Nick Freno: Licensed Teacher
| Nick Freno: Licensed Teacher | |
|---|---|
| Also known as | ''Nick Freno'' |
| Genre | Sitcom |
| Created by | Dennis Rinsler Marc Warren |
| Directed by |
Scott Baio Amanda Bearse Ellen Guylas Shelley Jensen Art Dielhenn Gerren Keith Sean Mulcahy John Tracy |
| Starring |
Mitch Mullany Portia de Rossi Clinton Jackson Arjay Smith Cara DeLizia Christina Vidal Malinda Williams Charles Cyphers Stuart Pankin Jane Sibbett |
| Theme music composer | Andrew Gross Josh Kramon |
| Composer(s) | Josh Kramon |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language(s) | English |
| No. of seasons | 2 |
| No. of episodes | 43 |
| Production | |
| Executive producer(s) | Richard Gurman Dennis Rinsler Marc Warren |
| Producer(s) | Suzy Friendly Gene Laufenberg Carolyn Omine |
| Cinematography | Joseph W. Calloway |
| Camera setup | Multi-camera |
| Running time | 22–24 minutes |
| Production company(s) | Warren and Rinsler Productions Warner Bros. Television |
| Release | |
| Original network | The WB |
| Original release | August 28, 1996 – May 3, 1998 |
Nick Freno: Licensed Teacher (also known as Nick Freno) is an American sitcom which aired on the WB from 1996 until 1998. The executive producers of the program, Dennis Rinsler and Marc Warren, drew on their own experiences as former teachers in New York and actually based the character that Mitch Mullany played on their real life friend, John Freno. Freno was a music teacher in the same elementary school as Dennis and Marc and was beloved by the students of the school.
Mitch Mullany starred as the title character, an aspiring actor who, while waiting for his "big break," met his expenses as a substitute teacher at Gerald R. Ford Middle School. The storylines involved his interaction with his students, which became more plausible when he became a regular teacher. When the program was renewed, the middle school had become a high school, allowing for his interaction with slightly more mature students.
Originally, Freno substituted long-term for a single fifth-grade class, which suited him well as an actor, since he was often able to revisit the mind of a preteen through comedy routines and frenetic behavior he would often work into during lessons. Nick's free-form teaching style often relied on running mock game shows on subjects, along with sly reverse psychology when it came to advice and discipline. The kids embraced Freno and found him very approachable, even if his employers thought that his methods were not challenging enough to be taken seriously.
Nick's fellow faculty members included hip, black science teacher Mezz Crosby (Clinton Jackson; played by Reggie Hayes in the pilot episode), who had been Nick's best friend since childhood; tenured shop teacher Al Yaroker (Charles Cyphers), and blustery gym coach Kurt Fust (Stuart Pankin). Also wandering the halls was old-timer Phil (Sid Newman), the school security guard. Then there was sexy, young social studies teacher Elana Lewis (Portia de Rossi), whom Nick was interested in romantically; at first, it was strictly professional and nothing more between the two, but through the first season, figurative walls were gradually broken down, and Nick and Elana found themselves dating. Their relationship would be on-again, off-again for the rest of that year. At first, Ford Middle School's principal was referred to but not seen; midway through the first season, Mr. Fust was eventually promoted to assistant principal. The regularly featured pupils in Nick's class were class clown and chief operator Tyler Hale (Ross Malinger), shy, star student Orlando Diaz (Jonathan Hernandez), who was practically the antithesis of Tyler; Jared (Arjay Smith), Tyler's buddy and regular partner in crime; intellectual Sarah (Cara DeLizia); and saxophonist Davey Marcucci (Kyle Gibson).
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