One Big Family

Jim 1980s

Aired: 1986-87 Syndicated

DAD: Jake Hatton (Danny Thomas) / Grandfather – Widower

DAD’S JOB: Retired

KIDS: Don Hatton (Anthony Starke), Marianne Hatton (Anastasia Fielding) (19), Brian Hatton (Michael DeLuise) (17), Kate Hatton (Alison McMillan) (14), Roger Hatton (Gabriel Damon) (8)

WHERE’S MOM?: Killed, along with Dad. Accident.

STAND-IN "MOM": Don Hatton / Eldest Son

Oh, this is SO much like The Ed Wynn Show of the 50’s. Story: Mom and Dad get killed in a car wreck, leaving a Party of Five behind. So, Grandpa moves in to take care of the kids. The eldest son, Don, thinks he can take care of all of them, but Danny – er, Jake – takes over the parental role.

A nice return for Danny Thomas — he only got to play a single dad for a year on Make Room for Daddy, and, under the Mike Brady Clause, that didn’t count.