TV Guide with Chico and the Man illustration on cover

Issue of TV Guide dated March 1, 1975, featuring an Al Hirschfeld illustration of the lead characters in the television series Chico and the Man as portrayed by Freddie Prinze and Jack Albertson. In the colorful illustration, Albertson is depicted wearing a black hat, plaid shirt, and purple sweater standing before Prinze, wearing a yellow undershirt and blue jacket with a "Chicano Power" patch, and a gold necklace.

Chico and the Man was a television situation comedy series that aired from 1974-1978, and was notable as the first American television series set in a Mexican-American neighborhood. The series starred Jack Albertson as Ed Brown, the elderly owner of a garage in East Los Angeles, and Freddie Prinze as Chico Rodriguez, a young Mexican-American who begins working for the prejudiced and cantankerous Brown. Over time, Chico begins to soften Brown’s misanthropy and bigotry, becoming a surrogate son to the still-grieving widower. The series was created by veteran producer James Komack and based on his observation of the humor of Cheech Marin and Tommy Chong, popular comedians who turned down his offer to appear in the show. Komack Company Inc. and Wolper Productions produced the 30-minute show for NBC. Jose Feliciano wrote and performed the theme song for the series. It became a moderate ratings success, and earned an Emmy Award for Jack Albertson as Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series (1976) and a nomination for Jose Feliciano as well as Golden Globe nominations for Best Musical/Comedy Series and Best Television Actor, for Prinze. When Prinze committed suicide in 1977, the producers considered cancellation, but instead decided instead to revamp the series with new characters, a 12-year old boy named Raul (Gabriel Melgar) and his attractive and overprotective Aunt Charo (Charo). Facing declining ratings, the show was canceled the next season.

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