tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post7365903031775399814..comments2023-11-03T06:02:02.128-07:00Comments on By Ken Levine: Friday (the 13th) QuestionsBy Ken Levinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17305293821975250420noreply@blogger.comBlogger31125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-56111233470170437702016-05-17T11:31:20.030-07:002016-05-17T11:31:20.030-07:00I am always amazed by the depth and endless entert...I am always amazed by the depth and endless entertainment value of the Comments from the Readers. Seriously.The Bumble Bee Pendanthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11782074071758250824noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-29816421483628546312016-05-17T00:36:46.433-07:002016-05-17T00:36:46.433-07:00It is my understanding that the exterior scenes we...It is my understanding that the exterior scenes were filmed on three Ranch, and the interior scenes were filmed on a Soundstage. Except for the episodes that were filmed entirely on a Soundstage. Albert Giesbrechthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17742338183833125104noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-20132964232454235482016-05-16T16:47:09.200-07:002016-05-16T16:47:09.200-07:00Ken,
I have a Friday question. While watching M*A*...Ken,<br />I have a Friday question. While watching M*A*S*H: Fade Out/Fade In, I remembered you going into very interesting detail about the Cheers set in a post a while back. I've always wondered about the MASH set. I've seen pics of filming in The Swamp in the middle of the compound, but have what about Potter's/Blake's office, Radar's/Klinger's office, OR, Post Op, etc?<br />Were they actually filmed behind the hospital facade or of to the side on another part of the set?<br />Thanks!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07662492661526148348noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-60414386941840512422016-05-16T16:33:36.428-07:002016-05-16T16:33:36.428-07:00On Growing Pains, there were a lot of lines where ...On <i>Growing Pains</i>, there were a lot of lines where Kirk Cameron's character made jokes about his sister, basically calling her ugly and fat. The producers didn't realize Tracey Gold had a real-life eating disorder. The jokes obviously exacerbated the problem, and she eventually became so thin and sick that she had to leave the show.Andy Rosenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-16218068111995382752016-05-16T12:25:50.428-07:002016-05-16T12:25:50.428-07:00Friday question -- I've always thought that ep...Friday question -- I've always thought that episodes that spotlight second tier characters (Father Mulcahy, Cliff Clavin, Lenny and Squiggy to name a few) are usually some of the weakest episodes in the series. In your experience, is it usually the actor or the agent who pushes for these episodes and are they difficult to write?DwWashburnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03057278992504418291noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-79274069824833616722016-05-15T09:13:22.636-07:002016-05-15T09:13:22.636-07:00FRIDAY QUESTION:
Most companies have "contin...FRIDAY QUESTION:<br /><br />Most companies have "contingency planning" for key staff roles (I'm the OCD geek that enjoys drafting them). Does anything similar exist for TV shows? Sort of a "worst-case-scenario" plan if one of your lead actors (or even *the* lead) leaves the series?<br /><br />CHEERS and M*A*S*H had the advantage of basically being "workplace" sitcoms. Woody doesn't need to have the history and connection with Sam right off the bat. You can just introduce him as the new bartender and move on from there. Same with B.J. replacing Trapper. <br /><br />But how do you handle a show like FRASIER? If you lose Martin, one of the chief premises of the series is gone. And if it happened before Nile and Daphne were a couple, how do you keep Daphne around organically? Same with Niles. <br /><br />I thought TWO AND A HALF MEN, for example, didn't really rise to the challenge in revamping the series after the loss of its star and the core relationship of the two brothers. And frankly, if *any* series should have had some emergency plan in place in the event it had to move on without its star, it was that one.Stephen Robinsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03670422634319094941noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-35639034558425220872016-05-15T08:59:26.777-07:002016-05-15T08:59:26.777-07:00I was always impressed by how appealing the charac...I was always impressed by how appealing the characters of Diane and Frasier were on CHEERS when there was so much potential for us to dislike them. I'm sure a great deal of this had to come from the actors themselves. Someone once said that Hawkeye would have been insufferable if he wasn't played by Alan Alda. Stephen Robinsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03670422634319094941noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-38933334464063150682016-05-14T17:29:40.519-07:002016-05-14T17:29:40.519-07:00When Carol Channing did HELLO DOLLY, she had to co...When Carol Channing did HELLO DOLLY, she had to consume a meal at record rate on stage. The relentlessness of her eating was a physical gag in the show. Her "Food" was cotton candy sculpted and colored to look like a three-course meal, which, of course, basically disappears in her mouth.<br /><br />I was in a stage play once that required me to consume onstage a number of M&Ms each performance, which were supposedly pills I was taking. I manned up and ate all that chocolate every performance, also at rehearsals, post-performance parties, and continued to after the show had closed. I was a pro!<br /><br />I once played Algernon in <i>The Importance of Being Earnest</i>. In act 1, I had to scarf up all the cucumber sandwiches. It's in the script. We made small soft bread and butter items for me to eat. I quickly learned always to come to do the performance hungry.D. McEwannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-81497873368364031342016-05-14T11:06:25.585-07:002016-05-14T11:06:25.585-07:00Hi Ken - I love your blog and I love Cheers. When...Hi Ken - I love your blog and I love Cheers. When I was 12-15 (1990-1993), I saw a ton of Cheers reruns on tv at night, and the majority came from the Rebecca years, which were the ones I liked the most. The Diane ones never grabbed me. But as I started to collect all the seasons on dvd, I reluctantly decided to buy the first five seasons so I could have a complete set after I had 6-11. I finally noticed, in my mid-30s, that the Diane years are enormously entertaining and have a brilliant charm that I can't believe I didn't see before then in my all-time favourite tv series. <br /><br />What I wonder is how a character like Diane is written. How were you able to balance her endearing traits with the irritating ones? I would guess that if she had been too sweet and caring, there wouldn't have been enough tension, and that if she had been too snooty, she could have ended up as merely repellent to the other characters and to the audience. Was there a careful plan?<br /><br />Thanks!<br />John Stevensnesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-62610250303903219112016-05-14T07:41:19.537-07:002016-05-14T07:41:19.537-07:00I've noticed that comedies often make jokes ab...<i>I've noticed that comedies often make jokes about their character's physical looks. The Office is probably the most obvious example with constant gags about Phyllis's dowdy looks and Kevin's weight. Cheers would sometimes "go there" with Norm ("Vera got me a membership at a health club. Real subtle, huh?"; "What are you up to Norm?" "My ideal weight if I was 11 feet tall.") My question: I know you can't comment on the Office, but when Cheers would make fun of Norm's weight, would you worry that it might be cruel to George Wendt to bring it up? Did you work with him on such jokes or was he okay with them as long as they were funny?</i><br /><br />Variations of this question, about whether or not actors in sitcoms are sensitive to jokes aimed at their looks or physical shortcomings, have come up here before, and the consensus from those commenting has generally been that actors understand such lines to be about their character, not them, and that they do not take them personally.<br /><br />However, that's not always the case. I've been reading a book that's just out about THE GOLDEN GIRLS, which is interesting in that it's heavily weighted toward episode-by-episode comments and reminiscences from cast and staff. (Someone should put together a book like that about CHEERS while everybody is still alive.) Anyway, on GOLDEN GIRLS, Bea Arthur's character, Dorothy, was frequently the target of jibes from other characters about her perceived lack of attractiveness. At least she was until, staffers recall in the book, Arthur broke into tears during a table read because she was so upset over the steady stream of "Dorothy is big and ugly" jokes that had been directed toward her. It's recalled that they had to ease way up on such insults to placate Arthur.Jonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-83531272000437799572016-05-14T07:08:32.853-07:002016-05-14T07:08:32.853-07:00Was there ever a reason we never saw Sam's apa...Was there ever a reason we never saw Sam's apartment on Cheers?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-10124122077459741252016-05-13T22:09:08.347-07:002016-05-13T22:09:08.347-07:00Thanks, Ken! I'm surprised that the whole CHEE...Thanks, Ken! I'm surprised that the whole CHEERS audience didn't join in on "Norm!"Charles H. Bryannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-79170622235319458832016-05-13T22:08:06.267-07:002016-05-13T22:08:06.267-07:00I've noticed that comedies often make jokes ab...I've noticed that comedies often make jokes about their character's physical looks. The Office is probably the most obvious example with constant gags about Phyllis's dowdy looks and Kevin's weight. Cheers would sometimes "go there" with Norm ("Vera got me a membership at a health club. Real subtle, huh?"; "What are you up to Norm?" "My ideal weight if I was 11 feet tall.") My question: I know you can't comment on the Office, but when Cheers would make fun of Norm's weight, would you worry that it might be cruel to George Wendt to bring it up? Did you work with him on such jokes or was he okay with them as long as they were funny?Mike Moodyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11973643901495588545noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-72444663329989410282016-05-13T20:45:26.713-07:002016-05-13T20:45:26.713-07:00When it comes to eating, multiple takes also can c...When it comes to eating, multiple takes also can cause lots of continuity problems (you'll see them in almost any movie scene of people eating a meal if you look closely enough) and the practical matter of constantly replenishing food and drink.<br /><br />I was on a single-camera TV set where a family was supposed to be having a tense dinner conversation at an upscale steakhouse. The production rented out a real Morton's. As usual, performers were told not to actually eat any of the food, which got colder and less appetizing over the course of several hours.<br /><br />However, the director decided she wanted to begin the scene by having the camera follow a piping-hot steak being delivered to the family's table. There was no practical way to fake this, so they cooked a bunch of real steaks. When one take ended, they'd throw another steak on the grill long enough for it to sizzle again, forcing the entire cast and crew to wait until it was seared, plated and put on its mark. After all that trouble, the steak shot wound up being edited out of the final cut because the scene was running long.Andy Rosenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-28182033496140369912016-05-13T19:41:32.681-07:002016-05-13T19:41:32.681-07:00Another reason you don't want actors actually ...Another reason you don't want actors actually eating is that if you have to do multiple takes, they can get full pretty fast!cadavranoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-16699865694079116382016-05-13T17:56:28.638-07:002016-05-13T17:56:28.638-07:00The Off-Topic Kid always listens to Mr. Scully for...The Off-Topic Kid always listens to Mr. Scully for essential Friday The 13th guidance :<br /><br />http://m.mlb.com/cutfour/2013/09/14/60574500/vin-scully-discusses-the-history-of-friday-the-13th?partnerId=as_mlb_20130914_11938724<br /><br />Why isn't 'dis guy runnin' for President?DrBOPhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07179469265158025584noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-592822770472733422016-05-13T17:06:06.528-07:002016-05-13T17:06:06.528-07:00"A bigger problem is occasionally having an a...<i>"A bigger problem is occasionally having an audience member talk back to the actors. We had one I remember on CHEERS. He was yelling things like “Don’t go in that door, Diane!” He was politely asked to leave."</i><br /><br />29 years ago I saw <i>Pygmalion</i> on Broadway, with Peter O'Toole, Lionel Jeffries, and Sir John Mills. Great production. There was a guy seated in the second row who was talking back to the characters also, and heckling them. He did it relentlessly, and frankly, from the slurring of his words, I'd say he'd had a drink or 50 before the show.<br /><br />He was not there for act II.<br />D. McEwannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-12737216432299714192016-05-13T13:41:22.853-07:002016-05-13T13:41:22.853-07:00Re: Edith gets attacked.
I once interviewed a writ...Re: Edith gets attacked.<br />I once interviewed a writer from All in the Family and he said that CBS aired the episode because Norman Lear had enough hits shows and enough power to make them do it.Johnny Rednoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-53372256166353941292016-05-13T12:29:19.115-07:002016-05-13T12:29:19.115-07:00The head "dude" at ABC is now actually a...The head "dude" at ABC is now actually a woman. And they definitely pay attention to a lot of factors including social media engagement by a shows fans. If you read any articles via Deadline they always mention multiple factors that played into a shows cancellation. Some factors being if the network owns the show (value), if it's a huge award winner, social media engagement of fans, if they have more faith in its potential replacement, and how much the show costs to make just to name a few. And sometimes it's just a hunch. At the end of the day it's all educated guessing and nobody has a flawless system. There are a few Netflix shows I could name that should probably be canceled and we're renewed before they even aired another season just because of the names of the cast/producers. LolMyleshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07139984409445302062noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-53718666990148282922016-05-13T11:29:46.935-07:002016-05-13T11:29:46.935-07:00IIRC, "Hearts Afire" featured Beth Brode...IIRC, "Hearts Afire" featured Beth Broderick in a supporting role, two years before she was cast as the brainy, magical Aunt Zelda on "Sabrina, the Teenage Witch." (The story goes that she was initially cast as the man-hungry Aunt Hilda -- a role similar to what she had played on other sitcoms and movies -- but successfully persuaded the producers to have her switch roles with Caroline Rhea.) So I suppose Jen wasn't the only winner from all this, considering "Sabrina" reached syndication and Beth probably got her score of residuals.)VP81955https://www.blogger.com/profile/11792390726196611188noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-70486861492300512582016-05-13T10:55:46.423-07:002016-05-13T10:55:46.423-07:00Having read many historical accounts of the TV bus...Having read many historical accounts of the TV business, plus biographies or autobiographies of people such as Tinker, Silverman, and Reuven Frank, add in many years of reading your blog and Mark Evanier (newsfromme.com), I have just one conclusion and question. The greatest continuing success in TV management has been in picking the shows that seem to have potential, then leaving the writers, producers and actors alone to do the job, because top down micromanagement of details does not increase the odds of success. (This would seem to also be true in movies, novels and even comic books.) This is obvious, proven time and again. <br /><br />But then the question: why are TV programming managers evaluated by the success or failure of individual shows such that they feel a need to mess up the works even when they have no idea if their small ideas are any "better" than ones over-ruled? They aren't going to "save the show," or even their jobs, and by now you'd think the senior managers should realize this.HJ Rotfeldnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-22080852892469427562016-05-13T10:27:01.957-07:002016-05-13T10:27:01.957-07:00Since I'm home with a bad cold and had nothing...Since I'm home with a bad cold and had nothing better to do, I did a little research.<br /><br />CBS slotted MUDDLING THROUGH on Saturday nights from 9:00 to 9:30 (eastern time), paired with the Markie Post-John Ritter sitcom HEARTS AFIRE.<br /><br />A Saturday night time slot may have been enough, in and of itself, to doom MUDDLING THROUGH.<br /><br />Competition during that hour was a movie on ABC and AMERICA'S MOST WANTED on Fox. NBC usually ran sitcoms during that hour, but benched them for the summer in favor of special programming. Mostly reruns of Danielle Steele movies, it appears.<br /><br />I have no memory of MUDDLING THROUGH, but then, I was in my 20s at the time, and the last place I was on Saturday night was at home in front of the television. <br /><br />I remember HEARTS AFIRE. That was one of those sitcoms critics liked, but that never caught on with the public, though CBS was patient enough to give it two or three years.Karlnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-58408220950591234292016-05-13T10:08:32.254-07:002016-05-13T10:08:32.254-07:00It's entirely possible Beckman is exaggerating...It's entirely possible Beckman is exaggerating... he is a "gifted storyteller," as they say. But for context, he didn't claim they reshuffled the whole schedule against this one show. He said he put on original Danielle Steel movies (the kind of thing they would normally air on a Monday or Tuesday night) for the first two Saturday nights that Muddling Through was on. He was counterprogramming a show that he would have ignored were it not for Aniston. He says his main concern was not that Muddling Through was going to be a massive hit, but that it could do just well enough that CBS might order some more episodes, maybe just to spite NBC.<br />http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/tvs-masked-scheduler-reflects-35-819400Andy Rosenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-36822514716654988262016-05-13T09:21:33.062-07:002016-05-13T09:21:33.062-07:00Carol sort of beat me to the punch but it also agg...Carol sort of beat me to the punch but it also aggravated me that 8 shows that I watched were also cancelled. What's the point of me investing my time watching ANY shows on the networks when they turn around and cancel them at the drop of a hat? I'm talking about the newer ones, not ones that have been on for years. I don't watch shows from the online content providers [HULU, Amazon, Netflix, etc.] because I don't own a large screen TV and cannot stand watching stuff on a small laptop/desktop screen...especially with my eyesight getting worse each year. Eventually I'll get a large flat screen TV that I can hook my computer or whatever up to but for right now....what's the point?YEKIMIhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01921751875397071034noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-68206159718668710882016-05-13T08:38:40.426-07:002016-05-13T08:38:40.426-07:00With all due respect to Mr. Beckman's memory, ...With all due respect to Mr. Beckman's memory, the "strong counterprogramming" he alleges that NBC used to "sandbag" MUDDLING THROUGH was the sitcom EMPTY NEST, then in its sixth year and which finished the season ranked overall at a lowly #62 among prime time television programs. All that means is MUDDLING THROUGH couldn't do well enough to beat NBC's aging, low-rated competition. Not much of a "sandbag," if you ask me.Dennisnoreply@blogger.com