| Based On: | "Carlton, the Doorman" created by James L. Brooks Allan Burns David Davis Lorenzo Music |
| Director: | Charles Swenson Fred Wolf |
| Voices: | Lorenzo Music Jack Somack Lucille Meredith Lurene Tuttle |
| Music: | Stephen Cohn |
| Country: | United States |
| Language: | English |
| Producer: | Lorenzo Music Barton Dean |
| Runtime: | 23 minutes |
| Company: | Murakami-Wolf-Swenson MTM Enterprises |
| Network: | CBS |
| Num Episodes: | 1 |
Carlton Your Doorman is a 1980 American television pilot for an animated spin-off of the live-action sitcom Rhoda (1974–1978) that was never picked up as a series. It originally aired as a "CBS Special Presentation" on May 21, 1980, and has never been rebroadcast.[1]
Carlton is a New York City doorman and a misfit who seeks to better himself and his position in society. In the pilot episode, Carlton seeks a replacement for his boss's wife's dog, Punkin, who died while in his care. He tries everything to replace the dog so his boss does not find out.[2]
It was revealed in this episode that Carlton was a relatively young man, with shoulder-length blond hair and mustache. He also has a gray cat named Gringo.
The episode relates the adventures of Carlton, the Doorman (voiced by Lorenzo Music), the previously off-screen character from Rhoda who was heard via the intercom but almost never seen (except only his arm would occasionally appear from doors and he was once shown dancing while wearing a gorilla mask). It was produced by MTM Enterprises and was the only animated production from MTM, although The Duck Factory – a sitcom set in an animation production company – included cartoon segments, and the closing credits of many MTM series included animated clothing and accessories superimposed on Mimsie the Cat.
It is also one of the last animated pilots to use a laugh track, which was a common practice in the 1960s and 1970s.
Shout! Factory released this episode as a bonus feature on Rhoda – Season Five: The Final Season DVD set on October 17, 2017.[3]