Showing posts with label Golden Girls. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Golden Girls. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 21, 2024
Monday, May 9, 2022
This Day in TV History: "The Golden Girls" says bye-bye
30 years ago tonight, May 9, 1992, The Golden Girls ended its successful 7-season NBC run with a two-part finale. It was followed by two Empty Nest reruns and Dame Edna's Hollywood.
CBS countered with Major League, while ABC had its premiere of Caddyshack 2. FOX had Cops--no surprise to anyone who remembers Saturday night TV in 1992.
We talk about the series in this episode!
(Yes, I posted about the finale 3 years ago, but this post is better--more information and a different clip! And 30 is a nice round number!)
Monday, September 14, 2020
This Day in TV History: The Golden Girls debuts
35 years ago today, The Golden Girls premiered on NBC and was the top-rated show of the night, and who can blame America for tuning in after seeing this on a fall preview special?
The episode followed new ones of Gimme a Break! and The Facts of Life and was followed by a new 227 and the Miss America Pageant. CBS countered with a rerun of Airwolf and a rebroadcast of made-for-TV movie Illusions with Karen Valentine.
ABC kicked off the night with In Like Flynn, an original movie produced by our old friend Glen Larson and starring Jenny Seagrove and William Conrad. Seagrove's novelist who gets involved in intrigue is much younger than the murder mystery novelist who was over on CBS Sunday nights! A Love Boat rerun closed out ABC's evening.
Thursday, May 9, 2019
This Day in TV History: Farewell, Golden Girls
May 9, 1992, NBC broadcast The Golden Girls season finale after 7 seasons and pretty darned close to 200 episodes:
This scene makes me almost as emotional as when Mike and I played Golden Girls Mad Libs in a bonus episode.
Click here for the full episode we did about the series!
This scene makes me almost as emotional as when Mike and I played Golden Girls Mad Libs in a bonus episode.
Click here for the full episode we did about the series!
Thursday, February 28, 2019
Golden Girls Mad Libs Volume 1
In this week's bonus episode, we play a couple rounds of Golden Girls Mad Libs, combining two of podcasting's biggest trends -- grammar and senior citizens. We learn a little about parts of speech, the girls themselves, and maybe, just maybe ourselves.
Check out this episode!
Check out this episode!
Wednesday, February 27, 2019
Thursday, July 13, 2017
Golden Girls Forever by Jim Colucci
Every TV show that runs, oh, more than 5 seasons and 125 episodes or so ought to have its own definitive book, but not many are that lucky. Despite its continued success in reruns and its appeal to multiple demographic groups, I was surprised to see a thick, fancy-looking hardback book devoted to the long-running NBC hit The Golden Girls. Jim Colucci has created what is surely the most comprehensive print collection of information on the show. It's a slam dunk for anyone who loves the series, but even casual fans will find a lot of interest in here.
The first thing that stands out content-wise about the volume is the access Colucci has gained. Despite its release coming after the death of several key figures, the text makes frequent use of interviews with everyone. He personally interviews bea Arthur, Betty White, and Rue McClanahan and uses archival material for some thoughts of Estelle Getty. He also talks to the producers, writers, and many of the more notable guest stars and supporting players involved with the show during its 8 seasons.
It starts off with a general history of the show and continues with a selective episode guide. It's surprising that such a hefty book does not include a comprehensive episode guide, but Colucci is not just listing the plots. Rather, he uses the episode chapters to work in other details about the series, how it was made, and the many guests who appeared. If you have a favorite episode, chances are it's included in this section.
Several things stand out from reading this book: 1) Everyone working on The Golden Girls took pride in it and felt they did good work. 2) Bea Arthur could be really prickly as a collaborator. Many stories in here begin with someone talking about how she was cold or distant to them, though they often take pains to say she was a real pro. 3) Estelle Getty's memory issues plagued her from the beginning. Several anecdotes center around her inability to remember lines, an unfortunate circumstance which often annoyed others on the set (including, yes, Arthur).
And I'm not saying this because the author happens to be gay (he mentions this), but there is a significant amount of coverage of the show's appeal in "the gay community," and there is extensive coverage of the fate of Coco, the live-in housekeeper who was axed after the pilot. There are a few appendices asking "Which Golden Girl Are You?" or questions like that, with the respondents being gay showbiz figures. It's no secret that the show has a following in that sector, and I am not complaining, but I will say that while any fan will love this book, gay fans will really love it.
It's an outstanding piece of work by Colucci and a valuable source of info about a beloved sitcom. The commentary from the cast and creative team is useful, of course, but this book goes the extra mile by getting info from the likes of guest stars (Debbie Reynolds) and even bit players like Quentin Tarantino. I'd be a happy man if every show we covered on the podcast inspired this kind of book--well written, detailed, and offering attractive design and fine production values.
The first thing that stands out content-wise about the volume is the access Colucci has gained. Despite its release coming after the death of several key figures, the text makes frequent use of interviews with everyone. He personally interviews bea Arthur, Betty White, and Rue McClanahan and uses archival material for some thoughts of Estelle Getty. He also talks to the producers, writers, and many of the more notable guest stars and supporting players involved with the show during its 8 seasons.
It starts off with a general history of the show and continues with a selective episode guide. It's surprising that such a hefty book does not include a comprehensive episode guide, but Colucci is not just listing the plots. Rather, he uses the episode chapters to work in other details about the series, how it was made, and the many guests who appeared. If you have a favorite episode, chances are it's included in this section.
Several things stand out from reading this book: 1) Everyone working on The Golden Girls took pride in it and felt they did good work. 2) Bea Arthur could be really prickly as a collaborator. Many stories in here begin with someone talking about how she was cold or distant to them, though they often take pains to say she was a real pro. 3) Estelle Getty's memory issues plagued her from the beginning. Several anecdotes center around her inability to remember lines, an unfortunate circumstance which often annoyed others on the set (including, yes, Arthur).
And I'm not saying this because the author happens to be gay (he mentions this), but there is a significant amount of coverage of the show's appeal in "the gay community," and there is extensive coverage of the fate of Coco, the live-in housekeeper who was axed after the pilot. There are a few appendices asking "Which Golden Girl Are You?" or questions like that, with the respondents being gay showbiz figures. It's no secret that the show has a following in that sector, and I am not complaining, but I will say that while any fan will love this book, gay fans will really love it.
It's an outstanding piece of work by Colucci and a valuable source of info about a beloved sitcom. The commentary from the cast and creative team is useful, of course, but this book goes the extra mile by getting info from the likes of guest stars (Debbie Reynolds) and even bit players like Quentin Tarantino. I'd be a happy man if every show we covered on the podcast inspired this kind of book--well written, detailed, and offering attractive design and fine production values.
Thursday, July 6, 2017
Whatever happened to Coco (and who was he, anyway)? (Golden Girls)
When The Golden Girls debuted on NBC in September 1985, the now-familiar group of 4 gals had company: in fact, live-in company in the person of Coco, a gay houseboy played by Charles Levin in the pilot. Amazingly, the character was suggested by the network despite NBC's own controversy over the "yeah, he is, but we ain't gonna call him that" Sidney Shorr played by Tony Randall on Love, Sidney just 4 years prior.
You hear different things about why the producers got rid of the character, but the essence is that while Coco was a popular (and, in 1985, rather novel) presence who was popular with the pilot audience, Dorothy's mom Sophia was a real breakout star. Hence the decision to go with a group of 4 and get rid of Coco. Another consideration was that the dynamic was just better with all gals, the girls might not have much to do besides just sit around if an actual domestic was there, and plus it may have looked like an extravagance for these working ladies to have an actual houseboy. In 2017, I can only say, who actually has a houseboy anymore except for the fabled 1%?
Producers considered comedians Dom Irerra and Paul Provenza (who recalls auditioning in drag), plus future Ferris Bueller stooge heel Jeffrey Jones, for the role, but NBC exec Brandon Tartikoff suggested Levin. The actor had a recurring role on Hill Street Blues as a rather over-the-top gay character, but he reports that pilot director Jay Sandrich told him to tone down all the flamboyant stuff.
As Levin recalls, the role as written was much more "swishy," and he found it hard to reconcile Sandrich's advice with the way show co-creator Susan Harris put Coco on the page. Nevertheless, he played it straight (sorry) in the first reading and thought he blew it. He felt the vibe of disappointment from those who expected him to be Eddie Gregg from Blues.
The night of that audition, an NBC exec called Levin and told him they didn't know what he had been doing, but just show up again and be Eddie Gregg. The actor took this advice the next day in front of an audience and was a hit. Unfortunately for Levin, he wasn't enough of one to survive the pilot, so now Coco remains a lost and largely forgotten character with a cult following.
Levin, who also had a recurring role in Alice, would appear on BTONS season 1 spotlighted program Facts of Life, and also showed up in This Is Spinal Tap, did quite well himself. His biggest post-Girls spot is probably appearing as the Mohel on Seinfeld, though I can't help but recognize him as being part of the 1989 Hulk Hogan vehicle No Holds Barred.
(Note: Thanks to Golden Girls Forever by Jim Colucci for the background info for this post!)
You hear different things about why the producers got rid of the character, but the essence is that while Coco was a popular (and, in 1985, rather novel) presence who was popular with the pilot audience, Dorothy's mom Sophia was a real breakout star. Hence the decision to go with a group of 4 and get rid of Coco. Another consideration was that the dynamic was just better with all gals, the girls might not have much to do besides just sit around if an actual domestic was there, and plus it may have looked like an extravagance for these working ladies to have an actual houseboy. In 2017, I can only say, who actually has a houseboy anymore except for the fabled 1%?
Producers considered comedians Dom Irerra and Paul Provenza (who recalls auditioning in drag), plus future Ferris Bueller stooge heel Jeffrey Jones, for the role, but NBC exec Brandon Tartikoff suggested Levin. The actor had a recurring role on Hill Street Blues as a rather over-the-top gay character, but he reports that pilot director Jay Sandrich told him to tone down all the flamboyant stuff.
As Levin recalls, the role as written was much more "swishy," and he found it hard to reconcile Sandrich's advice with the way show co-creator Susan Harris put Coco on the page. Nevertheless, he played it straight (sorry) in the first reading and thought he blew it. He felt the vibe of disappointment from those who expected him to be Eddie Gregg from Blues.
The night of that audition, an NBC exec called Levin and told him they didn't know what he had been doing, but just show up again and be Eddie Gregg. The actor took this advice the next day in front of an audience and was a hit. Unfortunately for Levin, he wasn't enough of one to survive the pilot, so now Coco remains a lost and largely forgotten character with a cult following.
Levin, who also had a recurring role in Alice, would appear on BTONS season 1 spotlighted program Facts of Life, and also showed up in This Is Spinal Tap, did quite well himself. His biggest post-Girls spot is probably appearing as the Mohel on Seinfeld, though I can't help but recognize him as being part of the 1989 Hulk Hogan vehicle No Holds Barred.
(Note: Thanks to Golden Girls Forever by Jim Colucci for the background info for this post!)
Tuesday, May 2, 2017
Untold* Stories of "The Golden Girls"
I said that we would go into the saga of Coco--the ill-fated gay houseboy character scrapped after (and technically during) the pilot episode, but I have been reading the excellent book Golden Girls Forever: An Unauthorized Look Behind the Lanai by Jim Colucci, and I think that story will have to wait for another day. Today I will bring you 3 other untold* stories.
(*"Untold" is a sketchy term considering I am telling you right now that they were told in this book, but it sounds good, doesn't it?)
1) His Burtness: Our episode discusses "Ladies of the Evening," a story built around the gals obtaining tickets to a Burt Reynolds movie premiere. One of the series' writers, Kathy Speer, says the Burt Reynolds Dinner Theatre kept coming up in the writers' room and that she thinks he only did the show to thwart the speculation that he had AIDS at the time.
Barry Fanaro, credited co-writer on "Ladies," says Betty White told them Burt Reynolds loved the show, so they asked her if he'd do a guest shot. Fanaro says Burt was a little nervous about botching his big appearance at the end of the episode but that "it worked perfectly."
One of the "ladies of the night" the Girls share a holding cell with is played by Rue McClanahan's niece Amelia. According to an associate director of the episode, she opted not to wear a bra during dress rehearsal and experienced a "wardrobe malfunction." It caused chaos in the booth, and then everyone settled down and figured, "OK, she's just being a little ambitious." They fixed the situation before the version that aired.
2) Thank you for being an earworm: The book details the origin of the famous theme song, Cindy Fee's cover version of Andrew Gold's AM Gold hit (and not a huge hit at that) "Thank You for Being a Friend." The original concept was a series of stock shots of Miami on screen to the sounds of Bette Midler's "(You Got to Have) Friends," but the original choice of that tune was too expensive to license.
The producers went with a female rendition of Gold's old hit, and the then-23-year-old Fee showed up, said she was gonna nail it in one take (she had a lot of other gigs lined up that day) and did so. She had no idea what the series was even about, but she declared today that the song put her kids through college.
3) Coming up after The Smurfs: Perhaps the most amazing untold story of all is the fact that the series producers actually considered a Saturday morning animated spinoff of The Golden Girls. Production associate Robert Spina dreamed up The Animated Everyday Adventures of Sophia Petrillo and the Golden Gang, with the lead to be voiced by Estelle Getty. Disney actually considered this, but alas, it was never to be.
The concept included Sofia teaming up with the kids from the neighborhood, plus the dog from Empty Nest, while her roommates were away during the day. There would be stories of Sicily and cameos by the other Girls.
(*"Untold" is a sketchy term considering I am telling you right now that they were told in this book, but it sounds good, doesn't it?)
1) His Burtness: Our episode discusses "Ladies of the Evening," a story built around the gals obtaining tickets to a Burt Reynolds movie premiere. One of the series' writers, Kathy Speer, says the Burt Reynolds Dinner Theatre kept coming up in the writers' room and that she thinks he only did the show to thwart the speculation that he had AIDS at the time.
Barry Fanaro, credited co-writer on "Ladies," says Betty White told them Burt Reynolds loved the show, so they asked her if he'd do a guest shot. Fanaro says Burt was a little nervous about botching his big appearance at the end of the episode but that "it worked perfectly."
One of the "ladies of the night" the Girls share a holding cell with is played by Rue McClanahan's niece Amelia. According to an associate director of the episode, she opted not to wear a bra during dress rehearsal and experienced a "wardrobe malfunction." It caused chaos in the booth, and then everyone settled down and figured, "OK, she's just being a little ambitious." They fixed the situation before the version that aired.
2) Thank you for being an earworm: The book details the origin of the famous theme song, Cindy Fee's cover version of Andrew Gold's AM Gold hit (and not a huge hit at that) "Thank You for Being a Friend." The original concept was a series of stock shots of Miami on screen to the sounds of Bette Midler's "(You Got to Have) Friends," but the original choice of that tune was too expensive to license.
The producers went with a female rendition of Gold's old hit, and the then-23-year-old Fee showed up, said she was gonna nail it in one take (she had a lot of other gigs lined up that day) and did so. She had no idea what the series was even about, but she declared today that the song put her kids through college.
3) Coming up after The Smurfs: Perhaps the most amazing untold story of all is the fact that the series producers actually considered a Saturday morning animated spinoff of The Golden Girls. Production associate Robert Spina dreamed up The Animated Everyday Adventures of Sophia Petrillo and the Golden Gang, with the lead to be voiced by Estelle Getty. Disney actually considered this, but alas, it was never to be.
The concept included Sofia teaming up with the kids from the neighborhood, plus the dog from Empty Nest, while her roommates were away during the day. There would be stories of Sicily and cameos by the other Girls.
Monday, May 1, 2017
Further Viewing: The Golden Girls "Larceny and Old Lace," or the Golden Girls Meet the Mickster
If you've listened to our Golden Girls episode (see in player above), you know we love Burt, but we also love Mickey Rooney (The Mickster going forward). In "Larceny and Old Lace" (season 3, episode 21), The Mickster pays a visit as Sophia's new boyfriend Rocco. Sophia met him at the police station while trying to identify a purse snatcher, and they hit it off. Rocco was caught spray-painting something obscene on a billboard of Spuds MacKenzie.
Dorothy doesn't much care for Rocco, and this creates a role-reversal gag throughout the episode with Dorothy playing mom to Sophia's rebellions teenager. She tells Rose that Sophia came home "with NyQuil on her breath and his surgical stockings in her pocket." She doesn't know what that means, but she doesn't like it.
Rocco certainly talks a big game. At one point, he tells Dorothy if she had a suit and a higher voice she could pass for notorious gangster Frank Nitti, and he claims to have known him, Dutch Schultz, and Al Capone. He also says he "ran Detroit." Later, Rocco shows up with a grocery cart full of his stuff (most notably a deer head and a satchel) because he doesn't have room on his apartment...or does he?
In the slightly predictable and quickly dispensed with B story, Blanche has been giving Rose an extra hard time. She found and broke into Rose's diary only to read about two awful, snoring, belching pigs. Dorothy chastises Blanche for reading the diary, but of course, she succumbs to temptation and tries to break into it as soon as Blanche leaves the room. Later, Rose catches them and rightly gets angry at their violation of her privacy, refusing to talk to them. Guilt-ridden, Dorothy and Blanche end up in Sophia's bedroom, seeking advice, and then Rose comes along and reveals the diary was her 4-H pig diary...about literal pigs. They make up.
Rocco's satchel falls on the floor, opening and dumping out thousands of dollars in cash. Sophia says they stopped by a bank earlier, and he ran out, and they know he must have held up the bank. She calls him, and he admits the truth, saying he did it for her and that he's coming over.
While they wait for Rocco, the other girls reminisce about the most romantic moments of their lives. Blanche tells a touching (but of course sexy) story about her courtship with her late husband punctuated with a stupid question by Rose and two amazing takes by McClanahan and Arthur.
Dorothy's tells a more rough-around-the-edges story about her ex-husband Stan proposing to her. It includes a ring in a champagne glass, Dorothy accidentally swallowing it, and the phrase "three days later."
Finally, Rocco arrives, struggling to climb over the patio wall, then trying to get Sophia to run away with him. She refuses. He comes clean. He's no tough guy. He told those stories to impress her. He was an "assistant" cook at a chowder house in Bayonne, New Jersey. He robbed the bank so he could treat her like a queen. Sophia explains he doesn't need to do fancy things for her. He always treats her like a queen. They reconcile.
Except a mention in the last scene, Rocco never appears on the show again. Did he go to jail? Did he die? Did they just break up?
Forget it, Jake. It's Sitcom Town.
Other thoughts:
 |
| The man, the myth, The Mickster |
Dorothy doesn't much care for Rocco, and this creates a role-reversal gag throughout the episode with Dorothy playing mom to Sophia's rebellions teenager. She tells Rose that Sophia came home "with NyQuil on her breath and his surgical stockings in her pocket." She doesn't know what that means, but she doesn't like it.
Rocco certainly talks a big game. At one point, he tells Dorothy if she had a suit and a higher voice she could pass for notorious gangster Frank Nitti, and he claims to have known him, Dutch Schultz, and Al Capone. He also says he "ran Detroit." Later, Rocco shows up with a grocery cart full of his stuff (most notably a deer head and a satchel) because he doesn't have room on his apartment...or does he?
In the slightly predictable and quickly dispensed with B story, Blanche has been giving Rose an extra hard time. She found and broke into Rose's diary only to read about two awful, snoring, belching pigs. Dorothy chastises Blanche for reading the diary, but of course, she succumbs to temptation and tries to break into it as soon as Blanche leaves the room. Later, Rose catches them and rightly gets angry at their violation of her privacy, refusing to talk to them. Guilt-ridden, Dorothy and Blanche end up in Sophia's bedroom, seeking advice, and then Rose comes along and reveals the diary was her 4-H pig diary...about literal pigs. They make up.
Rocco's satchel falls on the floor, opening and dumping out thousands of dollars in cash. Sophia says they stopped by a bank earlier, and he ran out, and they know he must have held up the bank. She calls him, and he admits the truth, saying he did it for her and that he's coming over.
While they wait for Rocco, the other girls reminisce about the most romantic moments of their lives. Blanche tells a touching (but of course sexy) story about her courtship with her late husband punctuated with a stupid question by Rose and two amazing takes by McClanahan and Arthur.
Dorothy's tells a more rough-around-the-edges story about her ex-husband Stan proposing to her. It includes a ring in a champagne glass, Dorothy accidentally swallowing it, and the phrase "three days later."
Finally, Rocco arrives, struggling to climb over the patio wall, then trying to get Sophia to run away with him. She refuses. He comes clean. He's no tough guy. He told those stories to impress her. He was an "assistant" cook at a chowder house in Bayonne, New Jersey. He robbed the bank so he could treat her like a queen. Sophia explains he doesn't need to do fancy things for her. He always treats her like a queen. They reconcile.
 |
| Aww. |
Except a mention in the last scene, Rocco never appears on the show again. Did he go to jail? Did he die? Did they just break up?
Forget it, Jake. It's Sitcom Town.
Other thoughts:
- Sophia says Rocco is 85, but The Mickster was a youthful 68 in 1988.
- The Mickster kills it, playing puffed up, weird (the scene with the grocery cart), hurt, and sweet. He also gets some good jokes and reactions.
- All the Golden Girls have moments, too, both comedic and serious:
- Rose seems genuinely hurt by her friends' betrayal of her, but she also has a number of classic naive/dumb lines.
- The role reversal with Dorothy works well, and she gets annoyed by just about everyone, plus she shows remorse for hurting Rose.
- Blanche tells that wonderful story (it really is nice if a little "intimate"), but she gets plenty of funny business and a number of good takes not just reacting to Rose but reacting to Dorothy trying to open the diary.
- Sophia shoots off her normal zingers and insults but has that nice moment with Rocco.
- At the end, Dorothy has a one-sided phone call with Sophia (who says she's staying at Rocco's) and says, "I should do what to myself?" Don't say this show didn't have an edge.
- Pop culture references:
- The aforementioned Spuds MacKenzie
- Sophia calls Dorothy Donald Trump (page hits, here we come) after she breaks up Sophia and Rocco's game of strip poker
- Dorothy has a line about Spiro Agnew
- Rose questions whether George Bush (H.W. model) is married to his mother.
- No one eats cheesecake in this episode either. Big-name guest stars must have affected the cheesecake budget.
- Can anyone identify this board game? It involves trivia but looks like a Sorry type game. Probably isn't real, but I thought I'd ask.
Friday, April 28, 2017
Show Notes: The Golden Girls
*"Ladies of the Evening" premiered Saturday, October 4, 1986, on the NBC television network and was the second episode of the series' second season.
*NBC's slogan at the time was indeed "Let's All be There!" NBC was also "The Place to Be" in the early 1990s.
*What was the approximate age of the characters? Hard to find definitive proof, though I read in two places that Dorothy said Rose was 55 in one episode. These are the ages of the actresses when the show debuted:
Bea Arthur 63
Betty White 63
Estelle Getty 61
Rue McClanahan 51
*Check here next week for another BOTNS Investigative Report on the story behind the rise and fall of gay houseboy Coco.
*Herb Edelman, AKA Stan Zbornac, had a long and prolific career in character parts, though he died way too young at 62. He was Murray the cop in the original fiLm version of The Odd Couple and co-starred in the sitcom The Good Guys with a post-Gilligan Bob Denver.
*Golden Girls spinoff Empty Nest ran a staggering 7 seasons and 170 episodes on NBC!
*Burt Reynolds needs no introduction nor summary of his legendary career, but in case you forgot about Cop and a Half, it was a 1993 comedy flop directed by Henry Winkler and teaming His Burtness with a precocious 8-year-old. Oh, and Burt's character hates kids, of course. And they work together to solve a crime--not just a crime, mind you, but a murder.
*Jerry Reed was a country star and actor and also the creator of the theme for Burt's smash hit Smokey and the Bandit.
*The Golden Girls' house apparently had 4 bedrooms. Sophia moved in and shared a bed with her daughter Dorothy when a guest came over (well, not counting the "guests" that Blanche brought home). SOURCE: An episode I watched after we taped this episode.
*We have been unable to verify the existence of any Golden Girls conventions, but we dd discover there is a well-regarded podcast, one we did not know about before taping our episode: http://www.outonthelanai.com/
*Golden Palace attempted to keep the show going without Bea(trice) Arthur (who did appear in several episodes). The other 3 gals opened a hotel, moved to CBS (well, the show did) and flopped, though not as badly as did Cop and a Half.
*NBC's slogan at the time was indeed "Let's All be There!" NBC was also "The Place to Be" in the early 1990s.
*What was the approximate age of the characters? Hard to find definitive proof, though I read in two places that Dorothy said Rose was 55 in one episode. These are the ages of the actresses when the show debuted:
Bea Arthur 63
Betty White 63
Estelle Getty 61
Rue McClanahan 51
*Check here next week for another BOTNS Investigative Report on the story behind the rise and fall of gay houseboy Coco.
*Herb Edelman, AKA Stan Zbornac, had a long and prolific career in character parts, though he died way too young at 62. He was Murray the cop in the original fiLm version of The Odd Couple and co-starred in the sitcom The Good Guys with a post-Gilligan Bob Denver.
*Golden Girls spinoff Empty Nest ran a staggering 7 seasons and 170 episodes on NBC!
*Burt Reynolds needs no introduction nor summary of his legendary career, but in case you forgot about Cop and a Half, it was a 1993 comedy flop directed by Henry Winkler and teaming His Burtness with a precocious 8-year-old. Oh, and Burt's character hates kids, of course. And they work together to solve a crime--not just a crime, mind you, but a murder.
*Jerry Reed was a country star and actor and also the creator of the theme for Burt's smash hit Smokey and the Bandit.
*The Golden Girls' house apparently had 4 bedrooms. Sophia moved in and shared a bed with her daughter Dorothy when a guest came over (well, not counting the "guests" that Blanche brought home). SOURCE: An episode I watched after we taped this episode.
*We have been unable to verify the existence of any Golden Girls conventions, but we dd discover there is a well-regarded podcast, one we did not know about before taping our episode: http://www.outonthelanai.com/
*Golden Palace attempted to keep the show going without Bea(trice) Arthur (who did appear in several episodes). The other 3 gals opened a hotel, moved to CBS (well, the show did) and flopped, though not as badly as did Cop and a Half.
Thursday, April 27, 2017
Episode 2_4: The Golden Girls "Ladies of the Evening"
Tickets to the world premiere and after party for Mr. Burt Reynolds' latest movie land the Golden Girls in exactly the wrong place--jail...for prostitution. Will they get out in time to meet Burt and the rest of the Burt Pack? Will Rose ever get over losing Butter Queen? Will Burt lead a game of Win, Lose, or Draw? It all depends on the kindness of Sophia! Uh-oh.
Wednesday, April 26, 2017
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