Sitcoms Online Photo Galleries - Hiller And Diller:: Cast Photo

Hiller And Diller aired from September 1997 until March 1998 on ABC.

A mismatched pair of comedy writers mixed work and home life in this short-lived sitcom, which was co-produced by Ron Howard. Ted and Neil ( Kevin Nealon, Richard Lewis), had been writing partners for 15 years, longer than either of them had been married, but they could not have been more different.Ted was the goofy but dedicated dad, devoted to his wife Jeanne( Jordan Baker), and their 3 kids: brainy tween Lizzie( Faryn Einhon), spunky Josh( Jonathan Osser), and cute little Allison( Jill Berard). Neil, on the other hand , was a self-centered world-class neurotic whose second marriage was on the rocks. For some reason, he got custody of his 2 troublemaking kids, chubby teen operator Zane ( Kyle Sabihy), and sexpot Brooke ( Allison Mack), and boy did he need help. With Ted's guidance and Jeanne's reluctant help, somehow he got along. Gordon ( Eugene Levy), was the loud, sarcastic boss who tried to get some work out of the pair at the office.

A Review from Variety

Hiller and Diller
(ABC, Tues. Sept. 23, 9:30 p.m)
By RAY RICHMOND

Filmed in Los Angeles by Imagine Television in association with Touchstone Television. Executive producers, Brian Grazer, Ron Howard, Tony Krantz, Lowell Ganz, Babaloo Mandel, Tracy Newman, Jonathan Stark; producer, Stephen C. Grossman; writers, Ganz, Mandel; director, Gil Junger;

Cast: Richard Lewis, Kevin Nealon, Jordan Baker, Alison Mack, Kyle Sabihy, Jillian Berard, Faryn Einhorn, Jonathan Osser, Danny Zorn, Bodhi Pine Elfman, Eugene Levy.

Brought into existence by the Imagine team of Brian Grazer and Ron Howard and their house writers Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel (who penned the premiere), "Hiller and Diller" isn't so much a sitcom as it is a stream-of-consciousness diversion.
One minute, Hiller is hanging with his loving clan. The next, he's extricating Diller from a Mexican jail for reasons that remain foggy. Both of these guys are nebbishes in their own unique ways, but their interaction lacks focus. There's nothing much solid to grab onto, no real reason to care about them.

Effectively stealing the opening stanza is "SCTV" vet Eugene Levy --- so hilarious in the underappreciated "Waiting for Guffman" --- as the unctuous network executive whose mission in life is to browbeat Hiller and Diller into something resembling productive members of the Writers Guild. Fat chance, bucko.

When Levy isn't around to harass and amuse, the show hangs like limp fettucini. Maybe it would help if we could hear how these comedy writers actually write.

Of course, "Hiller and Diller" should pack 'em in anyway. It's been blessed with ABC's prime opening, Tuesdays between "Home Improvement" and "NYPD Blue." Some neurotics have all the luck.

Tech credits are uniformly sharp.

A Review From The New York Times

New TV Season in Review
Print Save

By CARYN JAMES
Published: September 23, 1997

Two Comedy Writers,
One Happy, One Frazzled

'Hiller and Diller'
ABC, tonight at 9:30
(Channel 7 in New York)

The title is awful, but that turns out to be the worst thing about ''Hiller and Diller.'' Kevin Nealon and Richard Lewis bring a surprising, gentle charm to this series about an odd-couple team of comedy writers. Mr. Nealon is Hiller, the happily married, loving father of three. Mr. Lewis plays Diller as his trademark frazzled neurotic, with something new to kvetch about: he is a single father with two children who have unfathomably managed to stay out of juvenile detention homes. ''Just pretend you're watching the Addams Family,'' Hiller tells his daughter when the Diller children visit.

The friendly interplay between the actors is already smooth, as the series focuses on small moments at home, at the office, and in this episode in a Mexican prison, where Diller lands after his second wife maneuvers a quickie divorce.

The series is written by Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel, known for warm rather than uproarious family-centered movies like ''City Slickers'' and ''Parenthood.'' Those films eventually become gooey with sentiment, a danger that already looms here as Hiller shows Diller how to become a better father. It would be too bad if the Lewis character revealed his soft side too soon; he provides the rough edge that gives the show its comic promise.

For Kevin Nealon's official site go to http://www.kevinnealon.com/

For Richard Lewis's Official Website go to http://www.richardlewisonline.com/

For Allison Mack's official website go to http://www.allisonmack.com/

For another Allison Mack Website go to http://allisonmackweb.com/