Angie Falco Benson

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Angelina Benson (born Angelina Falco) was a fictional character on the short-lived comedy series, Angie. She was played by actress Donna Pescow.

[edit] A waitress who found her prince charming

Angelina "Angie" Falco worked as a waitress at the Liberty Coffee Shop in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She was helping out her recently divorced mother, Theresa Falco (Doris Roberts), who couldn't run their house by herself on the income she made running a news stand, allegedly in Center City, Philadelphia. (In a case of Life imitating art, Angie's portrayer, Donna Pescow's, father, ran a news stand in New York City)

Angie's father had run out on the family nineteen years earlier, however, Theresa still thinks that he will return, so she still sets a place at the table for him. Despite this setback, she did make a shot at making ends meet. Angie also had a younger sister named Marie (Debralee Scott). Her best friend at work was a waitress named Deidre "DiDi" Molloy (Diane Robin). She had three other friends from her high school days, named Mary Mary, Mary Grace and Mary Katherine.

However, things changed very dramatically, when a young man named Brad Benson came into the coffee shop. He became a regular customer eventually. At first, Angie thought that he was a poor medical student, and began to slip him some danish, to her boss's dismay; but things really got interesting when he revealed that not only was he a doctor (pediatrician) in the medical complex across the street from the coffee shop, but was a member of one of the richest families in Philadelphia. Angie had been smitten with him, even before he revealed that he was rich, and he was equally in love with Angie. Their very different backgrounds brought meaning to the show's theme song, "Different Worlds."

They eloped, because their families mixed like oil and water, and the families were battling over the wedding plans, but they conceded to a small family wedding. Brad's reserved father, Randall Benson, (John Randolph) wasn't sure what to make of this down-to-earth italian Catholic girl who had married his son, yet he was willing to welcome her into the family, since she saw him as a father figure; but Brad's status-conscious older sister, Joyce was going through her third divorce, and so had no clear liking for marriage.

She didn't really like Angie but then again didn't outright hate her either, and she was somewhat icy towards her new sister in-law and her family, because of their differences in class and status. (She was seeing a psychiatrist about her third divorce, and was often unhappy because it turned out that her psychiatrist hated her guts.) Joyce's daughter, Hilary (Tammy Lauren), however, thought her new Aunt Angie was terrific, and because of Angie, Hilary was able to be a kid, and had fun, to her mother's dismay. Over time, Theresa bonded with Brad, because to Theresa, family means everything, and even though Brad and his family were wealthy, they were now family because of Angie. Also, she realized that he loved her daughter dearly.

At first the newlyweds lived in his huge house, complete with a butler named Phipps (Emory Bass), who liked Angie, but it seemed to intimidate her because the house was extremely large and grand. So they ended up buying a smaller but equally nice duplex, where Brad could see his young patients in the downstairs area which he turned into his new office; and he and Angie lived in the upstairs area.

After working at the coffee shop for many years, Brad managed to buy it for Angie as a surprise, which kept her busy while Brad worked. She proved to run it really well, given that she had worked there and knew all about how to run it, but then she sold it; at the same time her mother sold the news stand, and went in with her to buy a beauty salon called Rose's House of Beauty. Both Theresa and Angie had to contend with a vain and pleasure seeking hairstylist named Gianni (Tim Thomerson).

It is presumed that Angie and Brad still live in Philadelphia and are very happy together. Angie still runs the beauty shop with her mother, with a business savvy that would make both Randall and Joyce proud; and Brad is now a popular and beloved pediatrician.