Series Description

The Flying Nun TV show was a 30 minute comedy series on ABC about a young woman named Sister Bertrille who had just entered a convent in Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico is known for its high winds and Sister Bertrille on weighed 90 pounds! That alone would have meant she'd have been blown around a bit but to make matters worse, the sisters all had to wear a large hat that had these "winglike" things off to each side. Consequently, the wind would pick her up right off the ground and we got a Flying Nun! She eventually learned to control her flying and used that ability to help people in need. She also found her share of trouble along the way!

The Flying Nun Cast

Sally Field .... Sister Bertrille
Marge Redmond .... Sister Jacqueline
Madeleine Sherwood .... Mother Superior Plaseato
Alejandro Rey .... Carlos Ramirez
Shelley Morrison .... Sister Sixto
Linda Dangcil .... Sister Ana
Michael Pataki .... Salazar

The Flying Nun Trivia

The Flying Nun was inspired by a book titled, "The Fifteenth Pelican".

The convent that Sister Bertrille joined in Puerto Rico was called, "San Tanco". Patty Duke ("The Patty Duke Show") was offered the role of Sister Bertrille but she turned it down. Then they offered the role to Sally Field ("Brothers and Sisters") and she turned it down! Then it was offered to Ronne Troup but Sally Field contacted them to say she had changed her mind and they gave it to her.

Sister Jacqueline once said that she worked for an advertising company as a file clerk before she entered the convent.

On one episode of The Flying Nun, Sister Bertrille watches some home movies from when she was a teenager. For the home movies, they used film shot on her earlier TV show, "Gidget".

"Gidget", "The Flying Nun", and "Brothers and Sisters" were not the only TV shows that Sally Field has starred on. There was a fourth titled, "The Girl with Something Extra". Unfortunately, it only lasted one season.

Sister Bertrille was the only one in her family who did not become a doctor. Her sister (The Doctor) occasionally showed up on The Flying Nun and was portrayed by actress Elinor Donahue ("Father Knows Best").

As of the time of this writing (2008), Sally Field has the distinction of being one of only six actors/actresses to be nominated for two Oscars and won them both! (For "Norma Rae" in 1980 and "Places in the Heart" in 1985) The other five are, "Luise Rainer", "Vivien Leigh", "Helen Hayes", "Kevin Spacey", and "Hilary Swank".