Mr. Smith (TV series)

Mr. Smith is an American sitcom that aired on Fridays at 8:00 pm ET on NBC from September 23 through December 16, 1983. The title character was a talking orangutan. Mr. Smith was canceled after thirteen episodes had been aired.

The orangutan who played Mr. Smith had previously been featured in the 1978 film Every Which Way but Loose and its 1980 sequel Any Which Way You Can.

Synopsis

Originally a part of a traveling act called the Atwood Orangutans, Cha Cha and Bobo are separated from their trainer, Tommy Atwood (Tim Dunigan), after he is knocked unconscious in a car accident while the act is traveling from Arizona to California. Frightened by the commotion caused by the accident, Cha Cha and Bobo both run away. Cha Cha is eventually found and sent to a government research center in Washington, D.C. Weeks later, Cha Cha escapes from the center and ends up in a research lab where he discovers an experimental mixture to increase human intelligence that is being developed. After drinking the mixture, Cha Cha can talk (his voice was provided by series executive producer Ed. Weinberger) and is later determined to have an I.Q of 256. He is then renamed Mr. Smith and, due to his high intelligence, becomes a political adviser. Mr. Smith's old trainer, Tommy, later becomes his assistant. At the same time, Mr. Smith attempts to solve various political problems, and his staff, which includes his secretary, Raymond Holyoke (Leonard Frey), attempts to keep his identity hidden from the general public.

Mr. Smiths premiere episode brought in a weak 12.1/22 rating/share and ranked 47th out of 57 shows that week and was panned by critics. Viewership decreased as the season progressed, and the series was canceled (along with seven other NBC series) on December 14, 1983.