Ethel MacDoogan: Carol Mansell
Richard Preston: Dick Sargent
Duane Preston: David Kaufman
Lizzie Preston: Kyle Richards
J. J. Preston: Randy Josselyn
Candy Carlysle: Marla Rubinoff
Lester Luster: Ronnie Schell
Stanley McCloud: Rip Taylor
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Theme Song Back in the days of Valentino, we know a maid named Ethel was so bright and alive. (wacky-do-wacky-do-wacky-do) But she was struck down by a trolley, golly. Said goodbye in nineteen-twenty-and-five. (Toodle-loo Toodle-loo) Ethel in Heaven awaited patiently to earn her wings and be an angel fancy free. Sixty years later the opportunity to help a family came through. (Boo-boo-boopidoo, 23-skadoo) Back down to Earth to teach the Prestons lessons -- Richard, Lizzy, Dwayne, and J.J. too! Now she must be a 1980s lady. Down to Earth, it's so angelical. Down to Earth, it's quite a spectacle. Down to Earth, it's just hysterical. She's down to Earth, down to Earth. Down To Earth. |
Down to Earth was Dick's last TV series. It was a half-hour situation comedy that aired in first-run syndication for Ted Turner�s Superstation WTBS from March 1984 to May 1987. Ted Turner probably ordered this series because reruns of Bewitched were very popular on his station at the time, and he was trying to capitalize on some of the success for himself.
In the opening credits, the jazzy, bouncy theme song told the sad tale of Ethel, a flapper from the 1920s, who gets killed by a trolley (this was hilariously illustrated with old-style photographs), and has to wait 60 years to be set up with a family so that she could earn her wings and become an angel. Dick played Richard Preston, a widower with three children (Kyle Richards, David Kaufman, and Randy Josselyn), who hires Ethel (Carol Mansell) to be his maid/nanny. This premise was sort of Bewitched meets Nanny and the Professor. (Incidentally, series co-star Kyle Richards� real-life sister, Kim, played Prudence on Nanny and the Professor.)
I remember watching this TV series in the mid-80s, although I can�t recall any specific episodes. Most of the comedy derived from Ethel adjusting to life in the 1980s (i.e. modern technology and mores), and keeping her secret from the neighbors.
In 2003, reruns were shown briefly on the Goodlife network, but a spokesperson for that network said the rights were recaptured by owners Warner Brothers.
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