Tammy was loosely based on the three Tammy films; Tammy and the Bachelor (1957) starring Debbie Reynolds; Tammy Tell Me True (1961); and Tammy and the Doctor (1963) both starring Sandra Dee. The films themselves were adaptations of novels by Cid Ricketts Sumner. The series was also partially influenced by other rural-themed TV sitcoms such as The Beverly Hillbillies.
Synopsis
The premise of the program revolves around Tammy Tarleton, an 18-year-old country girl who moves back and forth between her country family, which lives on a bayou houseboat, and the wealthy Brents, who own a plantation and pancake business. Tammy is hired as a secretary by a powerful industrialist with a handsome young son named Steven. Lavinia Tate, a high society neighbor wants her own daughter, Gloria, to marry Steven, so she repeatedly, but unsuccessfully, tries to smear Tammy’s reputation. As with Gidget, there are many differences between the series and films that inspired it. In the films, Tammy's full name is Tambrey Tyree, shortened to Tammy. The name Tyree was changed to Tarleton. Also, Tammy Tyree had no family other than her grandfather, who was occasionally picked up by revenuers for fabricating "corn-likker".
Tammy lasted for one season (26 episodes), and was cancelled in 1966.
Cast
*Debbie Watson as Tammy Tarleton *Denver Pyle as Grandpa Mordechai Tarleton *Frank McGrath as Uncle Lucius *Donald Woods as John Brent *Jay Sheffield as Steven Brent *George Furth as Dwayne Whitt *Dennis Robertson as Cousin Cletus Tarleton *Dorothy Green as Lavinia Tate *Linda Marshall as Gloria Tate *David Macklin as Peter Tate
Production
Debbie Watson was 16 when she began playing Tammy and, as a minor, she was only allowed to work four hours a day. One hour was spent on makeup and hair styling, which left only three hours a day for acting. The series shooting schedule was tight so that Watson could fulfill her role as series star. During the beginning of the series Frank McGrath was one of the main characters in his role as Uncle Lucius. But McGrath suffered a heart attack in September 1965 and had to be temporarily written out of the series until he was able to return after his recovery. It was hoped that another young recurring character would help the series attract a more youthful audience.
Tammy and the Millionaire
In 1967, Universal Pictures released a cinema movie called Tammy and the Millionaire which was a re-edit from four half-hour Tammy TV episodes (Tammy Leaves Home, The Aristocratic Tates, The Tarleton Land Grant, and The Rivertyin’ of Billy Joe Morgan).
International airings
Tammy was originally broadcast in several countries, including Japan, Germany, and Australia. The Tammy series was especially popular in Germany.