Uh... no. But someone who is a whiz with Photoshop would have you believe it. Friend of the blog, Johnny Walker is the whiz responsible. Thanks, Johnny.
Actually Mamet's working title was Sexual Frustration in Milwaukee, but it was renamed Happy Days as an ode to television writing under Standards and Practices. I think that's why he moved on to legit stage work.
If these credits were "written by" instead of "created by", they would be entirely believable. Well-known authors and playwrights have been known to write sitcoms in their early, struggling years. Joseph Heller, for instance, wrote an episode of Sgt Bilko to put bread on the table.
Marty Fufkin: Well, except for the fact that Philip Roth had already written several best-sellers by the time "Mork and Mindy" came along.
But David Mamet's first movie work was, in fact, on an exploitation movie called "Garage Girls." A young Joe Mantegna was in the cast, and when the script needed reworking he suggested his pal Mamet. Apparently all of Mamet's ideas were rejected, but at least he got a couple of hundred dollars out of it.
I might add that Mamet did write an episode of "Hill Street Blues." He was already famous then, however, and he did it because his then-wife Lindsay Crouse had a recurring role on the show (naturally, the episode focuses on her character).
14 comments :
I recall Mamet's work on HAPPY DAYS: "A...B...C... Always Be Cool."
Actually Mamet's working title was Sexual Frustration in Milwaukee, but it was renamed Happy Days as an ode to television writing under Standards and Practices. I think that's why he moved on to legit stage work.
Is it true Robin Williams was considered for the role of Bobby on Taxi, but couldn't take it because he was committed to Mork & Mindy?
Put the coffee down, Malph...
What, no FRIENDS created by Jenji Kohan, or CHEERS created by J.J. Abrams?
The Cheers credit should be amended to "Based on a Concept by Charles Bukowski".
If "Friends" had been created by David Mamet, could you imagine how much the writer's assistant who was offended by profanity would have sued for?
Eugene O'Neill could've done a bang-up job on CHEERS, too. Or William Saroyan.
MAD MEN probably SHOULD credit John Cheever.
I'd like to see MY MOTHER THE CAR by Ken Kesey. Or Joseph Heller's HOGAN'S HEROES.
FLIPPER, a Herman Melville / Quinn Martin Production.
If these credits were "written by" instead of "created by", they would be entirely believable. Well-known authors and playwrights have been known to write sitcoms in their early, struggling years. Joseph Heller, for instance, wrote an episode of Sgt Bilko to put bread on the table.
jbryant said...
I'd like to see MY MOTHER THE CAR by Ken Kesey. Or Joseph Heller's HOGAN'S HEROES.
6/07/2014 8:32 PM
You can get kind of close on the last one -- Here's Joseph Heller's McHALE'S NAVY.
Marty Fufkin: Well, except for the fact that Philip Roth had already written several best-sellers by the time "Mork and Mindy" came along.
But David Mamet's first movie work was, in fact, on an exploitation movie called "Garage Girls." A young Joe Mantegna was in the cast, and when the script needed reworking he suggested his pal Mamet. Apparently all of Mamet's ideas were rejected, but at least he got a couple of hundred dollars out of it.
I might add that Mamet did write an episode of "Hill Street Blues." He was already famous then, however, and he did it because his then-wife Lindsay Crouse had a recurring role on the show (naturally, the episode focuses on her character).
John: I guess Marty meant McHale's Navy when he said Sgt. Bilko. Either way, cool to know about Heller's short-lived sitcom career.
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