January 2002 - 'American Family' Debuts
On January 23, 2002, the KCET-produced series "American Family: A Journey Of Dreams" premiered on the PBS network, the first prime time dramatic television series starring an all-Latino cast.
Produced in conjunction with Gregory Nava's El Norte Productions, and with Johnson & Johnson as the primary corporate sponsor, the series featured a cast of popular Latino actors such as Edward James Olmos, Raquel Welch, Sonia Braga, Esai Morales, and Constance Marie. The network aired 36 original episodes, which were shot on location primarily in East Los Angeles and in Mexico.
The show, which depicted the lives of the Gonzalez family living in Los Angeles, centered on a Korean War veteran (Olmos), his wife (Braga), his five adult children, and their extended family. The show not only focused on the family's cultural heritage, but on current issues of the time, such as the deployment one of the sons to the Iraq War.
Nava originally pitched the series pilot to CBS, which turned it down but later recommended it to PBS. Pat Mitchell, then-president of the public TV network, had connections to KCET having previously lived in Los Angeles and approached the station to take on the series.
"American Family" was considered to be an important production in KCET's history. "This was essentially a series that recognized our role, our location, and our ability to manage big talent," said KCET President and CEO Al Jerome.
After two and a half seasons on PBS, "American Family" aired on the Telemundo network.
