Wait Till Your Father Gets Home (Syndicated 1972, Tom Bosley, Joan Gerber)

Intended for an adult audience, Wait Till Your Father Gets Home was like an animated All In the Family, with Tom Bosley (the future Mr. Cunningham on Happy Days) voicing the family patriarch, Harry Boyle. Very much like an animated All in the Family, in fact, which was no coincidence: That taboo-breaking series was one of the biggest hits of the 70’s, and Hanna-Barbera knew a winner when they saw one.

The conservative Harry, who worked as a manager of a restaurant supply firm, was constantly at odds with his wife Irma and his more liberally-minded children, Chet and Alice. Plenty of generation gap humor followed, with Harry usually on the losing end. Jamie, the youngest child, was written into the plot shortly after the pilot episode so that Harry would have at least one ally among his offspring. Although stubborn and arrogant, Harry Boyle was usually much more sympathetic than the belligerent Archie Bunker.

Taking on the American-extremist role was the Boyle’s next-door neighbor, Ralph, who would wear army fatigues and a full magazine of bullets as he hid in the bushes for fear of an enemy attack. The show also featured a number of celebrity spots, with guest voices coming from comics like Phyllis Diller, Jonathan Winters, Don Knotts and Rich Little.

Wait Till Your Father Gets Home ran for two syndicated seasons, but since it lacked the kiddie fanbase of its Stone Age predecessor, the jump to Saturday morning was never attempted.

production details
USA | Syndicated – Hanna Barbera | 48×25 minutes | 1972-1974

Executive Producers: William Hanna, Joseph Barbera

cast
TOM BOSLEY as Harry Boyle
JOAN GERBER as Irma Boyle
KRISTINA HOLLAND as Alice Boyle
DAVID HAYWARD as Chet Boyle
JACKIE HAYLER as Jamie Boyle
JACK BURNS as Ralph