Melba (TV series)
Melba is an American sitcom which aired on CBS from January 28, 1986, until September 13, 1986. The series was a vehicle for singer/actress Melba Moore. Summary. The show was about the home and work life of Melba Patterson (Moore), a divorced mother who was the director of New York's Manhattan Visitors Center. Melba was raising her 9-year-old daughter Tracy (Jamilla Perry) with the help of her mother Rose (Barbara Meek) and her white "sister", Susan Slater (Gracie Harrison). Melba and Susan had been close since childhood, since Rose was Susan's family 's housekeeper when they were growing up. Jack (Lou Jacobi) and young Gil (Evan Mirand) worked for Melba at the visitors' center. Cancellation. The show premiered on January 28, 1986, the day of the Space Shuttle "Challenger" disaster. Perhaps in part due to the tragedy, the premiere episode ranked as one of the lowest-rated programs of the week, and CBS immediately pulled the show from its schedule. The remaining episodes were later aired during the summer. As of September 2021, the entire series can now be viewed on Crackle.