SoapDope78

I'm surprised they didn't have Lucy owning an apartment building with wacky tenants like 227 or maybe Lucy owns an ad agency with wacky employees and clients or Lucy as a producer of a daytime soap with wacky actors and plot lines. Anything was better than the dreck they had her doing on Life With Lucy.

Dena Deitrich was one of those great actresses that brightened up everything she appeared in but never had a long running series. Her longest role was as Mother Nature in the Chiffon margarine commercials in the 70's. She would have been an excellent sidekick to Lucy. Bob Crane (who's messy private life was exposed after his 1978 murder) never had another long running series after Hogan's Hero's (1965-1971) ended. Prior to that he had a co-starring role on The Donna Reed Show (1963-65). In the early 70's he did the Disney film " Super Dad" (1973) with Kurt Russell he thought would re-ignite his career. It didn't. He tried another series in 1975 with "The Bob Crane Show" that ended after 14 episodes. He spent the rest of his career before his death doing guest appearances.

Yes, she did bring back her old writing team out of moth balls, and they were out of touch with the times. They were stuck in the 1960's and probably thought since it was "Lucy" that the audience would buy her in anything (even if she was reading the phonebook). Aaron Spelling produced this mess, and I think she wasn't even told it had been cancelled till she showed up to work. Her second husband Gary Morton also let her sign on to projects that were not up to her talent. Her daughter Lucie Arnaz said that if Desi hadn't been too ill he would have told her " What the hell are you doing still trying to perform physical comedy at your age". Lucie said she agreed with the audience that Lucy might break a hip or something doing those crazy stunts.

Lucille Ball was the TV queen for 3 decades. I Love Lucy (1951-1957) The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour (1957-1960) The Lucy Show (1962-1968) Here's Lucy (1968-1974). Life With Lucy (1986) her last sitcom was considered one of the worst shows and was cancelled after 13 episodes. The audience felt that Lucy and Gale Gordon still doing pratfalls at their age was an accident waiting to happen. Lucy felt she was rejected by America and never got over it.

The slow-motion aspect would make sense. The scene as it appears in the promo comes across as cheap and cheesy with the obvious fake prop glass that looks milky compared to the clear glass before the crash. I haven't seen much of Peter Simon's SFT work, but he just comes across as wooden, bland, and boring as he did on ATWT and GL.

Danny Thomas was never able to duplicate another long running series after Make Room for Daddy/aka...The Danny Thomas Show (1953-1964). He followed up with: The Danny Thomas Hour (1967) Make Room for Grandaddy (1970-1971) The Practice (1976-1977) I'm A Big Girl Now (1980-1981) One Big Family (1986-1987) Make Room for Grandaddy is now available on youtube and Tubi. As with the old series it relied too much on Guest Star of the week plots (as Here's Lucy did during this time). 26 year old Diana Ross even played a teen in an episode which was cringy. There were also too many plots of Danny trying to be hip and with it for the 1970's. Probably the best episode was Linda (Angela Cartwright) learning to drive. Of course, Danny had the latest model land yacht convertible in the garage.

Fran also did a sitcom pilot in the early 90's( pre-Nanny) with Karen Valentine. It is on youtube. Karen Valentine (who was America's sweetheart of the 70's) is another actress that didn't find another successful series after Room 222 (1969-1974). In 1975 she did the short self-titled series Karen. After that she did several failed pilots which many are on youtube. She was a regular on Hollywood Square during the 70's and hosted a short-lived pop culture show in the mid 80's "Our Time" that reflected on the baby boomer period with celebrity guests. She did many TV movies, guest shots, and several films for Disney. One of my favorite TV films she did was 1974's " The Girl Who Came Gift Wrapped" with Richard Long. Louise Sorel, Farrah Fawcett, Dave Madden, Reta Shaw, and Tom Bosley co-star. Jamie Lyn Bauer also has a small role. Aaron Spelling produced it. It looks like he would have found a project for Karen at some point. The film is on youtube.

I recognize the actor as Fred Holiday. The actress is familiar. Did she appear on soaps?

Thanks for the info. I forgot about that show. Cleavon Little was another actor who had a big hit with Blazing Saddles, but a spotty career. He also did the early 70's sitcom "Temperatures Rising" which was re-tooled in 3 different supporting cast incarnations. In its second season it was renamed "The New Temperature's Rising Show" with a cast change adding Paul Lynde. Joan Van Ark was in the first season cast along with Reva Rose.

Nancy Walker was on the last season of Family Affair (1970-71). McMillan & Wife (1971-1976). Rhoda (1974-1978). The Nancy Walker Show (1976-1977) Blansky's Beauties (1977). Mama's Boy (1987-1988) not to mention her long run as Rosie in the Bounty paper towel TV commercials.

Charlotte Stewart admitted that she and Victor French were friends with benefits during the run of the show.......🤣

Michael Landon was a jerk behind the scenes. He was insanely jealous of actors he thought was competition. He had Guy Williams canned as a possible replacement for Pernell as the Cartwright cousin. He also had a jealous hatred of Bill Bixby. Bixby was known as one of the nicest men in the business and Landon couldn't stand it. Landon who was still doing Bonanza in the early 70's was pissed that Bixby was starring as a loving Dad in " The Courtship of Eddie's Father" and getting accolades for the role. He felt he should be playing Dad roles. Bixby tried to engage him at and event and Landon snubbed him. When Bonanza was cancelled, he quickly moved into "Little House on the Prairie" as all American Dad Pa Ingles. Years later Landon never got over his hatred of Bixby. On Highway to Heaven, he wrote an episode about an ego monster actor (Played by Ned Beatty) who was the father on a sitcom to a little boy who treated the child actor like crap. It was clearly a dig at Bixby and Courtship. In reality Bixby and Brandon Cruz who played his son Eddie remained close till his death. Cruz even named his son after Bixby. When Michael Landon was diagnosed with cancer Bixby was diagnosed at the same time. Bixby stated that he wept when he learned Landon had it and when he later died.

I remember reading somewhere years ago that Pernell Roberts supposedly threw away fan mail. He thought it was silly that someone would waste time writing a celebrity that they only knew by watching them on TV. I don't know if that was fact or fiction. LOL @ Kim Zimmer doing the FBI schlock in need of quick paycheck. Lyle Waggoner was on The Carol Burnett Show 1967-1974. He then did Wonder Woman 1976-1979. After those two series he mainly did cheesy guest appearances. His big fortune came from creating a high-end ritzy trailer rental business Star Waggons. His main clients were TV & Film companies for their actors to use as dressing rooms. His sons later took over the business, and they build them in their factory.

Pernell Robets always came across as TV was beneath him. He left Bonanza on a sour note. He bashed the series the entire time he was on it. When he did Trapper John M.D. I think he admitted he was needing the money to sign onto another series. He also did commercials during the run of TJ for various products. He hosted "FBI Untold Stories" in the 90's that ran a couple of seasons. Randolph Mantooth was one of the stars of Emergency in the 70's but wound up doing daytime after years of spotty guest appearances. Kristy McNichol did the short-lived series "Apples Way" (1974-75). She then did Family (1976-1980) that made her a teen idol. She was expected to be a big film star, but after personal issues with mental health, she returned to series TV in 1988 on Empty Nest. She left EN in 1992 after 4 seasons. She did return for the series finale in 1995. She has since retired from acting.

Anderson Co-starred with Lynda Carter in the series "Partners in Crime" (1984). Carter is another example of having a hit show in the 1970's, but failed to duplicate that in another series. She did the short lived 'Hawkeye" (1994-95) with Lee Horsley (who also failed to duplicate a successful series). Lynda was and is still gorgeous. Why Aaron Spelling did latch onto her for one of his shows is a mystery.

Susan Dey was in the hit the Partridge Family (1970-1974). She then did mostly TV films/guest appearances till she tried another sitcom series in 1977 " Loves Me, Love Me Not with Kip Gilman. She then did the short-lived Emerald Point in 1983-84 before hitting pay dirt with L.A. Law 1986-1992. She then returned to sitcoms in 1992-93 in " Love & War" with Jay Thomas (who I never found amusing) She was fired from that series for supposedly not being funny enough and was replaced with Annie Potts. Lindsay Wagner was huge during the 1970's as The Bionic Woman but during the 80's and 90's she flopped in several short-lived series Lee Major's (Wagner's Bionic love interest) was in in The Big Valley (1965-1969). The Men from Shiloh (1970-1971). Owen Marshall Counsellor at Law (1971-1973) The Six Million Dollar Man (1973-1978) The Fall Guy (1981-1986). He did a short-lived series Raven (1992-93) Greg Evigan did B.J. & The Bear (1978-1981). Masquerade (1983-84) My Two Dads (1987-1990). P.S. I Love You (1991-92). TekWar (1994-1996) Big Sound (2000-2001).

Some comments on youtube said that Scott continued to harass Everett and his family till she died in the 2010's. Supposedly the son in question has since passed as well.

Here is the wiki entry about the messy paternity suit. Beginning in 1973, actress Sheila Scott initiated court proceedings against Everett three times, claiming her son Dale (born 1973) was fathered by him. The lengthy and complicated paternity suit ended in 1984 when a California Court of Appeals ruled in favor of Everett. The court stated: Everett refused to take any more tests regarding paternity. He entered into a private financial settlement with Scott in 1973 but steadfastly maintained he was not Dale's father.[22][23][21][24] In 1991, Scott was sentenced to three months' probation following a guilty verdict of "harassing" Everett for 18 years, including death threats against him and his wife. She was ordered to undergo psychological testing and never to publicly declare that Everett was Dale's father.

According to Wikipedia 9 episodes were produced of Hagen but only 7 aired. Too bad he did not have someone pushing him hard like Robert Urich. Urich would do a series it would last 1 season or so get cancelled and he would back next season in an all new series. Urich had starred in about a dozen or more TV shows by the time he passed. Networks were trying hard to make him happen and it wasn't really working. Vegas and Spencer For Hire were 2 that lasted more than 1 season.

They could have thrown a complete curve ball and had Sue Ellen and Kristin's mother be the culprit.

His career seemed to slide into the toilet after MC ended. Everett continued to work sparingly till his death. I'm surprised he didn't wind up doing a long-term soap gig (daytime or primetime). You would think Aaron Spelling would have latched onto him for Dynasty, The Colby's or built a series around him. He did do one episode of Hotel with his old TV rival James Brolin (they were friends in real life). I saw on youtube he did an interview on Dick Cavett in 1972 where he appeared to have been drinking. The other guest was Lily Tomlin. Chad was discussing an upcoming TV special he had done about animals. He joked/commented that his wife being the most beautiful animal he owned. Lily Tomlin was disgusted and walked off the set. It was awkward and cringy. When he first came out, he handed Lily a paper bag that supposedly had panties in it. He also tried singing during his MC years and cut a couple of albums that were super cheesy.

David Hamilton looks like a poor man's Robert Reed with that 70's blow dry perm. Did David and Laura have love scenes? Ick !!! if they did. I like this original (Michael Gregory) version of Rick better than Chris Robinson's version. I recently read Gregory quit the show after the 1hour expansion. I always assumed Monty replaced him. Robinson always comes across as skeevy and having read a bit about him offscreen it fits. I seem to remember comments that Charleson and Alexander didn't like working with. I could picture someone like Chad Everett playing a recast Rick at that time.

Steve Carlson (Gary) was married to Gail Ramsey (Susan) and they had 1 child. Carlson had previously played Mark Henderson on Y&R.