Sitcoms Online Photo Galleries - Nick Freno: Licensed Teacher: Mitch Mullany

Nick Freno: Licensed Teacher aired from August 1996 until July 1998 on The WB.

Nick ( Mitch Mullany) was an aspiring young actor who worked as a substitute English teacher at the Gerald R. Ford Middle School to pay the bills until he got his big break. Among the kids in his 5th grade class were Orlando ( Jonathan Hernandez), the smart shy boy; Tyler ( Ross Malinger), the operator who rarely did his homework; Jared ( Arjay Smith), Tyler's partner in crime; Sarah ( Cara DeLizia), the intellectual; and Davey ( Kyle Gibson), who liked to play the sax. Nick, whose frenetic teaching style included running question and answer sessions like game shows, was attracted to Elena ( Portia de Rossi), the perky, dedicated social studies teacher. Other teachers on staff were Mezz( Played by Reggie Hayes in the pilot and Clinton Jackson in the series), his childhood friend, now a science teacher; Al ( Charles Cyphers), the cynical shop teacher who had seen it all; and Kurt ( Stuart Pankin), the obnoxious gym teacher who eventually became assistant principal. At the end of the first season, after having bailed out on a short-lived relationship with Nick earlier in the season, Elena rekindled their romance.

When the show returned for it's second season there were major changes. Nick was a full time teacher-at the same school that was now, magically a high school-and Elena had dumpted him and left town. He was stuck with a class full of misfits and had to deal with a new principal, Dr. Emerson ( Jane Sibbett), an intellectual who had trouble dealing with miscreant students and little patience for Nick's sense of humor. Among his new students were Sophia ( Christina Vidal), a sexy sexpot who wasn't as worldly wise as she thought; Miles ( Giuseppe Andrews), the neurotic foil for most of his classmates; Marco ( Andrew Levitas), the overage hunk who was still in school because he hadn't graduated with his class; Jordan ( Blake Horan), an older operator along the lines of Tyler from the first season; and Tasha ( Malinda Williams), an opinionated girl who didn't want her blue collar classmates to know that her father was an investment banker and her mother a real estate agent. In the spring Nick started dating Samantha ( Donna D'Errico), the sexy supervisor in his apartment building.

A Review From The New York Times

by Caryn James
Published August 28,1996

If the title ''Nick Freno: Licensed Teacher'' seems to echo ''Ace Ventura: Pet Detective,'' that's only the beginning of the Jim Carrey influence. As Nick Freno, an actor who takes a job as a substitute teacher at the Gerald R. Ford Middle School, Mitch Mullany explodes into game-show parodies and impressions in class. You can hear him straining for that manic Carrey voice when he introduces himself to the students, saying, ''My name is Mr. Freno but I like it when you call me Big Papa!''

These outbursts are only sporadically funny. And even when they work, they can't begin to overcome the show's stale concept. In tonight's episode, Nick cancels lunch with a poor boy in his class so he can go to an acting audition. Will Nick learn to be a real teacher and make it up to little Orlando? Are there really two possible answers to that question

Here is Mitch Mullany's Obituary from Variety
Published on May 30, 2008

Comedian Mitch Mullany dies at 39
Starred in 'Nick Freno: Licenced Teacher'
By VARIETY STAFF

Comic Mitch Mullany died May 25 in Los Angeles from a diabetic-related stroke. He was 39.
A memorial service will be held Sunday, June 8 at 2 p.m. at the Laugh Factory in Los Angeles.

Born in Oakland, Calif., Mullany started his standup career in the Bay Area and then appeared on "The Wayans Brothers" as White Mike. He starred in his own WB Network show "Nick Freno: Licensed Teacher," and in 1999 wrote and starred in feature film "The Breaks," released by Artisan Ent.

He appeared in feature film "The Sweetest Thing" and then hosted ABC reality series "All American Girl."

Mullany also appeared on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno."

For more on Nick Frene: Licensed Teacher go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nick_Freno:_Licensed_Teacher

For an episode listing go to http://www.contrib.andrew.cmu.edu/~aaron2/wb/titles/nickfreno1.html

To see a video clip go to http://www.alexandraadams.com/nickfreno.htm

To watch a promo from Nick Freno go to http://youtube.com/watch?v=i_4L7spua4s