DUMB AND DUMBER/ABC/1995 (Intellectually Challenged)
*(Voices of Bill Fagerbakke & Matt Frewer) Harry Christmas & Lloyd
Dunne, two brainless losers who drive around the country in their
Dogmobile. The animated series was based on the feature film Dumb
and Dumber (1994) starring Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels. The movies
tagline read: "For Harry and Lloyd every day is a no-brainer."
ER/NBC/1994-2009 (Bi-polar Depressive & Mentally Challenged)
**(Sally Field) Maggie Wyczenski, the bi-polar mother of Chicago ER
nurse Abby Lockhart. Abby was a former medical student who quit
medical school one year shy of graduating and took a job as an ER
nurse. Her mother's character, Maggie first appeared on episode "The
Visit (a.k.a. I loved you , God, How I loved You") on November 16,
2002 when Maggie - now off of her medication for her bi-polar
condition - unexpectedly visits Abby at her work and ups the stress
level in Abby's already stressful existence as a recovering
alcoholic. Sally Field's remarkable portrayal of a person with a
bi-polar condition earned her an Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actress
in a Drama Series. Field continued her recurring role as Maggie
Wyczenski in episode No.140 "Rescue Me" on November 23, 2002);
No.144 "The Dance We Do" (a.k.a. Rapid Cycling) on December 7th,
2002; episode No.155 "Sailing Away" on April 21, 2001 when Maggie
runs off to Oklahoma, locks herself in a motel room and later
attempts suicide with sleeping pills); episode No.156 "Fear of
Commitment" on May, 3, 2001 when Abby goes to court and successfully
argues a 90-day psych hold for her mother; episode No.157 "Where the
Heart Is" (a.k.a. Taking Care, a.k.a. Mea Culpa) on May 10, 2001
when Maggie announces plans to move back to her birthplace of
Minneapolis while Abby confesses to Maggie that she was once
pregnant but had an abortion for fear the child might have a bipolar
condition); episode No.169 "Beyond Repair" (un-credited voice only);
and episode No.188 "First Snowfall" on November 21, 2002. Abby's
brother Eric, an Air Force air-traffic controller seems to be
exhibiting signs of depression (PDSD - Prolonged Duress Stress
Disorder, a precursor to PTSD - Post Traumatic Distress Disorder).
His condition (and his resulting AWOL) won him a discharge from the
service. He only looks normal because he takes his medications. Both
Abby and her mother Maggie showed up to lend him support during his
discharge proceedings. Where Eric will go and how he will accept his
condition are still up in the air. It's like being in AA. Before
Eric can get better, he must first want to help himself.
**(Marcello Thedford) Leon, a mentally deficient 27-year-old
African-American brother of Chicago-based Dr Gregory Pratt (Mekhi
Phifer) Dr. Pratt has looked after and cared for Leon since the man
had a head injury on the streets of Detroit. Before the accident,
Pratt's mom had taken Leon into their house when he was only
nine-years-old. Although Leon can be as sweet and as lovely as a
small child, his strength and large beefy physique can make him an
ominous foe when he gets excited or becomes violent. Dr. Pratt keeps
Leon a secret from his colleagues at Cook County General because he
is too proud to ask for help. Despite Pratt's advise for Leon to
stay in the apartment and out of trouble, the easily-duped Leon gets
involved with street gang members who were just using Leon. As
Doctor Pratt confided to a medical colleague "I try to keep him out
of trouble but he wants his own friends. He wants to be cool. But
they talk him into doing things." On one occasion Pratt came home to
find Leon knifed and seriously bleeding. When upset Leon yells for
"G," his nickname for Dr. Gregory Pratt. Once Leon left the
apartment and got lost. He remembered that Dr. Pratt worked at the
hospital and showed up looking for him. Frantically yelling "G!",
Leon wandered the halls of the emergency department, while many
onlookers, not knowing his mental condition, just thought he was a
crazy guy. Security guards called to subdue Leon, soon learned what
a handful he could be. Luckily, Dr. Pratt arrived in time to ease
the situation and then took Leon home. When luckless Leon was fired
from his menial job for stealing, once again Dr. Pratt went to bat
for him. But when Leon and a friend were involved in the shooting of
cop, and Leon cried "I'm sorry "G". I don't want to go to jail,"
Pratt sent Leon away to his Aunt Rose in Baltimore. The Leon
character debuted on the ninth season episode "Dead Again" that
aired 10/03/2002.
FEELING FREE/PBS/1978 (Various Handicaps)
*30-Minute educational series designed to ease "mainstreaming" of
handicapped children into normal school systems and life. It
featured regulars performing in studios and on location.
JUST SHOOT ME/NBC/1997-2003 (Fakes Mental Retardation)
**(David Cross) Donnie, a full-grown man who fakes his childlike
"slowness" to get his family to wait on him hand and foot. Donny
spends his day's watching TV, and rambling such silly phrases as
"Chicken pot, chicken pot, chicken pot pie-e-e-e-e!" and "My doggie
smiles with his tail." When Donnie's older brother, Elliott (Enrico
Colantoni) invited a beautiful coworker named Maya Gallo (Laura San
Giacomo) to a family get together, Donny approached her, revealed
his ruse and then hit on her for a date while whispering in
confidence "This is the sweetest scam in the world." Donnie's
affliction began when he was 18-years-old and only one day away from
starting his job at the plant. To keep from accepting life's
responsibilities, he faked a head injury by falling out of a tree
while looking for a Frisbee tossed by Elliott (who blames himself
for the accident). After Donnie's deception is finally uncovered, he
sighs "Crap now I got to get a job." Donnie tried to become normal
and even got a job selling insurance. But the pressure got to him
and he again faked incapacitation after being hit over the head. Now
his mother feigns over him and Donnie is just loving it. He
rationalized taking advantage of his mother because she needs to be
needed.
KATE & ALLIE/CBS/1984-89 (Mentally Retarded)
**(Michael Countryman) Louis, a slightly retarded young man
befriended by Chip Lowell (Frederick Koehler) early in the 1986
season of this popular sitcom set in Greenwich Village, New York
City. Louis was found living in an abandoned building after his
mother had died. Louis loved TV and often quoted phrases from the
PRICE IS RIGHT. Kate & Allie helped Louis find shelter at the
Waverly House, a home that assisted the mentally handicapped. Later
in the series Louis found a girlfriend named Catherine (Deidre
O'Connell) who worked at a ceramic shop. The KATE & ALLIE series was
honored by the Special Olympics Committee for creating an awareness
of the mentally retarded.
