In 1966 Family Affair, perhaps the gentlest family comedy ever, premiered on CBS. The sweet-natured sitcom had Brian Keith playing bachelor Bill Davis, an engineering consultant who lives in a posh Manhattan apartment with his proper English butler, Mr. French (Sebastian Cabot). Davis’ carefree existence is turned upside-down when his brother and sister-in-law die suddenly in a tragic plane crash, leaving their three children orphaned. Davis becomes an instant father figure to 6-year-old twins, Buffy and Jody (Anissa Jones, Johnnie Whitaker), and their big sister, Cissy (Kathy Garver). Through humorous trial and error, coupled with big doses of love and patience, the five become a real family. (The series is now available on DVD.)

Kathy Garver played elder sister Cissy after appearing in The Ten Commandments (1956) and The Bad Seed (1956). The effusive actress was asked how she thought this generation would react to the decades-old cute comedy. “I think the values people remember from the show are ones they want to pass on to their children or grandchildren. They were stories about people who loved each other and showed it. Back in the turbulent ‘60s, shows like Family Affair were a refuge. This was a gentle, loving, sweet show, one that always taught a moral. I think there are still TV viewers who will embrace those qualities.”

Ms. Garver is now hosting a radio program along with co-host Barry Barsamian. I recently received this email from Kathy and wanted to pass it along to you.

To Our Loyal Fans...

BACKSTAGE! with Barry & Kathy celebrates our first five months on ch. 29 in San Francisco.

If you are not on the Comcast cable system in SF...simply go to: www.accessf.org

then...click on Access #1...allow the page to load...

then...click on the 'play' icon...turn up the sound and enjoy a really fun interview.

Check us out every Monday at 5:30 PM. (Our next shows will be with Jon Provost (Timmy from the classic TV series "Timmy and Lassie" ) and his wife Laurie Jacobson, film historian and author (Hollywood Haunted, Dishing Hollywood and Jon';s autobiography Timmy's in the Well, among others
  The show after that will be with Dane Andrew, actor/producer and owner of "Rascal, the Worlds Ugliest Dog" who also appears on the show with him.)

Best,
 
Kathy
Co-Host/Co-Producer
BACKSTAGE! with Barry & Kathy