I'm surprised the article didn't mention that Suzanne Plachette and Tom Poston got married toward the end of their lives (both had been widowed). I don't remember which of them passed away first, but they died in fairly close proximity.
Poston and Pleshette were married for 6 years. He died the year before her, but then he was almost 15 years older than she was. Both has respiratory failure. She was a heavy smoker and had lung cancer.
Newhart hosted SNL not long after his show went off the air, the final sketch was him waking up with Suzanne Pleshette again. This time he told her he dreamed he was hosting Saturday Night Live; she assured him that the show had gone off the air years earlier.
About a year or so after Newhart/Vermont, ended, CBS mounted a clip show special saluting Newhart/Chicago.
It was set in the reception area of Dr. Hartley's office, with Bob Newhart, Suzanne Pleshette, Peter Bonerz, Marcia Wallace, and (I think) Bill Daily taking part.
The premise was that Dr. Bob was still shaken by that "crazy dream about the Vermont inn", and his Chicago family was trying to talk him down from there.
An hour's worth of clips from the old show, and then someone suggests that they all go home.
The elevator comes, and Bob waves the others on, telling them he'll follow them in a few minutes.
After (I think) another clip, the second elevator comes. Inside are three building maintenance guys ... ... and after the audience applause abates: "Hi. I'm Larry, this is my brother Darryl, and this is my other brother Darryl." ... and Bob says, "I think I'll take the stairs."
Hey, I thought it was funny ...
Oh, by the way ...
Deidre Hall played Marlena on Days Of Our Lives ... and still is. The "evil twin" was played by her real-life twin sister, Andrea Hall-Lovell. Mary Frann was on DOOL in the early '70s, playing a different character (not a DOOL fan myself; others can provide details if needed).
Marlena's twin (which would be a good name for a rock band) wasn't "evil" per se. At one point Marlena was murdered... until it turned out to be the sister, of course.
A Mary Frann-related anecdote: in the 1970s, right up until I graduated from college (1980), I watched quite a few soap operas, including DooL. My mom never watched the soaps, but we only had one tv in the house, so she'd occasionally indulge me and let me watch a couple of "my stories." Anyway, this particular plot line involved Mary Frann's character having to have an emergency hysterectomy without being told (when have pesky things like informed consent or patient confidentiality ever troubled soap opera writers?). Anyhoo, the actor playing Mary Frann's husband (can't remember his name, but he later played Valerie Harper's husband in the show she had after "Rhoda"--"Valerie's Family"? Something like that) announces in solemn tones to the assembled group at the hospital, "No one is ever going to tell Amanda that she's had a hysterectomy. Never!" At which point my mother looked up from her book and said, "Don't worry about telling her. In about a month, she's going to figure it out."
Josh Taylor, the actor in question, wad involved with Marlena at one point. He played a character named Chris Kositchek. Maybe he was Amanda"s husband. Don't remember. He was Valerie Harper's husband on The Hogan Family aka Valerie or Valerie's Family.
She got fired and was replaced by Sandy Duncan, who played Taylor's sister, so he quit Days to commit to the sitcom, but it didn't last.
A while later he returned to Days, this time as Marlena's ex, Roman Brady. He is still playing the role.
Remember in the movie SOAPDISH where Kevin Kline's character died by decapitation, but 20 years later he miraculously came back on the show? Never fails to make me laugh.
Drifting somewhat off topic - Thomas Hill was the actor in Newhart who played the continuing character of Jim, the guy who was always with the mayor. I saw him on stage in Macbeth. Every time he was actually on stage, all I could think about was Newhart. Just picture Macbeth crossed with Newhart...
20 comments:
Best final scene of a series ever.
I'm surprised the article didn't mention that Suzanne Plachette and Tom Poston got married toward the end of their lives (both had been widowed). I don't remember which of them passed away first, but they died in fairly close proximity.
I always liked Suzanne Pleshette a lot. Mary Frann's character was nothing compared with Emily. I believe Frann committed suicide.
Poston and Pleshette were married for 6 years. He died the year before her, but then he was almost 15 years older than she was. Both has respiratory failure. She was a heavy smoker and had lung cancer.
Despite the story at the time, Frann did NOT kill herself. She had undiagnosed heart problems and died in her sleep of a heart attack at 55.
Mary Frann played Marlena on some soap Judy watched long ago. She might also have played her evil twin, if she had an evil twin.
Newhart hosted SNL not long after his show went off the air, the final sketch was him waking up with Suzanne Pleshette again. This time he told her he dreamed he was hosting Saturday Night Live; she assured him that the show had gone off the air years earlier.
About a year or so after Newhart/Vermont, ended, CBS mounted a clip show special saluting Newhart/Chicago.
It was set in the reception area of Dr. Hartley's office, with Bob Newhart, Suzanne Pleshette, Peter Bonerz, Marcia Wallace, and (I think) Bill Daily taking part.
The premise was that Dr. Bob was still shaken by that "crazy dream about the Vermont inn", and his Chicago family was trying to talk him down from there.
An hour's worth of clips from the old show, and then someone suggests that they all go home.
The elevator comes, and Bob waves the others on, telling them he'll follow them in a few minutes.
After (I think) another clip, the second elevator comes.
Inside are three building maintenance guys ...
... and after the audience applause abates:
"Hi. I'm Larry, this is my brother Darryl, and this is my other brother Darryl."
... and Bob says, "I think I'll take the stairs."
Hey, I thought it was funny ...
Oh, by the way ...
Deidre Hall played Marlena on Days Of Our Lives ... and still is.
The "evil twin" was played by her real-life twin sister, Andrea Hall-Lovell.
Mary Frann was on DOOL in the early '70s, playing a different character (not a DOOL fan myself; others can provide details if needed).
Marlena's twin (which would be a good name for a rock band) wasn't "evil" per se. At one point Marlena was murdered... until it turned out to be the sister, of course.
Amanda Howard was the character Mary Frann played on DooL from 1974-79.
Right, Amanda. Thanks, guys. My old brain isn't clicking on all cylinders.
A Mary Frann-related anecdote: in the 1970s, right up until I graduated from college (1980), I watched quite a few soap operas, including DooL. My mom never watched the soaps, but we only had one tv in the house, so she'd occasionally indulge me and let me watch a couple of "my stories." Anyway, this particular plot line involved Mary Frann's character having to have an emergency hysterectomy without being told (when have pesky things like informed consent or patient confidentiality ever troubled soap opera writers?). Anyhoo, the actor playing Mary Frann's husband (can't remember his name, but he later played Valerie Harper's husband in the show she had after "Rhoda"--"Valerie's Family"? Something like that) announces in solemn tones to the assembled group at the hospital, "No one is ever going to tell Amanda that she's had a hysterectomy. Never!" At which point my mother looked up from her book and said, "Don't worry about telling her. In about a month, she's going to figure it out."
Soap opera husbands are so clueless.
Ok, let's see if I can explain it.
Josh Taylor, the actor in question, wad involved with Marlena at one point. He played a character named Chris Kositchek. Maybe he was Amanda"s husband. Don't remember. He was Valerie Harper's husband on The Hogan Family aka Valerie or Valerie's Family.
She got fired and was replaced by Sandy Duncan, who played Taylor's sister, so he quit Days to commit to the sitcom, but it didn't last.
A while later he returned to Days, this time as Marlena's ex, Roman Brady. He is still playing the role.
Is that clear now?
Remember in the movie SOAPDISH where Kevin Kline's character died by decapitation, but 20 years later he miraculously came back on the show? Never fails to make me laugh.
Thanks, Jeff. That clears it all up.
Deb, the funniest bit in SOAP DISH was Whoopi Goldberg's reaction as the writer when told that she was going to have to bring him back.
"He can't talk! He was decapitated! He's got no vocal chords!"
I love it!
Drifting somewhat off topic - Thomas Hill was the actor in Newhart who played the continuing character of Jim, the guy who was always with the mayor. I saw him on stage in Macbeth. Every time he was actually on stage, all I could think about was Newhart. Just picture Macbeth crossed with Newhart...
Wow. That would have taken me right out of the play.
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