Dick Van Dyke Show Quiz

TV BANTER QUIZ #7

The Dick Van Dyke Show was created by Carl Reiner and it was based on Reiner's experiences as a television comedy writer for Sid Caesar.   If you are a fan of the classic Dick Van Dyke Show, try this quiz.  Good luck and enjoy!

1.  For how many seasons did The Dick Van Dyke show run?

A.  7

B.  8

C.  5

D.  6

E.  9  



2.  What was Laura Petrie's maiden name?

A.  Morrison

B.  Myers

C.  Meehan

D.  Donnelly



3.  Bespectacled Mel Cooley was the producer of the Alan Brady Show.  How was he related to the show's star?

A.  Alan and Mel were cousins.

B.  Mel was Alan's halfbrother.  They had the same mother.

C.  Mel was Alan's stepbrother.  He was the son of Alan's stepfather.

D.  Mel was Alan's brother-in-law. 

E.  Mel and Alan were not related at all.



4.  Richard Deacon, the actor who played Mel Cooley, also appeared on another famous television sitcom - Leave it to Beaver.  What character did Richard Deacon play on Leave it to Beaver?  (This is your bonus question so give yourself an extra point if you answer it correctly.)

A.  Eddie Haskell's father, George Haskell

B.  Julie Foster's father

C.  Larry Mondello's father

D.  Gilbert Bates' father

E.  Lumpy's father, Fred Rutherford



5.  Buddy Sorrell's brother was a . . .

A.  pool shark

B.  card shark

C.  rabbi

D.  psychiatrist

E.  boxer



6.  Which comedian appeared in a two-part episode as a hold-up man who robbed Laura and Rob while they were trapped in a stalled elevator.

A.  Danny Thomas

B.  Milton Berle

C.  Don Rickles

D.  Red Skelton

E.  Don Rickles



7.  Which 1960's singing duo appeared as teen idols who hid in Rob and Laura's house to avoid fans?

A.  Peter and Gordon

B.  Chad and Jeremy

C.  Simon and Garfunkel

D.  Jan and Dean

E.  Sonny and Cher



8.  Laura revealed Alan Brady's secret on television.  What was the secret?

A.  Alan was afraid of heights.

B.  Alan was a high school dropout.

C.  Alan was an ex-convict.

D.  Alan's wife left him for another man.

E  Alan wore a toupee.



9.  What was the nickname of Buddy Sorrell's wife?

A.  Pudding

B.  Bunny

C.  Pickles

D.  Petunia

E.  Perky



10.  Dick Van Dyke's real-life brother, Jerry Van Dyke, portrayed Rob Petrie's brother Stacey on the show.  What musical instrument did Stacey play?

A.  accordion

B.  guitar

C.  piano

D.  drums

E.  banjo



11.  Morey Amsterdam played the role of Rob Petrie's comedy writing associate, Buddy Sorrell.  What was Buddy's real first name?

A.  Maurice

B.  Morris

C.  Douglas

D.  Ernest

E.  Abraham



12.  Rob and Laura's neighbours, Jerry and Millie Helper, had a son.  What was the name of their son?

A.  Billy

B.  Tom

C.  Freddie

D.  Jimmy

E.  Rodney


13.  What was Jerry Helper's occupation?

A.  lawyer

B.  psychiatrist

C.  sculptor

D.  dentist

E.  newspaper columnist


14.  What was the name of Sally Rogers' (Rose Marie) sometimes boyfriend?

A.  Henry

B.  Herman

C.  Ralph 

D.  Elmer

E.  Arnold   


15.  The pilot episode for The Dick Van Dyke Show was titled Head of the Family.  Who portrayed Rob Petrie in the pilot?

A.  Alan Alda

B.  Robert Cummings

C.  Jim Backus

D.  Carl Reiner

E.  Dick York



ANSWERS

1.  C

The Dick Van Dyke Show ran for five seasons, from 1961 until 1966.  The first episode of the series aired on October 3, 1961 on CBS.  158 episodes of the series were aired.


2.  C

Laura Petrie's maiden name was Meehan.  There is some confusion because in a 1961 episode (Season 1, Episode 6) titled "Oh, How We Met on the Night that We Danced," it was Laura Meeker (Note: Mary Tyler Moore's first husband was Richard Meeker).  In several subsequent episodes, Laura's maiden name was Meehan. 


3.  D

Mel Cooley was Alan Brady's brother-in-law. 


4.  E. 

Richard Deacon also portrayed Fred Rutherford, Ward Cleaver's work colleague and Clarence "Lumpy" Rutherford's dad on Leave it to Beaver.  Deacon passed away on August 8, 1984 of a heart attack in Los Angeles.  He was 63 years old.


5.  A

Buddy Sorrell's brother was a pool shark.  In an episode titled "Hustling the Hustler," Rob discovered that Blackie Sorrell (played by Phil Leeds) was a pool hustler.  The episode aired on October 24, 1962.


6.  E

Comedian Don Rickles portrayed a thief named Lyle Delp who stole Rob and Laura's wedding rings while an elevator.  The two-part story was aired in 1964.  The first part was titled "4 1/2" and the second part was called "The Alan Brady Show Goes to Jail."  Lyle went to prison and Rob, Laura, Body and Sally entertained them.


7.  B

British singing duo Chad Stuart and Jeremy Clyde portrayed the Red Coats in an episode entitled "The Red Coats Are Coming."  The episode, which aired on February 10, 1965, spoofed Beatlemania.  Chad and Jeremy performed two songs - "I Don't Want No Other Baby But You" and "My, How the Time Goes By."


8.  E.

Laura Petrie blurted out that Alan Brady wore a toupee while she was being interviewed on national television.  In the1965 episode titled "Coast-to-Coast Big Mouth," Laura and her best friend Millie (Ann Morgan Guilbert) were part of a studio audience for a quiz show.


9.  C

Buddy's wife's nickname was Pickles.  Her real name was Fiona.  Two actresses portrayed Pickles.  They were Barbara Perry and Joan Shawlee.  After the second season, however, Pickles became an offscreen character.


10.  E

Stacey Petrie played the banjo.


11.  A

Buddy's real name was Maurice.  By the way, Morey Amsterdam died of a heart attack in Los Angeles, California on October 28, 1996.  Morey was 87 at the time of his passing.

Morey Amsterdam

12.  C

Jerry and Millie's young son was named Freddie Helper.


13.  D

Jerry Helper was a dentist.  The role of Dr. Helper was played by Jerry Paris.  Jerry Paris later went on to direct over 200 episodes of another popular sitcom, Happy Days.  He died on March 31, 1986 due to complications from brain cancer surgery.  He was 60 years old at the time of his death.

Jerry Paris

14.  B

 Sally's occasional boyfriend was the nerdy Herman Glimscher (played by Bill Idelson).  Rose Marie, who played Sally Rogers, was born in New York City on August 15, 1923 and recently turned 88 years old. 

Rose Marie

15.  D

Carl Reiner portrayed comedy writer Rob Petrie in the 1959 pilot episode, Head of the Family.  In the pilot, Rob was the head writer for the "Alan Sturdy Show."  Barbara Britton played his wife, Laura, and Gary Morgan had the role of their son, Ritchie.  Sylvia Miles and Carl Brill were cast as Sally and Buddy.  The name "Petrie" was pronounced "pea-tree" in Head of the Family.

Producer Sheldon Leonard was impressed with the premise of the show but not the casting.  Advertisers were cool to the idea of sponsoring a sitcom with Carl Reiner in the starring role.  Reiner swallowed his pride and the show was recast and retitled The Dick Van Dyke Show after its new star.  25-year-old Mary Tyler Moore took over the role of Laura and Larry Matthews was chosen to portray their son, Ritchie. 

On the Van Dyke show, Rob was the head writer for the Alan Brady Show.  In the early years of the series, the egotistical Alan Brady was seldom seen, and if seen, only from the back.  It was not until the fourth season of the show that Brady's face was revealed to viewers as the face of Carl Reiner himself.

END NOTE

Rob and Laura Petrie lived in New Rochelle, New York.  When Carl Reiner was a New York comedy writer, he also resided in New Rochelle.  Carl has a son named Rob, better known as All in the Family's "Meathead."

- Joanne

Julius La Rosa: The singer Arthur Godfey fired on air

Let's go back to the era of live television.  In the early 1950s, Arthur Godfrey was arguably the most powerful man on television.  He was a ubiquitous presence on the airwaves.  His face was everywhere and he had three television programs.  At the same time, an up-and-coming young singer, one of Godfrey's proteges, had become increasingly popular.  His name was Julius La Rosa.

Julius La Rosa, a Brooklyn boy, was born on January 2, 1930.  He grew up listening to the music of fellow Italian-American, Frank Sinatra.  After finishing high school, La Rosa joined the United States Navy.  He was discovered by Arthur Godfrey in 1950 while singing at at a serviceman's club in Pensacola, Florida.  Godfrey, who himself was a Naval Reserve officer, encouraged La Rosa to come to New York and promised him a job as soon as he was discharged from duty.

In 1951, La Rosa became a regular performer on two of Arthur's CBS shows.  He appeared on Arthur Godfrey Time in the morning and on the hugely popular series Arthur Godfrey and His Friends on Wednesday nights.  The "friends" included the McGuire Sisters, Marion Marlowe and Godfrey's orchestra leader, Archie Bleyer.

In 1952, Archie Bleyer formed Cadence Records.  Julius La Rosa was the first performer to sign a contract with the fledgling company.  Cadence Records' premier recording was La Rosa's first single, "Anywhere I Wander."  By 1953, La Rosa's career had really begun to take off.  His third recording, "Eh, Cumpari!" became a runaway hit.  The novelty tune, adapted from a traditional Italian song by La Rosa and Archie Bleyer, reached #2 on the Billboard chart. 

Click on the link below to listen to Julius La Rosa singing "Eh Cumpari!"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bsg73N0eUZk

In May of 1953,, Arthur Godfrey underwent hip surgery.  When he returned to work, tensions started to arise between him and 23-year-old Julius La Rosa.  The singer gradually began to lose favour with Godfrey and the conflict eventually reached its peak on the fateful morning of October 19, 1953.  That was the day that Arthur Godfrey fired Julius La Rosa live on air (in a segment of the show broadcast on radio only).  La Rosa had just finished singing "Manhattan" on Arthur Godfrey Time when Godfrey announced, "That was Julie's swan song with us." 

There was such a public outcry over La Rosa's firing that Arthur Godfrey was compelled to hold a press conference to explain his actions.  Godfrey declared that Julius had lost his humility.  His use of the term "humility" only made matters worse for Arthur.  Comedians soon began incorporating "no humility" into their acts.  Singer Ruth Wallis recorded "Dear Mr. Godfrey," a saucy satire of the incident.  The lyrics were as follows:


Dear Mr. Godfrey, listen to my plea
Hire me and fire me and make a star of me
I will be so grateful if it can just be done
Hire me and fire me
Ed Sullivan, here I come


Although lack of humility was the stated reason for La Rosa's firing, there were other real reasons why Julius had lost favour with Godfrey.  Firstly, La Rosa's popularity had surpassed Godfrey's to the point where he received more fan mail than his boss.  Secondly, Arthur was not at all pleased that Julius had hired his own agent and manager, Tommy Rockwell.  In Godrey's eyes, that was a big no-no.  He preferred to have his own staff negotiate for La Rosa. La Rosa's third and final trangression was that he missed a dance class, a requirement for all of Arthur's "friends" who were known as the "Little Godfreys."  Arthur felt that ballet lessons would help them appear more graceful before the camera.

Arthur Godfrey never seemed to recover from the La Rosa debacle.  He lost his groove and much of his popularity.  By the 1960s, his career had declined to the point that he was reduced to hosting the occasional television special.  He remained active, however, until his passing in New York City on March 16, 1983 at the age of 79.  The cause of his death was emphysema resulting from radiation treatments for lung cancer.   

Of his feelings concerning Arthur Godfrey, Julius La Rosa stated: "The man was literally the father of my career and I'll always be grateful to him.  But it turned out he wasn't a very nice man."

Arthur Godfrey

After his firing, Julius La Rosa continued on with his career.  Ed Sullivan signed him for appearances on his CBS variety show Toast of the Town.  In the summer of 1955, La Rosa hosted his own thrice weekly live music show.  He spent the next two summers filling in for the vacationing Perry Como.  During the summer 1956, La Rosa, Patti Page and Tony Bennett shared hosting duties for a month each.  In 1957, however, La Rosa was the sole headliner and was backed up by Como's regular dancers  and orchestra.

On April 7, 1956, Julius La Rosa married Rosemary (Rory) Meyer, Perry Como's secretary.  The wedding took place in the bride's home state of Wisconsin.  It's interesting to note that In the early 1950s, the raven-haired Meyer won a national contest as actress Ava Gardner's closest lookalike. 

Through the years, La Rosa appeared on myriad television shows from The Jackie Gleason Show (also known as The Honeymooners: The Lost Episodes) in 1953 to Laverne and Shirley in 1980.  On the Gleason show, he guest starred as himself.  He also played himself in an episode of Laverne and Shirley titled "Separate Tables." 

In 1980, Julius La Rosa earned a nomination for Best Supporting Actor Daytme Emmy for his performance in a recurring role on the soap opera Another World.  He portrayed a happy-go-lucky waiter named Reynaldo.

Julius La Rosa continues to record music and perform at clubs and cultural events.  Now 81 years old, he has lived in Westchester County, New York for years.  He and his wife raised a son, Christopher, and a daughter, Maria, there.  Neither of the La Rosa offspring is a professional musician, although the son plays guitar.  La Rosa once stated : "Being born and raised in Brooklyn, I was always walking on concrete.  When I walked on grass, it was like I moved to the country, which is what I wanted to do.  Now with all the building (in the area), I call it Times Square North."

I checked La Rosa's official website and noticed that his schedule has not been updated since 2008.  At that time, he was scheduled to perform at several Italian festivals. 

To watch a segment from A&E's Biography on Arthur Godfrey, click on the link below.
  http://www.yourememberthat.com/media/6099/Arthur_Godfrey_Fires_Julius_LaRosa/


To watch a video of Julius La Rosa singing "This is Heaven" on Aurthur Godfrey and Friends, click on the link below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Oo6Agx_jK4    


EDITOR'S UPDATE (January 25. 2017): Julius La Rosa died on May 12, 2016 at the age of 86.  He passed away at his home in Crivitz, Wisconsin, where he and his wife, Rory, had been living since November 2015.  They relocated to Crivitz after residing in Irvington, New York for over 40 years.

- Joanne

Lucille Ball: 100 years after her birth, we still love Lucy

Today marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of one of the world's greatest comedians.  The redhead herself, Lucille Ball was born on August 6, 1911 in Jamestown, New York.  Lucy died on April 26, 1989 in Los Angeles.  She had undergone heart surgery and her aorta had ruptured twice.

Lucille Ball was her real name.  As a young model, she tried using the name Diane Belmont for a while, but decided "that kind of phony elegance" wasn't for her.   

Lucy was the daughter of an electrician, Henry Durrell Ball, who worked as the foreman of a telephone crew.  Henry died of typhoid fever in February of 1915 when he was only 28 years old.  He left behind a a pregnant wife, Desiree (DeDe), and 3-year-old Lucy.  Four months after his death, Lucy's brother, Fred Henry Ball was born on July 17, 1915 (Fred Ball died on February 5, 2007).

The young Lucille Ball was raised by her mother, DeDe, and her maternal grandparents, Fred and Flora Belle Hunt.  DeDe eventually remarried a man of Swedish background named Ed Peterson.  According to Lucy, Ed was pleasant enough, but he never considered himself a father to her and her brother Freddy.  Lucy's mother and her stepfather eventually divorced. 

During her early teenage years, Lucy, who had always enjoyed playacting, enrolled in the Murray Anderson-Robert Milton School for the Dramatic Arts in New York City.  One of her fellow students was Bette Davis who earned rave revues for everything she did at the school. 

Lucy, on the other hand, didn't impress.  At the end of the term, the school sent a letter to her mother advising that Lucy did not have what it takes to be an actress and that she would be "wasting her money" if she continued.  Lucy was then forced to return home.

Undaunted, Lucille Ball did not give up.  Determined to build a career in show business, Lucy returned to New York City in 1928.  She became a model and took whatever acting parts came her way. 

By 1933, Lucy was headed for Hollywood.  Her first film appearance was as a Goldwyn Girl in the 1933 Eddie Cantor film Roman Scandals.  During the 1930s, she was cast in many minor roles as a contract player for RKO Radio Pictures.  At RKO, she performed in a comedy short with the Three Stooges (Little Pigskins, 1934) and worked with the Marx Brothers (Room Service, 1938). 

Harpo Marx later appeared in a classic 1955 episode of I Love Lucy.  He and Lucy displayed their comedic genius in an unforgettable mirror routine. 

To see a video of Lucy discussing the Harpo Marx mirror routine on The Dick Cavett Show, click on the link below. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OkRZTEk-mkM

Lucille Ball met Desi Arnaz in 1940, while the two were filming the Rodgers and Hart Broadway musical Too Many Girls.   Lucy and the Cuban-born bandleader, almost six years her junior, eloped during that same year.  They were married by a judge in Greenwich, Connecticut on November 30, 1940.

In her autobiography, Love Lucy, she wrote:  "Everyone at the studio knew I was starry-eyed over Desi, and most of them warned me against him. 'He's too young for you.' Or, 'He's a dyed-in-the-wool Catholic and you're a Protestant,' and so on.  But I had flipped."

Lucy and Desi faced some difficulties during the early years of their marriage and Lucy actually filed for divorce in 1944.  They reconciled but their separate career paths caused them to spend a great deal of time apart.

In 1948, Lucille Ball was cast in a radio program for CBS Radio.  She voiced the part of Liz Cugat (later Cooper), a zany housewife, in My Favorite Husband.  After three successful seasons, CBS was enthusiastic about the concept of the show and eager to develop it for television. 

Lucy agreed to give the new medium of television a try, but there were two major hurdles between her and CBS.  Lucy was adamant that Desi should play the part of her television husband on the series.  She wanted to preserve her marriage and felt that this would be the best way for her to spend time with Desi.  She also insisted that the show to originate from Hollywood rather than New York.  Although most other early television sitcoms were done live from New York, Lucy had no desire to commute from Hollywood. 

The CBS brass was reluctant to have Desi Arnaz portray Lucy's husband despite the fact they were married in real life.  They didn't think that television viewers would find him believable as Lucy's spouse.  In the early years of television, it was quite radical for a native of Cuba with a thick Spanish accent to star in an American TV series.

Lucy and Desi

All of this did not deter Lucy and Desi.  In the summer of 1950, they performed before live audiences to prove that audiences would accept them as a couple.  Then they produced a pilot for the program with their own money.  The pilot eventually won over the CBS brass and I Love Lucy was placed on the CBS schedule for the fall of 1951.  It was to be filmed before a live audience in Hollywood.

It was the decision to film I Love Lucy, rather than perform it on live television, that allowed for the high quality prints of each episode that were made available for countless reruns.  I Love Lucy was filmed using three cameras, unlike live programs, which were rebroadcast on poor quality kinescopes.

In July 17, 1951, as she approached her 40th birthday, Lucy gave birth to her first child.  She and Desi welcomed their new daughter and named her Lucie Desiree Arnaz.  When I Love Lucy debuted on October 15, 1951, Lucille Ball was nurturing a 3-month-old infant.

I Love Lucy quickly became the most popular show on television as audiences followed the madcap adventures of Lucy Ricardo and her Cuban bandleader husband, Ricky Ricardo (Note: They were called Lucy and Larry Lopez in the pilot episode).  Fred and Ethel Mertz, their best friends,  were played by William Frawley and Vivian Vance. 

In 1952, Lucy was pregnant with her second child and she wanted the pregnancy to be written into the show.  CBS  was concerned about the show's ratings and its sponsors in an era when the word "pregnancy" was even not used on the air.  The network finally approved the pregnancy storyline but insisted that the word "expecting" had to be used rather than "pregnant."  Desi evoked laughter when he intentionally mispronounced the word "expecting" as "spectin." 

Lucy's pregnancy storyline delighted audiences and provided great fodder for comedy.  Fans waited with great anticipation for Lucille Ball to give birth on screen and in real life. 

On January 19, 1953, a son was born to Lucy and Desi whom they named Desi Arnaz, Jr.  That same day, Lucy gave birth to Ricky Ricardo, Jr. (Little Ricky) on the air.  The birth of Little Ricky graced the cover of the first issue of TV Guide  in January of 1953.

During the sixth and final season of I Love Lucy, the Ricardos moved from their brownstone apartment in New York to a country home in Westport, Connecticut.   Although the move reflected the 1950s migration to suburbia, I preferred the episodes in the Ricardos' modest Manhattan apartment.  The show seemed to lose something when the Ricardos left New York.

I Love Lucy ceased production as a weekly series at the end of the 1956-57 season.  It was still extremely popular but Lucy and Desi had two young children and they wanted to reduce their workload.  As a result, I Love Lucy was replaced by The Lucille Ball -Desi Arnaz Show, a series of full-hour specials about the travels and misadventures of the Ricardos and Mertzes. 

The Lucille Ball-Desi Arnaz Show first aired on November 14, 1957 and ran until 1960.  13 episodes were produced and a collection of the series was shown in syndication as the Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour.  Many big-name celebrities appeared on these specials including Danny Thomas and his Make Room for Daddy cast, Tallulah Bankhead, Red Skelton, Ernie Kovacs and Edie Adams, Fred MacMurray and June Haver, Bob Cummings, Rudy Vallee, Betty Grable and Harry James, Bob Cummings, Paul Douglas, Fernando Lamas, Maurice Chevalier, Ida Lupino and Howard Duff and Milton Berle. 

The Lucy-Desi specials ended about the same time as the tempestuous Ball-Arnaz marriage.  The last of the specials was filmed on March 2, 1960 and divorce proceedings began the next day.  There was great tension between the couple during the final two episodes of the series. 

During the penultimate episode, "Lucy Goes to Japan," with guest star Bob Cummings, Lucy appeared red-eyed on screen (It is particularly noticeable that she had been crying if one looks closely at her in the last scene).  The episode was not filmed before a studio audience due to the strained relationship between Lucy and Desi.  During filming of the final episode of the series with Ernie Kovacs titled "Lucy Meet the Moustache," the relationship had deteriorated to the point that Lucy and Desi only spoke directly to each other when their characters were required to do so.

Lucy and Desi Arnaz were divorced on May 4, 1960.  Of the breakup of her marriage, Lucy remarked, "I hate failure and that divorce was a number one in my eyes.  It was the worst period of my life.  Neither Desi nor I have been the same since, physically or emotionally."

Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz eventually established an amicable relationship again.  They both remarried but remained on friendly terms and Lucy always remained fond of Desi.  During her estrangement from him, Lucy came to a realization about their relationship. 

In her memoir, she wrote: "I realized we never liked each other.  We had a great attraction going for each other in the beginning but we didn't approve of each other.  He disapproved of my moderation and my conservatism.  I was square, he said.   I disapproved of the way he worked too hard, played too hard, and was never moderate in anything.  It was like living on top of a volcano, you never knew when it would erupt or why."

On November 19, 1961, Lucy married stand-up comedian Gary Morton whom she had met in New York a few months before she open on Broadway in the musical Wildcat.  Morton, born December 19, 1924, was more than 13 years older than Lucy and the couple signed a prenuptial agreement to squelch rumours that Gary was a gold digger.  They remained together until Lucy's death in 1989.  He married Susie McAllister in 1996 and passed away on March 30, 1999 at the age of 74. 

Lucy and Gary Morton

Desi Arnaz married Edith Mack Hirsch on March 2, 1963.  Edith died in 1985 and Desi, a heavy smoker, died of lung cancer on December 2, 1986.  He was 69 at the time of his death in Del Mar, California.

After she and Desi had gone their separate ways, Lucille Ball starred in two other popular sitcoms. From 1962 until 1968, she played the role of Lucy Carmichael, a widow with two children, on The Lucy Show.  Vivian Vance co-starred as her divorced friend Vivian Bagley.  Gale Gordon played the role of her boss, banker Theodore J. Mooney. 

In 1968, The Lucy Show was revamped and retitled.  Its title was changed to Here's Lucy and the name of Lucy's character was changed to Lucy Carter.  Lucy's teenage children, Kim and Craig, were played by her real-life offspring, Lucy Arnaz and Desi Arnaz, Jr.  Lucie Arnaz remained with the show until it ended in 1974 but Desi, Jr. left in 1971.

Gale Gordon was retained in a new role as her brother-in-law Harrison Carter.  Harry was also Lucy's employer at Carter's Unique Employment Agency.  Vivian Vance, who ceased to be a regular member of the cast in 1965, did not appear in Here's Lucy. Vivian died of cancer in 1979.

To open the 1971 season of Here's Lucy, Elizabeth Taylor and then-husband Richard Burton appeared as guest stars.  In the episode, Elizabeth show off her the much-publicized diamond ring that Burton had given her.

After Here's Lucy finished its run in 1974, Lucy did not star in another sitcom until 1986.  Lucy was 75-years-old at the time and the show flopped miserably.  In Life with Lucy, she played a feisty grandmother named Lucy Barker and her old friend Gale Gordon portrayed her business partner, Curtis McGibbon.  When the show was cancelled after less than two months, Lucy was terribly disappointed. 

Later in her life, after years performing comedy, Lucille Ball was not afraid to take on a dramatic role.  In 1985, she played the part of an elderly homeless woman in a made-for-television film called Stone Pillow.  Stone Pillow received mixed reviews but Lucy earned some praise for her performance.  She proved that she was willing to let an audience see her looking haggard and unattractive.

What a legacy of laughter Lucy has left us!  Her comedic talent lives on in countless reruns and DVDs of I Love Lucy, The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour, The Lucy Show and Here's Lucy.   Each generation can watch and the comedy of Lucille Ball anew. 

Lucy's final public appearance was at the 1989 Academy Awards where she appeared with fellow comedian Bob Hope.  After Lucy passed away,  Hope paid tribute to her with these heartfelt words:  "One of the greatest gifts to mankind is laughter and one the greatest gifts to laughter is Lucille Ball.  God has her now, but thanks to television, we'll have her forever."  

Lucille Ball claimed that she never thought she was funny.  She once said, "I don't think funny."  Lucy clearly understood, however, what audiences found funny.  In her autobiography, she wrote:  "I'm known among comediennes as a stunt girl who will do anything . . . I do know that if an actress has the slightest aversion to pie in the face or pratfalls, the camera will pick it up instantly.  The audience won't laugh; they'll suffer in sympathy." 

Lucille Ball was not afraid to get down and dirty in a comedy role.  Two of the most popular episodes of I Love Lucy are "Job Switching" (1952) and "Lucy's Italian Movie" (1956).   In "Job Switching," Lucy and Ethel find jobs at a chocolate factory where they are completely inept at wrapping chocolates.  Due to a speedy conveyor belt, they find themselves stuffing chocolates in their mouths blouses and hats.  In Lucy's "Italian Movie," while vacationing in Europe, Lucy is offered a minor film role by an Italian producer.  In an attempt to prepare herself for the part, Lucy ends up in a vat of unpressed grapes fighting with professional Italian grape stompers.  She ends up with pressed grapes all over her.

To watch a video of Lucy and Vivian Vance in the famous chocolate factory scene in I Love Lucy, click on the link below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uztA6JCKB4s

Lucy was successful at comedy because she didn't have an aversion to that pie in the face.  She was a fantastic physical comedian and audiences couldn't help but laugh at her.  They did not feel sympathy for her when her face and her clothes were messed up or when she was locked in a freezer.  They simply found her hilarious.

Lucille Ball was a very hard worker and had a reputation as a perfectionist.  In Love, Lucy, she stated: "I don't suppose that hard work, discipline, and a perfectionist attitude toward my work did me any harm.  They are a big part of my makeup today, as any of my co-workers will tell you.  And when life seemed unbearable, I learned to live in my imagination, and to step inside other people's skins - indispensable abilities for an actress."  That, I suppose, along with remarkable talent, was the secret to Lucy's success.

- Joanne

J.R. Ewing is returning to television - but is it a good idea to bring back Dallas?

Larry Hagman and Linda Gray

So Dallas is coming back after all these years.  It will return to the screen in the summer of 2012 on the TNT cable network.  Filming began in Texas in April and the pilot episode will be aired this autumn.  79-year-old Larry Hagman will reprise his role as the dastardly oilman J.R. Ewing.  Patrick Duffy, 62, will return as J.R.’s younger brother, Bobby Ewing, and Linda Gray will be back as Sue Ellen, J.R.’s alcoholic former wife. 

Linda Gray, now 70, credits her Dallas storyline for making it easier to discuss the issues associated with alcohol abuse.  Linda told the British Weekend magazine:  “Nowadays , if you have a problem with alcohol, it’s easier to get help, but  then it was like you had leprosy and people would say to me, ‘Because of Sue Ellen, I went to Alcoholics Anonymous.’  It felt good that we were helping in some way.”

Some members of the original cast can’t or won’t appear in the new series.  Barbara Bel Geddes, who played Miss Ellie, the matriarch of Ewing clan, passed away on August 8, 2005 at the age of 82.  Victoria Principal, who portrayed Pamela Barnes Ewing, left the show in 1987 and did not appear in either of the two Dallas reunion shows;  “J.R. Returns” (1996) and “The War of the Ewings” (1998).  She is not slated to appear in the new Dallas.  Neither is Priscilla Presley who portrayed Bobby’s old flame, Jenna Wade. 

Dallas debuted in 1978 on CBS and had 13-year run.  Two decades have passed since the series ended in 1991.  A whole generation has no memory of the wildly popular “Who Shot J.R?” plot line of 1980.  In November of that year, after a delay due to a writer’s strike, millions of viewers tuned in find the answer.  J.R.’s sister-in-law, Kristin Shepard (played by Mary Crosby, Bing’s daughter) was the one who did the deed.  It was really no surprise to anyone who had read that Mary Crosby was planning to leave the show.  Kristin, Sue Ellen's sister and J.R.'s jilted mistress, was found floating dead in the Ewing swimming pool.

Then, of course, there was the infamous 1985-1986 season of Dallas.  The whole lacklustre season was explained away as a dream.  During the previous season, Bobby Ewing had been “killed” in a hit-and-run accident.  Without Patrick Duffy, ratings sagged.  Larry Hagman urged Duffy to rejoin the cast and he eventually agreed to so.  The 1986-87 season opened with Bobby very much alive and soaping himself in the shower.  His death and all the events of the 1985-86 season had been a dream of ex-wife Pam.  Although pleased to see Bobby Ewing again, viewers scratched their heads and groaned.

I have to admit that I am not a big fan of reprising old shows, especially ones that have been off the air for two decades.  The new series will succeed only if it is deemed fresh and relevant.   The original Dallas reflected the “greed is good” mentally of the Reagan era.   The United States is now struggling to recover from a nightmarish recession and it is also in the midst of a debt crisis.  Will contemporary viewers be attracted to a show about a family of filthy rich Texas oil barons living on a luxurious ranch called Southfork? 

Older viewers who were fans of the original show will undoubtedly tune in, but the success of the show ultimately depends on two criteria.  The first is the quality of the writing.  The second measure of success hinges on attracting younger viewers – the 20 to 35 year old demographic.  That is why the performances of the newcomers are so important.  The new Dallas will feature the next generation of Ewing oilmen and women.  It will focus on John Ross Ewing, son of J.R. and Sue Ellen.  The stories will revolve around the conflict between John Ross and his cousin, Christopher Ewing, the adopted son of Bobby and his former wife, Pam.  Christopher is also the biological son of the late Kristin Shepard. 

John Ross and Christopher will be smitten with the same woman, Elena Ramos, played by Jordana Brewster.  The situation poses a real dilemma for Christopher since he is engaged to Rebecca Sutter (Julie Gunzalo).

Actor and singer Josh Henderson will portray John Ross.  Dallas-born Henderson, 29, is best known for his role as Austin McCann on Desperate Housewives.  Christopher will be played by 32-year-old Jesse Metcalfe.  Coincidentally, Metcalfe is also a former cast member of Desperate Housewives. He played John Rowland on the series. 

Brazilian-American actress Jordan Brewster, 31, has appeared as Mia Toretto in three instalments of the Fast and Furious film series.  Argentine-born Julie Guzalo has played Parker Lee in the television series  Veronica Mars and Maggie Dekker in the 2008-09 series Eli Stone. 

Brenda Strong has been cast as Ann Ewing, Bobby's new wife.  Brenda is yet another former member of the cast of Desperate Housewives.  She portrayed Mary Alice Young on the show. 

The new cast of Dallas

To watch a video preview of the new Dallas, click on the link below.  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTGj46RsvmA   

 - Joanne

Valerie Harper: Mary's best friend, Rhoda

Recently I have been watching reruns of Rhoda on Comedy Gold.  As a result, I’ve found myself thinking about Valerie Harper and what she’s been up to lately.  Since I am not a regular viewer of Desperate Housewives, I did not realize that Valerie had been a guest star on an episode of the popular sitcom.  The episode is titled “Where Do I Belong” and it aired on January 9, 2011.  Valerie portrayed Susan Delfino’s (Teri Hatcher) Aunt Claire.  In the episode, Susan undergoes dialysis while awaiting a kidney transplant.  She receives a visit in the hospital from her mother, Sophie (Leslie Ann Warren), who is accompanied by Aunt Claire (Valerie Harper).

Valerie and Leslie Ann in Desperate Housewives

Valerie Harper is now 71 years old.  She was born in Suffern, Rockland County, New York on August 22, 1939.  Her Canadian-born mother, Iva, was a nurse and her father, Howard Donald Harper, was a lighting salesman. 

Valerie's career runs the gamut from stage to television and feature films.  She started out as a dancer/showgirl with the Corps de Ballet at Radio City Music Hall.  She gradually moved on to acting in regional theatre.

During the late 1950s and early 1960s, the aspiring actress danced on Broadway.  She appeared in the musical L'l Abner and in several shows for famed choreographer Michael Kidd.  Her Broadway performances included Wildcats with Lucille Ball and Take Me Along with Jackie Gleason.  Valerie also performed with the Second City comedy troupe in Chicago.  

Valerie Harper caught the eye of casting agent Ethel Winant while performing in a small theatre in Los Angeles.  Winant called her to audition for a role on the Mary Tyler Moore Show.  She won the part and from 1970 until 1974, she portrayed wise-cracking Rhoda Morgenstern, Mary Richards`neighbour and closest friend.  Rhoda, a window dresser  for a Minneapolis department store, was a single Jewish woman in her 30s.  Unlike Mary, the Bronx-born Rhoda desperately sought a husband and eventually found one back home in New York City during a visit with her family. 

Rhoda's sister Brenda introduced her to curly-haired Joe Gerard, the divorced owner of the New York Wrecking Company.  A romance blossomed and Rhoda, decided to leave Minneapolis and return to the Big Apple permanently.  Her character became the focus of a new spin-off sitcom called Rhoda.

Rhoda made its debut on CBS on September 9, 1974 with Valerie Harper in the lead.role.  Three weeks later, on October 28, 1974, viewers were treated to a full-hour special episode of the series in which Rhoda and Joe were married.  The newlyweds moved into Brenda's apartment building and Rhoda became stepmother to Joe's 10 year-old son, Donny.

After two year of stories about a happily married couple, the producers of Rhoda determined that that Joe and Rhoda should break up.  They decided they would have more flexibility and more storylines open to them if they concentrated on Rhoda and her sister Brenda as two single women trying to cope.  Soon after the 1976-1977 season, Rhoda and Joe separated.  The Gerards eventually divorced and Joe was gradually phased out of the show.  CBS cancelled Rhoda in December of 1978. 

In 1986, Valerie Harper returned to television comedy in a series called Valerie.  She starred as Valerie Hogan, the harried matriarch of a family living in the Chiago suburb of Oak Park, Illinois.  The Hogan household also consisted of husband Michael (Josh Taylor), an airline pilot who was frequently away on flights, teenage son David (Jason Bateman) and fraternal twins Willie and Mark (Danny Ponce and Jeremy Licht). 

In the autumn of 1987, Valerie suddenly walked off the show during a much-publicized salary  dispute.  She was immediately fired.  The producers decided to continue the show without her and renamed it Valerie's Family.  Harper successfully sued Lorimar Productions for breach of contract.  In June of 1988, the name of the sitcom was changed yet again, this time to The Hogan Family.  Valerie's character was written off the show as having died and Sandy Duncan joined the cast as Michael's divorced sister. The Hogan Family aired until 1991. 

In 1995 Valerie Harper appeared in six episodes of The Office.  She played the role of Rita Stone.  In 2000 Valerie reunited with Mary Tyler Moore in a made-for-television movie titled Mary and Rhoda.  The two old friends find themselves single with daughters in college.  Mary Richards  returns to New York after months in Europe following the sudden death of her Congressman husband in a rock-climbing accident.  Rhoda also returns to New York from Paris after divorcing her second husband, Frenchman Jean-Pierre Rousseau.  She is trying to establish herself in a new career as a photographer.

Valerie Harper in 2007

Valerie Harper has been married twice.  She met her first husband, actor Richard Schaal at Second City.  They wed on January 29, 1964.  The couple did not have any children and divorced in 1978.  On April 8, 1987, the Valerie married producer Tony Cacciotti.  They adopted a daughter, Cristina Cacciotti, born in 1983.  Cristina is an actress.

Valerie Harper is an activist and a strong advocate of women's rights.  She supported the Equal Rights Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.  The actress is a devoted member of the Screen Actors Guild.  She ran for its presidency in the 2001 election, but lost to Melissa Gilbert. 

In 2010, Valerie starred on Broadway as Tallulah Bankhead in Matthew Lombardo's stage production of Loop.  She performed at the Lyceum Theatre on West 45th Street.

I took a look at Valerie Harper's official website and discovered that she recently filmed two television movies and that there will be an update on Facebook as to when they will be aired.  I also learned that Valerie filmed an episode of Drop Dead Diva on Lifetime.  She believes it will be aired on September. 11.



WHAT HAPPENED TO THE ORIGINAL CAST OF RHODA?


David Groh

Actor, producer and director David Groh, who played Rhoda's husband Joe Gerard on the series died of kidney cancer on February 12, 2008.  He was 68 years old at the time of his death.  Groh left the show in 1977 after the break-up of his character and Rhoda.


Nancy Walker

Nancy Walker, who portrayed Rhoda`s meddling mother, Ida Morgenstern, died of lung cancer in Studio City, California on March 25, 1992.  She was 69 years old and had been co-starring in the situation comedy True Colors.  From 1971 until 1976, the hard-working Walker also played a regular role on the Rock Hudson detective series, McMillan & Wife.  She portrayed Mildred, the Mcmillan's housekeeper.

The talented Walker earned an Emmy nominaton for her performance in "The Separation," the 1976-1977 season premiere episode of Rhoda.  In the episode, Ida learned about Joe and Rhoda's separation as she was about to leave on a year-long vacation.


Julie Kavner

Julie Kavner played the role of Rhoda`s younger sister, bank teller Brenda Morgenstern.  Julie later became famous for providing the raspy voice of blue-haired Marge Simpson on the animated television show The Simpsons.  Kavner, born September 7, 1950, is now 60 years old.  Rhoda marked her first professional acting role. 

She orignianlly auditioned for a guest-spot on The Mary Tyler Moore Show, but producer David Davis cast another actress instead.  Davis, who co-wrote the pilot to Rhoda, remembered Kavner's audition and called her back to play the part of Brenda. 
As it turned out, Davis became Kavner's boyfriend and the two have been together since the 1970s. 

Of Rhoda, Julie is quoted by Tim Lammers in an April 21, 2009 posting on the website LifeWhile as saying, "The writing was phenomenal - the show still holds up, except for the '70s wardrobe."  She described the series as "the true definition of a situation comedy."  She said, "The comedy arose from the situations.  The funniness came from the characters.  It was real.  The writing came from a real sense of these people." 

For her portrayal of the insecure Brenda Morgenstern, Kavner received four Primetime Emmy Award norminations for Outstanding Continuing Performance by a Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series.  She won the Emmy in 1978.

In the 1980s and '90s, Julie appeared in a string of Woody Allen movies.  After watching her on Rhoda in the 1970s, Woody was impressed and later offered her a part in his 1986 film, Hannah and Her Sisters.  She agreed to take the part and it gave her career a much-need boost at the time.

In 1987 Julie was cast as Tracey Ullman's sidekick on Fox TV's Tracey Ullman Show.  It was a comedy/variety series in which Kavner had the opportunity to play a host of different characters. 
The show also led to Julie's voicing of the Marge Simspon character.

The Simpsons was originally a series of animated shorts on the Ullman program.  The producers decided to ask Kavner and castmate Dan Castellaneta to provide the voices for Marge and Homer Simpson instead of hiring new actors.

Julie Kavner became very wealthy as the voice of Marge Simpson.  She leads a very private life and makes few public appearances.


Harold Gould

Harold Gould portrayed Rhoda`s father, Martin Morgenstern, on both The Mary Tyler Moore Sho and Rhoda. Gould, whose real name was Harold Goldstein lived in Los Angeles with his wife, Lea.  He died of prostate cancer on September 11, 2010 at the age  of 86.


Lorenzo Music

We can't forget Carlton, the doorman at Brenda's apartment building.  Carlton was never seen on screen but was voiced by Lorenzo Music.  Brenda and Rhoda were constantly speaking on the intercom to the drunken, annoying doorman.  He would always preface his announcements with, "Hello, this is Carlton your doorman." 

Lorenzo Music was an actor, producer and writer.  He passed away on August 4, 2,001 due to complications from lung and bone cancer.  He was 64.  Lorenzo also provided the voice for Garfield the Cat.


To watch a promo for the 35th anniversary DVD edition of the first season of Rhoda, click on the link below.

http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi3024093721/



Kavner (left) and Mary Tyler Moore in Rhoda

EDITOR'S UPDATE: January 18, 2013 - Valerie Harper, a lifelong non-smoker, has opened up about her battle with lung cancer.  At the end of her new memoir, I, Rhoda, Harper reveals that in March of 2009, she was admitted to Cedars Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles under the name Valerie McConnell (her mother's maiden name was McConnell).  She was diagnosed with a cancerous tumour in her lung and underwent surgery to remove part of the lung.  She now wants to promote early detection of cancer.

EDITOR'S UPDATE: March 6, 2013 - Valerie Harper, 73, has been diagnosed with terminal brain cancer.  She was given the terrible news in January.  Of her diagnosis, she told People magazine, "I don't think of dying.  I think of being here now."  

EDITOR'S UPDATE: August 31. 2013 - Valerie Harper has received some really good news.  On August 29th, the Today show broadcast a segment from "Valerie Harper's Story - A Meredith Vieira Special" in which her physician, neuro-oncologist Dr. Jeremy Rudnick, stated that the actress is "getting pretty close to a remission."  He added, "It defies the odds."  NBC will broadcast the full hour-long documentary on Valerie's battle with brain cancer on September 19th.

EDITOR'S UPDATE:  September 7, 2013 - On September 4, 2013, it was announced on Good Morning America that Valerie Harper, 74, and actress Leah Remini, 43, will take part in the 17th season of Dancing With the Stars, the popular TV dance competition.  Valerie told Good Morning America co-host Robin Roberts that the brain scans she has every two months "are looking better and better."  She stated that her doctors "are just delighted that I am moving in the right direction."

EDITOR'S UPDATE:  Valerie Harper passed away on August 30, 2019 in Los Angeles.  She was 80 years old.


-  Joanne

Update on Kristy and Jimmy McNichol

On March 31, 2011, I wrote about Kristy McNichol and why she gave up her acting career .  There continues to be a great deal of reaction to what I wrote over three months ago.  It seems that many people have a keen interest in Kristy and her brother Jimmy.   Several readers commented about how much they enjoyed Kristy's acting and how they hoped she would return to the screen.  Some wished her happiness in whatever she was doing.  Apparently, Kristy evokes fond memories of younger days in the 1970s and and 1980s.  Some readers lamented their lost youth and expressed a desire to turn back the clock. 

As Kristy herself stated, she had to leave acting for her health and well-being.  She has bipolar disorder.  As anyone suffering with this affliction or any mental illness can attest, it is an extremely difficult struggle.  The stress of an acting career was just too overwhelming for her.  Perhaps, she  will return to acting some day.  It's her choice, though,  depending on the state of her mental health.  She'll be 49 years old in September, so she won't be playing any teen roles anymore.

It was pointed out to me that in 2008 Kristy attempted to get on Dancing With the Stars.  She was slated to appear in a segment with Florence Henderson of The Brady Bunch.  The network decided not to go through with it.  I was aware of that, but did not mention it in my posting.

Many are curious as to whether Kristy is married.  The answer to that is NO.  She has never taken the vows of matrimony. 


OVER TO YOU, TV BANTER READERS!  IS JIMMY DIVORCED?

Thank you TV Banter readers for all your feedback.  I really enjoy reading your comments.  Now I'm wondering if you can assist me in setting the record straight.  In my entry of March 31, I also wrote about Kristy's brother, Jimmy McNichol.  I mentioned that he married Renee in 1997 and that he is the father of two children, a son named Nash and a daughter named Ellis.  A reader informed me that Jimmy and his wife are divorced.  I am trying to find out if the reader is correct.  According to the Internet Movie Data Base (IMdb), Jimmy is still married.  So far, I cannot find anything online that says he is divorced.  I don't want to pay for access to the California divorce records.  Unless it was a secret divorce, it should be mentioned on the web.  If any readers can enlighten me, please do so.  I'd be happy to hear from you.  So far, I have not found any evidence that Jimmy McNIchol is divorced.  By the way, Jimmy was born on July 2, 1961.  He recently celebrated his 50th birthday.

Jimmy McNichol



END NOTES

* A reader mentioned that Sada Thompson, the actress who played Kristy's mother on Family, had passed away.  Sada died of lung disease on May 4, 2,011.  She was 83.  My blog entry on  Kristy appeared in March, prior to Sada's death.   


* There is some interest as to why Elayne Heilveil was replaced by Meredith Baxter in the role of Nancy Lawrence Maitland on Family.  Elayne initiated the role in 1976.  Unfortunately, I have not been able to find a specific reason why Elayne left the role or why she was replaced.  I did discover that Cheryl Ladd auditioned for the role of Nancy but lost out to Meredith Baxter-Birney, probably because Meredith had more experience.  The producers of Family, Aaron Spelling and Leonard Goldberg, asked Cheryl if she would take the part of Farrah Fawcett's replacement on another of their shows, Charlie's Angels.  Cheryl accepted and ended up portraying Kris Monroe, the younger sister of Farrah's character, Jill Monroe.  She joined the cast of Charlie's Angels in 1977.

To view a video of a scene with Sada Thompson and Elayne Heilveil, the original Nancy on Family, click on the link below.  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lT0uUObAF_g


Thanks again, readers.  It's great to hear from you.  Keep the banter going strong!


Editor's Update (February 2, 2013):

* Kristy McNichol "came out" as a lesbian on January 6, 2011.  She stated that she had been living with her partner, Martie Allen, for 20 years.



- Joanne