Family is an American television drama series that aired on the ABC television
network from 1976 to 1980. It is about the joys and heartaches of the Lawrence
family of Pasadena, California. It starred Sada Thompson, James Broderick (as
Kate and Doug Lawrence), Gary Frank, Meredith Baxter Birney and Kristy McNicol
as the children. A total of 86 episodes were produced. It is seen occasionally
on the Decades digital TV network.
In the original spring 1976 miniseries run of Family, the theme music was a
dramatic-sounding, yet low-key piano solo with minor orchestral contingents,
composed by cast member John Rubinstein (son of classical musician Arthur
Rubinstein). When Family was picked up as a regular series for the fall 1976
schedule, the theme music was changed to a more cheery, upbeat instrumental
dominated by trumpets and horns, also written by Rubinstein. This version
lasted the rest of the run.
Family became the subject of a 24-year legal dispute due to a lawsuit filed by
writer Jeri Emmet in 1977. The claim was against Spelling Television and
alleged that Spelling had stolen the idea for the show from a script that Emmet
had submitted, entitled "The Best Years". Spelling claimed he pitched the idea
to scriptwriter Jay Presson Allen to create the pilot. She had just completed
writing the screenplay for the film Funny Lady, starring Barbra Streisand and
directed by Herbert Ross. Emmet sued Spelling a second time, in 1996. She lost
on appeal in 2001. The litigation finally concluded with Allen retaining her
"Created by" credit for the series.
On September 5, 2006, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment released the first two
seasons of Family on DVD. On January, 2016, two box sets containing a total of
28 episodes were released in Germany by ALIVE VERTRIEBS- UND MARKETING. These
box sets contain select episodes from seasons 1-3.
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