Evening Shade

Evening Shade
GenreSitcom
Created byLinda Bloodworth-Thomason[1]
Starring
Narrated byOssie Davis
Opening themeInstrumental theme
by Sonny Curtis (1990–92)
Theme with lyrics
by Bobby Goldsboro (1992–94)
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons4
No. of episodes101 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers
Running time30 minutes
(with commercials)
Production companies
Original release
NetworkCBS
ReleaseSeptember 21, 1990 (1990-09-21) –
May 23, 1994 (1994-05-23)
Infobox instructions (only shown in preview)

Evening Shade is an American sitcom that aired on CBS from September 21, 1990, to May 23, 1994. The series stars Burt Reynolds as Woodrow "Wood" Newton, an ex-professional football player for the Pittsburgh Steelers, who returns to rural Evening Shade, Arkansas, to coach a high-school football team with a long losing streak. Reynolds personally requested to use the Steelers as his character's former team because he was a fan.[2]

The general theme of the show is the appeal of small-town life. Episodes often ended with a closing narration by Ossie Davis, as his character Ponder Blue, summing up the events of the episode, always closing with "... in a place called Evening Shade." The opening segment included clips from around Arkansas, including the famous McClard's Bar-B-Q, which is situated on Albert Pike Boulevard and South Patterson Street in Hot Springs National Park.

  1. ^ Letofsky, Irv (October 29, 1990). "The Sitcom Behind the Sitcom: Television: The countdown to an 'Evening Shade' rehearsal can be comedic. Just ask writer and producer Linda Bloodworth-Thomason". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved December 12, 2010.
  2. ^ Wallace, David (February 17, 1991). "TELEVISION: The Dawning of 'Evening Shade': How the producing team of Harry and Linda Thomason lured Burt Reynolds and other movie heavyweights to a sitcom". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved December 12, 2010.