The Tracey Ullman Show is an American television variety show, hosted by British-born actress and onetime pop singer Tracey Ullman. It debuted on April 5, 1987 as the Fox network's second primetime series after Married... with Children (1987–1997), and ran until May 26, 1990. The show is produced by Gracie Films and 20th Century Fox Television. The show blended sketch comedy shorts with many musical numbers, featuring choreography by Paula Abdul. The show also produced The Simpsons shorts before it spun off into its own show, which was also produced by Gracie Films and 20th Century Fox Television.
Episodes
Runtime: 30m
...AND GOD CREATED TILLMAN; Ginny becomes jealous when she finds out that her ex-husband Lawrence is seeing a younger, more attractive Italian woman named Mae (Isabella Rossellini). A RARE TALENT; Jinx Haber (Tracey Ullman) auditions for the lead part in the Broadway show of Peter Pan for she has the real gift of flying.
Runtime: 30m
MY DATE WITH IL DUCE; An elderly Italian lady (Isabella Rossellini) tells her about-to-be-married granddaughter (Tracey Ullman) about a time in 1920 Italy when she had a fling with future dictator Benito Mussolini (Dan Castellaneta). THE WRONG MESSAGE; Nervous Faith Dunn (Tracey Ullman) leaves an outrageously silly message on the answering machine of a man she just met. THE THRILL IS GONE; Brenda and her new boyfriend, Brock (Dan Castellaneta), are bungee jumping off a bridge when Brock reveals his decision to break up with her.
Runtime: 30m
DA ME LA MANO; At a New York beauty shop, a customer (Tracey Ullman) tells the manicurist (Julie Kavner) about her boyfriend and the manicurist reveals that she had the same boyfriend that jilted her weeks earlier. NEEDLE IN A HAYSTACK; Doc (special guest star Martin Short), a die-hard Elvis Presley fan, is on a diner date with his girl (Tracey Ullman) when he shows off his singing talents as Elvis Presley to impress her.
Runtime: 30m
THE FINAL POLKA; At a traditional Slavic wedding reception, Staush (Dan Castellaneta) thinks about getting an annulment, until his new eccentric wife Maja (Tracey Ullman), shows him that she can be fun. SERMON ON THE MOUND; During a major league baseball game, catcher Louise (Dan Castellaneta) and pitcher George (Sam McMurray) discuss their problems with each other regarding their troubled friendship. MY BABY; While waiting to see a doctor, three overdue pregnant women (Tracey Ullman, Julie Kavner and special guest star Marilu Henner) talk about their babies, sing and dance for excitement and go into labor in the process.
Runtime: 30m
THE CO-OP; Dave and William attend a co-op meeting with three apartment residents who will decide if they will be fit to move into their new apartment. The residents includ: Emily Davis, a blind woman (Julie Kavner); Ann B. Cooper (Tracey Ullman), an elderly, eccentric woman with lots of cats; and Frederick Bolt (Harold Sylvester), a conservative business type. THE MAN WHO GOT AWAY; Dr. Gibson tries not to let go of Raymond Mead (Sam McMurray), an egomanical businessman who is thinking about becoming a patient of his. PARALLEL EXISTENCE (MY BETTER WHOLE); A donut shop waitress (Julie Kavner) meets her wealthy double (Tracey Ullman) from a parallel universe who tells her that her life can be better.
Runtime: 30m
TWO TIME LOSERS; In a California law courtroom, singer Gulliver Dark and British society woman Benita Growen (Tracey Ullman) are called to testify against the businessman (Joe Malone) who embezzled all of Dark's wealth and who cheated on Benita. THE GATE; A Southern belle (Tracey Ullman) talks on a intercom outside the front gate of a Hollywood mansion in order to get in to see her idol Steven Spielberg.
Runtime: 30m
THE CRISIS; Gary and Joanie seek counseling from Reverend Grayling (special guest star George Coe) to settle a crisis when Gary finds out that she has dyed her hair red and Joanie reveals that Gary is a cross-dresser. THE BALTIMORE STOOPS; Jo Jo (Tracey Ullman), a Jewish Baltimore teen, argues with her long-widowed father (special guest star Michael Tucker) after he begins to see another woman which makes Jo Jo very resentful to him.
Runtime: 30m
BY STUFF POSSESSED; Compulsive shopper Sheila (Tracey Ullman), attends a Shopper's Anonymous meeting where the chairperson (special guest star Carole King) and other fellow shoppers talk and sing to her to make her give up her compulsive spending. THE HOLLAND TUNNEL OF LOVE; Tony (Dan Castellaneta) brings his girlfriend Robin over for dinner at the home of his Jersey City parents, Big Tony and Rosalie (special guest star Robert Costanzo and Tracey Ullman), who constantly argue with each other.
Runtime: 30m
POWER PLAY; TV director Lisa (Tracey Ullman) argues with 12-year old actress Terrt, who complains that she does not like her work in her series. BREAK UP; Sara and Greg finally decide to separate after a hostile argument at Max's school when they visit Max's art teacher Miss Clark, who knows about their marital troubles from Max's paintings. SOMETHING COOL; Lonely lady Julie (Tracey Ullman) sings what she wants to drink at a late night bar on a hot summer night.
Runtime: 30m
LOOK BACK IN ANXIETY; A retropsective episode where Dr. Gibson visits a wealthy neurotic publisher (Tracey Ullman) to ask her to publish his book about his many patients.
Runtime: 30m
67: KAY'S GIFT; Kay insists to Mr. Leroy that he open his Christmas gift from her to see what Kay means to him. MERRY CATNIP; Ann B. Cooper spends Christmas Eve alone in her apartment penthouse with her many cats after her father calls to tell her that he is not coming. TWO LOST SOULS; On New Year's Day, Barbara (Tracey Ullman) wakes up in Jesse Walker's (special guest star Keanu Reeves) bed after a wild New Year's Eve party the night before where the teenager proposed and married her. SIMPSON XMAS; [repeat from last season] Bart recites his version of ""Night Before Christmas"" theme while waiting to open his presents.
Runtime: 30m
GINNY'S SECOND CHANCE; Ginny gets a second chance in life when a wealthy plastic surgeon named Edgar Schneider (Sam McMurray), proposes marriage in exchange for her to undergo a complete face lift. MARIA AND THE MISTER; Maria spends time talking with Mr. Brenna (special guest star Kelsey Grammar) who tells her of his own loneliness and unhappily married life.
Runtime: 30m
I'M DATING A CORPORATE LAWYER; Sara Downey tells her marriage counselor about the time in 1977 when Greg and her first met at a law office where she worked as a secretary and found that they had a lot in common. A GINNY NOCTURNE; A desperate Ginny beds down with Tony, a non-English speaking Italian pool man and tells him of her dull life. DAWG DAY AFTERNOON; Lou (special guest star Martin Short) is a Cleveland football fan who's nagging wife (Tracey Ullman) tells him not to go to a Cleveland Dawg's game with his friend Arnie (Sam McMurray) because he should spend the afternoon with her.
Runtime: 30m
DUE DILIGENCE; Hollywood movie director Buzz Schlanger (special guest star Mel Brooks), tries to control himself when attractive movie actress Miranda Kentner (Tracey Ullman), comes to his office to ask him to cast her in a major movie role. YOU CALL THAT A DRESS?; Madonna-like punk Teresa (Tracey Ullman) gets a visit from the ghost of her father (Dan Castellaneta) at his own funeral who complains that he does not like the dress she is wearing, and also to ask for forgiveness from her in order to get into heaven.
Runtime: 30m
THE WORD; Francesca visits newspaper publisher Sheldon Moss (special guest star Bill Pullman) to complain of a single word (plain) describing her in a newspaper article as a great writer. THE FEE; Brenda is unwilling to pay Dr. Gibson the new fee of $100 per session, unless he validates her parking. THE SELL; Psychotic saleswoman Daniela Greenback (Tracey Ullman), visits Kevin Patten (Joe Malone), the general manager of a TV station, in his office and threatens to kill herself if he doesn't buy the product she is trying to sell.
Runtime: 30m
CREATIVE DIFFERENCES; Sandra meets Virginia Winslow (special guest star Glen Close), a rival movie actress of hers from the old times, who is to star with her in a new movie about two rival sisters. JINX HABER REVISITED; Jinx Haber's new cab driver boyfriend Howard Cramer (Dan Castellaneta) is amazed that she can fly. TEA; English tea tasters Penelope and Lloyd (Tracey Ullman and Dan Castellenta) taste types of tea to serve at an upcoming party while discovering romance with each other.
Runtime: 30m
GINNY EATS ESCROW; Ginny tries to sell Lawrence and Mae a fancy house that is on wretched land to get even with them. Fails, but witnesses their first fight and make up. I HATE PARIS; When Dave goes to Paris for a week on a business trip, William becomes angry and alone, so Francesca tries to cheer him up.
Runtime: 30m
THE DREAM IS OVER; A retropsective episode where Sara Dowey has her kitchen redone and tells her contractor Burk (Sam McMurray) all about her hightlights with Greg before their separation.
Runtime: 30m
HIGH SCHOOL SWEETHEARTS; At a 1990 alumni party for a high school graduation class of 1929, Rose (Tracey Ullman) meets her old love Matthew (Sam McMurray), and they decide to make up for lost time, until Ruth's 103-year old father (Dan Castellaneta) finds out. DEAR TAXPAYER; Andrew (Dan Castellaneta), being audited for his taxes, meets his cold-hearted, estranged mother (Tracey Ullman) who works as a IRS agent and who has no qualms about her son who owes $60,000. ME, MYSELF & I; Hollywood actor Hart Mortel (Sam McMurray) and actress Miranda Kentner (Tracey Ullman) wake up in bed in a fancy hotel room and realize that they have been together all day and not even knowing about it for they are both self-involved with their own problems.
Runtime: 30m
THE HORMONAL CONVERSION; Dr. Gibson's mentor (Tracey Ullman) pays another visit, revealing that she is now a man named Hans after a sex change operation. WHO IS HE?; Henpecked, New York doorman Jimmy (special guest star John Ashton), returning home from work, asks a depressed girl (Tracey Ullman) outside his apartment building who is the boyfriend that dumped her. FACE THE MUSIC; Chorus dancer Andy (Joe Malone) asks Miss Alexander (Tracey Ullman), the veteran lead dancer in the play he is in, to dance with him backstage in a nostalgic dance sequence.
Runtime: 30m
HER FIRST GROWNUP; When Dave and William go out for the evening, Francesca tries to come on-to stereo repairman Jimmy, who happens by, and she questions her feelings when Dave and William come back and catch them in the act. DAISY'S DECLINE; Restaurant owner Daisy (Tracey Ullman) slips into a degenerate decline of stuffing her face after her husband/cook Helmouth (Sam McMurray), leaves her to open up his own restaurant.
Runtime: 30m
UNDER THE BOUNDING MAIN; Angel and Marty Tish are on a cruse ship to the South Pacific when they meet Gulliver Dark, who happens to be Marty's former singing partner (now rival) from the old days. ARMS CONTROL; After Rosalie kills a burglar with a gun, Big Tony descends into fear thinking she may one day kill him with the gun.
Runtime: 30m
MODERN MATURITY; Roz's long-suffering husband Leonard (Sam McMurray), tries to get more attention from her by playing sick. SPIES; Moscow, USSR. Russian spy Nadia Turkcanov (Tracey Ullman) feels compassion for her next target: American spy Toni Conners (Julie Kavner). BASEBALL WIVES; At a major league baseball game, new baseball wife Sandy (Tracey Ullman) meets other attractive, but dumb wives of other major league baseball players, all of them with the same name of Cindy, who go through dull days of watching their husbands play.
Runtime: 30m
Fourth season highlight special. Featured sketches: ""Tea"", ""Power Play"", ""Two Time Losers"", ""...And God Created Tillman"", ""Something Cool"", ""Creative Differences"", ""I Hate Paris"", ""Due Diligence""
