The Nanny Cast & Character Guide

The Nanny Cast & Character Guide

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Now on HBO Max, CBS’ The Nanny was one of the most-watched sitcoms of the 1990s. Here’s a quick guide to The Nanny cast and their characters.

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The Nanny Cast & Character Guide

Because it’s getting a new lease on life via HBO Max, let’s take a look back at The Nanny cast and their characters. Classic ’90s sitcom The Nanny aired for six seasons and over 140 episodes on CBS between 1993 and 1999 and was the show that made star Fran Drescher a household name. Co-created with her then-husband Peter Marc Jacobson, The Nanny was partly inspired by a trip Drescher took to London to visit her former Princesses co-star Twiggy. After spending a lot of time with the British model-actress’ kids, Drescher got the idea for a show riffing on The Sound Of Music but with her as a nanny instead of some Julie Andrews type.

And so The Nanny was born, with Drescher starring as Fran – the loud-mouthed nanny to the three children of a stuffy British widower and Broadway producer living in Manhattan’s Upper East Side. It was a role that scored Drescher two Golden Globe nominations while The Nanny ranked as one of the most-watched sitcoms of its time.

The Nanny’s popularity has only persisted across the decades. Frequently the subject of revival and reboot rumors, a stage musical adaptation was announced as in the works in 2020. In 2021, The Nanny found a new lease on life (and reached an entirely new generation) via the HBO Max streaming service. Released in its entirety, the heart and humor of the main cast delighted new fans as much as it did those nostalgically revisiting it 20 years later. Here’s a recap of The Nanny cast and the characters they played.

Fran Drescher as Fran Fine

The Nanny Cast & Character Guide

Fran Drescher played Fran Fine who, after being dumped by her boyfriend and boss, stumbles into a job as nanny to three kids. An outgoing, working-class Jewish woman with a heart of gold and a heavy Queens accent, Fran is the polar opposite of her new employer Maxwell but soon becomes an indispensable part of the family.

Charles Shaughnessy as Maxwell Sheffield

The Nanny Cast & Character Guide

Stuffy British Broadway producer Maxwell Sheffield is a widower whose busy schedule leads to him hire Fran to look after his three kids. Maxwell was played by British actor Charles Shaughnessy whose recent credits include a four-episode stint as Christopher Plover on The Magicians.

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Nicholle Tom as Maggie Sheffield

The Nanny Cast & Character Guide

Nicholle Tom played Maxwell’s eldest child Margaret ‘Maggie’ Sheffield, an initially shy and awkward teen who came out of her shell under Fran’s guardianship. Outside of The Nanny, Tom is best known for her role as Ryce Newton in the first two Beethoven movies.

Benjamin Salisbury as Brighton Sheffield

The Nanny Cast & Character Guide

Mischievous middle child Brighton often felt left out as the only male sibling in the Sheffield brood which caused a lot of squabbles with his sisters. Brighton was played by Benjamin Salisbury who largely left acting behind after The Nanny bar bit roles on shows including Numb3rs.

Madeline Zima as Grace Sheffield

The Nanny Cast & Character Guide

Although Madeline Zima is best known for her roles on Californication and Heroes, it was The Nanny that gave the actress her first regular TV gig. She played Grace, the youngest of the Sheffield kids who forms a close bond with Fran.

Daniel Davis as Niles

The Nanny Cast & Character Guide

American actor Daniel Davis played the Sheffield family’s loyal British butler and chauffeur Niles. His English accent was so convincing many viewers thought it more authentic than his co-star Charles Shaughnessy – who actually was British. Davis also used his on-point British accent when he played Professor Moriarty on Star Trek: The Next Generation.

Lauren Lane as C.C. Babcock

The Nanny Cast & Character Guide

Rounding out the main cast of The Nanny was Lauren Lane who played C.C. Babcock, Maxwell’s long-time business partner who has a rivalry with butler Niles and sees Fran as a threat.

The Nanny’s Recurring Cast and Characters

The Nanny Cast & Character Guide

Renée Taylor as Sylvia Fine: Also played by Drescher in earlier season flashbacks, Sylvia was Fran’s voracious, sometimes-overbearing mother. Taylor assumed the role for 94 episodes and also enjoyed multiple appearances on How I Met Your Mother.

Ann Morgan Guilbert as Yetta Rosenberg Jones: Yetta was Fran’s hilariously forgetful grandmother. With a long and storied career that continued right up until her passing, Guilbert was ultimately equally best known for playing Millie Helper on The Dick Van Dyke Show.

Rachel Chagall as Valerie “Val” Toriello: Val was Fran’s often-dimwitted and loyal best friend. The character being unlucky in love served as one of The Nanny’s running gags. Despite a career that even included early awards recognition, Chagall retired from acting shortly after The Nanny concluded.

The Nanny’s Notable Guest-Stars

Giving even Friends a run for its money, the six seasons of The Nanny amassed a wide range of famous guest stars. Some played original characters. Others, meanwhile, played versions of themselves associated with Maxwell Sheffield through his productions. Here’s a list of the most substantial among them:

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Ray Charles: For four episodes, the legendary musician played Sammy – a love interest of Fran’s grandmother.

Pamela Anderson: The Baywatch star featured in multiple episodes as Heather Biblow-Imperiali, a foolish nemesis of Fran’s.

Dan Akroyd: The classic comedian and Ghostbusters star appeared in The Nanny season 1 as a ridiculous repairman called upon to fix the Sheffields’ broken fridge.

Elton John: The iconic musician played himself, serving as a hilariously bizarre obstacle on Fran and Maxwell’s first date in The Nanny season 5, episode 2, “First Date.”

Celine Dion: The acclaimed singer played herself in The Nanny season 4, episode 26, “Fran’s Gotta Have It.”

Hugh Grant: The acclaimed actor played himself in The Nanny season 4, episode 4, “The Rosie Show.”

James Marsden: Early in his career, the popular X-Men franchise actor played Eddie, a boyfriend of Maggie’s, for two episodes of The Nanny season 1.

Whoopi Goldberg: The Oscar-winning actress played a character named Edna in The Nanny season 5, episode 20, “The Pre-Nup” and then a version of herself in The Nanny season 6, episode 8, “Making Whoopi.”

Bette Midler: The veteran performer played herself hosting a charity auction in The Nanny season 4, episode 23, “You Bette Your Life.”

Chevy Chase: The Saturday Night Live and Community alum (as himself) bonded with Fran over a poker game in The Nanny season 5, episode 6, “A Decent Proposal.”

Roseanne Barr: The controversial actress and comedian played Fran’s cousin, Sheila, in The Nanny season 5, episode 1, “The Morning After.”

Jon Stewart: The actor and former host of The Daily Show played a love interest of Fran’s that turned out to be his cousin in The Nanny season 4, episode 13, “Kissing Cousins.”

Ray Romano: The comedic actor reprised his Everybody Loves Raymond character, revealed to be a former classmate of Fran’s and linking the two shows.

Donald Trump: The former President also played himself in The Nanny season 4, episode 4, “The Rosie Show.”

They weren’t alone, however, with dozens more – including every chatshow host from Jay Leno and David Letterman to Sally Jessy Raphael – making an appearance. Fans can now watch all 140 episodes of The Nanny through HBO Max and see if they can spot them all.

Link Source : https://screenrant.com/nanny-show-cast-character-guide/

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