From left to right: Marc Copage as Corey
Baker, Diahann Carroll as Julia Baker,
and Michael Link as Earl J. Waggedorn.

Series Description

The Julia TV show was a 30 minute groundbreaking drama series on NBC about a young African-American widow who worked as a nurse while raising her son as a single mom.

Julia Cast

Diahann Carroll .... Julia Baker
Lloyd Nolan .... Dr. Morton Chegley
Marc Diego Copage .... Corey Baker
Michael Link .... Earl J. Waggedorn
Betty Beaird .... Marie Waggedorn
Mary Wickes .... Melba Chegley (1968-1971)
Ned Glass .... Sol Cooper (1968-1971)
Hank Brandt .... Len Waggedorn (1968-1971)
Eddie Quillan .... Eddie Edson (1968-1971)
Lurene Tuttle .... Hannah Yarby (1968-1970)
Paul Winfield .... Paul Cameron (1968-1970)
Allison Mills .... Carol Deering (1968-1969)
Fred Williamson .... Steve Bruce (1970-71)
Janear Hines .... Roberta (1970-71)
Richard Steele .... Richard (1970-71)
Stephanie James .... Kim Bruce (1970-71)

Julia Trivia

It was ironic and unfortunate that the very thing that made Julia a groundbreaking series also garnered Diahann Carroll much undeserved criticism. The white liberal press and black critics shared in their comments that her character did not portray black women accurately. Apparently, they didn't realize that black women were entering main stream society, leaving welfare and careers as maids behind. The criticism drove Diahann into the hospital twice due to stress. She had no appetite and her weight fell to under 100 pounds. She asked to be released from her contract after the third season's filming ended and NBC agreed although the series was doing very well in the ratings.

On a brighter note, audiences loved the show! It became the highest rated show on television within four weeks of its premiere. Obviously, both white and black fans alike had no problem with a single, hard-working African-American mother who wanted a good life for herself and her son.

In response to the critics and as an explanation for why white fans loved the show Diahann said, "I'm a black woman with a white image. I'm as close as they can get to having the best of both worlds. The audience can accept me in the same way, and for the same reason. I don't scare them".

The same magical recipe that Julia had was reproduced just four years later on CBS with the premiere of "The Jeffersons", another series about African-Americans partaking of the American dream and living in the same world as white people while maintaining the best aspects of their black heritage. That series obviously also appealed to a wide audience as it ran for eleven seasons and 253 episodes!

Episodes List With Original Air Dates

Season 1

1. Mama's Man (9/17/1968)
2. The Interview (9/24/1968)
3. Sorry, Right Number (10/1/1968)
4. Homework Isn't Housework (10/8/1968)
5. Unloneliest Night of the Week (10/15/1968)
6. Who's a Freud of Ginger Wolfe? (10/22/1968)
7. Am I, Pardon the Expression, Blacklisted? (10/29/1968)
8. The Champ is No Chump (11/12/1968)
9. Too Good to Be Bad (11/19/1968)
10. Paint Your Waggedorn (11/26/1968)
11. Farewell, My Friends, Hello (12/3/1968)
12. The Solid Brass Snow Job (12/10/1968)
13. Designers Don't Always Have Designs (12/17/1968)
14. I'm Dreaming of a Black Christmas (12/24/1968)
15. The One and Only Genuine, Original Family Uncle (12/31/1968)
16. How Sharper Than a Baby's Tooth (1/7/1969)
17. Matchmaker, Break Me a Match (1/14/1969)
18. Dancer in the Dark (1/21/1969)
19. How to Keep Your Wig Warm (1/28/1969)
20. Sticks and Stones Can Break My Pizza (2/4/1969)
21. A Little Chicken Soup Never Hurt Anybody (2/11/1969)
22. Wanda Means Well (2/18/1969)
23. Cupid's No Computer (2/25/1969)
24. I Thought I Saw a Two-Timer? (3/4/1969)
25. It Takes Two to Tangle (3/11/1969)
26. Home of the Braves (3/18/1969)
27. A Baby's a Nice Nuisance (3/25/1969)
28. Gone With the Draft (4/1/1969)
29. The Doctor's Dilemma (4/8/1969)
30. Love is a Many Sighted Thing (4/15/1969)

31. A Tale of Two Sitters (9/16/1969)
32. The Wheel Deal (9/23/1969)
33. The Undergraduate (9/30/1969)
34. Two's a Family, Three's a Crowd (10/14/1969)
35. Tank's for the Memory (10/21/1969)
36. For Whom the Wedding Bell Tolls (10/28/1969)
37. You Can't Beat Drums (11/4/1969)
38. Tie Wolf (11/11/1969)
39. Romeo and Julia (11/18/1969)
40. The Grass is Sometimes Greener (11/25/1969)
41. The Eve of Adam (12/2/1969)
42. So's Your Old Uncle (12/9/1969)
43. Hilda's No Help (12/16/1969)
44. Temper Also Fugits (12/30/1969)
45. The Prisoner of Brenda (1/6/1970)
46. The Dates of Wrath (1/13/1970)
47. The Jolly Green Midget (1/20/1970)
48. Sioux Me, Don't Woo Me (1/27/1970)
49. Charity Begins With Chegley (2/3/1970)
50. Father of the Bribe (2/10/1970)
51. Call Me By My Rightful Number (2/17/1970)
52. Gone With the Whim (2/24/1970)
53. Charlie's Chance (3/3/1970)
54. I'll Be Yours (3/10/1970)
55. The Divine Divine (3/17/1970)
56. Sara's Second Part (3/24/1970)
57. Corey For President (4/7/1970)
58. The Switch Sitters (4/14/1970)
59. Absence Makes the Heart Glow (4/21/1970)
60. Bunny Hug (4/28/1970)

61. Ready, Aim, Fired (9/15/1970)
62. Half Past Sick (9/22/1970)
63. Little Boys Lost (9/29/1970)
64. Altar Ego (10/6/1970)
65. Tanks Again (10/13/1970)
66. Kim an' Horror (10/20/1970)
67. Magna Cum Lover (10/27/1970)
68. Bowled Over (11/10/1970)
69. Long Time No Ski (11/17/1970)
70. Smoke Scream (11/24/1970)
71. Parents Can Be Pains (12/1/1970)
72. Essay Can You See? (12/8/1970)
73. That New Black Magic (12/22/1970)
74. Two For the Toad (12/29/1970)
75. Kids is a Four Letter Word (1/5/1971)
76. Cousin of the Bride (1/12/1971)
77. Cool Hand Bruce (1/19/1971)
78. Toast Melba (1/26/1971)
79. Courting Time (2/2/1971)
80. Strictly For the Birds (2/9/1971)
81. Corey's High-Q (2/16/1971)
82. Paper Tigers (2/23/1971)
83. Swing Low, Sweet Charity (3/2/1971)
84. Anniversary Faults (3/9/1971)
85. The Gender Trap (3/16/1971)
86. Anyone For Tenants? (3/23/1971)