Stars who didn't conquer TV

[John]

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Yeah Robin Bartlett was the saving grace. i wonder if Robert Urich was upset he said no to the Laverne spinoff from Empty Nest that was in development

 

 

Kate Mulgrew and Terence Knox auditioned together for the lead roles of Laura Scofield and Mitch Quinn respectively on 9 April 1992.

 

The show was originally placed on hiatus rather than cancelled, with new episodes produced without Faye Dunaway. However, this re-tooled version never made it to air.

 

Four episodes were aired before the show went into hiatus. Faye Dunaway was pulled from the series, and a new pilot was ordered with the focus being on Robert Urich's character coping with life as a single father. Robin Bartlett, who had played an assistant to Dunaway's character, would also continue in the series, being moved up from supporting character to co-lead. However, her character would not be a romantic partner for Urich.^[2] Although a new pilot was shot, the revised version of the series never aired. The series was produced by Warner Bros. Television

Edited March 7, 2021 by John

[John]

Julie Andrews' original concept for her 1992 series

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The one that made it to air & flopped

 

[DaytimeFan]

 

I wonder why this bombed? It was on the right network (CBS) and had the right kind of launch (2 hour movie event), with a generally well liked personality (Ann-Margret) produced by a prime time soap veteran (David Jacobs) - on paper it had all the ingredients. 
 

 

 

An episode of Good Sports is on YouTube. It is very obvious that Farrah displays a very easy, natural on-air charm that lent itself to a sitcom role. While she was certainly capable of leading a sitcom, I think the she would have been wonderful in an ensemble show.

 

O'Neal was just awful and unlikeable. 

 

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Faye Dunaway and O'Neal have something in common: they're unlikeable personalities and any light hearted or good natured performance rings absolutely false.

 

The pace of sitcoms is such that the actor has to infuse a lot of themselves into the part - the 22 minutes of each episode doesn't lend much time to huge amounts of character exposition, so sometimes the personality of the performer is key to fleshing out parts of the character that the script doesn't.

 

Alternatively, some actors just can't help but play themselves, especially in a fast paced production before a studio audience. And when that personality is unlikeable the result are disastrous. 

[Khan]

 

ICAM.  I wouldn't say Faye Dunaway can't do (television) comedy, but I do believe, as I did back then, that she was all wrong for that type of comedy.

 

Of course, considering what a nightmare she is BTS, it was likely for the best that that show died a quick death.

 

 

All these years later, it's still very painful to watch.

 

 

I wish I didn't remember this...but I do.  You know you're in danger, girl, when the theme song puts you to sleep.

 

And James Farentino is a comedy black hole, AFAIC.  (See: "Mary".)

 

Edited March 8, 2021 by Khan

[Khan]

 

IA.  "Four Corners" had some rough spots in its' abbreviated run, but I thought it had potential -- more potential than anything coming from Lynn Marie Latham and Bernard Lechowick at that point.  I think CBS was just looking to get out of the primetime soap game.

 

More about "Millie"/"Julie": Putting Julie Andrews with children makes sense, given her legacy.  But I'm not sure it'd have been something I'd want to see every week.

 

An addition to the list: Ellen Burstyn.  As much as I can recall, she's been a lead or co-lead in two series, "The Ellen Burstyn Show" (an '80's sitcom) and "That's Life" (a '90's hour-long dramedy), and neither lasted for very long.

Edited March 8, 2021 by Khan

[DRW50]

Mary Steenburgen eventually found a critically praised cult show (Last Man on Earth), but her most high-profile foray into television was Ink, a show that generated buzz due to her pairing with husband Ted Danson as well as being Danson's return to series TV. It was a one-season wonder. 

 

Nia Vardalos adapted My Big Fat Greek Wedding to TV, notably without John Corbett (someone I've always found to be dull but who has managed a long career due to wise decisions - like avoiding this show). Initial huge ratings quickly cooled, but they still might have stayed on if not for her reportedly being difficult. Back when TV Guide still tried to be more than a few pieces of glossy paper with nothing between them, they had an expose of the show - the article ended with, I believe, Les Moonves blasting Vardalos and saying he would never work with her again. At the time I did not know what an ass Moonves was, so I was shocked seeing an executive be so blunt and harsh in TV Guide, of all places. 

[Khan]

What I remember most about "My Big Fat Greek Life" was Steven Eckholdt, an actor whom the TV industry had tried very hard (God knows how many failed pilots and short-lived series) to make happen.

[DRW50]

 

The Mark Freurstein (or whatever his name was) of his day...

[Taoboi]

He became disliked when he dissed his episode of SATC for me. Not to mention changing his face.

[DRW50]

 

I had forgotten he was even on SATC. I guess he was another of Carrie's boyfriends?

[Vee]

 

Not that I don't think she can do comedy, but I've seen bits of that and it still weirds me out.

[Paul Raven]

I wonder if Nia being 'difficult' was more about her trying to keep some control thrown in at the deep end with various execs who thought they knew better (perhaps they did in some cases)

 

As for Julie Andrews I wasn't aware of that show till now. The fact that it aired at the end of May speaks volumes. Obviously they knew it was a dud, Can't understand why anyone at that time would think Andrews would work in that type of format-she is such a particular type. Maybe more suite to a 'heartwarming' hour show

CBS was running third on Tuesday nights, so I guess it was hard for them to break through. The lead in was Bryannt Gumbel who had defected to CBS and his show was running third. The opposition was Dateline NBC and NYPD Blue which were running neck and neck so I guess Four Corners just got lost amongst them. 

[Khan]

 

I must confess that I've never seen one minute of "The Ellen Burstyn Show."  I've heard about it, but I've never had the interest to check any of it out on YouTube.

 

 

Maybe.  But, you know, she also tried an hour-long variety show in the '70's, and that didn't last long either.

 

Another addition to the list: Christine Ebersole.  She's had more success in musical theatre than she's ever had in TV.

 

 

IIRC, "Ink" was troubled from the start.  The network didn't like the original pilot, so they brought in Diane English ("Murphy Brown") to overhaul the series.  There was even an "Ink"/"Murphy Brown"/"Love & War" three-way crossover, I think, and guest appearances from some of Ted Danson's former "Cheers" co-stars to help boost the ratings, but nothing worked.

Edited March 8, 2021 by Khan

[Vee]

I thought Ink could've worked, but it clearly didn't. From A.V. Club interviews with both Danson and Steenburgen, individually:

 

 

 

 

[BingCherry]

CBS dumbly put it up against NYPD Blue on Tuesday nights instead of what would have been a more apt Friday or Saturday slot.