Maurice Minnifield
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Maurice Minnifield is a fictional character in the television series Northern Exposure. He was played by Barry Corbin.
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[edit] History
Maurice Minnifield was a Marine Corps fighter pilot in the Korean War ("fifteen confirmed kills over Pusan"), and later an astronaut in the Mercury program. He retired from the military and the space program as a colonel. [1] He inherited $68 million from his father in Tulsa, Oklahoma, over his brother Malcolm, and purchased 15,000 acres (61 km²) near the town of Cicely in Arrowhead County, Alaska. Minnifield established a radio station, KBHR, hosted by Chris Stevens, and a town newspaper, the Cicely News & World Telegram. His goal was to pioneer the "New Alaskan Riviera," with resorts, gated communities, and casinos. A proud Cicely resident, Maurice ultimately wanted to boost the local economy by bringing new business to the community.
In 1988, Maurice brought Shelly Tambo to Cicely, having been smitten with her at the "Miss Northwest Passage" beauty contest in Dawson City, Yukon in Canada. Shelly left Maurice for Holling Vincoeur, his best friend of many years. Maurice refused to speak to Holling for two years, but they gradually patched up their old friendship.
In 1990, Maurice purchased Joel Fleischman's contract from the state of Alaska and brought him to Cicely.
[edit] Tastes and opinions
Maurice has a problem with homosexuals, communists, and hippies.
He enjoys show tunes, especially from The King and I, Porgy and Bess, Brigadoon, and Kiss Me, Kate. He loves to sing and rarely misses an opportunity to do so, though he was at first very reluctant to sing at Shelly's wedding to Holling.
Maurice is decended from the MacAlisters of Scotland and has an appreciation for Scottish militaria, kilts and whisky. [2]
[edit] Love Life
As of the close of the series, Maurice still held a sentimental attachment for Shelly. However he also developed an infatuation with Barbara Semanski, a police sergeant who was sent to Cicely to investigate the theft of his radio. He also received yearly visits from an astronaut groupie, Ingrid Klochner.
Maurice was unmarried but had one child from a casual liaison during his deployment in the Korean War, revealed in the Emmy award winning episode Seoul Mates; they remained in touch, despite the language barrier. In the episode A Kodiak Moment, he tries to adopt Chris Stevens.
[edit] Trivia
This character's name may be derived from the Steve Miller Band's 1974 single, The Joker. In this song, the narrator notes that some people call him a "space cowboy" while others call him "Maurice." Minnifield's southwestern origins, his taste in clothes and furnishings, and his political outlook could all be described as "cowboy," with his experience as an astronaut making him a "space cowboy."
| Northern Exposure |
|---|
| Characters |
| Joel Fleischman | Maggie O'Connell | Maurice Minnifield | Chris Stevens Shelly Tambo | Holling Vincoeur | Ed Chigliak | Ruth-Anne Miller | Marilyn Whirlwind Phil Capra | Michelle Capra |
| Episodes |
