Rude Awakening (TV series)

For other uses, see Rude Awakening (disambiguation).

Rude Awakening
Rude Awakening opening title
Genre	Sitcom
Created by	Claudia Lonow
Starring	Sherilyn Fenn Lynn Redgrave Jonathan Penner Rain Pryor Roger E. Mosley Mario Van Peebles
Opening theme	"Another Rude Awakening" by Alana Davis (seasons 1–2) and Roger Daltrey (season 3)
Country of origin	United States
No. of seasons	3
No. of episodes	55 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers	Claudia Lonow Scott Sanders
Camera setup	Single-camera
Running time	30 minutes
Production companies	Mandalay Television Lions Gate Television (1999–2001) (seasons 2–3) Columbia TriStar Television Distribution Showtime Networks
Original release
Network	Showtime
Release	August 1, 1998 (1998-08-01) – February 15, 2001 (2001-02-15)

Rude Awakening is an American television sitcom series created by Claudia Lonow, that aired on Showtime over fifty-five 22-minute episodes spanning three seasons from August 1, 1998 to February 15, 2001.

Story

Rude Awakening tells the story of Billie Frank, an out of work alcoholic ex-soap-opera actress. She tries to go sober and become a writer but continues to struggle with her self-destructive habits. The show depicts her relations with other members of Addictions Anonymous,^[a] her neighbor Dave, and her mother, Trudy.

Episodes

Main article: List of Rude Awakening episodes

Season	Episodes		Originally aired
			First aired	Last aired
1	13		August 1, 1998	November 7, 1998
2	22		June 26, 1999	March 18, 2000
3	20		June 29, 2000	February 15, 2001

Cast

Main

• Sherilyn Fenn as Billie Frank
• Lynn Redgrave as Trudy Frank
• Jonathan Penner as Dave Parelli
• Rain Pryor as Jackie Garcia (seasons 1–2)
• Roger E. Mosley as Milton "Milt" Johnson (season 2)
• Mario Van Peebles as Marcus Adams (season 3)

Recurring

• Paul Ben-Victor as Carl
• Corinne Bohrer as Tish Frank
• Dan Finnerty as Joe the Bartender
• Tom Gallop as Jerry Frank
• Jason Graae as Chad
• Richard Lewis as Harve Schwartz
• Mark Lonow as Max Frank
• Ana Mercedes as Antonia the Maid
• Beverly D'Angelo as Sidney 'Syd' Gibson (season 2)
• Taylor Dayne as Maureen (seasons 2–3)
• Tim Curry as Martin Crisp (seasons 2–3)
• Jack Plotnick as Clark (seasons 2–3)
• Roger Daltrey as Nobby Clegg (season 2)
• George Katt as Zack (season 2)
• Elizabeth Lackey as Raquel (season 3)
• Salli Richardson as Nancy Adams (season 3)
• Jenny Robertson as Haley (season 3)

Notable guest stars

• Karen Black as Crystal Garcia
• Jennifer Coolidge as Sue
• Lana Parrilla as Nurse Lorna
• Ron Glass as Marcus' father
• CCH Pounder as Tracy
• Beverly D'Angelo as Sidney Gibson
• Jason Bateman as Ryan
• Tim Curry as Martin Crisp
• Roger Daltrey as Nobby Clegg
• Martin Lewis as Nigel
• Michelle Phillips as Vivian
• Alan Young as Priest

Notes

1. name used on-air for the group, a nod to Alcoholics Anonymous^[1]

References

1. Brook, Vincent (2003). "8: Post-Jewishness? The Third Phase of the Jewish Sitcom Trend". Something Ain't Kosher Here: The Rise of the "Jewish" Sitcom. New Brunswick, New Jersey: Rutgers University Press. p. 165. ISBN 0-8135-3210-8. Retrieved 2024-11-20 – via Google Books. The Addictions Anonymous group's sessions (a sort of Twelve Steps, sans religious overtones)...

• Rosenberg, Howard (1999-07-25). "First Step: Admitting It's Funny". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 2022-06-25. Retrieved 2020-12-27.
• Elber, Lynn (June 25, 1999). "Claudia Lonow Mines Difficult Past for Laughs in 'Awakening'". Green Bay Press-Gazette. Associated Press. Retrieved 2020-12-27 – via Newspapers.com.

External links

• Rude Awakening at IMDb