<Tr> <Th> Followed by </Th> <Td> Eight Is Enough: A Family Reunion (1987) and Eight Is Enough: A Wedding (1989) </Td> </Tr> <P> Eight Is Enough is an American television comedy - drama series that ran on ABC from March 15, 1977 until May 23, 1981 . The show was modeled on the life of syndicated newspaper columnist Thomas Braden, a real - life parent with eight children, who wrote a book by the same title . </P> <P> The show centers on a Sacramento, California family with eight children (from oldest to youngest: David, Mary, Joanie, Susan, Nancy, Elizabeth, Tommy, and Nicholas). The father, Tom Bradford (Dick Van Patten), was a newspaper columnist for the fictional Sacramento Register . His wife Joan (Diana Hyland) took care of the children . Hyland was only in four episodes before falling ill . She died soon after, and her character's death was written into the script . </P> <P> The second season began in the fall of 1977 with the revelation that Tom had become a widower . Tom fell in love with Sandra Sue "Abby" Abbott (Betty Buckley), a schoolteacher who came to the house to tutor Tommy when he broke his leg in a football game . They were married in one of the series' TV movie broadcasts on November 9, 1977 . The role went to Buckley after being approved by network chief Brandon Tartikoff, who felt the character of the sympathetic teacher she had played in the 1976 film Carrie would also be great for the series . In another TV movie event in September 1979, David and Susan were both married in a double wedding . As the series progressed, Abby got her Ph. D. in education and started a job counseling students at the local high school, oldest daughter Mary became a doctor, and second - youngest son Tommy became a singer in a rock - and - roll band . </P>

Who played the father in eight is enough