‘Mr. Belvedere’ Star Ilene Graff on Her TV Kids, Final Episode Memories & If There Will Ever Be a Reunion (Exclusive)

Mike Pingel August 31, 7:00 am

MR. BELVEDERE, Ilene Graff, (1980s), 1985-1990. — Jim McHugh/TV Guide/20th Century Fox Film Corp./ Courtesy Everett Collection

Mr. Belvedere — the quirky sitcom about the culture clash between a suburban Pittsburgh family, headed by Bob Uecker and Ilene Graff, and their posh English housekeeper, Mr. Belvedere (Christopher Hewett) — turned 40 this year. Headed for cancellation after three seasons, the efforts of a devoted fanbase kept it on the air for three more, and today, it remains one of the most iconic fish-out-of-water TV shows of all time.

ReMIND Magazine recently caught up with Ilene Graff, who played the kind, law school-attending mother Marsha Cameron Owens. Graff reminisced about her first day on set, the special keepsakes she held onto from filming, and how she still keeps in touch with her TV children.

Ilene Graff from Mr Belvedere at event in 2025

Credit: Mike Pingel

How does it feel with the show’s 40^th Anniversary?

Ilene: It feels surreal because you don’t notice the years going by — but when you look back and say, ‘what happened in those 40 years’? A lot of stuff happened, but not only the show, but life, having a family, the world, and a lot of stuff. So, when you get down to the granular level, you begin to appreciate, oh, yeah, that time did go by.

What do you remember about the first day on the set?

The first time you’re on the set, it’s always so thrilling, because you have an idea in your mind. I mea,n family multi camera comedies are all basically have the same set. The couch is always in the middle, there’s a staircase going up, the kitchens on one side or the other. There’s not much you can do with that set.

When it’s yours, suddenly you feel this is my new home and if it’s a nice set, you just get comfortable right away and say this is going to be my reality, hopefully – for years to come.

MR. BELVEDERE, Bob Uecker, Tracy Wells, Christopher Hewett, Ilene Graff, Rob Stone, Brice Beckham, 1985-90,

20th Century Fox Film Corp./Courtesy: Everett Collection

Did you take anything from the set when it ended?

I did not.

How about the sofa?

I didn’t take the sofa – it was kind of worn out by then – after all those years. But they were very generous. They did let me take a certain amount of wardrobe. They didn’t let me take everything because a lot of it just went back into rotation. I still have some of those pieces. I can’t fit into them. 40 years ago, I was very tiny, but I just love knowing that they’re there in my closet, that I can look back and remember the episode – that kind of stuff.

Do you remember the final show and how that was for you?

It was terrible. I mean the show wasn’t terrible, but the emotions were running high. I think most of our major emotions came out during the first show of the night, the dress rehearsal, which is also on tape that they use. That’s when the shock of it kind of hit. So that by the time we did the second taping, we were a little bit more under control and not sobbing. Knowing things were never going to be the same, but I’m happy to report that we have maintained relationships all through the years.

I still refer to the kids as “my kids” – as opposed to my daughter, my biological daughter. But when there’s “my kids” – and people always know who I’m talking about. We have stayed in touch, and we do get together. So, it was wonderful.

(The kids were played by Rob Stone as Kevin Owens, Tracy Wells as Heather Owens and Brice Beckham as Wesley T. Owens).

MR. BELVEDERE, Christopher Hewett, Bob Uecker, 1985-1990, TM and Copyright (c) 20th Century Fox Film Corp. All rights reserved. Courtesy: Everett Collection

Are they thinking about having a reunion?

You know, it would be really hard because both Christopher Hewett (Mr. Belvedere) and Bob Uecker (George Owens) are gone. So, it just wouldn’t be the same.