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TV Show Feature: The Flying Nun

Monday, November 29, 2010 | Labels: | 0 comments |

The Flying Nun is an American sitcom based on the book The Fifteenth Pelican, by Tere Rios, which starred Sally Field. The sitcom ran for three seasons, from September 7, 1967, to September 18, 1970, on ABC.

Developed by Bernard Slade, the series centered on the adventures of a community of nuns in the Convent San Tanco in Puerto Rico. The comic elements of the storyline were provided by the flying ability of a novice nun, Sister Bertrille (Field). She could be relied upon to solve any problem that came her way by her ability to catch a passing breeze and fly. Her flying talents caused as many problems as they solved.

The unusual premise caught the attention of the public and the program was a success. The show was commended by several Roman Catholic orders in the late 1960s for humanizing nuns and their work. Its three season run left such an indelible impression upon its viewers that, more than 30 years after it ceased production, it continues to be satirized and referenced in modern films and television.