On this day March 9 1987 the musical drama series Rags to Riches premiered on NBC. The show followed a wealthy businessman who unexpectedly adopts five orphaned girls and must adjust to his new life as a father. Featuring musical numbers set to reworked versions of popular 50s and 60s songs the series blended comedy drama and music in a unique way.
Rags to Riches ran for two seasons with a total of 20 episodes and featured a young Tisha Campbell who later became well known for her roles in Martin and My Wife and Kids. Though short-lived the show developed a loyal fanbase and remains a nostalgic favorite for many.
80s insight: The musical numbers in each episode featured rewritten lyrics to classic songs that reflected the storyline making it one of the few TV dramas to incorporate music in this way.