Roseanne out numerous fantasies (including one in which she Sylvia Foster (1988-89) Anne Falkner imagines herself as an action figure named Ed Conner (1989-97) Ned Beatty Roseambo). Then, in the program's last episode, Bev Harris (1989-97) Estelle Parsons Roseanne spoke directly to the viewers as the pro- Mark Healy (1990-97) Glenn Quinn gram's producer and denied the reality of the entire David Healy (1992-97) Johnny Galecki season, explaining that Dan had died the season be- Grandma Nanna (1991-97) Shelley Winters fore, even though he had appeared to survive a heart Leon Carp (1991-97) Martin Mull attack. The final season had been the character Bonnie (1991-92) Bonnie Sheridan Roseanne's reveries as she struggled to deal with his Nancy (1991-97) Sandra Bernhard death. It was a controversial, and, for some critics, an Fred (1993-95) Michael O'Keefe unsatisfying, way to end the program's nine-year run. Andy Garrett and Kent Controversy attended the program off screen as well Hazen as on. During its first season, there were well - Jerry Garcia Conner Cole and Morgan publicized squabbles among the producing team, Roberts which led to firings and Roseanne assuming principal control of the program. Subsequently, Roseanne bat- Producers tled ABC over its handling of her then -husband Tom Marcy Carsey, Tom Werner, Roseanne Arnold's sitcom, The Jackie Thomas Show Dwarfing these professional controversies was the strife in Roseanne's publicly available personal life. Among Programming History the events that were chronicled in the tabloid press ABC were her tumultuous marriage to and divorce from October 1988-February 1989 Tuesday 8:30-9:00 Arnold (amid accusations of spousal ahuse). her recon- February 1989-September ciliation with the daughter she put up for adoption (an 1994 Tuesday 9:00-9:30 event that was forced by a tabloid newspaper's threat September 1 994-March 1995 Wednesday 9:00-9:30 to reveal the story), her charges of being abused as a March 1995-May 1995 Wednesday 8:00-8:30 child, her struggles with addictions to food and other May 1995-September 1995 Wednesday 9:30- substances, and her misfired parody of the national an- 10:00 them at a baseball game in 1990. September 1995-May 1997 Wednesday 8:00-8:30 JEREMY G. BUTLER

See also Comedy, Domestic Settings; Family on Further Reading

Television; Gender and Television Arnold, Roseanne. My Lives, New York: Ballantine. 1994 Dresner, Zita Z., "Roseanne Barr: Goddess or She -Devil." Jour- nal of American Culture (Summer 1993) Cast Dworkin, Susan. "Roseanne Barr: The Disgruntled Housewife Roseanne Conner Roseanne as Stand-up Comedian," Ms. (July-August 1987) Dan Conner John Goodman Givens. Ron, "A Real Stand-up Mom." Newsweek (October 31, 1988) Becky Conner (1988-92, Klaus, Barbara. "The War of the Roseanne: How I Survived 1995-96) Lecy Goranson Three Months in the Trenches Writing for TV's Sitcom Becky Conner (1993-95; Queen," New York Times (October 22. 1990) 1996-97) Sarah Chalke Lee, Janet, "Subversive Sitcoms: Roseanne as Inspiration for Resistance." Women's An Interdisci- Darlene Conner Sara Gilbert Feminist Studies: plinary Journal (1992) D.J. Jacob) (David Conner Mayerle, Judine, "Roseanne-How Did You Get Inside My (pilot) Sal Barone House? A Case Study of a Hit Blue -Collar Situation Com- D.J. Conner Michael Fishman edy," Journal of Popular Culture (Spring 1991) Jackie Harris Laurie Metcalf Rich, Frank, "What Now My Love," New York Times (March 6. Crystal Anderson (1988-92) Natalie West 1994) Rowe, Kathleen. The Unruly Woman: Gender and Genres of Brooks George Booker (1988-89) Clooney Laughter; Austin: University of Texas Press, 1995 Pete Wilkins (1988-89) Ron Perkins Volk. Patricia, "Really Roseanne," New York Times Magazine Juanita Herrera (1988-89) Evalina Fernandez (August 8. 1993)

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