I Married Joan

This series seems to be the one that is most often likened to the peerless "I Love Lucy", and yes, there are some similarities. But "I Married Joan" still remains a funny riff on the theme, well-crafted and well-acted by Joan Davis and Jim Backus. The two have a palpable chemistry between them, and Ms. Davis has a wonderful facility for physical humor. The series also has a parade of wonderful character actors who troupe through the series, and the show is very often laugh-out-loud funny. The dvds I have of the show have very acceptable quality even though they seem to be edited from the original films. All-in-all, "I Married Joan" is a fun sitcom that takes it's place in my DVD library alongside such favorites as "My Little Margie", "Susie", "Pete and Gladys", the Betty White comedies, and of course, "I Love Lucy". There is broad physical slapstick comedy in just about every show, and there are laugh out-loud moments galore. One innovation of the show was the music in the series is performed by the Roger Wagner Chorale. There is not one note of instrumental music played in the entire series. The famous theme song, once heard, is nearly impossible to get out of one's head. Reportedly, Joan Davis and Jim Backus did not get along too well during the series, but there is not a moment of that to be seen during the finished product. A true classic.

I just purchased the two DVDs that just came out on "I Married Joan." Miss Davis is a wonderful actress that did not get her just do, mainly because everything was focused on another great lady, Lucille Ball.

One of the fun things to watch are the supporting actors, who moved from set to set. You find the same actors on "Lucy," "Joan," "My Little Margie," "Private Secretary," and "Burns and Allen." I don't believe that Joan Davis was Emmy-nominated in the Best Actress category for comedy. That's very surprising and just as shocking as the fact that Esther Rolle was never nominated for "Good Times," in which she gave some of the finest acting on TV. Doris Day was never nominated for The Doris Day Show, either, but WAS cited by the Golden Globes. Miss Rolle never tried to BE funny, she played comedy straight -- the SITUATION was funny. Same with Miss Day. They didn't appear to be "funny" but they were.

If you "love Lucy," you might want to take a gander at Joan Davis in "I Married Joan," Gale Storm in "My Little Margie," and Gracie Allen in "Burns and Allen." All different, but all funny as hell for 50s comedy.

When Lucille Ball was an acclaimed, but not very widely known B picture actress, Joan Davis was winning a lot more acclaim for her own brand of goofy physical humor on radio and on film. She was a mainstay of support to a lot of the glamor girls and guys at 20th Century Fox.

A long term extra marital affair with Eddie Cantor helped push her career along as Cantor featured her on radio and had her co-star in two of his films.

Like so many players when the motion picture studios started cutting down production and leaving people out of work, Davis turned to television. Unfortunately one year too late to get credit for originality.

Lucille Ball and her real life husband beat her to the tube by a year. They put on a very successful situation comedy about a wacky wife with an exasperated husband that we all know about.

So when Joan Davis debuted I Married Joan in 1952 she was accused of copying Lucy. Not so as any viewing of her films will so demonstrate.

But Lucy was there first and got the deserved credit.

I Married Joan was a very funny show that trailed in the wake of I Love Lucy. It ended in 1955 because her TV husband Jim Backus quit the show. As Judge Bradley J. Stevens, he was her exasperated straight man of a husband. He'd get to show his comic flair later on in Gilligan's Island.

Sad that Joan Davis was never able to develop another television show to show her talent before she died.

A very funny lady, with a very funny show.

"I Married Joan "is wonderful, delightful and hysterically funny. Joan Davis was an exceptionally gifted comedian. Her use of timing, delivery, and physical comedy make her a master of her craft. It is very unfortunate that few people have seen this great performer in her classic T.V. series. Many of the episodes are masterpieces that rival "I Love Lucy". In fact, in my humble opinion, are better. Joan Davis' real life daughter Beverly Wills plays her sister on the series and the very talented Jim Backus portrays her husband, Judge Bradley Stevens. If you admire and appreciate great comedy, this series is a MUST view. I hope that it is aired again soon.

while the show certainly has a dated feel (it does have an annoying laugh track), the jokes were often clever and Joan Davis was brilliant. no, she was not stealing her schtick from Lucille ball (who i also love). Joan was a ditsy, goofy character long before she made it to television. i believe her physical comedy was actually better and more natural (see the movie HOLD THAT GHOST for a brilliant example.) did they steal plot lines from Lucy? well, having not seen this show in a while (i don't believe this show was ever on nick at nite. it was on cbn, of all places.) but i will say that Lucy's plots were not exactly original either, and being that both shows were on at the same time, it's difficult to say who came first (if it even matters). the thing is everyone has seen Lucy for years and just assumes she did it all first.

Joan Davis deserves her place in entertainment history along side Lucy, gale storm, Imogene coca and Gracie Allen.