The Love Boat
The Joker is Mild / First Time Out / Take My Granddaughter, Please
Season 1, Episode 6 · Aired 1977-10-29
Synopsis
In "The Joker is Mild," has-been comedian Barry Keyes (Phil Foster) abuses his family tie with cruise director Julie in an astonishing attempt to make a comeback. Richard Kinon directed the script by David Ketchum and Tony Di Marco. Academy Award-winner Ruth Gordon plays Mrs. Warner, a lovable but pushy grandmother who wants to find a husband for her attractive granddaughter, Shirlee (Patty Duke Astin). Granny decides that Doc would be perfect for Shirl, but the young woman becomes smitten with Dave (Tab Hunter), a school teacher. Barry Blitzer wrote the script and Richard Kinon directed. In "First Time Out," Danny (Robert "Welcome Back, Kotter" Hegyes) has had virtually no experience with women, and his fraternity brothers (W.K. Stratton, John Mark Robinson and Meegan King) are determined to arrange a romantic liaison. But Danny meets Barbara (Maureen McCormick) and nature takes its course.
In the series
This episode is part of The Love Boat (1977–1986) on ABC.
Excursion of the week — guest stars, cupids in white, and Pacific soft-focus.
Key cast
- Gavin MacLeod as Capt. Merrill Stubing
- Bernie Kopell as Dr. Adam Bricker
- Fred Grandy as Burl 'Gopher' Smith
- Ted Lange as Isaac Washington
- Lauren Tewes as Julie McCoy
Also in season 1
- S01E01 The Captain and the Lady / One if By Land / Centerfold
- S01E02 Oh, Dale! / The Main Event / A Tasteful Affair
- S01E03 Ex Plus Y / Graham and Kelly / Golden Agers
- S01E04 Message for Maureen / Acapulco Connection / Gotcha
- S01E05 Help! Murder! / Isaac the Groupie / Mr. Popularity
- S01E07 The Identical Problem / Julie's Old Flame / The Jinx