May 21 1985 Digest

That was a wonderful read, I love Marj. She has that effortless, playful wit that lends itself so well to the type of ladies she usually plays. Would love to see that episode of Love Connection!

Edited January 7, 201213 yr by SFK

I never knew she was on there. The photo looks so unlike any other I've seen of her.

Did you see her on Dallas? I don't think I did.

I did not, I had no idea she was on there. I think Marj would add a lot to a sitcom. She could certainly do what someone like Holland Taylor or Susan Sullivan always gets to do in primetime.

I remember her on Dallas. IIRC, it was like one or two scenes and nothing important. I think her character was married to someone who may have been more important, I can't remember exactly.

Marj has given me two memorable "Aha!" moments. I thought I first knew her from GL, where I was immediately drawn to her. Then I realized she had been Blair's mom from Facts of Life and Carolyn Jones' replacement on Capitol. She's also in an episode of Fresh Prince of Bel Air.

Edited January 7, 201213 yr by SFK

5/21/85 Digest

Tony Rizzo

High atop the Winkie (a computer chip jewelry company) billboard on Hollywood's Sunset Boulevard live actors in glass-enclosed quarters. For the past several months, these poor souls have suffered a battle of endurance - the performer who lasts the longest wins a coveted screen test. On the 100th day, one of the four people left, Jeff Olan, won an audition for Capitol. Since he couldn't leave the billboard he'd called home for the previous three months, Capitol casting director Jan Glaser and associate producer Richard Shields climbed the billboard to conduct a private reading. No word yet on whether Olan won the part, but talk about the mountain climbing to Mohammed!

Did he get a role?

Looks like he was cast as a stage manager, at some point in 1986.

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0645932/#Actor

He's a casting director now. I wonder if he was ever interviewed about staying in the glass - that must have been quite an experience.

WTF, who came up with this idea...? And wth is computer chip jewelry? I am so lost...

WTF, who came up with this idea...? And wth is computer chip jewelry? I am so lost...

I wonder if it's like the old spy stories where a bug is in a brooch or whatever.

I'd never heard of this type of contest - I mostly just remember 500 people crapping their pants so one can get a Buick.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-AxbOJxabeI&feature=channel

I sure would love to see some of those episodes. I'd never seen that shot of Marla in the turban as Myrna. The full version of the Italian theme had me groovin'.

Here's part one of the primetime movie in Italian, and a later clip of Myrna and Clarissa talking Julie and Tyler. I love the way Carolyn glide-struts across the room. Claudio had that scene on his site back in the day, I wish he would bring more of his collection to YouTube!

Sometimes I think there's more Italian Capitol on Youtube than English Capitol.

Did they abandon the turban once Marj started? I think Carolyn had this certain ability to pull it off (even in that "who farted" face in that cast clip). Marla looks good but the turban is sort of wearing her.

These are a few small times from some TV News issues of 1985 and 1986.

I wonder how many casually reading this Constance Towers interview would assume David Mason Daniels was her love interest or know he was already off the show by this time.

Thank you for sharing these! Bill Beyers seems like he was a kind soul. I would love to see more of Lola Falana on the show, I think I've only seen her in a bit of one episode. The last time I saw her was on Geraldo when she surprised Richard pryor with a bouquet of encouragement as a fellow MS patient.

Edited February 21, 201213 yr by SFK

I think Myrna's turbans were somewhat born out of necessity as Carolyn's hair was very thin from cancer treatments. She was also a natural blonde, btw. She never wore her real hair on the show, always a wig in varying shades of red/auburn. The turbans were a break from the wigs and you notice how high her forehead is when she's wearing them.

LOL at "Who farted?" face!