It's a Living was the name of a sitcom which aired on American television from 1980 to 1982 and from 1985 to 1989. The show first aired on ABC and was later moved to syndication.
The show followed the lives of the waitresses who worked in a posh Chicago restaurant. At the helm was their supervisor Nancy Beebe (Marian Mercer ), who sometimes fraternized with the girls but usually gave orders. More often than not, the scheme of the week involved Nancy in some way, which upset her because all she wanted was an orderly staff. Adding to the chaotic working environment was a wisecracking pianist named Sonny (Paul Kreppel ). One of the many waitresses on the show was Cassie Cranston, played by actress Ann Jillian . Due to her stint on this show, she became very popular for a time.
It's a Living was not a success in its first season and was retooled extensively, airing in 1981 under the name Making a Living. This incarnation did not catch on either, and the show was canceled after two seasons.
In 1985, the show was revived under its old name for the syndicated market. Most of the cast remained intact from the former version. A new waitress, Amy Tompkins (Crystal Bernard), arrived at the restaurant and was immediately accepted by the group. When Ann Jillian decided to leave the show in 1986 for other opportunities, she was replaced by Ginger St. James (Sheryl Lee Ralph ), the first black waitress to be showcased on the sitcom. With these core cast members in place, the show continued to produce episodes for syndication until the show was ended in 1989.
