"Becker" (1998)TV series 1998-2004

Writer:

Dana Klein (writer)

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

Release Date:

2 November 1998 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

His bedside manner is no manners at all!

Plot:

Dr. John Becker goes through his daily routine of being a doctor, stopping at his favorite diner, and other various situations, all the while hating life and everything around him.

Plot Keywords:

Bronx New York | Sitcom | Doctor | Medical | New York

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 4 wins & 6 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Tue. May 13	6:30 AM	USA	Imm-Oral Fixations	#2.2
Tue. May 13	11:00 AM	USA	The Bearer of Bad Tidings	#2.19

Cast

Ted Danson	...	Dr. John Becker (129 episodes, 1998-2004)
Hattie Winston	...	Margaret Wyborn / ... (129 episodes, 1998-2004)
Shawnee Smith	...	Linda (129 episodes, 1998-2004)
Alex Désert	...	Jake Malinak (127 episodes, 1998-2004)
Saverio Guerra	...	Bob (109 episodes, 1998-2003)
Terry Farrell	...	Regina "Reggie" Kostas / ... (94 episodes, 1998-2002)
Nancy Travis	...	Chris Connor (39 episodes, 2002-2004)

(more)

Series Directed by
Andy Ackerman		(54 episodes, 1998-2003)
Ken Levine		(14 episodes, 1999-2003)
Darryl Bates		(13 episodes, 2000-2003)
Chris Brougham		(11 episodes, 2001-2004)
Gail Mancuso		(9 episodes, 2001-2003)
Wil Shriner		(7 episodes, 2001-2003)
Lee Shallat Chemel		(4 episodes, 1998-2000)
Gregg Heschong		(4 episodes, 1999-2002)
Michael Uppendahl		(4 episodes, 2003-2004)
Leonard R. Garner Jr.		(2 episodes, 1999-2002)
Joyce Gittlin		(2 episodes, 1999-2001)

Series Writing credits
Ian Gurvitz		(16 episodes, 1998-2004)
Russ Woody		(14 episodes, 1998-2003)
Marsha Myers		(13 episodes, 1998-2002)
David Isaacs		(10 episodes, 1998-2003)
Michael Markowitz		(10 episodes, 1999-2002)
Matthew Weiner		(9 episodes, 1999-2002)
Kate Angelo		(8 episodes, 2000-2003)
Ken Levine		(7 episodes, 1999-2003)
Liz Astrof		(6 episodes, 2001-2003)
Dana Borkow		(5 episodes, 1999-2001)
Dave Hackel		(4 episodes, 1998-2004)
Anne Flett-Giordano		(3 episodes, 1999-2002)
Chuck Ranberg		(3 episodes, 1999-2002)
Earl Pomerantz		(3 episodes, 1999-2001)
Gary Dontzig		(3 episodes, 2001-2004)
Steven Peterman		(3 episodes, 2001-2004)
Gigi McCreery		(3 episodes, 2002-2003)
Perry M. Rein		(3 episodes, 2002-2003)
Michael Rowe		(3 episodes, 2002-2003)
Mark Egan		(2 episodes, 2000)
Maisha Closson		(2 episodes, 2003-2004)
Bobby Gaylor		(2 episodes, 2003-2004)
Dana Klein		(unknown episodes)

Series Produced by
Dave Hackel	....	executive producer (54 episodes, 1998-2004)
Matthew Weiner	....	co-producer / producer (48 episodes, 2000-2002)
Tim Berry	....	producer / executive producer (27 episodes, 1999-2004)
Ian Gurvitz	....	executive producer (8 episodes, 2003)
Liz Astrof	....	co-producer (unknown episodes, 2003)
Maisha Closson	....	co-producer (unknown episodes, 2003)
Gary Dontzig	....	co-executive producer (unknown episodes, 2003)
Gigi McCreery	....	supervising producer (unknown episodes, 2003)
Steven Peterman	....	co-executive producer (unknown episodes, 2003)
Perry M. Rein	....	supervising producer (unknown episodes, 2003)
Michael Rowe	....	producer (unknown episodes, 2003)
Russ Woody	....	co-executive producer (unknown episodes, 2003)
Andy Ackerman	....	producer (unknown episodes)
Matt Ember	....	consulting producer (unknown episodes)
Michael Markowitz	....	co-producer (unknown episodes)
Lori A. Moneymaker	....	co-producer / producer (unknown episodes)
Marsha Myers	....	co-producer / producer (unknown episodes)
Ross Woody	....	producer (unknown episodes)

Series Original Music by
Bruce Miller		(unknown episodes)

Series Cinematography by
Tony Askins		(unknown episodes)
Gregg Heschong		(unknown episodes)

Series Film Editing by
Darryl Bates		(19 episodes, 1999-2003)
Debra DeSilva		(3 episodes, 1999-2000)
Skip Collector		(unknown episodes)
Susan Federman		(unknown episodes)

Series Casting by
Emily Deshotel		(unknown episodes)
Suzanne Goddard-Smythe		(unknown episodes)
Sheila Guthrie		(unknown episodes)

Series Production Design by
Roy Christopher		(19 episodes, 1999-2003)

Series Art Direction by
Amy Skjonsby-Winslow		(35 episodes, 2002-2004)
Richard Fernandez		(unknown episodes)

Series Set Decoration by
Linda Cooper		(unknown episodes)

Series Costume Design by
Sharon Sampson		(107 episodes, 1999-2004)

Series Makeup Department
Paula Sutor	....	makeup department head (31 episodes, 1999-2004)
Brenda Blatt	....	hair stylist (unknown episodes)
Leslie Lightfoot	....	makeup artist (unknown episodes)

Series Production Management
Neil Rapp	....	production manager (1 episode, 1998)
Cheryl Downey	....	unit production manager (unknown episodes)
Pamela Thur	....	production manager: New York (unknown episodes)

Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Randy Carter	....	first assistant director (unknown episodes)
Brian Fong	....	second assistant director (unknown episodes)
Marisol 'Ari' Oyola	....	second second assistant director (unknown episodes)
Tom Phillips	....	second second assistant director (unknown episodes)
Cynthia Riddle	....	second assistant director (unknown episodes)

Series Art Department
Amy Skjonsby-Winslow	....	set designer (94 episodes, 1998-2002)
Matt Furginson	....	lead man (unknown episodes)
Kevin Morrissey	....	set designer (unknown episodes)
Charlotte Raybourn	....	art department coordinator (unknown episodes)

Series Sound Department
Nick Els	....	sound mixer (126 episodes, 1998-2004)
Laurence Abrams	....	boom operator (13 episodes, 2003-2004)
Judi Frenkel	....	sound (7 episodes, 2003-2004)
Charles Bruce	....	sound effects editor (2 episodes, 1999)
Robert Adams	....	boom operator (unknown episodes)
Michael Ballin	....	production sound mixer (unknown episodes)
Clark Conrad	....	supervising sound editor (unknown episodes)
John DiSante	....	sound utility (unknown episodes)
Rich Jacob	....	sound mixer (unknown episodes)
Scott C. Kolden	....	supervising sound editor (unknown episodes)
John Lazear	....	utility sound (unknown episodes)
Richard Luckey Jr.	....	sound (unknown episodes)
Dana Mark McClure	....	sound (unknown episodes)
Timothy Pearson	....	foley artist (unknown episodes)
Mark Server	....	supervising sound editor (unknown episodes)
Noel Vought	....	foley artist (unknown episodes)

Series Stunts
Greg Anthony	....	stunt double (1 episode, 2002)
Hugh Aodh O'Brien	....	stunts (unknown episodes)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
Mark L. Johnson	....	second assistant camera (22 episodes, 1998-1999)
Craig T. Mathew	....	still photographer (22 episodes, 1998-1999)
Rick Lamb	....	assistant camera (2 episodes, 1999)
Joey Alvarado	....	gaffer (unknown episodes)
Lance Dickinson	....	electrician (unknown episodes)
Paul Ferrara	....	key grip (unknown episodes)
David French	....	grip (unknown episodes)
John Graham	....	first assistant camera (unknown episodes)
Chava Monjaraz	....	best boy grip / grip (unknown episodes)

Series Casting Department
Liz Dean	....	casting intern (unknown episodes)
Linda DeArmond	....	casting assistant (unknown episodes)
Kevin Goldson	....	extras casting (unknown episodes)
Thom Klohn	....	casting associate (unknown episodes)
Helen Mossler	....	casting executive (unknown episodes)

Series Costume and Wardrobe Department
Beth Beasley	....	costumer (unknown episodes)
Debra Millison	....	key set costumer (unknown episodes)
Sharon Sampson	....	costume supervisor (unknown episodes)

Series Editorial Department
Debra DeSilva	....	assistant editor (83 episodes, 1998-2004)
Leslie Arras	....	post-production coordinator (unknown episodes)
Dave Karson	....	assistant editor (unknown episodes)

Series Music Department
Chips Swanson	....	music editor (unknown episodes)

Series Transportation Department
Gary Edelman	....	transportation captain (unknown episodes)

Series Other crew
Zuzana Cernik	....	assistant to executive producer (128 episodes, 1998-2004)
Mark Maitlen	....	production secretary / production coordinator (54 episodes, 2001-2004)
Matthew Weiner	....	executive story editor (24 episodes, 1999-2000)
Naisa Wong	....	assistant coordinator (24 episodes, 2001-2002)
David Isaacs	....	creative consultant (21 episodes, 1999-2004)
Bob Ellison	....	creative consultant (20 episodes, 1999-2003)
Trip Gould	....	production secretary (13 episodes, 2003-2004)
Howie Edelson	....	production assistant (7 episodes, 1999-2000)
Brian Reeder	....	production assistant (7 episodes, 1999-2000)
Georgyne LaLone	....	assistant: Bob Ellison (unknown episodes, 1998-2002)
Keith Addis	....	executive consultant (unknown episodes)
Shelley Andagan	....	production assistant (unknown episodes)
Richard T. Arami	....	assistant accountant (unknown episodes)
Ken Blankstein	....	script coordinator (unknown episodes)
Dana Borkow	....	story editor (unknown episodes)
Gena Bravos	....	script supervisor (unknown episodes)
Chris Brougham	....	technical coordinator (unknown episodes)
Gaye Ann Bruno	....	photo publicity (unknown episodes)
Kimberli Collette	....	assistant to producer / production assistant (unknown episodes)
Jeff Collins	....	assistant to producer / production assistant (unknown episodes)
Anne Flett-Giordano	....	creative consultant (unknown episodes)
Suzanne Goddard-Smythe	....	assistant to producer / production assistant (unknown episodes)
Rob Greenberg	....	creative consultant (unknown episodes)
Ken Halsband	....	location manager (unknown episodes)
Kristin Jones	....	production assistant (unknown episodes)
H. Lee Kagan	....	medical consultant (unknown episodes)
Kim Kessler	....	assistant to producer (unknown episodes)
Michael Markowitz	....	executive story editor (unknown episodes)
Conner McKinley	....	assistant to producer (unknown episodes)
Marsha Myers	....	executive story editor (unknown episodes)
Kimberley Nessler	....	production assistant (unknown episodes)
Teresa O'Neill	....	creative consultant (unknown episodes)
Jayme Petrille	....	assistant to producer / production assistant / ... (unknown episodes)
Chris Porterfield	....	production coordinator (unknown episodes)
Christopher Porterfield	....	production coordinator (unknown episodes)
Chuck Ranberg	....	creative consultant (unknown episodes)
Sean Simmons	....	production assistant (unknown episodes)
Susan Stein	....	assistant to producer / production assistant (unknown episodes)
Michael Uppendahl	....	assistant to producer / production assistant (unknown episodes)
Tennille Vega	....	production assistant (unknown episodes)
Dena Waxman	....	assistant to producer (unknown episodes)

Production Companies

• Dave Hackel Productions
• Industry Entertainment
• Paramount Network Television Productions

Distributors

• CBS Television
• CanWest Global Communications
• Viacom (worldwide)

Other Companies

• Bryant & Johnsen  main title sequence
• Central Casting  extras casting
• Chapman / Leonard Studio Equipment  cranes
• Larson Sound Center  sound
• Laser Pacific Media  electronic laboratory

Runtime:

30 min (including commercials - 129 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

UK:U (some episodes) | UK:12 (some episodes) | UK:PG (some episodes) | Australia:PG | USA:TV-PG

Filming Locations:

Astoria, Long Island City, Queens, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Dave Hackel Productions

Trivia:

Nancy Travis was originally hired to play Chris for just four episodes, and at the end of Season 4 was to disappear after John Becker (Ted Danson) chose to be with Reggie Kostas (Terry Farrell). But the producers decided to fire Farrell and keep Travis on as a full time character.

Quotes:

[about relaxation tapes]
Dr. John Becker: You'd be surprised how many people give 'em to me for Christmas.
Chris Connor: I'm surprised people give you presents at all.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "South Park: My Future Self n' Me (#6.16)" (2002)

Ted Danson's best work since Cheers

This show is funny and very original. The show is like a reflection of everyday life, sort of like Seinfeld. But whereas Seinfeld gives a more positive out look to the world, Becker does the opposite. Every episode has Ted Danson complaining about something; a broken street light in front of his apartment, his annoying patients, the post office and much, much more. A very funny show.