CPO Sharkey


The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

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About

From Wikipedia:

C.P.O. Sharkey is an American sitcom which aired from 1976 to 1978 on NBC.

The series starred Don Rickles as a Chief Petty Officer in the U.S. Navy. Sharkey was an abrasive, sharp-tongued veteran in charge of a company of new Seaman Recruits on a San Diego naval base. Rickles is famous for his jokes about various ethnicities and this show provided him with a vehicle for his politically incorrect humor. The young company consisted of Daniels, an African-American; Kowalski, a Polish-American; Skolnick, a Jewish-American, Mignone, an Italian-American and Rodriguez, an Hispanic-American. Sharkey's best friend on the base was Chief Robinson (Harrison Page) who was African-American.

Rickles as Sharkey also put his insult humor to good use with the other characters. Sharkey's assistant, Seaman Pruitt (Peter Isacksen), was 6' 7" and simple-minded. His immediate superior was the smug and buck-toothed Lt. Whipple. The base commander was the female Capt. Quinlan (Elizabeth Allen), whom Sharkey never insulted to her face. But Sharkey was really a nice guy beneath his harsh exterior and often went to extreme measures to help his recruits with their problems.

In the first season, Sharkey's first name was never revealed until in one episode, he referred to himself as "Seymour". In the second season, he was named Otto.

 

The series was the first American prime-time TV series to have a punk rock themed episode, with San Fernando Valley punk rock band, The Dickies, making a guest appearance.

 

Starring Don Rickles

Peter Isacksen

Elizabeth Allen

Harrison Page

Richard X. Slattery

Country of origin United States

No. of episodes 37

Production

Running time approx. 0:30 (per episode)

Broadcast

Original channel NBC

Original run December 1, 1976 – July 28, 1978

Who talked about this show

Aaron Ruben

View Interview
Aaron Ruben on creating and producing CPO Sharkey starring Don Rickles
03:28
Aaron Ruben on creating the show CPO Sharkey ; his relationship with the networks
01:51

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