For the Joan Baez album Any Day Now, see Any Day
Now. For the 1977 film Any Day Now (aka Vandaag of morgen) see
Any Day Now
Any Day Now is a hit Lifetime TV series which originally ran four seasons
from 1998 to 2002. The show stars Annie
Potts and Lorraine Toussaint, who are best friends despite the difference in
their races.
The show's title is taken from the 1962 Chuck Jackson song "Any Day Now," which was
later covered by Ronnie Milsap in 1982. A version
performed by Lori Perry served as the show's theme song.
Setting
The show is set Birmingham, Alabama in the 1960s,
during the peak of desegregation. Any Day Now focuses on the lives and interactions
of two female protagonists: Mary Elizabeth O'Brien - Sims ("M.E."), an outgoing white girl, and Renee Jackson, a shy black girl.
The two had grown up as close friends but their friendship ends when M.E. becomes pregnant and chooses, despite Rene's
disapproval, to keep the child and marry her boyfriend. More than twenty years later, M.E. and her husband still live in Alabama
where they struggle to make ends meet. Their oldest son, Bobby, has died, but they have two younger offspring (Kelly and Davis).
Renee has moved to Washington D.C. where she is a successful attorney. After the death
of her father, Renee decides to move back to her old hometown, where she reunites with M.E.. The two quickly resume their close
friendship and contemporary storylines are interwoven with scenes from their shared past.
Format
Each episode lasts 60 minutes and consists of alternating scenes from two different timelines. The first timeline follows the
young version of the girls, dealing with such issues as: M.E.'s racist parents, her loving grandmother, who often helps M.E. and
Rene overcome daily obstacles that threateen their friendship, her uncle who is a Ku Klux
Klan member, her brother who goes to war, and her cruel sister, Teresa. The second timeline shows the grown, present day,
version of the girls, dealing with such issues as: racism, homosexuality (Rene's clients, Rene's brother Elston), religion,
women's rights, rape, natural disaster, poverty, alcohol, suicide, and death. In most episodes there was either a common theme
between the scenes presented from each timeline, or a direct connection between the events depicted in the past and how it
affected those in the present.
Fourth Season Actors
In the fourth season, the young version of the girls became older and more mature. To show this change, the actresses
Mae Middleton (M.E.) and Sherri Dyon Perry (Rene) were
replaced by Olivia Hack and Maya Goodwin, respectively.
End
Any Day Now ended after its initial 4 season (88 episodes) contract expired. The show would have been renewed, but
Annie Potts chose instead to care for her family. The series ended with Rene's marriage, as well as M.E. and Rene's mothers
finally putting an end to their decades-long animosity.
Future Spin-Offs
On the official website for the show on www.lifetimetv.com, in the Frequently Asked Questions section, there is a Question and
Answer that states that there will be a movie made using the Any Day Now storyline. This has been on the site since 2002, and a
movie has yet to materialize. This page also states that Lorrane Toussaint was to star in a Lifetime movie entitled "Justice
Denied", this also never materialized.
Stars
Supporting Cast
- Chris Mulkey as Colliar Sims
- Christopher Winsor as Davis Sims (1998)
- Calvin Devault as Davis Sims (1999-2002)
- Olivia Friedman as Kelly (Sims) Williams
- Derrex Brady as Ajoni Williams
- John Lafayette as James Jackson
- Donzaleigh Abernathy as Sara Jackson
- Christopher Babers as Young Elston Jackson
- William Converse-Roberts as Matthew O'Brien
- Nancy Mcloughlin as Catherine O'Brien
- James Deeds as Johnny O'Brien
- Elise Shirley as Young Theresa O'Brien
- Delta Burke as Theresa O'Brien
- Michael Pavone as Jimmy O'Brien
- Dan Byrd as Young Colliar Sims
- Millie Perkins as Grandma Irene Otis
- Richard Biggs as Bill Moody
- Bronson Picket as Joe Lozano
- Tony Barriere as Young Tully
- Mary-Pat Green as Odessa
- Taneka Johnson as Lakeisha Reynolds
- Don McManus as Graham Pearce
- Alyssa Nichols as April
- Alexandra Hedison as Rhonda
Trivia
In the pilot episode, James Jackson was played by Courtney B. Vance.
External links
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