The short-lived NBC situation comedy Harris Against the World (1964-65) brought Jack Klugman one of his earliest starring roles, a half-decade or so prior to The Odd Couple and a good twelve years before Quincy, M.E.. He played Alan Harris, a superintendent at an enormous movie studio, who lived in the apartment house 90 Bristol Court with his wife Kate (Patricia Barry) and children Billy (David Macklin) and Deedee (Claire Wilcox). Alan was a curmudgeonly fellow who routinely juggled such stressors as taxes, debts, demanding bosses and other daily challenges, but retained a basic vulnerability and kindness despite his constant grumbling. Harris was actually part of a three-sitcom line-up by NBC called 90 Bristol Court, that ran from 7:30-9pm; each of the series (the others were Karen and Tom, Dick and Mary) chronicled events in a different flat of the same apartment house. Audiences, however, didn't much care, and NBC cancelled two out of the three 90 Bristol Court series, three months into their run; only Karen survived for a slightly longer period than the others.
by Nathan Southern
synopsis
