▁as ▁the ▁young est ▁of ▁an ▁up ward ly ▁mobile ▁cl an ▁of ▁sib lings ▁who ▁live ▁in ▁a ▁rough - and - t umble ▁west ▁L lan view ▁a partment ▁building ▁directly ▁opposite ▁L lan f air ▁house keeper ▁Sad ie ▁Gray ▁( L ill ian ▁Hay man ). ▁Larry ' s ▁sib lings ▁are ▁shown ▁to ▁be ▁el ders ▁Anna ▁W ole k , ▁sib ling ▁mat ri arch ▁and ▁L lan view ▁Hospital ▁volunte er , ▁and ▁V ince ▁W ole k , ▁an ▁auto ▁mechan ic . ▁The ▁mother ▁and ▁father ▁of ▁the ▁three ▁original ▁W ole ks ▁are ▁dece ased ▁at ▁the ▁show ' s ▁in ception , ▁and ▁the ▁two ▁older ▁sib lings ▁personally ▁and ▁finan cially ▁sacrifice ▁to ▁enable ▁Larry ▁to ▁purs ue ▁his ▁expensive ▁dream ▁of ▁being ▁a ▁doctor . ▁Anna ▁sacrific es ▁for ▁her ▁brother ' s ▁medical ▁career ▁self lessly , ▁but ▁their ▁brother ▁V ince ▁is ▁shown ▁as ▁being ▁particularly ▁res ent ful ▁of ▁the ▁prest ige ▁and ▁opportunity ▁a ▁medical ▁career ▁aff ords ▁resident ▁phys ician ▁Larry ▁and ▁the ▁studying ▁doctor ' s ▁rom antic ▁relationship ▁with ▁Mer ed ith ▁Lord , ▁the ▁daughter ▁of ▁L lan view ▁media ▁mog ul ▁Victor ▁Lord . ▁ ▁After ▁Mer ed ith ' s ▁death , ▁W ole k ▁distant ▁c ous ins ▁and ▁sib lings ▁Jen ny ▁and ▁Kar en ▁W ole k ▁arrive ▁in ▁fict ional ▁L lan view ▁the ▁mid - 1 9 7 0 s . ▁Larry ▁and ▁Kar en