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The show was modeled on the life of syndicated newspaper columnist Tom Braden, a real-life parent with eight children, who wrote a book by the same title. His wife Joan, based on Joan Braden, was a homemaker and took care of the children. Joan was played by actress Diana Hyland born Diane Gentner and in early , she was diagnosed with breast cancer.

While undergoing a mastectomy , doctors discovered her cancer had metastasized. During filming her health suddenly deteriorated, and Hyland died on March 27, , having filmed only four episodes. As a result, her character's death was written into the second season of the series. The second season begins in the fall of with Tom as a widower. He eventually meets and falls in love with Sandra Sue "Abby" Abbott Betty Buckley , a widowed schoolteacher who comes to the house to tutor Tommy after he breaks his leg in a football game.

Abby and Tom marry in one of the series' TV movie broadcasts on November 9, The role went to Buckley after being approved by network chief Brandon Tartikoff , who felt that the character of Miss Collins, the sympathetic high school gym teacher she had played in the film Carrie , would translate seamlessly to the series.

In the fourth season, in another of the series' TV movie broadcasts in September , both David and Susan get married in a double wedding. As the series progresses, Abby receives her Ph. Hamill sought to get out of his five-year contract on Eight Is Enough to take the opportunity to star as Luke Skywalker in George Lucas 's Star Wars ; Lorimar Productions granted his request and the role was re-cast with Grant Goodeve.

The show was developed by writer William Blinn and was a Lorimar Production. It was originally distributed by Worldvision Enterprises.