tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post5565297231868527780..comments2023-11-03T06:02:02.128-07:00Comments on By Ken Levine: RIP Allan BurnsBy Ken Levinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17305293821975250420noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-66658840873117427082021-02-04T18:12:47.246-08:002021-02-04T18:12:47.246-08:00So sorry for your loss - which I think is a loss t...So sorry for your loss - which I think is a loss to the entertainment industry and its fans.<br /><br />One of the things that struck me about Allan Burns - especially the MTM show - was that you didn't have the current need for someone to be the eternal butt monkey. Even Ted Baxter had some success, a wife who loved him and even children.<br /><br />I like comedy that doesn't need to constantly diminish its own characters to get laughs.Tudor Queenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03544142728842449527noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-189927339294043702021-02-01T22:38:06.669-08:002021-02-01T22:38:06.669-08:00VP81955 said...
Tonight at 11:30/10:30c, MeTV hono...VP81955 said...<br />Tonight at 11:30/10:30c, MeTV honors Cloris Leachman with her guest appearances on "Perry Mason" and "The Twilight Zone" (the famed 1961 "It's A Great Life" episode with the great Billy Mumy).<br /><br />They should also include her first Gunsmoke appearance, "Legal Murder."ViscountManzeppinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-38801934970226655012021-02-01T18:07:32.331-08:002021-02-01T18:07:32.331-08:00A part of my childhood is gone with the sad death ...A part of my childhood is gone with the sad death of Dustin Diamond. I watched Saved by the Bell all through my school years. Sadly, like so many former child stars, his later life was blighted with controversy and missteps.<br /><br />RIPTroy McClurenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-21214947078509976282021-02-01T14:24:43.817-08:002021-02-01T14:24:43.817-08:00Ken,
I'm sorry for your loss and especially a...Ken,<br /><br />I'm sorry for your loss and especially after recently losing another mentor, another good man from what I know, Carl Reiner. <br /><br />My mom says getting old is not for the faint of heart. But, for the little part I can do I hope to--"Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep." So I'll be sad at least a little for you and for Allan Burns family today.<br /><br />And I'll pray an Irish blessing for you because of this time that seems to have taken such a heck of a bite out of you in so many ways--<br /><br />Ken, May the road always rise up to meet you. May the wind always be at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face; the rains fall soft upon your fields and may God hold you in the palm of His hand.<br /><br />I hope you find peace,<br /><br /><br />SeanSeannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-86832055303743181442021-02-01T14:16:20.945-08:002021-02-01T14:16:20.945-08:00And Jamie Tarses today...And Jamie Tarses today...Scott Rosenberghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06301898802308553129noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-73971869336593667052021-02-01T14:07:32.631-08:002021-02-01T14:07:32.631-08:00My condolences for your loss, Ken. But you are so...My condolences for your loss, Ken. But you are so lucky to have known so many amazing people. <br /><br />Virtually all of the shows mentioned above I grew up watching. I have "Rocky & Bullwinkle" on DVD. I'll have to rewatch it. <br />I admit I've never seen "A Little Romance" even though for a while I had a major crush on Diane Lane. I'll have to see if I can find it somewhere.<br />One show of his that I didn't particularly enjoy was "The Duck Factory." It had everything going for it, yet it never clicked with me. Maybe that's another show I should give a second chance.<br /><br />Miscellaneous trivia: Grandpa Munster, Al Lewis, used to live in Van Nuys, California. When I was a kid we used to see him on Van Nuys Boulevard all the time. Of course Van Nuys was much nicer back then. <br />My mentor, the late Avery Schreiber had a recurring roll on "My Mother the Car."<br /><br />Did you ever do a podcast with or a previous blog about Allan Burns? Maybe a repost would be appropriate. <br /><br />M.B.Mike Bloodworthhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04755626259169126800noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-17982962483588231172021-02-01T13:38:43.674-08:002021-02-01T13:38:43.674-08:00So tough when you lose a mentor who nurtured your ...So tough when you lose a mentor who nurtured your talents and enjoyed your, and others success. So rare. May his memory be a blessing. Pete Grossmannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-46401015088207040532021-02-01T12:23:36.213-08:002021-02-01T12:23:36.213-08:00This is completely off topic, but I thought it mig...This is completely off topic, but I thought it might be of interest to Ken and commenters. NPR did a segment on Desi Arnez and his impact on TV.<br />https://www.npr.org/transcripts/959609533Andrewhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00466932184113943306noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-88111946628590484172021-02-01T11:02:39.195-08:002021-02-01T11:02:39.195-08:00He was very generous with his time when I intervie...He was very generous with his time when I interviewed him for "Funny You Should Ask." He was not hesitant to heap praise on others. He even called me later to relate a funny anecdote about the great David Lloyd. Scottnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-68289371310050442412021-02-01T10:59:33.738-08:002021-02-01T10:59:33.738-08:00Another lovely tribute.
He co-wrote the pilot epi...Another lovely tribute.<br /><br />He co-wrote the pilot episode of MTM, and I still think that may be one of the greatest first episodes ever because it did so much to establish their personalities. If he didn't come up with "I hate spunk," Brooks did, and they were geniuses.<br /><br />A word about Jay Ward. I met him and didn't know it. He had a store, The Dudley Do-Right Emporium, and a friend and I went in there. Only later when I saw a rare photo of him did I realize I'd met a genius. When I met Chuck Jones, I knew I was meeting a genius. I didn't screw up the second time.Michaelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05266475919252239220noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-46842386872814493132021-02-01T09:22:13.044-08:002021-02-01T09:22:13.044-08:00Tonight at 11:30/10:30c, MeTV honors Cloris Leachm...Tonight at 11:30/10:30c, MeTV honors Cloris Leachman with her guest appearances on "Perry Mason" and "The Twilight Zone" (the famed 1961 "It's A Great Life" episode with the great Billy Mumy).VP81955https://www.blogger.com/profile/11792390726196611188noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-56966710023341404622021-02-01T08:59:09.909-08:002021-02-01T08:59:09.909-08:00John Kern. So did IJohn Kern. So did IJohnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03858127144095019667noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-67656014412376639642021-02-01T08:58:20.794-08:002021-02-01T08:58:20.794-08:00I've grown up enjoying his writing. I'm gl...I've grown up enjoying his writing. I'm glad to know he was a wonderful man as well. I'm sorry for your loss.Brianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17850672682992802562noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-32098360432211728222021-02-01T08:57:51.876-08:002021-02-01T08:57:51.876-08:00Yeah. Yeah. Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03858127144095019667noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-9373177606225839642021-02-01T08:45:50.086-08:002021-02-01T08:45:50.086-08:00And let's not forget (although we may try to) ...And let's not forget (although we may try to) his "My Mother, The Car," the nadir of gimmicky mid-sixties sitcoms, and there were many. On several "Mary Tyler Moore Show" episodes, we'd see a board with the current WJM-TV schedule, and as an in-joke "My Mother, The Car" was usually listed somewhere. (Jerry Van Dyke guested on one ep, too.)VP81955https://www.blogger.com/profile/11792390726196611188noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-37990748749636808022021-02-01T08:45:29.400-08:002021-02-01T08:45:29.400-08:00I looked up an episode of "He & She"...I looked up an episode of "He & She" on YouTube yesterday. Still great. Produced by Talent Associates, for whom Burns had been a story editor for "Get Smart." The thing I love here is that in the sixties, Burns went from creating "The Munsters" and "My Mother the Car" to winning an Emmy for the sophisticated (i.e. "lasted one season") "He & She."<br /><br />He will remain in my memory for getting me to read "Crime and Punishment," just because the favorite expletive of Boris Badenov (spinning the opera "Boris Godunov") was "Raskolnikov!" Jay Ward cartoons - all the references you don't even begin to get until you reach your teens.Craig Gustafsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14503925766039307551noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-72430034135128993312021-02-01T08:22:59.093-08:002021-02-01T08:22:59.093-08:00Very sorry to hear this.Very sorry to hear this.Holly Traisterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12730286732616974850noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-60241418117083249662021-02-01T07:59:57.585-08:002021-02-01T07:59:57.585-08:00I just read the Hollywood Reporter obituary- not o...I just read the Hollywood Reporter obituary- not only did he write for Rocky & Bullwinkle, but he developed the characters Cap'n Crunch and Jean LaFoote for Quaker! That's a large chunk of my childhood right there.Jeff Boicehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14600946876122022978noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-36686619986467718712021-02-01T07:57:38.918-08:002021-02-01T07:57:38.918-08:00As usual Ken, you've written a glorious tribut...As usual Ken, you've written a glorious tribute to a glorious man, an inspiration, a mensch!Arlen Petersnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-4379565016315866452021-02-01T06:51:40.323-08:002021-02-01T06:51:40.323-08:00Speaking of MTM,I was expecting an obit this weeke...Speaking of MTM,I was expecting an obit this weekend to Chloris Leachman,,to say nothing of Cicely Tyson.Lemuelnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-28367447335790245182021-02-01T06:48:19.820-08:002021-02-01T06:48:19.820-08:00A Little Romance was a terrific film. A perfect ge...A Little Romance was a terrific film. A perfect gem of a movie.Danielnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-27911041062556423782021-02-01T06:45:20.645-08:002021-02-01T06:45:20.645-08:00One of the retro channels has been showing one of ...One of the retro channels has been showing one of his other shows, THE MUNSTERS, in prime time. I wish they were showing THE MARY TYLER MOORE SHOW instead.Michaelnoreply@blogger.com