Classic Television - Prime Time

My World and Welcome to It

Original channel

NBC

Original run

September 15, 1969 – March 6, 1970

Starring

William Windom (John Monroe)

Lisa Gerritsen (Lydia Monroe)

Joan Hotchkis (Ellen Monroe)

Harold J. Stone (Hamilton Greeley)

Henry Morgan (Phil Jensen)

My World and Welcome to It is a US-made half-hour sitcom based on the humor and cartoons of James Thurber. It starred William Windom as John Monroe, a Thurber-like writer and cartoonist who works for a magazine closely resembling The New Yorker called The Manhattanite. Wry, fanciful and curmudgeonly, Monroe observes and comments on life, to the bemusement of his rather sensible wife Ellen (Joan Hotchkis) and intelligent, questioning daughter Lydia (Lisa Gerritsen). Monroe's frequent daydreams and fantasies are usually based on Thurber material. My World — And Welcome To It (note slight variation from television title) is the name of a book of illustrated stories and essays, also by James Thurber.

The television series ran for just one season on NBC 1969-1970. It was created by Mel Shavelson, who wrote and directed the pilot episode and was one of the show's principal writers. Sheldon Leonard was executive producer. The show's producer, Danny Arnold, co-wrote or directed numerous episodes, and even appeared as Santa Claus in "Rally Round the Flag."