Stop Trying to Make ... Happen!

[juppiter]

 

You win this thread. I didn't know his name, but when I read this I knew instantly exactly who you were talking about before I even put his name into Google to confirm.

[Vee]

I thought I was the only one baffled by how Mark Feuerstein has kept getting major TV work for what must be close to 25 years. It's astonishing.

[Wendy]

The thing is, though, DOES Robert Urich qualify? He had Vega$ in the 1970s and Spenser for Hire in the '80s and then was in the mini series Blind Faith playing Rob Marshall, a man that murdered his wife. (Ironically, Joanna Kerns, who played Maria Marshall, introduced TV daughter Tracey Gold to the real Robby Marshall (Rob's namesake and one of his three sons) and they married.)

 

Also, I recall Robin Strasser playing Marshall's mistress in that. Had a bunch of big names for the time, including Dennis Farina and a 10-year-old Johnny Galecki as the youngest Marshall son!

[SoapDope]

There was an actress in the 60's named Debbie Watson that Universal tried to make happen as a contract player with several failed series and films. She first starred in a series called Karen from 1964-1965. It got cancelled and she was back in the 1965-66 season as Tammy (a series based on the Tammy film series). It was cancelled in spring 1966. Universal then dumped Pat Priest from the Munster's series as Marilyn and replaced her with Debbie for the summer film flop Munster's Go Home. Then in 1967 they stuck her in a campy film flop called The Cool Ones. They then edited several episodes of the Tammy series together as a feature film called "Tammy and the Bachelor that was a flop. She finished out the rest of the decade guest appearing in Universal series and episodes of Love American Style till she gave up and retired from show biz.

[Franko]

Personally, I wouldn't pick Urich either, or at least not before 1990.

[SoapDope]

 Robert Urich series:

 

Bob, Carol, Ted, and Alice (1973) 

 

S.W.A.T. (1975-1976)

 

Soap (1977)

 

Tabitha (1977-1978)

 

Vegas (1978-1981)

 

Gavilan (1982-1983)

 

Spenser For Hire (1985-1988)

 

American Dreamer (1990-1991)

 

Crossroads (1992-1993)

 

It Had To Be You (1993)

 

The Lazarus Man (1996)

 

The Love Boat: The Next Wave (1998-1999)

 

Emeril (2001)

[Wendy]

 

Seemed like a steady, working actor. With two signature shows! Most actors would kill for one signature role. So he may have had a lot of "short term" stuff, but again, I don't think he qualifies as "not happening".

 

As for Nancy Travis, she did have Becker (replacing the first female lead) and Last Man Standing. And is soon to be in some Netflix series.

 

Never had much of an opinion about her, though. Although I did like her in a role where she ironically was not seen, just heard. She was the voice of Berniece, the aerobic-obsessed, crabby sister-in-law (and twin of his late wife) of the lead character, Duckman, voiced by George Costanza himself, Jason Alexander, in the 'mid 90s. I believe he did this concurrently with Seinfeld. It aired Saturday nights on USA pre-NBC Universal buyout, when USA lived on schlock and entertaining T&A a la USA Up All Night and Silk Stalkings, etc.

Edited February 18, 2018 by Wendy

[DaytimeFan]

 

 

 

 

+1 - Faulkner wins the thread. I don't understand how he's kept in the business at the profile he has. 

[Wendy]

Katherine. Freaking. Heigl.

 

Why do shows keep hiring her? Why?

[Vee]

I always had a soft spot for Nancy Travis, even though they would often shoehorn into existing shows. But her hammy dramatic turn in the already-very-bad Stephen King miniseries Rose Red (his TV rewrite of his planned film remake of The Haunting which he and Steven Spielberg were going to make together) in which she slowly descends into supernatural madness is a valiant but ultimately embarrassing effort on her part.

Edited February 18, 2018 by Vee

[DRW50]

 

That was also when they had Reel Wild Cinema. AKA the last time I enjoyed USA (although my parents liked Psych and Monk)

 

Nancy Travis also had a sitcom in the late '90s. I can't remember the name of it. 

 

I mostly still know her from Three Men and a Baby. I thought she was very charming in that. 

 

I'd also agree that no one had to "make" Robert Urich happen. He was a steady TV presence for decades. 

Edited February 18, 2018 by DRW50

[Vee]

I would've said Tea Leoni after her obnoxious 90s heyday, but I'll be damned if my roommate doesn't watch Madam Secretary religiously. She beat the odds, I guess.

Edited February 18, 2018 by Vee

[Franko]

Almost Perfect.

 

Nancy and Tom Selleck were also quite charming in Three Men and a Little Lady.

[DRW50]

I'd add The Mommies, Caryl and Meryl, etc. They had a sitcom and a talk show and commercials. Not sure if anyone watched any of it, outside of the commercials. 

Edited February 18, 2018 by DRW50

[Soaplovers]

 

Almost Perfect... a perfect example of network interference ruining a good show.  It was a cute romantic comedy with Nancy and another actor as a couple trying to balance dating and work.  In the second season, the show wrote the guy off and had her become single.. and the show died a quick death.

 

Loved her in the Three Men series of movies.. and she was in an interesting 80s mini series called Harem as well.

 

 

But Paula Marshall and Mark Feurstein win this round hands down..

 

Honorable mentions...

 

Joanna Garcia (almost every series post Reba she's starred in has been cancelled fairly quickly).