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S3 E21 Mama with the Golden Arm

Comedy

TV-PG

20 minutes

Feb 27, 1987

Mama emerges as a contender in an arm-wrestling competition and goes up against a biker's equally tough mother.Featuring: Steven A. Fredrick, Kathleen Freeman, Nicholas Worth, Bill Kirchenbauer, Allan Kayser, Beverly Archer, Dorothy Lyman, Ken Berry, Vicki Lawrence

Season 3, 25 Episodes

Mama's Family - Farewell, Frannie

Farewell, Frannie,

Mama's sister, Frannie, has just passed away, and she is determined to give her late sister something she never had a "perfect day." But things soon turn from perfect to terrible as one disaster after another strikes.

Mama's Family - Where There's a Will

Where There's a Will,

Mama discovers Fran is worth $35,000 and stipulates that a portion would be split evenly between Mama, Vint, and Naomi. One stipulation stands between Mama and the money, she has to keep from losing her temper for 2 weeks.

Mama's Family - Best Medicine

Ellen stops by with a gift for Mama and to attempt to once again apologize for missing her Aunt Fran's funeral. Mama refuses to forgive her and throws her out. Later, the family learns that Ellen is in the hospital.

Mama's Family - National Mama

When Mama's dreams start providing the names of winning horses, the family figures they're in the money.

Mama's Family - Soup to Nuts

Mama, Iola and Naomi decide to have a chili cook-off with the winner getting her recipe in the church bazaar cookbook. Vint is choosen, against his will, as the judge of the contest.

Mama's Family - Mama and Dr. Brothers

Mama and Dr. Brothers,

When Vint and Naomi are having trouble in the bedroom, Mama and Iola soon discover exactly what it is when they turn on Good Morning Raytown, and special guest Dr. Joyce Brothers agrees to take a few phone calls live on-air.

Mama's Family - Cat's Meow

Iola is distraught when her cat Midnight dies, although everyone else is thankful. But Iola refuses to let go and nothing can console her---until she decides to have it freeze-dried.

Mama's Family - The Love Letter

The Love Letter,

When Naomi gives Bubba and Vint a love test to see how romantic they are, it turns out Vint is a "cold fish" and Bubba is a "Red Hot Romeo." Vint decides to be more romantic and talks Bubba into writing her a love letter.

Mama's Family - An Ill Wind

In this Thanksgiving episode, Mama, Bubba, Vinton, Naomi, Iola, and Aunt Effie (Dorothy Van) all go for cover in the basement when an unexpected tornado passes by Raytown.

Mama's Family - Steal One, Pearl Two

Steal One, Pearl Two,

When Iola's beloved pearls have mysteriously disappeared, she is quick to accuse Bubba, who comes in with a brand new drum set.

Mama's Family - Where There's Smoke

Where There's Smoke,

Mama wants to be named President of the Church Ladies League, so she invites the Reverend and Alberta Meechum to dinner. It's just then that Bubba sees in the newspaper that one of his former inmates at Juvenile Hall has escaped

Mama's Family - Fly Naomi

Unhappy with the rut she's gotten into, Naomi decides to make a change and arrives home with the news that, after seeing an ad in the paper, she's decided to attend school to train as a flight attendant.

Mama's Family - Santa Mama

Vinton is chosen to play Santa at the Raytown Mall. However, with too much practice, he loses his voice! So Mama fills in the last second as Santa Claus.

Mama's Family - Desperately Seeking Anyone

Desperately Seeking Anyone,

Mama and Naomi's plan to find a date for Iola backfires when the date is more interested in Mama.

Mama's Family - Porn Again

Mama is appalled when she finds a girlie magazine under Bubba's bed while cleaning. When it's revealed that Naomi sold it to him, Iola, Mama, Aunt Effie, and Pearl form MOP (Mothers Opposing Pornography), and set out to boycott.

Mama's Family - Have It Mama's Way

Have It Mama's Way,

Attempting to raise money for a trip to Hawaii, Mama talks her way into working at the same burger joint where Bubba has recently been hired.

Mama's Family - Birthright

An anonymous letter convinces Vinton that he's adopted, so he sets out to find his biological mother... on Mother's Day.

Mama's Family - Grandma USA

Mama is surprised to learn she was entered in the Grandma USA contest by Bubba. She is reluctant to compete but changes her mind when she finds out the grand prize is a dream kitchen, complete with a self-cleaning oven.

Mama's Family - Buck Private Bubba

Buck Private Bubba,

Vint's former Army sergeant comes to town on a recruiting trip and he and Vint go out for a night of beers. Taking some advice from the Sargent he enlists in the military after being dumped by his girlfriend, to Mama's dismay.

Mama's Family - Mama's Cousin

Mama's worldly cousin (Vicki Lawrence in a dual role) annoys Mama with her lifestyle and her never-ending stories. (Note: Dorothy Lyman does not appear in this episode.)

Mama's Family - Mama with the Golden Arm

Mama with the Golden Arm,

Mama emerges as a contender in an arm-wrestling competition and goes up against a biker's equally tough mother.

Mama's Family - It Takes Two to Watusi

It Takes Two to Watusi,

Naomi's best friend Luann has just been divorced and Naomi wants to set her up with a friend of hers for a double date with her and Vint. When Luann's date cancels, Naomi suggests Bubba stand in, much to Mama's chagrin.

Mama's Family - Fangs a Lot, Mama

Fangs a Lot, Mama,

Vint announces he's been invited to join The Mystical Order of the Cobra, a local Men's club. Mama, not wanting Vint to make it in, sabotages him, leaving it up to her to save him from humiliation during the ceremony.

Mama's Family - The Best Policy

The Best Policy,

Vint announces that Naomi is the sole beneficiary of his $20,000 life insuracne policy, much to Mama's dismay. Following the announcment, Vint starts having a number of suspicious accidents.

Mama's Family - After the Fall

After the Fall,

Aunt Effie is in the hospital, after she falls re-shingling the roof of her house. Mama thinks she's is just in shock, and needs to be around the family.

Details

Mama's Family

Comedy

TV-PG

6 Seasons

20 minutes

Thelma Harper and her spinster sister Fran open their home to Thelma's recently divorced son Vinton and his teenage son and daughter. It's quite an adjustment for everyone, especially the cranky, argumentative Thelma.

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