Chico and the Man (TV)
"Chico and the Man" is a television sitcom that aired on NBC in the 1970s, notable for its portrayal of American minorities in significant roles. The show revolves around the relationship between Ed Brown, a widowed older man played by Jack Albertson, and Chico Rodriguez, a lively Chicano character portrayed by Freddie Prinze. Set in an inner-city filling station, the series humorously explores the cultural and generational differences between the two protagonists, who are forced to coexist in a surrogate father-son dynamic. Other supporting characters enrich the narrative, including Della Rogers and Louie Wilson, adding depth to the storyline.
The series aimed to promote understanding and tolerance, encapsulated in its theme song, which encourages patience in the face of differences. "Chico and the Man" is recognized as the first U.S. sitcom to feature a major Chicano character, presenting a positive view of cultural diversity and highlighting common human emotions and family values among different backgrounds. Tragically, the show's direction shifted following the untimely death of Freddie Prinze, leading to significant changes in the storyline. Overall, "Chico and the Man" is remembered for its contributions to race relations and its fun yet poignant exploration of the American experience.
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Subject Terms
Chico and the Man (TV)
Identification Television situation comedy
Date Aired from 1974 to 1978
The first television sitcom in the United States to feature a Chicano (Mexican American) as a lead character, Chico and the Man successfully demonstrated tolerance between white and Latin American communities.
Like other popular 1970’s television series such as Sanford and Son, Good Times, and The Jeffersons, the National Broadcasting Company (NBC) network’s Chico and the Man successfully portrayed American minorities in major roles. The instantly popular show featured the wizened old widower Ed Brown (played by Jack Albertson) and the young fast-talking, full-of-life Chicano, Chico Rodriguez (Freddie Prinze ), in an employer-employee relationship that takes place in an inner-city filling station. The humorous series focused on the day-to-day differences and coping strategies of the odd pair and brought about resolutions that favored both. Other characters included Della Rogers (Della Reese), the charming owner of a nearby food stand; the irascible garbage collector, Louie Wilson (Scatman Crothers); and Reverend Bemis (Ronny Graham).
Circumstances force Brown and Chico to be together constantly in a surrogate father-son relationship. Both live in the garage and cannot ever seem to get out of each others’ hair. Chico finds himself constantly at odds with Brown, “the Man,” a euphemistic term used during the 1970’s for anyone (generally white) in a position of authority. The stifling living and working arrangement ensures that the odd couple is literally forced to adjust to, and come to terms with, each other’s differences—namely, their cultural background and their generational disparity.
The opening lines of the theme song emphasize the show’s attempt to teach forbearance and patience: “Chico, don’t be discouraged. The Man, he ain’t so hard to understand.” Prinze’s popular catchphrase “looking good” sprang out of the show’s attempt to teach such tolerance.
Sadly, toward the end of the third season, popular twenty-two-year-old comedian Prinze committed suicide after the breakup of his marriage. This tragedy necessitated changing the show’s story line in order to have Chico first move to Mexico and then to enter into a business partnership with his father. Brown discovers a new “Chico” in the form of a twelve-year-old boy named Raul Garcia (Gabriel Melgar), whom he fondly calls Chico.
Impact
The first United States sitcom to feature a major Chicano character, Chico and the Man presented mainstream Americans with a positive view of cultural and ethnic differences. It demonstrated that although people from various cultures might differ on some things, they are essentially the same when it comes to feelings and family. Moreover, it claimed that goodness is inherent in each individual and that a new day was dawning for race relations.
Bibliography
Elliott, Michael. The Day Before Yesterday: Reconsidering America’s Past, Rediscovering the Present. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1996.
Pruetzel, Maria. The Freddie Prinze Story. Kalamazoo, Mich.: Master’s Press, 1978.