Charlie & Co. (also known as Charlie & Company) is an American sitcom that originally aired on CBS from September 18, 1985 to May 16, 1986. Created by Allan Katz, the series stars Flip Wilson and Gladys Knight. Charlie & Co. is regarded as CBS's answer to The Cosby Show, which was a ratings success for NBC at the time. Unlike The Cosby Show, which ran for eight seasons, Charlie & Co. lasted only one. Synopsis The series follows a middle class African American family who lived on the South Side of Chicago. Charlie Richmond (Flip Wilson) is a black middle-class employee of the Division of Highways, who juggled his work and home life with his wife, Diana, a schoolteacher played by Gladys Knight. The couple had three children: sixteen-year-old "Junior" (Kristoff St. John), fifteen-year-old Lauren (Fran Robinson), and nine-year-old Robert (Jaleel White). Della Reese joined the cast during the latter half of the first season as Charlie's sister-in-law, Aunt Rachel. CBS cancelled the series in May 1986. Cast Flip Wilson as Charles "Charlie" Richmond Gladys Knight as Diana Richmond Kristoff St. John as Charlie "Junior" Richmond, Jr. Fran Robinson as Lauren Richmond Jaleel White as Robert Richmond Della Reese as Aunt Rachel (1986) Ray Girardin as Walter Simpson Richard Karron as Milton Bieberman Kip King as Ronald Sandler Terence McGovern as Jim Coyle Eddie Velez as Miguel Santana Heidi Levine as Emily Coyle Episodes Awards and nominations References External links 1985 American television series debuts 1986 American television series endings 1980s American black sitcoms CBS original programming English-language television shows Television series about families Television series by 20th Century Fox Television Television shows set in Chicago