PITCH

After Will's wife dies and each is alone, Joe, Art, Will & Tommy move in together. Four miserable and desperate guys looking to re-capture their youth think living together might give them a chance to smile.

The Gray Boys is a, "Sanford & Son"/"Golden Girls" half-hour situation comedy or cartoon. Their "Bucket List" has only one entry, Get Laid!

EVERY EPISODE BEGINS WITH THE BOYS EITHER AT A FUNERAL OR RETURNING FROM ONE.

SYNOPSIS

After graduating high school in 1965, JOE left Los Angeles seeking his fame and fortune. Since being discharged from the army in 1970, he's tried his hand at everything from cab driver to pimp in various cities. Now, at 62, estranged from his third wife and drawing social security in Denver, he decided he needed a change so he packed his few belongings into his green 71' Vega and hit the road back to Los Angeles.

Soon after arriving in LA and sleeping in his Vega in a strip mall parking lot, Joe hooked up with old friend and classmate ART BUTLER at a local barber shop. Art is also 62, a bit overweight and a recovering alcoholic with diabetes. He too is drawing social security but has a part time job as a Walmart greeter. He's blind as a bat, wears thick coke bottle glasses and screws up every cliché (I.E. "Wake up and smell the ass.")

Joe and Art were close back in their high school days so over a few beers in a neighborhood bar, they got caught up on what each had been doing since graduation. During the conversation, Art suggested Joe stay at his place until he gets on his feet. Joe took him up on the offer and within a few days, moved into the empty bedroom in Art's small apartment. Art's apartment was cramped but would do for now.

The first Saturday after Joe's moved in he's passed out on the sofa from a rough night of futile skirt chasing. Suddenly he's awakened by the sound of Art busy vacuuming and setting up a poker table in the middle of the living room. He learns that Art has been holding a Saturday night poker game at his place for more than ten years to stay in touch with some of the old gang, especially Tommy and Will. When Joe heard that Tommy and Will were coming over it brought a smile to his face. Man, they were like the four Musketeers when they were kids. All for one, one for all!

First at the door is Tommy. THOMAS YAMAMOTO, 62, about 5'7", a very slight build JAPANESE. He's 3rd generation Asian born in Los Angeles and has no Asian characteristics beyond appearance. He's so un-Asian, he was denied membership into a Japanese gang. Tommy buried his wife, June, two years earlier and has been hiding from his greedy, borderline criminal son, Tommy Jr..

Tommy doesn't recognize Joe at first glance but once he does, it's like they saw each other just yesterday. Tommy brings up a koolaid stand he and Joe set up more than 50 years ago and how Joe stole the money. Of course Joe denies it but it was the truth. Not only did he steal money from the operation but he also watered down the koolaid. As Joe and Tommy are in the middle of the friendly shouting match, in walks Will.

WILLIAM LAWSON - 62, 5'10", a balding Caucasian in pretty good shape. Will is meticulous, level headed and responsible. He married a black woman from the neighborhood named Doris Johnson and has two children. They've been married for 30 years and Doris was the best of the best. Everyone knew Doris and Will was considered lucky when they married. Will's not a handsome man but he's attractive from his air of self confidence. Though white, growing up with these guys in south Los Angeles has made William one of the boys.

The Gray Boys sit around drinking warm beer, playing a few hands of cards but most of the evening is spent talking of days gone by and seeing who could tell the biggest lie.

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