Original title
Working Stiffs
Released
9/15/1979
Origin country
US
Genre
Comedy
Production companies
Paramount Television, Frog Productions, Huk
Status
Ended
Number of seasons
1
Number of episodes
9
Working Stiffs is a short-lived 1979 American television series which starred James Belushi and Michael Keaton as brothers Ernie and Mike O'Rourke. The pair were janitors who aspired to work their way up in the field of business. The brothers worked in an office building owned by their Uncle Harry. Ernie and Mike also were roommates in an apartment over a cafe where they befriended the owner Mitch and waitress Nikki. Each episode featured slapstick and physical comedy. Penny Marshall directed the pilot. Includes an early appearance of Paul Reubens as Heimlich the delivery boy at the cafe. The series aired on CBS. It competed against the highly-rated shows NBC's CHiPs and ABC's The Ropers in its timeslot. Nine episodes were produced but after four episodes aired, the series was canceled. After Belushi and Keaton became major film stars in the 1980s, six episodes of the show were released on home video. Reruns have also aired on A&E Network, Comedy Central and TV Land. The syndication package included the previously unaired episodes.
The boys master a new combo-tool. Steckler decides to fire one of them, because, after all, the tool can replace a person. After conversing with 2 nuns that used to be teachers of the boys, and a very funny scene with Michael and a soda machine, Steckler decides to keep both of the boys.
After witnessing a bank robbery, Michael is being stalked by the robber, and is hilariously jumpy. He & Ernie wind up stuck in an elevator with a bomb. They disarm it, and their reward is being told to paint the elevator.
Mike is reunited with a long-lost buddy.
Strange events prompt Boss Falzone to rent a guard dog.
The brothers' classy dates are more interested in dessert.
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