Angie

"Angie" was a program that was doomed to last no more than one season. First of all, it ran on ABC in the late 1970s, which pretty much sealed its fate as a ratings flop. Moreover, it had all of the right elements, in the wrong combination. In a way, the show was very ahead of its time. In another, it had very little new to offer.

Donna Pescow played Angie, a working class Italian-American woman working as a waitress in a Philadelphia Diner, who dreamed of a better life. She was often visited by her "rough around the edges" sister, who criticized her conservative nature, and her smothering mother who criticized her lack of a husband. In the third episode, she married Brad, a regular customer at the diner, only to discover AFTER the wedding that Brad was the heir to a huge family fortune. But her new found wealth didn't keep her from working at the diner, especially after Brad bought her the diner for her birthday. Angie turned her downtown restaurant into a success, while living in her uptown penthouse apartment.

"Angie" had a strong cast. It was well written and it's "working class humor" was right for the times. But the "rags to riches" storyline and slapstick humor did little to set it apart from the sea of sitcoms that filled the airwaves in 1979.

It's the opening song about this show that gets me. A very well written sitcom, this show was, but laughs a few, really, like many other comedies of this type that still pulled you in,and had you. Regardless, I really enjoyed this show in my teens which really captured New York city cafe culture, with it's two assets, Pescow, no real oil painting, and 'Flying High' Hays, who deliver their acting chops, especially Pescow, who really brings it. I found her much more attractive in my young '80's' years, but the one I really liked was Deborah Lee Scott, as the kind of jealous, less successful sister who was always falling out with men, after falling out of bed with them. Scott had went on to do Police Academy 3, as the wife of the accident prone Fachler. Also the great Doris Roberts as Angie's mum, way before liking Raymond. There were many other, of these kind of late 70's sitcoms, Angie, being a slightly memorable one, though nothing to write home about. Yet again, it's the song that gets me. Good quality show.

Donna Pescow & Tom Hayes were great in this TV series, which I could not remember the name of for almost three decades. It was the first time I saw them and they seemed to work so well together. I watched the series regularly and when it was cancelled I was really bummed.

I lost track of these two great actors until I saw Tom Hayes in the fabulous 'Airplane', one of my all-time favorites. I became an instant fan of Tom Hayes again, but I still missed seeing Donna Pescow.

Donna was so cute, beautiful, sexy (in that innocent way) and yes lovable. Actually she was the spitting image of my high school sweetheart and the love of my life (an Italian beauty). I was watching Saturday Night Fever tonight and recognized Donna playing the character Annette. Finally, I was hopeful that through the credits I would see her name and let my sweetheart know the beauty I thought she looked like. The credits rolled by so quickly I missed her name! I found this site when I Googled 'Saturday Night Fever cast' and finally got to remember Donna Pescow and some of her other credits.

After 34 years apart and without any contact, my high school Sweetheart and I found each other and have rekindled our romance. Four year later, finding Donna on this site borough a smile to my face and relieves a frustration I have had for many years. And now I won't forget 'Angie' again. Thank you.

The sitcom was initially the highest-rated new series of 1978-1979 TV series, appearing on schedule in January 1979 (tying with "Mork and Mindy" for that honor). However, unlike the Orsonian goofball, "Angie" was the victim of a massive revamp during its second season and a victim of constant schedule shuffling--moved from night to night, time slot to time slot, repeatedly for months, by ABC until viewers lost interest in searching for it, then abandoned the ship. The only rats here, however, were the ABC executives who, like all network suits, failed to realize the damage that instability does to a potential hit series with immediate high ratings, a lovable heroine, a cast of crazies and the audience. I truly miss this show one-quarter of a century later. Robin Fletcher

...How about releasing "Angie": The Complete Series on DVD! All the episodes are just sitting there in your vault collecting dust! This series is fondly remembered by everyone I talk to about it. Judging by the other comments I think you could sell quite a few units and make a nice profit. Great writing,great cast including: Donna (Even Stevens) Pescow, Robert (Airplane) Hays and EMMY Winner Doris (Everybody Loves Raymond) Roberts set this show apart as one of the few sitcom gems of the 1970's. The show underwent sweeping changes in it's very short run however, the writing was always sharp and funny. A poor time slot and an uncertain network (ABC) lead to the series' early demise. I think if the show had been given a chance to find it's voice and audience it would have went on to have a long successful run.