The Flying Nun

Did You Know?

• Marge Redmond was nominated for an Emmy Award in the category of Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for her role as Sister Jacqueline during the 1967–68 season.
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment released the first season of The Flying Nun on March 21, 2006, on DVD in Region 1.
• In Fall 2022, all 3 seasons of The Flying Nun were available on Crackle.

Overview

The television series "The Flying Nun," created by Bernard Slade, follows the lives of a group of nuns at the Convent San Tanco in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The story centers on Sister Bertrille, a young and hopeful novice who realizes she has the ability to fly. Her order focuses on educating underprivileged and orphaned children while also helping the poor in the local Puerto Rican community, which was an uncommon setting for American TV at the time. In the pilot episode, which runs an hour, a woman named Elsie Ethrington, originally from Chicago, arrives in San Juan from New York City after being arrested for taking part in a free speech protest. She then takes the name Sister Bertrille. Later, in the episode "My Sister, The Sister," it is revealed that she comes from a family of doctors, and she is the only one who chose a different path. She became a nun after ending a relationship with her boyfriend, who sold toys, and was inspired by her aunt's missionary work to join the Convent San Tanco. Sister Bertrille often solves problems by catching a breeze and flying. This ability is usually explained by her weight being under 90 pounds, the strong winds near the convent on ocean cliffs, and the large, heavily starched cornette she wears as part of her habit. That cornette was modeled after one worn by the Daughters of Charity until the mid-1960s, though the series never states she belongs to that order. In fact, the specific order for the Convent San Tanco is never named. Her flying often creates as many troubles as it fixes, which fits the sitcom style, but she usually uses her gift to assist others, or at least tries to do good. She describes her ability by saying, "When lift plus thrust is greater than load plus drag, anything can fly." In one episode, she attempts to gain weight to stop flying, but it does not work. In the first-season episode "Young Man with a Cornette," she tells a young boy that her flying involves more than just her weight, which is distributed differently than his. She cannot take off when heavy rain ruins the shape of her starched cornette, when she must wear something that keeps her on the ground, or, in the episode "The Flying Dodo," when an inner ear infection makes her lose her balance.

Cast

Sally Field plays Sister Bertrille, a novice nun whose real name is Elsie Ethrington. Because she weighs only 90 pounds, she can fly when the wind is right and she is wearing her cornette. This was Field's second sitcom role, after Gidget. Madeleine Sherwood portrays Reverend Mother Placido, the quiet but kind woman in charge of the convent. Marge Redmond plays Sister Jacqueline, a funny and wise nun who befriends Sister Bertrille and also narrates each episode with a playful, knowing tone. Alejandro Rey appears as Carlos Ramirez, a casino owner and playboy whose reputation makes him an unexpected philanthropist. After seeing Sister Bertrille flying next to his plane during a date, he believes he has had a religious experience and immediately orders the pilot to turn back so he can donate his land to the convent for a school. He often gets dragged into Sister Bertrille's wild plans. Rey also played Carlos's mild-mannered, inventive cousin Luis Ramirez in two episodes. Shelley Morrison is Sister Sixto, a Puerto Rican nun who regularly misunderstands English slang. Linda Dangcil plays Sister Ana, another young novice. Vito Scotti plays Captain Gaspar Fomento, the local police officer and the only regular character who never learns Sister Bertrille can fly. Elinor Donahue plays Jennifer Ethrington, Sister Bertrille's sister, a busy pediatrician who turns down Carlos's marriage proposal and later marries a doctor. Rich Little plays Brother Paul, a smart monk who causes constant disasters. Don Diamond appears as Dr. Tapia and Chief Galindo. Michael Pataki plays Sgt. Salazar, Roberto, and Pedro.

Production

Screen Gems dismissed its second choice, Ronne Troup, who had already begun filming the pilot. Field recalled hanging from a crane and being humiliated by a parade of episodic television directors, one of whom grabbed her shoulders and moved her into position as if she were a prop. She credits co-star Madeleine Sherwood for encouraging her to enroll in acting classes. Field commented that she has great affection for her young Gidget persona and was proud of her work on that show, but confirmed she did not enjoy her time on The Flying Nun, due to regular jokes from comedians, unflattering spoofs, and negative press that ridiculed the premise, which she took to mean herself. The title was used as a punchline without considering the series or its leads. In a season one DVD interview, Field states that it was Harry Ackerman's decision to give the series the instantly mockable but easily marketable title, "The Flying Nun" rather than give it the book's title, "The Fifteenth Pelican." Field expressed great affection for Flying Nun co-stars, including Marge Redmond and Alejandro Rey, who she said was considerate and taught her by example to speak up for herself, indicating that The Flying Nun ultimately was a tough but crucial training ground for her career. Prior to production, producers were concerned with how the series would be received by the Catholic Church. In an effort to prevent religious criticism, the National Catholic Office for Radio and Television (NCORT) served as a series adviser, with on-screen credit. Due to the generally positive portrayal of the nuns' religious and social activities, the series was rarely criticized by Catholic authorities and was favorably received by many. The San Juan convent courtyard exterior was the rear area of a house façade at the Warner Brothers Ranch's suburban street/backlot in Burbank, California. The pilot episode and the series opening and closing credits were filmed on location in Puerto Rico. Serra Retreat Center, Malibu, has photos in one of their conference rooms stating the exterior was shot there. On September 25, 1970, the Malibu Canyon wildfire destroyed the original buildings.

Novels, comics and toys

William Johnston wrote a series of novels based on the show's characters and dialogue, published by Ace Books in the 1960s. The titles included Miracle at San Tanco, The Littlest Rebels, The Mother of Invention, The Little Green Men, and The Underground Picnic. The original novel was later reissued as The Flying Nun. From February to November 1968, Dell Comics put out four issues of a comic book adaptation. View-Master released a three-reel 3-D packet with a storybook based on one episode. Milton Bradley produced a board game, several puzzles, and Saalfield published coloring books. A rip-cord powered toy was also made by Ray Plastic Inc.