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Kathy Garver is not holding back about the failed 2002 remake of “Family Affair.”
In a new interview with Digital, Garver — who is gearing up to celebrate the 60th anniversary of “Family Affair” by hosting a special marathon featured on Catchy Comedy — explained why the reboot lacked the chemistry, warmth and familial bond that made the classic show so beloved.
“Excuse my language, but it sucked,” Garver, who portrayed Cissy in the original series, said. “And it did for many reasons.”
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Kathy Garver, who played Cissy in the original “Family Affair” series, said the 2002 remake “sucked.” (Everett Collection; Mark Gunter/Getty Images for ACCA Journal)
The original “Family Affair” premiered in 1966 and followed bachelor Bill Davis as he unexpectedly became the guardian of his late brother and sister-in-law’s three children: Cissy, Buffy and Jody. Brian Keith played Bill, while Sebastian Cabot portrayed the family’s butler, Mr. French.
The 2002 remake featured Gary Cole as Bill Davis and Tim Curry as Mr. French. Although Garver praised both actors, she said they brought entirely different qualities to the characters audiences had already grown attached to.
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“I think it’s very difficult to do a remake,” Garver said. “When they see Gary Cole, they say, ‘Well, that’s not Uncle Bill.’”
Cole was “great in ‘NCIS,’” Garver said, but “as you know, he’s no Brian Keith.”
Keith’s appeal, she explained, came from the contrast between his tough exterior and his tenderness toward the children.
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Portrait of the cast of the television series “Family Affair” on Aug. 10, 1966. Pictured from left are Anissa Jones as Buffy, Brian Keith as Bill Davis, Kathy Garver as Cissy, Sebastian Cabot as Mr. French and Johnny Whitaker as Jody. (Getty Images)
Brian Keith was “this macho guy, the ex-Marine,” Garver said. “And here he is, this loving dad.”
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Garver also felt Curry’s portrayal of Mr. French was too far removed from Cabot’s understated performance.
“Tim Curry had a whole different take on it,” she said. “It was very good, but it wasn’t in a situation-comedy vein. It was like the Tim Curry show.”
“And so that didn’t quite mesh with Sebastian Cabot, who was a wonderful actor,” she added.
Garver described Curry’s Mr. French as “loud and boisterous,” while Cabot’s version was “much more low-key.”
Caitlin Wachs, Gary Cole and Tim Curry appear in the 2002 episode of “Family Affair,” which aired Sept. 26, 2002. (Courtesy Everett Collection)
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Cabot’s performance was also rooted in his character’s love for the children, Garver said — something she felt the remake failed to convey.
“He, too, did everything in love,” she said. “And basically, he loved the children. And I think that was missing from Tim Curry.”
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The actress said the original cast members brought an authentic sense of family to the show because their characters genuinely cared for one another.
“Each individual person on the original ‘Family Affair’ had a family that they loved,” Garver said.
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Garver credited that emotional connection with helping the show stand out from other sitcoms of its era.
“I think it was a groundbreaker,” she said. “It was the first of its kind — a single father, or a single uncle, single relative, that all of a sudden gets three orphan children.”
The series also benefited from its production quality, according to Garver. She noted that “Family Affair” was among the early television sitcoms filmed in color and that many of the cast and crew members came from the movie industry.
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The actress is gearing up to celebrate the beloved show’s 60th anniversary by hosting a special marathon on Catchy Comedy. (Getty Images)
“So it was a real quality kind of show,” she said.
Garver said the original series also featured “relatable characters” and storylines that continue to resonate with audiences.
“It has stories that endure today,” she said. “And so it remains relatable, I believe, because it’s a family. And how — what do I do with the family? How do I deal with these problems? And it shows you that.”
She also believed the warmth of the original series was reflected in the way the characters interacted with one another.
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(L-R) Diane Brewster, Anissa Jones, Kathy Garver, and Johnnie Whitaker in a scene from the TV series, “Family Affair,” 1967. (Bettmann / Contributor)
“People really like each other — what a concept,” Garver said. “People aren’t yelling and screaming at them. You have this very calm person that’s listening to you.”
Garver said the original cast’s chemistry was also visible in their performances.
“Our creator, Ed Hartman, who was just a fabulous writer, creator and producer, told me, ‘Kathy, it’s in the eyes. You act through your eyes. What is coming through them?’”
Garver said she would be opposed to a sequel. (Getty Images)
“I think that warmth is something that’s sustained,” she added.
For Garver, the enduring appeal of “Family Affair” comes down to the emotional comfort it continues to provide viewers.
She described the show as “a comfort” and compared watching it to “taking a bite of the comfort cake.”
“It’s not all this chaos, but something that’s beautiful and lovely and watchable,” Garver said.
Catchy Comedy Network will celebrate the sitcom’s 60th anniversary with a special programming event Sunday, Sept. 13. Garver will host the marathon and share memories of portraying Cissy throughout all five seasons.
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The event will feature eight of Garver’s favorite episodes, showcasing memorable storylines and Cissy’s journey from adolescence to young adulthood.
