# Any TV Shows That Feature Fictionalized Versions Of Living Persons?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-tv-shows-that-feature-fictionalized-versions-of-living-persons/826581>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [December 23, 2018, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-tv-shows-that-feature-fictionalized-versions-of-living-persons/826581 "2018-12-23T19:32:10Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 6

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**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\
**Post date:** [March 8, 2019, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-tv-shows-that-feature-fictionalized-versions-of-living-persons/826581/101 "2019-03-08T21:24:35Z")

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I’m pretty sure the home life featured in _At Home with Amy Sedaris_ doesn’t match the actual home life of Amy Sedaris.

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**Author:** ![mikecurtis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikecurtis/32/3284_2.png) [@mikecurtis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mikecurtis)\
**Post date:** [March 8, 2019, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-tv-shows-that-feature-fictionalized-versions-of-living-persons/826581/102 "2019-03-08T21:52:04Z")

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> [@mikecurtis](#):
>
> [the Partridge Family](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Cowsills).

> [@Melbourne](#):
>
> Both examples where the actors were given permission to continue to play their fictional characters in real life.

This has been bugging me for a while. I meant that the Partridge Family was based on the real life performing family the [Cowsills](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Cowsills)

> [@](#):
>
> The band’s road manager for most of their career was Richard ‘Biggie’ Korn.[1] When the group expanded to its full family membership by 1967, the six siblings ranged in age from 8 to 19. Joined by their mother, Barbara Cowsill (née Russell), the group inspired the 1970s television show The Partridge Family.

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**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\
**Post date:** [March 8, 2019, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-tv-shows-that-feature-fictionalized-versions-of-living-persons/826581/103 "2019-03-08T21:54:32Z")

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Hell, the Partridges would’ve been the Cowsills had they not been unhappy with the way (IIRC) Barbara was portrayed.

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**Author:** ![mikecurtis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikecurtis/32/3284_2.png) [@mikecurtis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mikecurtis)\
**Post date:** [March 8, 2019, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-tv-shows-that-feature-fictionalized-versions-of-living-persons/826581/104 "2019-03-08T22:25:19Z")

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From that same wiki page

> [@](#):
>
> They [Cowsills] starred in their own television special, called A Family Thing, in November 1968 on NBC, which guest-starred Buddy Ebsen.[20] By 1969 Screen Gems approached the family to portray themselves in their own TV sitcom, but when they were told that their mother was to be replaced by actress Shirley Jones the deal fell through. Screen Gems later hired Jones’ stepson David Cassidy to join the TV show cast, which went on to be called The Partridge Family, and to have a four-year run on ABC Television.

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