Tracey Takes On...

Tracey Takes On...
File:Traceytitle.jpg Still from opening title sequence (1997-99)
Genre	Comedy Sketch comedy Mockumentary
Created by	Allan McKeown Tracey Ullman
Written by	Tracey Ullman Jerry Belson Dick Clement Ian La Frenais Gail Parent Molly Newman George McGrath Allen J. Zipper Jenji Kohan Robert Klane Kim Fuller Tony Sheehan
Directed by	Thomas Schlamme Don Scardino Michael McKean Michael Lange Simon Curtis Nicola Pecorini Dennie Gordon
Starring	Tracey Ullman
Opening theme	"Out of My Head" (Season 1) "They Don't Know"
Composers	Richard Gibbs Randy Kerber Philip Giffin Steve Hampton
Country of origin	United States
No. of seasons	4
No. of episodes	65 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers	Tracey Ullman Allan McKeown
Producers	Carey Dietrich Dick Clement Ian La Frenais Stephanie Laing Gail Parent Allen J. Zipper Allan McKeown Tracey Ullman Jerry Belson Molly Newman Jenji Kohan Robert Klane George McGrath Thomas Schlamme Jamie Lynn Arsenault Kevin Berg Kim Fuller Sandra McKerroll Tony Sheehan Tom Sherren
Production locations	Los Angeles, California The Culver Studios
Cinematography	Mauro Fiore Lucas Bielan Nicola Pecorini
Editors	Tammis Chandler Simeon Hutner Barry Dresner Scott Gamzon
Camera setup	Single-camera
Running time	21–27 minutes
Production companies	Home Box Office Takes On Productions, Inc. Witzend Productions
Original release
Network	HBO
Release	January 24, 1996 (1996-01-24) – March 17, 1999 (1999-03-17)
Related
The Tracey Ullman Show Tracey Ullman in the Trailer Tales

Tracey Takes on... is an HBO sketch comedy series starring actress-comedian Tracey Ullman. The show ran for four seasons, and won multiple awards. Each week, each episode would focus on, or "take on", a certain subject in which each installment would revolve. Unlike her FOX series where characters would frequently be one-offs, Ullman's new roster of characters (29 in all) would appear repeatedly for the duration of the series.

Ullman created and portrayed a wide spectrum of exotic characters for the show, including both men and women, young and old, of a variety of ethnic and cultural backgrounds, and sexual orientation. Six characters created for her previous two specials returned for the new series. Only her character Kay would return from The Tracey Ullman Show.

In 1998, Ullman released a book based on the series, Tracey Takes On.

Production

In 1993, Ullman returned to television after her hit Fox comedy series, The Tracey Ullman Show was cancelled in 1990, with two comedy specials for HBO. Tracey Ullman Takes On New York and Tracey Ullman: A Class Act, were produced and aired on the cable network. Both received critical praise and awards. In response, HBO approached Ullman and her husband, producer Allan McKeown, about doing a weekly character series for the network. Ullman agreed, and the Takes On series set up production in 1995.

Guest stars included Hugh Laurie, Tobey Maguire, Giovanni Ribisi, Jon Favreau, Helen Mirren, Billy Connolly, Ron Perlman, Cheech Marin, Alfred Molina, Bradley Whitford, John Stamos, Carlos Mencia, Danny Woodburn, and Huell Howser. Staff included writers Jenji Kohan (creator and writer of "Weeds"), Jerry Belson, Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais, Allen Zipper, writer/producer Gail Parent and director Thomas Schlamme. Oscar-winner Mauro Fiore ("Avatar") acted as cinematographer for the series.

Characters

File:TraceyTakesOn Characters.jpg

(top row, left to right) Ruby Romaine; Trevor Ayliss; Rayleen Gibson (second row, left to right) Sheneesha Turner; Her Royal Highness; Chic (bottom row, left to right) Birdie Godsen; Janie Pillsworth; Mrs. Noh Nang Ning

• Trevor Ayliss: Age 43. A gay, male, airline steward based out of London, Heathrow. Trevor grew up in the North of England. He fathered a child with a fellow stewardess. He lives with his partner Barrington "Barry" LeTissier (Michael McKean), an antiquarian bookseller in Osterley. Trevor is a big fan of Linda Granger.
• Virginia Bugge: Age 36. British. Virginia is married to The Right Honourable Timothy Bugge, M.P. for Greater Didlesbury. They have two children, Tasmin and Piers.
• Chic: A male, New York City, Middle-Eastern cab driver. A self-described "chick-magnet" (hence the name).
• Kay Clark: Age 42. A bank teller, originally from England, who cares for her invalid mother.
• Hope Finch: Age 19. An idealistic college student.
• Rayleen Gibson: Age 34. An Australian stuntwoman to the stars. Rayleen was raised by dingos in the outback as a child. She was married to a 'little person', Mitch Gibson (Danny Woodburn). They owned and ran A.A.H.: Aged-Animal-Actors-Home, for retired animal actors. Mitch died while working on the set of Jurassic Park: The Lost World. At Mitch’s funeral, Rayleen learned that Mitch was still married to another woman.
• Birdie Godsen: Age 42. A Right-wing, Christian fundamentalist homemaker. Her husband Bob is a tobacco industry executive. Birdie home-schools their seven children. The family lives on Dan Quayle Drive in a gated community. Birdie is aunt to Chris Warner. She has a twin brother, Sandy, who runs a homosexual deprogramming center, Straight Ways.
• Linda Granger: Age varies. An actress, singer, and author. Linda starred in a hit 1970s television series VIP Lounge, in which she portrayed Vickie Starr. Linda has a book entitled, I'm Still Here! My lifelong Battle with Alcoholism, Disease, and Personal Misfortune.... Has a daughter named Marmalade, whom she secretly gave up for adoption and then later readopted. Linda's a recovering sex-addict, drug addict, and alcoholic. She has also battled anorexia and bulimia. Her manager Candy Casino (Seymour Cassel) helps runs her life.
• Her Royal Highness: Age 57. She derives enormous pleasure from making everyone around her as uncomfortable as possible.
• Sydney Kross: A ruthless, high-profile, Los Angeles attorney.
• Erin McColl: Age 47. She was the former lead singer of the 1970s band, Wisechild. Erin depends on her manager Dusty (Mo Gaffney) for guidance.
• Madam Nadja: Age 60. A Hollywood madam. She conducts all her business from her bed.
• Mrs. Noh Nang Ning: Age 70. She owns a doughnut shop in Los Angeles, Yankie-Doodle-Donut. She relates everything to the circle/doughnut. She is highly patriotic.
• Janie Pillsworth: Age 37. Janie is originally from England. She is now a New York fashion magazine editor. She was educated at a prestigious British boarding school thanks to her father sacrificing a kidney to pay for her tuition. Janie disowned her parents for years until an ill-fated family reunion years later rekindled their relationship. After her father died, Janie let her mother, Jackie (who also acts as her nanny), live with her.
• Ruby Romaine: Age 72. A Hollywood makeup artist who's seen it all. Ruby worked heavily during Hollywood's heyday. She drinks and smokes heavily. She takes care of her shell shocked Vietnam veteran son, Buddy, along her cat Duke and their Vietnamese pot belly pig named Oinky.
• Fern Rosenthal: Age 56. A Jewish homemaker, originally from Long Island. Fern, along with her husband Harry, retired to Boca Raton, Florida after suffered a heart attack. Harry was the owner of a chain of discount pharmacies. They have one daughter, Sheila. Fern's closest friend (sometimes rival) is condo board president, Jobie Wolffe (Julie Kavner). Harry faked his death in order to run away with the cleaning lady, only to die for real once Fern tracked him down after learning of his betrayal.
• Sheneesha Turner: Age 34. An African-American airport security guard.
• Chris Warner: Age 32. A lesbian. Her girlfriend is pro-golfer Midge Dexter (Julie Kavner). Chris and Midge made headlines with their public display of affection on the eighteenth green following Midge's win. Niece of Birdie Godsen.

Episodes

see List of Tracey Takes On... episodes

Season One: Romance, Charity, Nostalgia, Royalty, Family, Law, Vanity, Health, Death, Fame
Season Two: Sex, Fantasy, Mothers, Vegas, Secrets, Childhood, Food, 1976, Crime, Movies, Money, Race Relations, Supernatural, Politics, Music
Season Three: Marriage, Hollywood, Smoking, Loss, Agents, Age, Man's Best Friend, Religion, Culture, Sports
Season Four: Dating, Drugs, Scandal, Hair, Lies, Erotica, Books, America, Road Rage, Hype, Obsession, The End of the World

Character origins and development

The Tracey Ullman Show

Kay Clark

Ullman was unable to reprise many of Tracey Ullman Show characters due to copyright conflicts. The only character that she had total hand in creating was the British expatriate bank teller, Kay Clark. Ullman first introduced 'Kay' back in 1986 in a sketch for Saturday Live. Kay Clark would return for the HBO series.

Tracey Takes On New York and Tracey Ullman: A Class Act

Characters Linda Granger and Fern Rosenthal were created and first introduced in the comedy special Tracey Ullman Takes On New York. Characters Trevor Ayliss, Janie Pillsworth, Jacqueline Pillsworth (Janie's mother) and Virginia Bugge were created for and introduced in Tracey Ullman: A Class Act.

Tracey Takes On...

Chic

The character Chic was based on a real New York City cab driver who once drove writer, Allen Zipper to Laguardia airport. The line "You want to fuck me or you want to fuck my Mercedes" used in the series was an actual line that the driver used when talking about how woman in LA only cared about money. A prosthetic penis filled with bird seed was worn by Tracey when made up as Chic and air steward Trevor Ayliss. Yak hair was applied for Chic's body hair. The hair continuously bothered Ullman, giving her rashes and making her itch.

H.R.H.

Her Royal Highness, or H.R.H., is described as an amalgamation -- Queen Elizabeth's hat, Princess Margaret's eyes, and Princess Anne's teeth.

Ullman sent the episode "Tracey Takes On... Royalty" to Diana, Princess of Wales, hoping she would enjoy the sketch, A Royal Visit. Her Royal Highness attends a dinner party at Timothy and Virginia Bugge's estate. Over the course of the meal, Her Royal Highness has some choice words about Diana and royal duty. In another sketch, attorney Sydney Kross makes an appeal to Diana via video, hoping to handle her divorce settlement. Diana, through her lady in waiting, contacted Ullman, letting her know that she had enjoyed the episode. In the aftermath of her death, Ullman removed H.R.H.'s mention of the late Princess by re-dubbing "Diana" with "Fergie." The Sydney Kross sketch was omitted entirely.

Sydney Kross

Ullman has admitted that the character, Sydney Kross, is inspired by high-profile attorney, Leslie Abramson, attorney for the Defense in the trial of Lyle and Erik Menendez. The character bears an uncanny resemblance to Ambramson, although the voice originates from Ullman's first Hollywood agent whom she describes as having been "insane." The character was identified with the surname "Kross" and "Cross" in the character's monologues throughout season one. "Kross" was used from season two onward.

Erin McColl

Character, Erin McColl's manager Rusty was originally portrayed by actress Kate McGregor-Stewart. Erin made her first appearance in "Tracey Takes On... Nostalgia" in season one. Starting with series two, 'Rusty', now renamed Dusty, would be portrayed by actress-comedienne Mo Gaffney. Gaffney would continue to make appearances for an additional two seasons.

Madam Nadja

Madam Nadja was inspired by real-life Hollywood madam, Madam Alex, who Ullman saw in the 1996 documentary, Heidi Fleiss: Hollywood Madam.

Mrs. Noh Nang Ning

Mrs. Noh Nang Ning was based on a donut shop owner Ullman and her co-writers frequented in Los Angeles.

Ruby Romaine

Ruby Romaine was such a hit with viewers that Ullman decided to try and create an entire series devoted to the character, Tracey Ullman in the Trailer Tales. A pilot was commissioned and aired on HBO, but a full series was never ordered and the pilot became a one-off comedy special.

During a 2003 appearance on The View, promoting her Trailer Tales HBO special, panel member, Joy Behar told Ullman that she knew who she based character Ruby Romaine on - Romaine Green, make-up artist to Woody Allen. Ullman appeared in two of Allen's films, Bullets Over Broadway and Small Time Crooks. She was also cast in Everyone Says I Love You, but due to time constraints her scenes were deleted.

In 1991, Ullman portrayed real stage mother, Florence Aadland in a stage adaption of her scandalous Hollywood book, The Big Love. Much of subjects and incidents related in Florence's story are similar to the back story of the Ruby Romaine character. The voice Ullman used to portray Aadland, was very similar to the one she used as Ruby Romaine. Both Florence and Ruby have ties to actor, Errol Flynn.

Ullman contends that Ruby is actually based on all the senior Hollywood makeup union artists she's encountered throughout her career (those who have made done makeup on "Eisenhower").

In 2000, during an appearance on LIVE! Regis and Kathie Lee, Ullman revealed that she wanted to do a new series, but one where she wore minimal makeup and played fewer characters.

Fern Rosenthal

Actor George Segal took over the role of Fern Rosenthal's husband, Harry Rosenthal in season two. Michael Tucker who originated the role, returned for the third and fourth seasons.

Character retirement

Over the course of the series' four seasons, numerous characters were retired for various reasons. The character, Virginia Bugge was no longer part of the character roster post-season two because Ullman kept having to replace the character's husband with different actors - first Hugh Laurie, and later, Tim McInnerny. The character, Mrs. Noh Nang Ning was retired after the third season. No reason was ever stated, however the makeup for the character was excessive. Ullman commented that it felt as though she had been "buried alive", especially in the first season's makeup design for the character. It would be altered starting with the second season. Ullman fainted on more than occasion due to excessive character makeup.

Controversy

The Asian-American community found the Asian character, Mrs. Noh Nang Ning, that Ullman portrayed, offensive. Ultimately, HBO supported Ullman, citing that she did not portray the character in a negative light. Tracey later revealed how she received letters from Asian youth, thanking her for her character, appreciating that even though they were rarely represented on television, 'at least they had her.'

Theme song and opening title sequence

In season one, viewers would only catch a glimpse of Ullman asleep in a bed, with a voice-over playing, reciting words or phrases related to that week's episode topic. Due to this title sequence, viewers were left virtually unaware that Ullman was playing every character, or for that matter, which characters. For the show's second season, a new title sequence was created, along with a new opening format. In season two, a scripted Ullman would appear in the beginning of each episode, performing a scripted monologue connected to that week's (episode) subject. An opening title sequence featuring Ullman and her cast of characters lipsyncing to her 1983 hit song, They Don't Know would follow. This signaled to viewers that she was indeed playing every character and which ones. Only characters featured in that week's episode sketches would appear in that week's opening lipsyncing title sequence. Season three and four featured Ullman in an impromptu sitdown interview delivering anecdotes related to the episode's subject at the start of the show.

The opening titles of season two featuring They Don't Know, do not appear on the DVD releases (except in the episode "Childhood"). In its place is the season one theme song, with only a black background stating the episode's title, series credits, with no character lipsynching.

Final episode

Although it was never announced to be the final episode, Tracey Takes On... The End of the World, became the closing show to the series. Storylines included: Kay's mother's death, Chic and Janie Pillsworth sleeping together, Hope deciding to lose her virginity, and Ruby's home being hit by the meteor. The last bit featured character, Sydney Kross, being trapped in the space shuttle MIR unable to make contact with NASA. Sydney was one of the individuals chosen to start a space colony of "super humans".

Awards

The series won 8 Emmys, including one in 1997 for Outstanding Music, Comedy and Variety Show, a CableACE award in 1996 for Best Comedy Variety Series, and GLAAD Media Awards for 1998 and 1999.

Advertising

Hirschfeld

Famed caricaturist, Al Hirschfeld, rendered artwork dedicated to the show in 1997 which was used to promote the third season of the series.

Got Milk?

In 1999, Ullman was featured in a Got Milk? ad, along with three of her alter-egos from the Takes On series.

Home video release

VHS home video

• Tracey Takes On... Sex, Romance, Fantasy released January 27, 1998
• Tracey Takes On... Movies, Vanity, Fame released January 27, 1998
• Tracey Takes On... Fern and Kay released January 26, 1999

DVD

In December 2005, Tracey Takes On... officially came to DVD from HBO Home Video. Included in the first season's ten-episode set is a photo gallery, four previously-unseen character comedies, the special Tracey Ullman Takes On New York and an audio commentary on the premiere episode "Romance" from Ullman herself.

In June 2006, the entire second season of the series was released. Extras include a photo gallery, three character comedies (Kay, Hope, and Chris Warner) and commentary by Tracey on Las Vegas.

Seasons three and four were released as one DVD set on July 14, 2009 in the United States. The set boasted 72 minutes of unseen bonus footage, which amounted to three "Character Comedies" (Virginia, Ruby, and Rayleen). However, the DVD set is extremely edited with some episodes whittled down to a mere 3 to 5 minute length.

Streaming

Seasons 1 - 4 were released on iTunes and Amazon Video-on-Demand service in the United States in 2009, but are currently unavailable to purchase in either store. The entire 47 original episodes and 3 "Best of" specials, as well as all 15 "Character Comedies" episodes are currently available on Hulu.

External links

• Official web site (accessible via the Internet Archive Wayback Machine)
• Tracey Takes On... at IMDb
• Tracey Takes On... on Hulu
• Tracey Takes On... Emmy Awards
• Tracey Takes On... episode guide
• Template:Tv.com show
• Ullman Takes on New Television Series - NPR