Punky Brewster

Punky Brewster: Summary

Airs Next:NBC at Sunday 7:00 PM (30 min.)
Status:Ended
Premiered:September 16, 1984
Last Aired:September 7, 1986
Show Categories:Comedy, Children

"Every time I turn around, I see the girl who turns my world around..."

Seven-year-old Punky Brewster certainly turned Henry Warnimont's world around. Henry was a grouchy old man who was set in his ways, until Punky came along and changed him in a way that was not thought possible...Henry became a happy man, determined to be the best parent he could be.

According to reports from when this series was announced, there was a real Punky Brewster, but not quite like the one in the show. When NBC's programming head Brandon Tartikoff was a kid, he had a crush on a tomboyish older girl by that name. Years later, Tartikoff's first child was nicknamed Punky. He also thought it would be a great name for a series. NBC's attorneys tracked down the real Punky, who was married to an attorney in Connecticut, and got permission to use her name. The real "Punky", Peyton B. Rutledge, even appeared in the Season Two episode "The Search", as a teacher at Punky's school. The show's premise was as follows:

After 7-year-old Penelope "Punky" Brewster and her beloved dog Brandon are abandoned at a shopping center by Punky's mother, Susan Brewster, Punky is taken in by Chicago photographer and apartment building manager Henry Warnimont, who lives on the apartment building's second floor. Henry's friend, Betty Johnson, lives upstairs from Henry. Betty is a registered nurse who has had custody of her granddaughter, Cherie, ever since Cherie's parents died in a car accident.

When the show first started, it was aired on Sunday nights after the weekly televised NFL football game, which would sometimes run overtime into Punky Brewster's 7:30 PM time slot. Instead of cancelling the show because of this, they would make 15 minute episodes to air whenever the football game ran into the show's time slot. Six of these 15 minute episodes were made. Whenever the show is in syndicated reruns, these six 15 minute episodes are aired in three 30 minute packages of two 15 minute episodes each. After Punky Brewster's first two seasons, the show went into first-run syndication for its last two seasons.

Theme Song Lyrics
"Every Time I Turn Around"
Written By: Judy Hart Angelo & Gary Portnoy

Maybe the world is blind,
Or just a little unkind.
Don't know.

Seems you can't be sure
Of anything anymore.
Although,

You maybe lonely and then,
One day you're smiling again.
Every time I turn around,
I see the girl that turns my world around.
Standing there ...

Everytime I turn around,
Her spirit's lifting me right off the ground.
What's gonna be?
Guess we'll just wait and see.

Spinoff:It's Punky Brewster "Every time I turn around, I see the girl who turns my world around..."

Seven-year-old Punky Brewster certainly turned Henry Warnimont's world around. Henry was a grouchy old man who was set in his ways, until Punky came along and changed him in a way that was not thought possible...Henry became a happy man, determined to be the best parent he could be.

Wedding Bells for Brandon

Aired: Friday May 27, 1988

In the final episode of Punky Brewster: Punky and the gang throw a wedding for Brandon and another golden retriever named Brenda, who is owned by Punky's friend Myron. As Punky and the gang prepare for the wedding and the wedding takes place, there are flashbacks, focusing on some of Brandon's scenes from past episodes.

Reading, Writing, and Rock n� Roll (Episode Clip)

Punky is a paid an unexpected visit by 80s R&B heartthrobs DeBarge.

Posted: 07/26/06
Views: N/A
Comments: N/A

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Jerry Seinfeld and wife welcome third child
Comedian Jerry Seinfeld and his wife, Jessica, have again enlarged their family with the birth of their third child earlier this week.
- 08/25/05 4:19 PM
- 14 comments \ add yours

Soleil Moon FryePenelope "Punky" Brewster (photos)
George GaynesHenry Warnimont
T.K. CarterMike Fulton
Casey EllisonAllen Anderson
Ami FosterMargaux Kramer

9.6
00
RaineRP
member since: Jun 23, 2005
The Bottom Line: "Trendsetter"
The best sitcom of the 1980's to watch! It's about 8-year-old Penelope "Punky" Brewster and her dog, Brandon are abandoned by her mother at a local grocery store. She is taken in by Henry Warnimont, the landlord at the apartment. ...Continue »
I was a fan of the show since it began on NBC for two seasons and another two seasons on syndication. I was three years old, when the show started. I was seven years old, when the show ended. Punky befriended Cherie, a black girl, who lives was raised by her grandmother, after her parents were killed in a car accident, while on the way the pick her up at school. Cherie's grandmother lives in the same apartment, where Henry, a friend of her grandmother's, is a landlord at the apartment. Punky is also befriended by Margaux Kramer, a pre-teen dumb blonde and Allen Anderson.
09/15/06 08:59pm | report abuse
9.5
00
makgambit
member since: Apr 10, 2006
The Bottom Line: "Off the wall"
Just a great show. ...Continue »
This was a super show to me. I wanted to be punkie buster so bad. I would even dress like her wiht her unmatched shows. I even had her doll. This live action show was better than the cartoon. The cartoon was good but this was great. Punkie would get into so much trouble. If i was her, I would be died right now. It was so neat to watch her get out of trouble every week. I just loved her and her buddy. Punkie came from a broken family and i loved that about her. She was adopted by the old man. she showed him more to life and got in trouble along the way.
07/16/06 05:55pm | report abuse
8.5
00
flurfgirl
member since: Jun 22, 2005
The Bottom Line: "Trendsetter"
A young girl without parents is taken in by a crotchety old man with a heart of gold. ...Continue »
This was one of my favorite shows as a kid. I remember wanted to be like Punky. I was even punky for halloween one year. I wore the mismatched shoes and never matched my hairties. I even remember practicing with my friends the punky walk swaying our heads back and forth. Punky was every kids dream. None of us envied her not having parents, but her free spirit and the way she took care of herself was really cool. I know that the episodes are on dvd now so if you grew up with this show you should give it a second look. Its not like other shows of its age, it still has magic!
05/01/06 08:10pm | report abuse
10
10
kevinb4444
member since: Jul 21, 2005
The Bottom Line: "Classic"
It doesn't get much more classic that this if you are an 80's child like myself. ...Continue »
A friend of mine sent me a post of the theme song the other day as a joke, it brought back childhood memories. Henry rules, because I loved Police Academy, he was great in that movie, and on this show, as I remember it. I even liked the cartoon. She also got freakin' hot when she went into her teens, on other shows she was on.
04/20/06 11:14am | report abuse
10
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hula_girl2008
member since: Mar 9, 2006
The Bottom Line: "Bring it back!"
This show was a little before my time, but I still saw every episode... my sister grew up on it and recorded it every week. ...Continue »
I love this show and I think that it should be back! I can't wait to own all the seasons on DVD! I watched every episode when I was little. My sister had the doll and the shirt and she recorded and watched EVERY episode with my grandmother. It was def. one of the best!
03/08/06 05:02pm | report abuse