# Bless This House (American TV series)

Bless This House is an American sitcom television series created by Bruce Helford, which starred Andrew Dice Clay and Cathy Moriarty that aired on CBS from September 11, 1995, until January 17, 1996.

## Plot

Postal worker Burt Clayton and his wife Alice raise two children—daughter Danny and son Sean—in Trenton, New Jersey.

## Cast

* Andrew Dice Clay (credited as Andrew Clay) as Burt Clayton
* Cathy Moriarty as Alice Clayton, Burt's wife
* Raegan Kotz as Danielle "Danny" Clayton
* Sam Gifaldi as Sean Clayton
* Molly Price as Phyllis
* Don Stark as Lenny

## Episodes

| No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date | Prod. code |
| 1 | "Pilot" | Barnet Kellman | Bruce Helford | September 11, 1995 (1995-09-11) | 475098 |
| 2 | "A Woman's Work Is Never Done" | Unknown | Unknown | September 13, 1995 (1995-09-13) | 457551 |
| 3 | "Company Loves Misery" | Unknown | Unknown | September 20, 1995 (1995-09-20) | 457552 |
| 4 | "A Date Which Will Live in Infamy" | Unknown | Unknown | September 27, 1995 (1995-09-27) | 457553 |
| 5 | "I Am Not My Sister's Keeper" | Unknown | Unknown | October 11, 1995 (1995-10-11) | 457554 |
| 6 | "Where There's Smoke, You're Fired" | Unknown | Unknown | October 18, 1995 (1995-10-18) | 457555 |
| 7 | "The Road to Hell Is Paved With Good Intentions" | Unknown | Unknown | October 25, 1995 (1995-10-25) | 457556 |
| 8 | "A Fight a Day Keeps the Doctor Away" | Unknown | Unknown | November 1, 1995 (1995-11-01) | 457557 |
| 9 | "Fish and Guests Stink After Three Days" | Unknown | Unknown | November 8, 1995 (1995-11-08) | 457558 |
| 10 | "The Postman Always Moves Twice" | Unknown | Unknown | November 15, 1995 (1995-11-15) | 457559 |
| 11 | "Neither a Borrower Nor a Landlord Be" | Unknown | Unknown | November 22, 1995 (1995-11-22) | 457560 |
| 12 | "If It Ain't Broke, Break It" | Unknown | Unknown | December 13, 1995 (1995-12-13) | 457561 |
| 13 | "Misery on 34th Street" | Unknown | Unknown | December 20, 1995 (1995-12-20) | 457562 |
| 14 | "The Bowling Method" | Unknown | Unknown | January 3, 1996 (1996-01-03) | 457563 |
| 15 | "One Man's Ceiling Is Another Man's Stereo" | Unknown | Unknown | January 10, 1996 (1996-01-10) | 457564 |
| 16 | "Natural Born Parents" | Shelley Jensen | Diane Burroughs & Joey Gutierrez | January 17, 1996 (1996-01-17) | 457565 |

## Reception

The Rochester Democrat and Chronicle gave the show a favorable review, saying, "it really does remind you of Jackie Gleason and The Honeymooners, without trying to copy that classic. There could be life after Dice; this kinder, gentler Andrew Clay seems like a pretty decent guy." The Los Angeles Times also gave it favorable notice, writing, "Bless This House doesn't quite blow you away, but it's a pleasant half-hour with likable characters and enough start-up humor to make you optimistic about its future."
Other reviews were mixed. Entertainment Weekly gave the show a C, writing, "Bless has smart things to say about how hardworking parents manage family life, but the show is hobbled by its endless succession of squalid sex jokes." TV Guide ranked Bless This House number 48 on their 50 Worst Shows of All Time list in 2002. People gave the show a C+, praising the performances of Clay and Moriarty, but concluding "Bless This House is the first TV show I’ve ever seen that would work better on radio." Variety wrote, "Director Barnet Kellman bounces laugh lines along at a brisk clip [...] Creator Bruce Helford’s writing is often ham-handed [...] Clay’s acting is awkward and forced, but Moriarty’s a treasure [...] Though Bless looks to be trying to carbon The Honeymooners, its closest relative would seem to be Married... with Children."