Last year my family and I were in Spain. We rented an apartment (I’m sorry to the locals that we are doing this). It was a building probably done in the mid 20th century and it had a European appearance (duh). The door to the apartment had the knob in the center of the door. My brain immediately thought of “Family Affair”.
“Family Affair” was a show in the mid-to-late 60s about a bachelor who raises his brother’s children after the brother and his wife died in an accident. They live in a huge NYC apartment (with 2 big doors that have knobs in the middle) with the “Gentleman’s gentleman” Mr. French.
The show predates me but I remember it being on in syndication when I was a kid. Though I think it was in at odd times so I probably only saw it when I was home sick. I used to refer to it as “Buffy and Jody”, the young twins on the show. Like most kids, I was fascinated by shows and movies that featured kids. How did they get those jobs? Where did they go to school?
I would see the actors in other shows or movies. I heard their voices on cartoons and my Jungle Book record – Mr. French’s voice could not be hidden. As I grew older I heard the tragic stories of the child stars. As an adult I read a biography by one of the actors. The show remained in my memory but not in the same way as some others.
Recently I watched it again. I should say I watched most of it for the first time since I didn’t remember much of it. I figured that I would catch an episode or two but I was hooked. It hasn’t aged well, there are definitely some problematic parts of it but every show has that. At the core it is a sweet show and some funny moments.
Like everything else, it hits differently as an adult. The idea of the children losing their parents is gut wrenching as I lost a parent at a young age. I can identify with the adults and their need to drop everything to care for the children. Watching the child actors, knowing their fate is unnerving and uncomfortable.
It’s funny what sights trigger one’s memories. A simple door knob brought me back to my childhood.
Is their a favorite show from your childhood that often pops in you head?
Introverted runner and other stuff 