That was time when NBC (Fred Silverman) were ordering shows and throwing them on the air seemingly at random.

There were almost weekly schedule changes.Nothing from that time was a hit.Think Supertrain,Harris&C0, Cliffhangers,Little Women,Turnabout,etc

Gerald Gordon seemed determined to have primetime success.He mentions his ambitions in several interviews.The best he could muster was that killer ant movie on ABC and that flop sitcom...Wonder how he dealt with that?

Edited June 2, 201510 yr by Paul Raven

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AwaYwOXvWc4

I actually remember watching Highcliffe Manor as a kid. And don't you be shading Cliffhangers. It wasn't on the air very long, but it made such a lasting impression in my head as a child.

LaGuardia's book is like Schemering's -full of inaccuracies.

John Rice (Terry Kiser) left in 1968. Peter Burnell took over as Mike Powers from Robert LaTourneaux, who succeeded Harry Packwood, in 1968, not 1969. Gerald Gordon's Nick Bellini had not just joined The Doctors in 1968. He started in 1966. David O'Brien and Carolee Campbell both began on the soap in 1968, not 1969, and Carolee Campbell joined the show before O'Brien, not after. Julie Forrest fell down the stairs and died in 1970 instead of 1969. Coincidentally, Peter Burnell and Ginger Gerlach (who played out the story of Mike and Julie) both committed suicide in real life. Gerlach od'ed on sleeping pills in 1971, and Burnell hung himself in 1987.

Of course we now know David and Carolee came on in 1967

That ant movie was so ridiculous - but then that was when everybody wanted to be another Irwin Allen. LOL GG did do a number of primetime gigs through the 80s into the early 90s - Knight Rider, One Day at a Time, Highway to Heaven, Baywatch, Perfect Strangers, The Hogan Family, L&O - but those were episodics, not a star-making vehicle. The actress playing his daughter on Baywatch was played by a young virtual unknown named Mariska Hargitay.

Where are you now in your viewing, Applcin? You've got to be pretty close to being caught up by now, if you're not already.

Haven't watched in a couple of weeks because I've been catching up on my other backlogged shows, lol. I've watched through Feb. 69. But I did tape and tonight watched GG's episode of Knight Rider. It was hard to get Nick Bellini out of my head, though! Add to it that Michael Fairman was on it, and I was thinking of his RH character, Nick Szabo!

Edited June 3, 201510 yr by applcin

I DVR'ed the Knight Rider episode myself. Did you record it off Cozi TV, too? There were two other soap names in that episode - Catherine Mary Stewart (Kayla Brady #1, DAYS) playing GG's daughter, and off course the Hoff himself, a Y&R alum. Michael Fairman was on Y&R himself a few years ago - but then, what show HASN'T he been on? Ever seen his imdb page? Wow!!!

Check your PMs because there's something I think you'd like to see. Always fun to hear your thoughts.

Gordon should have been a perfect fit at GH. Bad timing...

So all of the elements were in place at GH.Popular actor that TPTB were behind,major storyline,playing a similar character to the one that brought him success,yet Mark Dante didn't have anywhere the same impact of Nick Bellini.

Maybe it was lacklustre co-stars,poorer writing and the fact that Mark just reminded viewers of Nick and didn't measure up ...

Maybe they should have cast him as a lawyer, a cop - something a bit different. Funnily enough, he had a short arc on Dallas a few years later - playing, what else? - a doctor.

Phillip Townsend III has escaped from the mental hospital and has made his way back to Hope Memorial. Yes, he is still played by Ralph Purdum.

No! No! No! No! I thought we were done with him.

Phillip Townsend III has escaped from the mental hospital and has made his way back to Hope Memorial. Yes, he is still played by Ralph Purdum.

I imagine it will be like a James Stenbeck moment when Townsend meets Liz again. Instead of "HELLO, BARBARA", it will be "HELLO, MELISANDE"!!!