Pat Harrington: Building superintendent for the ages

Pat Harrington as building superintendent Dwayne F. Schneider in the sitcom "One Day at a Time".

Source: https://www.rollingstone.com/tv-movies/tv-movie-news/pat-harrington-jr-one-day-at-a-time-actor-dead-at-86-64251/

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“Always remember, and please never forget.”

Dwayne F. Schneider began many a sentence this way, only to follow it up with a pearl of his unique wisdom. It was usually intended for one, two or all of the people living in Ann Romano’s apartment on the classic and durable sitcom “One Day at a Time”.

There may not have been a more well-known building superintendent then the charming, blue collar, man’s man played by Pat Harrington for nine seasons.

On the occasion of his recent birthday, and the fact I have been binge watching “One Day at a Time”, it is a good opportunity to look back at Schneider as well as Harrington’s other work.

The years before
Pat Harrington got his start on television in 1956 on “The NBC Comedy Hour”.

He went on to appear in shows such as “Make Room for Daddy”; “Alfred Hitchcock Presents”; “Kentucky Jones”; “Mr. Novak”; “The Lucy Show”; “The Munsters”; “McHale’s Navy”; “F Troop”; “The Beverly Hillbillies”; “The Man from U*N*C*L*E”; “Run for Your Life”; “Journey to the Centre of the Earth”; “The Outsider”; “Mr. Deeds Goes to Town”; “Here Come the Brides”; “The Flying Nun”; “The Most Deadly Game”; “The New Andy Griffith Show”; “The Interns”; “Marcus Welby, M.D.”; “The Bold Ones: The Lawyers”; “Cade’s County”; “Nanny and the Professor”; “The Courtship of Eddie’s Father”; “The Rookies”; “The Girl With Something Extra”; “Love, American Style”; “The Partridge Family”; “The New Perry Mason”; “Faraday and Company”; “Owen Marshall, Counselor at Law”; “The New Dick Van Dyke Show”; “Banacek”; “Columbo”; “Kolchak: The Night Stalker”; “Police Story”; “Police Woman”; “Fay”; “McMillan and Wife”; “Ellery Queen”; “The Invisible Man”; and more.

He also appeared in a number of movies, dating back to “The Wheeler Dealers” in 1967, such as “Easy Come, Easy Go”; “The President’s Analyst”; “The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes”; and more.

In 1975, he took a role that would take him into living rooms across the continent.

One Day at a Time
Pat Harrington played Dwayne F. Schneider from the first episode of “One Day at a Time” in 1975, until the series finale in 1984, for nine seasons and a total of 209 episodes.

Through it all, Schneider evolved from, essentially a lecherous building superintendent taking inappropriate advantage of his pass key, to a sensitive, multi-layered, expressive character.

He would constantly involve himself in the affairs of Ann Romano and her daughters Julie and Barbara Cooper. Often, they would kick him out but, as they got to know him, he became part of the family. He was very protective of everyone in that apartment.

He was also a man’s man – enjoying fishing; hunting; spending time with his brothers at the lodge; drinking beer; and spending time with his many lady friends. As the building superintendent he also enjoyed tools; mechanical things; construction; maintenance; and so much more.

Schneider had this folk wisdom from his time in the Navy, but also from living an adventurous life. That sometimes revealed itself with one of the heavier episodes such as when Schneider laments the likelihood he will never have children; faced death; was betrayed by a nephew he trusted; and when Ann, Barbara, or Julie were really hurting.

In the final episode with the entire cast, Ann has taken a job in Europe. Schneider shows up at Ann’s door in a suit, and says, “Always remember, and please never forget…Annie, I love you.” He starts to cry as he closes the door.

There would be one final episode of “One Day at a Time”. It was a backdoor pilot with Schneider leaving Indianapolis to move to Florida to take care of his brother’s son and daughter. It was never picked up as a series.

For his efforts, Pat Harrington won the Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series in 1984, his final year as Schneider. I wondered if it was given as a sort of lifetime achievement award. He also won a Golden Globe in 1980 for Best Supporting Actor in a Television Series for the role of Dwayne F. Schneider.

The rest of the decade
Pat Harrington kept on appearing in other productions during and after “One Day at a Time”, right through the rest of the ‘80s.

He appeared in “The Love Beat”; “Glitter”; “Who’s the Boss?”; “Comedy Factory”; “Crazy Like a Fox”; “Hotel”; “Duet”; and “The Ray Bradbury Theater.

The years after
Harrington continued on in the ‘90s and beyond with “Sydney”, starring old “One Day at a Time” co-star Valerie Bertinelli; “Murder, She Wrote”; “The Golden Girls”; “Hearts are Wild”; “The Trials of Rosie O’Neill”; “Street Justice”; “Civil Wars”; “Silk Stalkings”; “The George Carlin Show”; “Empty Nest”; “Burke’s Law”; “Kirk”; “Roseanne”; “The Wayans Bros.”; “Fantasy Island”; “Diagnosis Murder”; “Las Vegas”; “Curb Your Enthusiasm”; and “The King of Queens”.

His last appearance was in “Hot in Cleveland” in 2012, once again opposite Bertinelli.

Pat Harrington died on January 6, 2016.

He was 86.

Parting thoughts
Watching “One Day at a Time” has illustrated to me how great an actor Pat Harrington is. As Dwayne F. Schneider, he was equal parts funny, sensitive, tough, macho and kind. Initially, he was a letch who hit on Ann Romano but, over time, became more like a brother, someone who was there in good times and bad. He wore his heart on his sleeve and was not just some caricature. He had feelings and emotions. Sometimes he got hurt, and you could see it on his face.

I am so glad he won an Emmy for the role because, for nine season, he developed, nurtured and explored every facet of Dwayne F. Schneider – making him a building superintendent for the ages.