Taxi

Taxi debuted on ABC on September 12, 1978 and ended its run on NBC on July 27, 1983. Though it garnered many Emmy® Awards and nominations, it was never a consistent ratings success.

A decidedly adult situation comedy, Taxi focuses on the lives of a small group of New York City cab drivers who are searching for a better way to make a living. Bobby Wheeler is the would-be actor. Elaine Nardo, an attractive divorced mother of two, would rather be in the art business full time. Tony Banta is a prize fighter without a fight. The only driver who considers himself a career cabbie is Alex Rieger, the most down-to-earth of the bunch and the one everybody turns to for wisdom and advice.

Though this show celebrated the optimism of dreamers with warmth and biting humor, it distinguished itself by having in its ensemble cast a memorable array of outcasts, losers and eccentrics. Characters like tyrannical, self-loathing Louie DePalma, spaced-out drug casualty Reverend Jim, and immigrant from another planet Latka Gravas had no predecessors in TV Land, and they probably won't be heard from again anytime soon.

Following in the tradition of The Mary Tyler Moore Show, the emphasis in Taxi was on expertly written, three-dimensional characters brought to life by gifted actors. Many of these actors became great stars, especially Danny DeVito, Christopher Lloyd, Judd Hirsch, Tony Danza, and the late Andy Kaufman. Taxi was a comedy that was not afraid of exploring the seedy, unwashed underbelly of urban life. The show often balanced poignant human emotion with highly stylized farce. In its structure and writing style, Taxi can be seen as the forerunner of the long-running series, Cheers.

Taxi joined Nick at Nite's Classic TV lineup during "Taxi Appreciation Week" (November 6-11, 1994).

Taxi Episode Guide

Season One

#2: "Blind Date" September 26, 1978
Alex becomes intrigued by the sexy voice of Angela Matusa, a woman from Bobby's answering service. When he asks her out to dinner he discovers she is very overweight. Note: The Taxi theme song, "Angela," composed by Bob James, is named after Alex's date in this episode.

#3: "The Great Line" October 17, 1978
Bobby and Tony come up with a foolproof pick-up line for John to use when approaching a pretty girl he sees sitting by herself at Mario's Restaurant.

#4: "Come As You Aren't" October 10, 1978
Elaine throws a cocktail party to impress her art-world acquaintances and she asks Alex to accompany her. When the other cabbies overhear the plans for this affair and invite themselves, she is concerned that her snooty guests will discover she is a cab driver. Note: Latka's date is played by Treva Silverman, formerly an Emmy® Award-winning writer for The Mary Tyler Moore Show.

#5: "One-Punch Banta" September 19, 1978
Tony gets the opportunity to be the sparring partner for a world-champion boxer. Guest star: W.B.C. Welterweight Boxing Champion Carlos Palomino. Note: In the locker-room scene, Palomino throws a real punch at Tony Danza, landing squarely on his chin.

#6: "Bobby's Acting Career" October 5, 1978
Bobby considers himself a failure when he doesn't land an important acting part. Alex talks him into making one last try before giving up and Bobby goes out to audition for anything he is able to find that day. Guest star: Taurean Blacque, who played Detective Neil Washington on Hill Street Blues.

#7: "High School Reunion" October 24, 1978
Louie feels that his job as a taxi dispatcher will fail to impress his former classmates at his twentieth anniversary high-school reunion. Bobby suggests that he go to the reunion and impersonate Louie. Guest star: Joanna Cassidy.

#8: "Paper Marriage" October 31, 1978
Latka faces deportation as an illegal alien because his visa has expired. Marrying a U.S. citizen will solve his immigration problems and Latka begs Alex to help him. Alex supplies Latka with a call girl for a bride and the marriage is conducted by Reverend Jim Ignatowski. Christopher Lloyd's first appearance on this series; he would become a series regular starting with Episode #27.

#9: "Money Troubles" November 14, 1978
John and his new bride Suzanne are having trouble making ends meet when Suzanne's parents retire and can no longer afford to pay the newlywed couple's rent. Since one of them must now drop out of college, Alex wants to intervene with a loan.

#10: "A Full House for Christmas" December 12, 1978
A few days before Christmas, Louie's brother Nicky, a professional gambler from Las Vegas, arrives in town. Although Nicky is in town to see his mother, he gets caught up in a marathon poker game. Note: Originally, Andy Kaufman's alter ego "Tony Clifton" (a Las Vegas lounge singer character) was to have played the part of Nicky, but his obnoxiousness made this impossible.

#11: "Sugar Mama" January 16, 1979
Dee Wilcox, a lively and wealthy lady in her seventies, uses some of her money to hire cabs to escort her around town in the evenings. When Dee hails Alex one night, she immediately becomes attached to him. Guest star: Ruth Gordon, who won an Emmy Award for this performance.

#12: "Men Are Such Beasts" November 21, 1978
Tony wants to break it off with his attractive girlfriend, a cabbie named Denise, because his friends find her too clinging and cloying. Her response to this is to get a job at the Sunshine Cab Company. While this infuriates Tony, Louie is thrilled to have her aboard since she racks up lots of bookings. But this is largely due to her popping amphetamines.

#13: "Elaine and the Lame Duck" February 13, 1979
Alex picks up Congressman Walter Griswold in his cab one night and discovers he suffers from low self-esteem and is a total loser with women. Alex decides to set him up with Elaine. Guest star: Jeffrey Tambor, better known as Hank Kimball on The Larry Sanders Show.

#14: "Bobby's Big Break" February 15, 1979
Bobby finally gets a significant acting job, a recurring role on the soap opera "For Better For Worse." Figuring that he'll never have to drive a cab again, Bobby tears up his hack license. He later finds out that his character has been written out. Cameo: Michele Conaway, Jeff's sister, appears as a character on the soap opera.

#15: "Friends" January 30, 1979
Tony entrusts his pet goldfish, George and Wanda, to Bobby's care when he goes out of town for a prize fight. Bobby forgets about feeding the fish and they die. This causes a serious rupture in Tony and Bobby's friendship.

#16: "Louie Sees the Light" February 6, 1979
After experiencing severe pain, Louie checks into the hospital and discovers he needs to have a gallstone removed. He pledges to God to be "the best person I can be" if he survives the surgery. After a successful operation, the cabbies bet against Louie living up to his oath.

#17: "Substitute Father" May 15, 1979
Alex agrees to look after Elaine's son Jason while she goes out of town for a few days. He later realizes that he has previous commitments he can't get out of and therefore enlists the other cabbies at the garage to take turns looking after Jason. They all end up supporting Jason at his spelling-bee. Note: The little girl named Marilu in the spelling-bee scene is Marilu Henner's real-life niece Suzanne Carney.

#18: "Mama Gravas" February 27, 1979
Latka's mother Greta visits America for the first time. Latka asks Alex to take Greta out for a meal, and Alex agrees after seeing that this woman is a buxom, statuesque beauty. Greta finds Alex very appealing and she invites herself over to his apartment for some nik nik.

#19: "Alex Tastes Death and Finds a Nice Restaurant" March 6, 1979
Alex nearly gets his ear shot off during a holdup attempt in his cab one night. The incident upsets him so much he tells everyone in the garage he is going to quit cab driving and become a waiter in an elegant French restaurant.

#20: "Hollywood Calling" May 8, 1979
A movie director comes to the Sunshine Cab Company to research a film he's going to make about cab drivers. The cabbies are all convinced that they're going to be part of a hit movie, but after a change of executives at the movie studio, the picture is canceled. Guest star: Martin Mull.

#21: "Memories of Cab 804 (Part 1)" November 28, 1978
John Burns wrecks Cab 804, the oldest cab in the fleet. As Latka musters all his abilities to try to save it, the drivers reminisce about some of the memorable events that occurred in that cab. These stories include one about Tony talking a man (played by Ed Weinberger, a Taxi creator) out of jumping off the Queensboro Bridge and one featuring Louie in his cab-driving days.

#22: "Memories of Cab 804 (Part 2)" December 5, 1978
As Latka continues his repair work, the cabbies continue to reminisce about their experiences driving Cab 804. Guest stars: Tom Selleck and Mandy Patinkin.

Season Two

#23: "Honor Thy Father" September 18, 1979
Alex's sister Charlotte arrives at the garage looking for her brother. She reveals to Alex that their father has been admitted to a nearby hospital. Alex takes the news with indifference because he still blames him for deserting him thirty years ago. Guest stars: Joan Hackett and Jack Gilford. Note: Most of what occurs in this episode actually happened to producer James L. Brooks.

#24: "The Reluctant Fighter" October 9, 1979
Tony is elated when he lands a fight with Benny Foster, a former champion. But Tony is disturbed when he finds out Foster is only coming out of retirement to win some money to pay for an operation for a boy confined to a wheelchair (played by Marc Anthony Danza, Tony Danza's real-life son).

#25: "Louie and the Nice Girl" September, 11, 1979
Zena, who refills the vending machines at the garage, reveals a desire to go out with Louie because she is intrigued by men with power. Alex helps to fix Louie up with Zena and soon they are seeing each other regularly. Louie claims that he and Zena have a great sex life but Zena confides to Alex that Louie hasn't even made a pass at her. Guest star: Rhea Perlman, in her first appearance on this series.

#26: "Wherefore Art Thou, Bobby?" October 21, 1979
Tony brings Steve Jensen, a young man from Iowa who has just arrived in New York, to the garage to meet Bobby. Tony hopes Bobby can advise Steve on how he might become an actor. A couple of days after Bobby introduces Steve to his agent, Steve lands the lead role in an off-Broadway production of "Romeo and Juliet", the kind of job Bobby has been struggling to get for years. Note: This is the episode where Bobby has one side of his face bronzed because he is doing a commercial for suntan lotion.

#27: "Reverend Jim: A Space Odyssey" September 25, 1979
The cabbies see Reverend Jim at Mario's and recall that he married Latka to an American girl the year before. Jim is a lost soul, spending most of his time in bars. In a crash program, the cabbies get him to pass his written test for a hack's license and he joins the gang at the Sunshine Cab Company. Note: This is the first episode featuring Christopher Lloyd as a regular and features the classic "slow down" scene.

#28: "Nardo Loses Her Marbles" October 2, 1979
Elaine is feeling the pressures of holding down two jobs and trying to raise her two children, Jason and Jennifer. Alex sees that Elaine is having some problems and suggests that she seek psychological counseling. Guest stars: Tom Ewell and Mary Woronov.

#29: "A Woman Between Friends" October 30, 1979
Tony and Bobby both fall in love with the same blonde woman they meet at Mario's. Their rivalry for her attention threatens to destroy their friendship with each other. Naturally, they never take the woman's feelings into consideration.

#30: "The Lighter Side of Angela Matusa" October 23, 1979
The cabbies hear again from Angela Matusa, the overweight girl who was once Alex's blind date. They discover Angela has lost a hundred pounds. She explains that her determination to stick to her diet was based on the assumption that Alex would fall in love with her if she were thinner.

#31: "The Great Race" November 6, 1979
Louie brags to the cabbies about what a great taxi driver he used to be. Bobby challenges Louie to a bet: that Alex, currently the Sunshine Cab Company's best driver, can bring in more money than Louie in a particular shift.

#32: "The Apartment" November 13, 1979
Latka's apartment building is scheduled to be torn down, and he must therefore find a new home. He decides to rent a luxurious penthouse apartment, which rents for $3,000 -- his life's savings. Guest star: Dick Butkus.

#33: "Elaine's Secret Admirer" December 4, 1979
Elaine begins receiving anonymous love poems which she finds very romantic. Jim confesses to Alex that he is the one responsible for writing the poetry. Guest star: Michael Delano, from the series Rhoda.

#34: "Alex's Romance" November 20, 1979
Bobby introduces Alex to Joyce Rogers, an actress who has just been dropped from a recurring role on a soap opera. At first Alex tries to cheer her up, but he soon begins romancing her. Guest star: Dee Wallace, who played the mother in the motion picture E.T. - The Extra Terrestrial

#35: "Latka's Revolting" November 27, 1979
Latka learns that a revolution is taking place in his homeland. Latka makes up his mind to go home to fight when an old friend from his country, Baschi, arrives in town. Note: In this episode you can hear the national anthem from Latka's native country, which was written by co-creator Stan Daniels.

#36: "Louie Meets the Folks" December 11, 1979
Zena lets Louie know that he must agree to meet her parents or she'll break off their relationship. Alex agrees to accompany a terrified Louie, for a fee of $200. Guest star: Rhea Perlman.

#37: "Tony and Brian" January 8, 1980
Tony wants to adopt Brian, the nine-year-old boy he befriended in Episode #24. No longer wheelchair-bound, Brian would rather be adopted by a much wealthier couple. Guest star: Marc Anthony Danza (Tony Danza's real-life son).

#38: "Jim Gets a Pet" December 18, 1979
Jim uses his winnings from betting on a horse to buy the winning horse, named On Dasher. Jim changes his name to Gary and treats him like a house pet, taking him for walks in the park and letting him sleep in his apartment. Note: This episode was written by David Lloyd, an award-winning writer for The Mary Tyler Moore Show, who would later become story editor for "Taxi.

#39: "What Price Bobby?" January 22, 1980
Bobby, who regularly cruises the theater district in the hopes of picking up an important producer or agent, one night picks up Nora, an important theatrical manager, as one of his fares. After he convinces her to see him in a play in Brooklyn, she agrees to accept him as a client. But there's a price. Guest star: Susan Sullivan. Note: Judd Hirsch appears only briefly in this episode since at that time he was filming his Oscar-nominated role in the motion picture Ordinary People.

#40: "Guess Who's Coming for Brefnish?" January 15, 1980
Simka Dahblitz applies for a job as a secretary at the Sunshine Cab Company and Latka overhears her speaking his native language. Immediately they hit it off as a romantic couple. Guest star: Carol Kane, portraying Simka in her first appearance in this series. She won an Emmy® for this performance.

#41: "Shut It Down (Part 1)" January 29, 1980
Tony is nearly killed when the brakes go out in his cab. All the cabbies are furious that the company is making them drive cabs which are nearly falling apart. They vote to go on strike.

#42: "Shut It Down (Part 2)" February 5, 1980
Louie has agreed to meet the drivers' demands if Elaine goes out on a date with him. Now she must face up to her promise, with the help of a Valium and alcohol cocktail and a protective down jacket. Note: This episode features a classic goodnight kiss.

#43: "Fantasy Borough (Part 1)" May 6, 1980
Herve Villechaize, one of the stars of Fantasy Island, accidentally leaves some photos in Tony's cab. When Tony contacts Villechaize, the actor says that he'll come down in person to pick up the pictures. While they await his arrival, the cabbies share their secret fantasies with each other. Guest star: Eric Sevareid.

#44: "Fantasy Borough (Part 2)" May 13, 1980
Even after Herve Villechaize has retrieved his photos, the cabbies continue to describe their fantasies to one another. Guest star: Lassie. Note: This episode features a dazzling Broadway musical-style production number as part of Elaine's fantasy.

#45: "Art Work" March 4, 1980
Elaine criticizes the other cabbies for wasting their money gambling. She informs them that every day she sees people getting richer by investing in art. The cabbies realize that if they pool their money they could afford to buy a work of art at an auction.

#46: "Alex Jumps out of an Airplane" February 26, 1980
Alex decides that the most important thing in a man's life is face his fears. First he gets Tony to teach him to box, then he plays piano and sings in front of an audience at Mario's, and finally he manages to make a parachute jump out of an airplane.

Season Three

#47: "Louie's Rival" November 19, 1980
Louie is shattered when Zena Sherman tells him she wants to break off their relationship. Zena's new boyfriend is Dwight, the day bartender at Mario's, and Louie considers what he should do to him. Guest star: Rhea Perlman. Note: This episode contains a classic scene where Louie makes a sandwich at Zena's apartment.

#48: "Fathers of the Bride" December 3, 1980
Louie reads a newspaper item to Alex which reports that Alex's daughter, Cathy, is going to marry an ambassador's son. Alex is naturally angry that he has not received an invitation to the wedding but he decides to attend anyway. Guest star: Louise Lasser, as Alex's ex-wife.

#49: "Going Home" December 17, 1980
Jim's father, a millionaire, sends a private detective to New York in search of his son. The detective explains that Jim's father is making out his will and wants to see all of his family again. Alex accompanies Jim to Boston where he will reunite with his family. Guest star: Victor Buono.

#50: "Elaine's Strange Triangle" December 10, 1980
Elaine's latest romance has just gone sour, so the cabbies try to cheer her up one day at Mario's. Kirk, a handsome stranger, approaches Elaine and Tony at the bar. Tony and Alex pressure Kirk to ask Elaine out. After a few dates, Elaine becomes quite interested in Kirk, but Kirk reveals to Tony that he is bisexual and actually likes Tony. Note: This episode features a classic disco-dancing scene and won an Emmy® Award for its writer David Lloyd.

#51: "Bobby's Roommate" April 9, 1981
Elaine's apartment building is going co-op, so she needs to find a new place to live. Since Bobby is leaving the city to tour for a month in "Under the Yum-Yum Tree," he lets her stay in his pad while she looks for a new home. Bobby returns a week later, after being fired for sleeping with the director's daughter, and he offers to let Elaine stay on as his roommate.

#52: "Tony's Sister and Jim" November 26, 1980
Tony's sister Monica arrives in New York. She's recently been divorced and Tony is determined to fix her up with someone new. Although he wants to fix her up with Alex, she takes a liking to Jim. Guest star: Julie Kavner.

#53: "Call of the Mild" January 21, 1981
Bobby travels to the mountains to make a commercial for Brickhauser Beer. He gets such a taste for the outdoor life that he tries to talk the other guys into going back for a full week of roughing it in the woods.

#54: "Thy Boss's Wife" February 12, 1981
Louie explains to the cabbies that whenever Mr. MacKenzie, the owner of the Sunshine Cab Company, and his wife have a big fight, Mrs. MacKenzie has an unusual way of getting her revenge: inviting an unsuspecting cabbie over for dinner. Guest star: Eileen Brennan.

#55: "Latka's Cookies" February 5, 1981
Latka's grandmother dies, and bequeaths him the recipe for some unusual cookies. Latka cooks up a batch and hands them out to the cabbies. At first everyone finds them to be almost impossible to chew, but soon they can't get enough of them, since they cause one to have great energy and euphoria. Latka wants to sell the cookies in stores, and he tells Louie he's quitting work at the garage. Guest star: Wally "Famous" Amos as himself.

#56: "The Ten-Percent Solution" January 7, 1981
Bobby is rejected for an acting role because he doesn't have the right look. He claims he is too good-looking and the "common look" is now in vogue. Since Tony has the kind of face that is supposed to be popular, he tries to convince Bobby that he could become a successful actor if Bobby were to manage him. Cameo: Writer Ed Weinberger as a movie producer.

#57: "Zen and the Art of Cab Driving" March 19, 1981
Jim overhears some passengers in his cab talking about "dynamic perfectionism" and he becomes an enthusiastic follower of this self-help technique. Jim sets out to become the ultimate cabbie but stops after he has earned enough money to achieve his real goal: being hooked into the Global Village that is television. Note: This episode features Jim's classic Sinatra retrospective.

#58: "Elaine's Old Friend" February 26, 1981
Elaine picks up a passenger who turns out to be an old high-school friend, Mary Parker. Elaine and Mary were real competitors in school and Elaine is intensely jealous when she discovers that Mary is head of an advertising agency and travels around the world with her wealthy boyfriend, an international lawyer. Alex pretends to be Elaine's suave and romantic beau on a double date.

#59: "The Costume Party" February 19, 1981
Bobby discovers a briefcase in the backseat of his cab, and it apparently belongs to someone with important connections in the theatrical world. From an entry in an appointment book they find in the briefcase, the cabbies learn of a costume party planned for the following Saturday. Anticipating a room full of celebrities, they decide to dress up in costumes and crash the affair.

#60: "Out of Commission" March 12, 1981
Tony is knocked out in the first round of his latest fight. When the ring doctor examines him, he's concerned that Tony may have suffered brain damage. The doctor takes Tony's case to the medical board, and the boxing commission revokes his license. Tony is so distraught he tries to fight under an assumed name, Kid Rodriguez. Note: Tony's monologue was co-written by Tony Danza and was based on his real-life career as a professional boxer.

#61: "Bobby and the Critic" April 30, 1981
Bobby writes a scathing letter to a newspaper criticizing its venomous theater critic, John Bowman, a man who loves to say insulting things about actors. When this letter is published, Bobby believes he may have thrown his career out the window, but he receives many congratulatory letters. Bobby's glee is cut short when he learns that Bowman plans to see him in his one-man show, "Charles Darwin Tonight".

#62: "Louie's Mother" March 26, 1981
Louie tells the cabbies that he's put his mother into a nursing home, admitting he knows nothing about the place. He decides to throw a party to celebrate his newfound freedom, now that his mother is out of his way. A few days later, Louie admits to the cabbies that he is lonely and misses his mom. He goes to the nursing home to convince her to come back. Julia DeVito (Danny's real mother) guest-stars.

#63: "Louie Bumps Into an Old Lady" April 16, 1981
Louie becomes interested in an attractive new cabbie, Janine. While demonstrating his cab-driving technique in order to give her a few tips, he gets into an accident, running into an old lady as she steps off a curb. But all of Louie's devotion and attention to the accident victim won't dissuade her from suing him for a million dollars.

#64: "Latka the Playboy" May 21, 1981
Latka is such a bumbler that American women are not at all interested in him. So Latka starts studying Playboy magazine for tips on how to become a swinger. He rapidly transforms himself into smooth-talking lounge lizard Vic Ferrari. But although Latka is now a success with women, he gets fed up with being Vic and wants to change back to his old self. Guest star: George Wendt.

#65: "Jim the Psychic" October 8, 1981
Reverend Jim, who often has "psychic" dreams, warns Alex that he will die in his apartment at 7 p.m. the following Thursday. Alex scoffs at the premonition, but the other cabbies recall a number of unusual incidents when Jim's predictions have apparently come true.

#66: "Fledgling" November 26, 1981
The Hazeltine Gallery, where Elaine works, has acquired a painting by a noted artist, Craig Eagen. Elaine is sent to his apartment to verify the authenticity of the painting and Alex agrees to accompany her. The artist has a reputation for being a hermit and when Elaine and Alex come to his apartment, he refuses to let them in. Guest star: Paul Sand.

#67: "On the Job (Part 1)" May 7, 1981
Louie informs the cabbies that the Sunshine Cab Co. has gone bankrupt. The cabbies realize they'll have to look for new jobs, and they agree to meet in a month's time at Mario's and share their experiences.

#68: "On the Job (Part 2)" May 14, 1981
The cabbies continue to talk about the jobs they've worked at since the cab company went broke. By the end of the episode, Louie announces that a new owner has been found for the Sunshine Cab Co. Cameo: Al Lewis.

Season Four

#69: "Vienna Waits" October 15, 1981
Elaine's ex-husband Vince shows up unexpectedly and agrees to look after Jason and Jennifer for four weeks. Elaine seizes the opportunity to take a European vacation. She asks Alex to accompany her and he agrees, creating an opportunity to take their longtime friendship to the next level.

#70: "Mr. Personalities" October 22, 1981
Latka's habit of changing personalities prompts Elaine to make an appointment for him with her psychiatrist. In this episode, Latka assumes a whole series of different personalities, including an impersonation of Alex. Latka as Alex winds up getting more bookings than Alex as Alex.

#71: "Jim Joins the Network" October 29, 1981
Reverend Jim picks up some important television executives in his cab and overhears one tell the other that if he doesn't come up with a hit series soon, he will be fired. Since Jim often has psychic hunches about the future that prove to be uncannily accurate, he gives the executive his hunches about which shows will do well in the ratings. Guest star: Martin Short, in his one and only guest appearance on episodic television.

#72: "Louie's Fling" November 5, 1981
Emily, a good friend of Zena's, has just been dumped by her boyfriend. Louie impresses both Emily and Zena by acutely analyzing the situation and advising Emily not to continue to allow herself to be victimized. Zena asks Louie to take Emily home and when they get to her apartment she seduces him. Instead of feeling guilt about cheating on his girlfriend, Louie exhibits pride. Guest star: Rhea Perlman. Note: A different ending for this episode was originally filmed, but it was rewritten and reshot a couple of weeks later after the producers realized how appalled the audience was by Louie's insidious behavior in the finale, where he deliberately tried to show Emily's boyfriend that she was having an affair just as the two of them were about to reconcile.

#73: "Like Father, Like Son" November 12, 1981
Alex's father, Joe, calls the cab company and tells Alex that he wants them to be friends. When they meet at Mario's for dinner, they encounter a terrific woman named Karen.. Alex asks her on a date and gets one. After Alex leaves, Joe can't resist asking Karen out himself. Guest stars: Jack Gilford and Barbara Babcock.

#74: "Louie's Mother Remarries" November 19, 1981
Louie's mother plans to marry a Japanese man whom she recently met. Louie threatens his mother that he won't be her son anymore if she marries him. He eventually does attend the traditional Japanese-style wedding and gives his blessings. Guest star: Julia DeVito.

#75: "Of Mice and Tony" December 10, 1981
Tony decides to become a manager of Terry Carver, a heavyweight boxer from his gym. When Terry wins a bout with a first-round knockout, a better management offer comes along from the syndicate. It's an offer Terry can't refuse. Guest star: Ernie Hudson.

#76: "Nina Loves Alex" January 21, 1982
Nina, an attractive young black woman, joins the Sunshine Cab Co. A very energetic and positive-thinking person, she immediately becomes attracted to Alex and soon begins to make suggestions about getting together with him.

#77: "Louie Goes Too Far" December 17, 1981
Louie sinks to spying on Elaine and the other female cabbies in the ladies' room. Elaine finds out and becomes enraged. She brings a leader from the National Organization for Women to the garage to threaten a lawsuit and they succeed in getting Louie fired. Note: This episode contains a classic, revelatory Louie monologue, marking a turning point for this character.

#78: "I Wanna Be Around" January 7, 1982
Louie is preparing for the end of the world. He has turned the tool room at the garage into a survival shelter with supplies of dehydrated food. To plan for the end of the world, he plans to spend two days in the shelter with Tony and Jeff. Note: In this episode, the normally quiet Jeff steps into the spotlight.

#79: "Bobby Doesn't Live Here Anymore" January 14, 1982
The cabbies decorate the Sunshine Garage with banners in anticipation of Bobby's visit from Hollywood. Bobby has been gone from New York for six months, and he is waiting to find out if he has landed a part in a TV pilot. At first he hears they are going ahead with the series, but then finds out that they will recast for his part. Bobby decides to go back to California in spite of this to continue to try his luck at acting for television. Note: This episode marks Jeff Conaway's last appearance on this series. It was also the last of seventeen episodes co-written by brothers Glen and Les Charles.

#80: "Tony's Lady" January 28, 1982
Tony announces to the other cabbies that he has taken a second job as a chauffeur to a wealthy family. One of the members is Christina, a refined young lady whom Tony considers to be more stunning than any girl he's ever met. Eventually, Tony tries to ask her for a date, but just before he's able to get out the words another guy asks Christina to marry him and she says yes. Guest star: Rebecca Holden.

#81: "Simka Returns" February 4, 1982
Simka returns to New York and she rekindles her relationship with Latka. The only difficulty is that Latka is still suffering from his multiple-personality problem. Latka must eventually fight his alter ego Vic Ferrari for his woman. Guest star: Carol Kane, who in this episode won her second Emmy Award for playing Simka.

#82: "Jim and the Kid" February 25, 1982
Tony picks up Terry, a ten-year-old runaway, in his cab and drives him back to the garage. The boy takes a special liking to Reverend Jim. Terry even goes to Jim's apartment and begs to stay there.

#83: "Take My Ex-Wife, Please" February 18, 1982
Alex goes on a double date with Tony and a set of great-looking twins, Randi and Candi. They are all at a French restaurant when Alex spots his ex-wife Phyllis, who's recently been divorced by her latest husband. She wants to get back together with Alex but he says it can never happen. Later Louie hears the story and gets a date with Phyllis. When Alex learns this he goes to Phyllis' hotel room to warn her about Louie. Guest star: Louise Lasser.

#84: "The Unkindest Cut" February 25, 1982
Elaine explains to the other cabbies that she's going to be attending the opening of a Japanese costume show at the Met. She wants to impress the guy she'll be sitting next to, so she makes an appointment to get a haircut with the most famous hair stylist in New York City. The result is positively ghastly. Guest star: Ted Danson.

#85: "Tony's Comeback" March 4, 1982
Lucius Franklin, a pro football player who's been cut by one NFL team and is waiting to try out for another, joins the Sunshine Cab Co. Lucius works out to keep in shape and invites Tony to join him at the gym. With his enthusiasm, Lucius is able to instill a new sense of confidence in Tony. Guest star: Bubba Smith. Note: Look for producers Ed Weinberger and James L. Brooks in the crowd scenes.

#86: "Elegant Iggy" March 18, 1982
Elaine hesitantly agrees to attend a musical concert with Reverend Jim after he is given two free tickets. She is pleasantly surprised when he arrives at the concert in formal attire. Elaine then introduces Jim to an art patron, Mrs. Weber, who invites them both to a party. Elaine is concerned, however, that Jim will embarrass her with his off-the-wall behavior.

#87: "The Wedding of Latka and Simka" March 25, 1982
Latka startles the cabbies by bringing Dr. Joyce Brothers to the Sunshine Garage; he informs them that she has cured him of his recent multiple-personality problems. Now that his mental health seems sound, he plans to asks for Simka's hand in marriage. Guest stars: Dr. Joyce Brothers and Carol Kane in her last appearance before becoming a regular on this series.

#88: "Cooking for Two" April 8, 1982
Jim is eating breakfast one morning when a wrecking ball crashes through the wall of his apartment. Louie grudgingly lets Jim move in with him for a few days. Soon after moving in, Jim accidentally sets fire to Louie's apartment; nearly everything is destroyed. Jim offers a blank check from his millionaire father to Louie who salivates over how much to make it out for.

#89: "The Road Not Taken (Part 1)" April 29, 1982
Elaine is offered a job as a manager of a small art gallery in Seattle, and she considers whether she and her children should move there. While Elaine thinks things over, the other cabbies talk about moments in their lives when they had important decisions to make. Guest star: Tom Hanks.

#90: "The Road Not Taken (Part 2)" May 6, 1982
While Elaine continues to consider taking the job in Seattle, the cabbies continue to reminisce about important decisions they've made in their lives. Near the end of the episode, Mr. Thompson, from the art gallery in Seattle, comes to the garage and asks Elaine for an answer. He pressures her to make her decision at once, causing Elaine to become so flustered that she throws a punch at him. Guest star: J. Pat O'Malley.

Season Five

#91: "The Schloogel Show" September 30, 1982
Following a tradition from their country, Latka and Simka host a party at which Alex, Elaine, Tony, Louie, and Jim are supposed to meet their ideal mates. Guest star: Marcia Wallace as herself.

#92: "Alex Goes off the Wagon" October 14, 1982
Alex takes a passenger to Atlantic City; and while he's there decides to try his chances at some gambling. He gets lucky and wins two thousand dollars at one of the casinos. The incident brings out the compulsive gambler in Alex, and soon he's trying to get into every game he can find.

#93: "Jim's Inheritance" Ocotber 7, 1982
Reverend Jim's father dies and leaves him three and a half million dollars. But Jim's brother and sister, contending that Jim is mentally incompetent to handle the money, petition a judge to name them as conservators of the estate. Guest star: Dick Sargent.

#94: "Sceneskees From a Marriage (Part 1)" October 21, 1982
Latka goes out to rescue Cindy, a cabby who's stuck in a snowstorm. He reaches her but his tow truck breaks down. Latka and Cindy find themselves about to be frozen to death in her cab. In order to stay warm, they realize the only thing they can do is to make love. When Latka comes home, Simka takes one look at him and immediately accuses him of being with another woman. Guest star: Allyce Beasley, from the series Moonlighting, in her first television appearance.

#95: "Sceneskees From A Marriage (Part 2)" October 28, 1982
Latka and Simka's priest has ruled that Simka must sleep with someone Latka works with so that Simka can atone for Latka's indiscretion. They can't decide which cabbie she should choose, so they plan a dinner party: the last man to arrive will be the one to go to bed with her.

#96: "Alex the Gofer" November 11, 1982
Two Broadway producers hail Alex's cab one day, and he gets into a conversation with them. It's revealed that Alex knows quite a lot about the theater, and that Alex wanted to work in the theater when he was younger. Alex is hired as a gofer, but the job turns out to be extremely demeaning. Guest star: David Paymer.

#97: "Louie's Revenge" November 18, 1982
Louie finds out that Emily, a beautiful photographer, has just broken up with her latest boyfriend. Louie admits to the cabbies that when he dated Emily in the past, she was always able to twist him around her finger. Now Louie's determined to get even with her for the way she treated him before.

#98: "Travels With My Dad" November 25, 1982
Tony's father Angelo, a merchant seaman, comes to New York to visit his son. Angelo brings along a surprise--a union card that will permit Tony to join him on his next ocean voyage. Tony travels with his father on a month-long trip to Singapore. Guest star: Dick Miller.

#99: "Elaine and the Monk" December 2, 1982
Simka's cousin Zifka is a monk from the old country. His monastic order permits him to indulge in worldly pleasures for only one week every ten years. On a visit to New York during one of those weeks, he takes an immediate interest in Elaine, who is intrigued by the idea of dating a monk. Note: This episode marks Danny DeVito's directorial debut for this TV series.

#100: "Zena's Honeymoon" December 9, 1982
Zena Sherman, who had been Louie's girlfriend, visits the garage and asks to see Louie again. At dinner, Louie tells her she can come back to him, but she tells him her plans for getting married to somebody else and she invites Louie to the wedding. Guest stars: Rhea Perlman and Peter Jurasik (of Hill Street Blues).

#101: "Louie Moves Uptown" January 22, 1983
Elaine suggests that Louie move out of his dump and into a better apartment. He considers her advice and goes to look at an apartment in an exclusive luxury building. He loves the plush co-op apartment, but he doesn't have enough money for the down payment. Jim loans Louie money and Louie faces one last hurdle: he must be approved by the co-op board. Cameo: Penny Marshall as herself.

#102: "Crime and Punishment" November 4, 1982
Mr. Ratledge, the current owner of the Sunshine Cab Co., discovers that somebody from the garage has been secretly selling off used auto parts and keeping the money for himself. He orders Louie to find out who the thief is and fire him. Since Louie is in fact the crook, he talks Jeff into taking the blame. Note: This is one of the rare episodes to spotlight actor J. Alan Thomas, who plays Louie's faithful assistant Jeff.

#103: "Get Me Through the Holidays" December 14, 1982
Alex's plans to work instead of celebrating Christmas are affected when his ex-wife, Phyllis, shows up and asks him to help her out of the holiday blues. Guest star: Louise Lasser.

#104: "Alex's Old Buddy" January 29, 1983
Alex is reunited with his pet dog Buddy, but the animal is no longer in the best of health. A veterinarian tells Alex that his dog has only a few more weeks to live, and Alex becomes determined to make Buddy as happy as possible during the time he has left.

#105: "Sugar Ray Nardo" February 5, 1983
Elaine's son, Jason, is fed up with his oboe lessons and wants to take up boxing instead. Elaine is extremely hesitant to grant him permission but relents after asking Alex for his opinion on this matter. Note: This is the second episode of Taxi directed by Danny DeVito.

#106: "Alex Gets Burned by an Old Flame" March 30, 1983
Diane, a lovely ex-girlfriend of Jim's, shows up at the Sunshine Cab Co. Alex is immediately intrigued by Diane, who is now a lawyer. Alex would like to spark a romance with Diane, but she tells him she's still emotionally and physically involved with Jim.

#107: "Tony's Baby" April 20, 1983
Tony's girlfriend Vicki informs him that she is pregnant. He's stunned by her revelation and asks her to marry him. At first she refuses because she thinks he's only proposing out of a sense of obligation. But after Vicki finally agrees, Tony begins debating whether or not he should go ahead with his plans. Guest star: Keenan Wynn. Note: This episode was written by Dari Daniels, daughter of Taxi co-creator Stan Daniels.

#108: "Jim's Mario's" May 18, 1983
Jim invests some of his inheritance by purchasing the cabbies' favorite hangout, Mario's. When Jim's management threatens to undermine this business venture, Louie asks that the cabbies steer their tourist passengers to Mario's by telling them it's a happening hot spot for the "in crowd".

#109: "Louie and the Blind Girl" April 6, 1983
Louie is in love with Judy, a blind girl whom he first met at Latka's Shloogel party. He plans on asking her to marry him, but loses his courage when he learns that she is going to have an operation that will restore her sight.

#110: "Simka's Monthlies" June 15, 1983
When Simka fails to show up for an appointment at the Immigration Department, she is in serious danger of being deported. Her reason for her repeated absences from such appointments is her monthly attacks of premenstrual syndrome.

#111: "Arnie Meets the Kids" April 13, 1983
Elaine's relationship with Arnie, whom she met at Latka's party, has reached a point where she decides it's time that he should meet her children.

#112: "A Grand Gesture" May 25, 1983
Jim reveals that he has been giving away large amounts of money to strangers. When Alex finds out, he tells Jim that his behavior is reckless and irresponsible. In defense of what he's been doing, Jim says he gives the money away for the thrill of seeing the expressions on people's faces when they receive a completely unexpected gift. Guest star: Scatman Crothers.

#113: "A Taxi Celebration (Part 1)" March 23, 1983
This episode is made up of highlights from "Like Father, Like Daughter", "Paper Marriage", "Reverend Jim: A Space Odyssey", "Blind Date", "Elaine's Strange Triangle", and "Sceneskees From a Marriage". This retrospective of old clips was originally broadcast as a one-hour special.

#114: "A Taxi Celebration (Part 2)" March 23, 1983
This episode is made up of highlights from "Memories of Cab 804", "Louie and the Nice Girl", "Elegant Iggy", "Jim the Psychic", and "Fantasy Borough".

Retrospective

#115: "The Best of Taxi" December 19, 1994
This 90-minute retrospective of highlights and interviews aired on CBS (the only network not to carry Taxi) and was hosted by Marilu Henner. Cast interviews included Judd Hirsch, Danny DeVito, Christopher Lloyd, Tony Danza, Jeff Conaway and Carol Kane.

Reverend Jim Ignatowski

It's been said that a fine line exists between genius and insanity. One could argue that Jim Ignatowski has teetered precariously on that border for years.

Back when Ignatowski was a studious Harvard man named James Caldwell, he sampled some "funny brownies" which caused his mind to behave rather unpredictably. Shortly thereafter, he changed his last name to Ignatowski, believing it was "Star Child" spelled backwards.

1968 was a turbulent year for America, and an eventful one for Ignatowski: he became an ordained minister for the Church of the Peaceful, and he was thrown out of the Democratic Party for stealing decorations.

When the authorities tore down the condemned building Ignatowski called home, he moved in with his boss Louie DePalma for a while. Unfortunately, Ignatowski left a beanbag on the stove and burned the place to the ground.

Ignatowski, who hails from a wealthy family, decided to spend his inheritance on the acquisition of cabbie hangout "Mario's". The bar is now called "Jim's Mario's". At one point, he bought a racehorse for $10,000 dollars. He named it "Gary".

When the Sunshine Cab Company had to close down temporarily, he took a job selling encyclopedias door to door, although he thought he was selling vacuum cleaners.

Ignatowski, who screams for hours in his sleep, cites Saint Thomas Aquinas, Alan Alda, and his boss Louie DePalma as heroes.

©1995-1997, To Be Continued...