BOSOM BUDDIES

'''Bosom Buddies''' is an American sitcom starring Tom Hanks and Peter Scolari created by Robert L. Boyett, Thomas L. Miller and Chris Thompson. It ran from 1980 to 1982 on ABC.

Contents

Premise

Cast

Trivia

DVD Releases

See also

External links

Premise

After their own apartment is demolished, two men disguise themselves as women in order to live in the women-only Susan B. Anthony Hotel because of the dirt cheap rent. Kip Wilson (Tom Hanks) is originally skeptical of the plan, but after meeting knock-out resident model/dancer/nurse Sonny Lumet (Donna Dixon), he ends up convincing aspiring writer Henry Desmond (Peter Scolari) that the experience will make a great book. Their co-worker, Amy Cassidy, (Wendie Jo Sperber) is the only resident in on the plan because she's attracted to Henry. In the first season, Kip, Henry, and Amy work for Ruth Dunbar (Holland Taylor) at the advertising firm of Livingston, Gentry & Mishkin, where Kip is a graphic artist, Henry is a copy writer, and Amy is the receptionist. Ruth often takes credit for the boys' work when reporting to her (unseen) boss, Mr. Rubinowitz.
The boys' deception includes outwitting the hotel manager, Lily Sinclair (Lucille Benson), and fellow resident, Isabelle Hammond (Telma Hopkins), an aspiring singer.
In the second season opener, Kip, Henry and Amy leave Livingston, Gentry & Mishkin to start their own advertising firm, Sixty Seconds Street, with Ruth serving as a not-quite silent partner.
In the second episode of the second season, the male characters' ruse of living in drag is revealed, although they are allowed to continue living at the women-only hotel anyway. Sonny forgives Kip for the deception, and as the new hotel manager replacing Lily, Isabelle agrees to go along with the ruse rather than admit it to the other residents.

Cast

★ Tom Hanks - Kip Wilson (Buffy when in drag)

★ Peter Scolari - Henry Desmond (Hildegarde when in drag)

★ Wendie Jo Sperber- Amy Cassidy, their co-worker and friend who knows their secret

★ Holland Taylor - Ruth Dunbar, their boss

★ Donna Dixon - Sonny Lumet

★ Telma Hopkins - Isabelle Hammond

★ Lucille Benson - Lilly Sinclair (First season only.)

Trivia

★ The theme song for the opening credits was ''My Life'' by Billy Joel, although Joel's version was not used on the air. (The Internet Movie Database notes the cast sang the theme song, although this has not been verified.) Some reruns shown in syndication had a vocal version of the show's back credit instrumental theme, performed by Stephanie Mills, used for the front credits, with "My Life" removed altogether.

★ Although the series was produced on videotape, the pilot episode was shot on film. Edie Adams plays the hotel manager in the pilot, and when Kip and Henry name each other's alter egos, they say Buffy and Hildy are sisters. Lucille Benson is introduced as the new hotel manager in the series, and she is told that Kip and Henry are Buffy and Hildy's brothers, respectively. Buffy and Hildy are allegedly from Saskatchewan, but Kip and Henry somehow attended high school in Shaker Heights, Ohio.

★ Peter Scolari appeared in the Tom Hanks directed feature film That Thing You Do! as an Ed Sullivan style announcer. He also appeared as Astronaut Pete Conrad in an episode of the Tom Hanks produced HBO series From the Earth to the Moon and co-starred with Hanks in The Polar Express.

★ ''Bosom Buddies'' was taped on Stage 25 at Paramount Pictures. Stage 25 was also the home of ''The Lucy Show'', ''Cheers'', and ''Frasier''.

DVD Releases

CBS DVD has released both seasons of ''Bosom Buddies'' in Region 1 DVD for the very first time. The original theme song ''My Life'' by Billy Joel was replaced with the more generic ''Shake Me Loose'', a song penned by show creator Chris Thompson, which was used during the show's syndication run.

DVD Name	Ep #	Release Date
The First Season	19	March 13, 2007
The Second Season	18	September 4, 2007
The Complete Series	37	September 4, 2007

See also

★ Cross-dressing in film and television

External links

★ Episode guide

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