tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post3154747553376322926..comments2023-11-03T06:02:02.128-07:00Comments on By Ken Levine: Why actors get firedBy Ken Levinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17305293821975250420noreply@blogger.comBlogger30125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-56966176706074908252008-09-30T23:37:00.000-07:002008-09-30T23:37:00.000-07:00Rachel Dratch originally played the Jane Krakowski...Rachel Dratch originally played the Jane Krakowski role. When the network insisted she be replaced, Tina softened the blow by using her as a utility player in varied roles throughout the first season.<BR/><BR/>But the replacment was made before any episodes ever aired, which is why you've only seen Jane Krakowski in her role.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-72452186431150397502008-09-30T14:05:00.000-07:002008-09-30T14:05:00.000-07:00I'm curious about what you said Re: Tina Fey/Jane ...I'm curious about what you said Re: Tina Fey/Jane Krakowski/Rachel Dratch. Jane was a regular from the very beginning - did Fey originally hire Dratch to play her role, and they replaced her? Because Dratch showed up all throughout the first season as different characters...Barry Wallacehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08691670547045531673noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-3424673963863344802008-09-29T11:45:00.000-07:002008-09-29T11:45:00.000-07:00Question-I just recently saw the movie, "The TV Se...Question-<BR/><BR/>I just recently saw the movie, "The TV Set", with David Duchovny and Sigourney Weaver. Just curious if you saw it, and if so, do you feel it accurately reflected the TV industry?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-53435368281568944202008-09-29T06:33:00.000-07:002008-09-29T06:33:00.000-07:00I remember watching "Flying Blind" in college and ...I remember watching "Flying Blind" in college and think Leoni was both beautiful and brilliant, just an amazingly gifted comedienne ... and she's managed to essentially be wasted in EVERY ROLE SHE'S HAD in the years subsequent ... especially "Spanglish," where she's such an irritating shrew of a woman, you couldn't have blamed Sandler if he had slept with the maid.Chadhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01112771959703191776noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-24029454511942372412008-09-28T05:49:00.000-07:002008-09-28T05:49:00.000-07:00Greetings from a long-time M*A*S*H fan. Love the b...Greetings from a long-time M*A*S*H fan. Love the blog. I just watched "Goodbye Radar" last night and I have a couple of questions:<BR/><BR/>1) Can you describe the process of writing a character off? <BR/><BR/>2) What were the circumstances that led to that episode? Any juicy details?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-33207143028274305352008-09-27T16:10:00.000-07:002008-09-27T16:10:00.000-07:00Thanks, Paul. I have a video of the Beaver Pilot (...Thanks, Paul. I have a video of the Beaver Pilot (Called It's a Small World, BTW), but was too lazy to find it. The final cast was excellent, and the series was always a favorite of mine.Cap'n Bobhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11783977137812876489noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-62869140376276791682008-09-27T15:41:00.000-07:002008-09-27T15:41:00.000-07:00Harold Gould should be the patron saint for actors...Harold Gould should be the patron saint for actors and actresses replaced after the pilot -- he had two hit shows on ABC yanked out from under him, as he was cast as Marlo Thomas' father in the 1965 pilot for "That Girl" and was replaced by Lou Parker, and seven years later was cast as Howard Cunningham in the pilot for "Happy Days" and then replaced by Tom Bosley when that show became a series.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-90826068163758363262008-09-27T08:24:00.000-07:002008-09-27T08:24:00.000-07:00what should I be aiming to write for if I'm seriou...what should I be aiming to write for if I'm serious about trying to break into the industry, single camera or multiple setup?john Whttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17756636672754368381noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-23571376302453658402008-09-27T07:33:00.000-07:002008-09-27T07:33:00.000-07:00I thought Leoni was good in that Naked Truth serie...<I>I thought Leoni was good in that Naked Truth series years ago where she played a prize-winning photographer who could only get a job with a tabloid scandal sheet.</I><BR/><BR/>The first season of "The Naked Truth," which aired on ABC, was brilliant. Leoni and the ensemble cast were wonderful, and the scripts had bite. Unfortunately, ABC declined to pick up the series and it moved to NBC, which proceeded to put it through its sitcom processing machine, taking out all of its distinctive elements and reducing it to the "Suddenly Susan" level. Now a run-of-the-mill series, "The Naked Truth" died after two seasons.<BR/><BR/><I>I think at the time, critics were complimenting her “physical” comedy, comparing it to Lucille Ball.</I><BR/><BR/>Which, of course, would mean Tea is twice removed to Carole Lombard, whom Lucy always cited as an influence (they were friends while at RKO in the late thirties).<BR/><BR/>I'm surprised Tea hasn't had more of a film career, given her genuine comedic talent, but these days, how many <I>good</I> romcoms are made? (By good, I mean with an absence of karaoke scenes.)<BR/><BR/><I>Interestingly, Lisa Kudrow looks like her mother in that picture, compared to how she finally appears in "Friends"...</I><BR/><BR/>So Lisa's turning into Teri Garr? (Not healthwise, I hope, no slight intended to the lovely Teri.)<BR/><BR/>I will say that if Lisa had worn that blouse to the audition, she probably wouldn't have been fired. (Well, maybe a Mamie Van Doren "bullet bra" would've helped.)VP81955https://www.blogger.com/profile/11792390726196611188noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-42844362832406405552008-09-27T03:12:00.000-07:002008-09-27T03:12:00.000-07:00Interestingly, Lisa Kudrow looks like her mother i...Interestingly, Lisa Kudrow looks like her mother in that picture, compared to how she finally appears in "Friends"...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-2124010384376772912008-09-26T23:28:00.000-07:002008-09-26T23:28:00.000-07:00Though, to be fair, that actress's shoes WERE just...Though, to be fair, that actress's shoes WERE just AWFUL!<BR/><BR/>I did ALL my movies in lovely, glittery "fuck Me" pumps. That's what a true actress does. Would Judy Garland have become a star without her ruby pumps?<BR/><BR/>All professional actresses know, it's all about the pumps: who gives you pumps, how you take their pumps, and how you look afterwards.<BR/><BR/>But on my films, we only consulted out-of-focus groups, at least, that's how they looked to me.Tallulah Moreheadhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07416330735326405496noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-54164569106568559432008-09-26T22:43:00.000-07:002008-09-26T22:43:00.000-07:00anonymous, you might have more of a leg to stand o...anonymous, you might have more of a leg to stand on if not for the fact that Walker: Texas Ranger and Touched By An Angel both lasted nine seasons and if 2 and a Half Men didn't consistently finish in the top ten. Apparently a little known fact (at least to you) is that a large portion of the public are, in fact, morons. It's really the only way to account for the fact that despite monumentally screwing up his country during his presidency, more than a quarter of Americans still believe George W. Bush is doing a good job.Tim W.https://www.blogger.com/profile/16860726607106078491noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-73534290486818082502008-09-26T13:16:00.000-07:002008-09-26T13:16:00.000-07:00Yes, Ken, it is the fault of research that 85% of ...Yes, Ken, it is the fault of research that 85% of shows fail once they get on air. Yes, focus groups keep all of the Shakepeares and Shaws off prime time tv. How nice it would be if producers and writers could be honest with themselves and listen to what America says. Yes, of course, the occasional "I don't like her shoes" comment comes out, but most of the time, people simply tell the truth when they watch a pilot. Get a grip and stop shooting the messenger.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-22481522705732508942008-09-26T11:36:00.000-07:002008-09-26T11:36:00.000-07:00I liked "Flying Blind", thought that was a good sh...I liked "Flying Blind", thought that was a good show.<BR/><BR/>Of all the shows you worked on, which ones do you think would have had drastically different fates if they were aired today?<BR/><BR/>Do you think Cheers would do well? Frasier? MASH?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-32670703786310316712008-09-26T11:03:00.000-07:002008-09-26T11:03:00.000-07:00"Hostel for the show’s creator?" You mean they wo..."Hostel for the show’s creator?" You mean they wouldn’t even put the sucker up in a <I>motel?</I> :)<BR/><BR/>I’m with you on Tea Leoni – or we can go sequentially if you’d prefer? And if what I read is correct, so is Duchovny -- this morning, and then twice again this afternoon. We're still waiting for the overnights. <B>What?</B> We should all have that problem. (Think there was a cartoon with a satyr going to a sex therapist, saying “I just can’t get it down.”)<BR/>But enough with the priapism, although for me personally, it's not that long a story.<BR/><BR/>I thought Leoni was good in that Naked Truth series years ago where she played a prize-winning photographer who could only get a job with a tabloid scandal sheet. I think at the time, critics were complimenting her “physical” comedy, comparing it to Lucille Ball. I thought she had a lot more.<BR/><BR/>And with the straight roles, in The Family Man, she had me at hello...and then hello again. Although I'm not sure I really needed to know that much about the radial tire business.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-30754903988682933442008-09-26T10:59:00.000-07:002008-09-26T10:59:00.000-07:00That pilot of BEAVER has shown up on TV Land, Cap'...That pilot of BEAVER has shown up on TV Land, Cap'n Bob...another actor played Wally instead of Tony Dow, and Shearer was we now see as the prototype for Eddie Haskell. What's interesting is that Shearer's character didn't seem to like Wally any better than Beaver. That might be the reason for his recasting...the suits may have felt he couldn't pull off a portrayal of the reworked Eddie--believable as a friend to Wally yet an antagonist to everyone else.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-9367445513216311982008-09-26T10:31:00.000-07:002008-09-26T10:31:00.000-07:00In the Leave it to Beaver pilot they had a differe...In the Leave it to Beaver pilot they had a different Ward Cleaver (Casey Adams)and either Eddie or Wally was played by Harry Shearer. His career never recovered from that, eh?Cap'n Bobhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11783977137812876489noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-64519703366671579282008-09-26T10:18:00.000-07:002008-09-26T10:18:00.000-07:00I forgot Kudrow was in Opposite of Sex. I don't r...I forgot Kudrow was in Opposite of Sex. I don't recall her being funny in the role, but it's been a long time since I saw it.Tim W.https://www.blogger.com/profile/16860726607106078491noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-917015628028829672008-09-26T09:39:00.000-07:002008-09-26T09:39:00.000-07:00Gareth,None. They can't change at all.That's the ...Gareth,<BR/><BR/>None. They can't change at all.<BR/><BR/>That's the standard sitcom M.O. So much so that shows like the Simpson's have made fun of it.<BR/><BR/>If you still want some sort of change, have a character learn a valuable lesson: drugs are bad, Christmas is worthwhile after all, love is the greatest gift of all, etc.<BR/><BR/>But next week, all the characters will be right back where they started. They'll have forgotten that drugs are bad or Christmas is worthwhile. Or even if they remember, they won't talk about last week's topic.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-18067438883918642832008-09-26T08:24:00.000-07:002008-09-26T08:24:00.000-07:00I remember loving, loving Flying Blind. Who knows ...I remember loving, loving Flying Blind. Who knows how it would hold up today, but I still think of it fondly. All I could find on Youtube were the credits.Mr. Peel aka Peter Avellinohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10553482286909862975noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-82332528180613166532008-09-26T07:44:00.000-07:002008-09-26T07:44:00.000-07:00Correction, the name of the show after Flying Blin...Correction, the name of the show after Flying Blind is Woops, not Whoops.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-87757210616213887762008-09-26T07:43:00.000-07:002008-09-26T07:43:00.000-07:00Flying Blind was one of those little gems that was...Flying Blind was one of those little gems that was too good to survive past the first year. Not only did it have amazing chemistry between the two leads, but it had a great theme (shows actually used to have them) from David Byrne to enjoy every week. I think it aired at 10 p.m. on Fox at the time. It was followed by one of the most dreadful shows in television history, "Whoops", about the six survivors of a nuclear apocalypse. It was a wacky comedy. Really.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-80391866946845712562008-09-26T06:21:00.000-07:002008-09-26T06:21:00.000-07:00My question: After your (totally valid) criticism ...My question: After your (totally valid) criticism of those who criticised "Tropic Thunder" for being offensive, I wondered:<BR/>What kind of comedy, in terms of subject matter, tone or form, would you consider off-limits. Or does anything go, as long as it's funny?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-15926439971805522642008-09-26T06:08:00.000-07:002008-09-26T06:08:00.000-07:00Flying Blind is one of my all time favorite shows ...Flying Blind is one of my all time favorite shows and was smart enough to tape every episode when it aired as i figured a show this fun wont last long. I was right. Let me know if you want them and i can make you copies on DVD!LYNXhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13930461223541298888noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-68724924450634075742008-09-26T04:37:00.000-07:002008-09-26T04:37:00.000-07:00@jbryant....Lisa K. in the Comeback: She was excel...@jbryant....<BR/>Lisa K. in the Comeback: She was excellent, but the show was torture. 13 eps of brutal, unending humiliation. I bought the whole series for $2.99 at RiteAid.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com