Blind Item #7 - Reader Blind Item
A tale of two comedic actors, one deceased and one living, who never worked together and as far as I can tell did not know other but had four things in common….
1. Both were the first of an ensemble cast on long running shows (one show still running) to become stars and it is widely agreed that as a result both left their respective shows too quickly as neither was able to duplicate their initial success either in TV (deceased actor) or movies and later tv (living actor).
2. Both are tall, over six feet
3. Both come from wealthy old money families with family trees that include both business and political leaders.
4. Both have been mentioned recently in relation to various #metoo transgressions
The accusations against the deceased actor are shocking as his persona was of an amiable bumbler, often an incompetent authority figure. However, during his run on the high rated show that made him famous in the day he was notoriously handsy and also was accused of unwanted kissing and even full on sexual assault by two female crew members.
The living actor has a reputation as kind of a jerk and in his first two marriages as well as other relationships he is rumored to have been physically abusive (primarily with his fists). As he has been happily married for several decades, he has blamed this on his drug abuse at the time and credits rehab for changing him.
1. Both were the first of an ensemble cast on long running shows (one show still running) to become stars and it is widely agreed that as a result both left their respective shows too quickly as neither was able to duplicate their initial success either in TV (deceased actor) or movies and later tv (living actor).
2. Both are tall, over six feet
3. Both come from wealthy old money families with family trees that include both business and political leaders.
4. Both have been mentioned recently in relation to various #metoo transgressions
The accusations against the deceased actor are shocking as his persona was of an amiable bumbler, often an incompetent authority figure. However, during his run on the high rated show that made him famous in the day he was notoriously handsy and also was accused of unwanted kissing and even full on sexual assault by two female crew members.
The living actor has a reputation as kind of a jerk and in his first two marriages as well as other relationships he is rumored to have been physically abusive (primarily with his fists). As he has been happily married for several decades, he has blamed this on his drug abuse at the time and credits rehab for changing him.
Chevy Chase/SNL and...
ReplyDeleteWell SNL,Film,then back to TC(community I think
DeleteChevy/Andy Kaufman?
DeleteFred Gwynne?
DeleteChevy yes, but Kaufman authority figure? Nah....but I can't think of who.
ReplyDeleteMcLean Stevenson
ReplyDeleteMaclean Stevenson--Mash tv show
ReplyDeleteChevy Chase SNL
Chevy Chase fits, but I don't see Andy Kaufman's roles as an "incompetent authority figure."
ReplyDelete+1 for Maclean Stevenson, related to Adlai Stevenson (former VP who ran for president) and old money.
ReplyDeleteChase and someone from SCTV? A lot of great comedians back in the day in that show.
ReplyDeleteMaclean Stevenson and Chevy Chase
ReplyDeleteRobin Williams?
ReplyDeleteJohn Ritter?
ReplyDeleteChevy was in somewhat successful in 0movies and was a d bag on community. I think Loretta Swit complained about MacLean Stevenson recently. Never knew he was violent.
ReplyDeleteChevy chase and John Ritter
ReplyDeleteYup. My guess too.
DeleteThank you for the SNL drops today Enty!!! ;-)Keep em comin please.
ReplyDeleteChevy Chase and Don Knotts
ReplyDeleteI agree with the McClean Stevenson guess.
ReplyDeletechevy/mclean stevenson. robin williams and don knots were both short. kaufman never played a bumbling authority figure.
ReplyDeleteDon knotts was a super nice guy.
ReplyDeleteIt is not John Ritter. Sorry but it's not.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteRobin Williams had a bit of success after Mork and Mindy- an Oscar for heaven's sake. Don Knotts was very well known to be super nice/respectful in order to get his numerous women and would never abuse them.
ReplyDeleteAgree with McLean and Chevy. Awesome guesses.
Joe piscopo and...
ReplyDeleteTwo different tv shows are referred to in this blind
ReplyDeleteSCTV (SECOND CITY TV) Starring JOHN CANDY.
Bumbling authority figure = Uncle Buck.
SNL (Saturday Night Live) Chevy Chase (still kiving/total asshole
not sure Chevy Chase was considered actual cast of Saturday Night Live. We was are-occurring guest host.
ReplyDeleteChevy did host SNL a number of times, I think 8, but he is an original cast member and the first to leave the show (after 1.5 seasons).
ReplyDeleteChevy and Phil Hart?
ReplyDeleteLong time lurker, first time poster: Robin Williams and Chevy Chase
ReplyDeleteMaybe the writer of the blind doesn't realize, but Chevy would have been A list in the 80's. 4 Vacation movies which still play continuously, Caddyshack 1 and 2 - one of the most popular idiot comedies ever, Fletch (was there a part 2?), Funny Farm, Three Amigos with Steve Martin and Martin Short, Seems Like Old Times and Foul Play with Goldie Hawn, Spies Like Us with Dan Akyroyd, Hot Tub Time Machine 1 and 2
ReplyDelete-and he's still doing movies.
Chevy might be a raging asshat, or maybe this is what the writer was using to throw us off a bit, but Chevy absolutely made the box office hit list. He not only succeeded after his tv stardom, I'm pretty sure he surpassed it.
Is there anybody else at all that would fit? Somebody from SCTV or National Lampoon?
There was a second Fletch movie, Fletcher Lives.
ReplyDeleteBut I thought of Chevy Chase and John Candy, too. Which makes me so sad, I adore John Candy. But his characters were often bumblers. Uncle Buck, The Great Outdoors, his role as the Wally World guard, his role as the police officer in The Blues Brothers ... And he was 6'2" tall.
John Candy for sure.
ReplyDeleteChevy Chase did have success in the 80s but he is considered a joke.
In case you forgot, T.W., Chevy Chase also had success in the 2000's, on Community.
ReplyDeleteBut, John Candy was foreign born (and I would rather believe it was Mac Stevenson)
ReplyDeleteHuh. I thought Phil Hartmann for the deceased.
ReplyDeleteHe was foreign born.
DeleteFrom Wikipedia: McLean Stevenson was born in Normal, Illinois. He was the great-grandson of William Stevenson (brother of US Vice President Adlai E. Stevenson) making him a second cousin once removed of two-time presidential candidate Adlai E. Stevenson II.
ReplyDeletehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McLean_Stevenson
You shut your filthy mouth about John Candy.
ReplyDeleteHenry Blake is the epitome of bumbling but amiable authority figures and coupled with his political connections, the deceased actor has to be McLean. As a huge M*A*S*H fan this pains me but I can't think who else it could be.
ReplyDeleteI at first thought this might be about Gordon Jump, who played the bumbling station manager on WKRP In Cincinatti. But that show only ran for 4 years, not including the reboot, and I am not sure he came from a wealthy background.
ReplyDeleteFarley and Martin
ReplyDeleteI can't read anything about Gordon Jump without remembering him as the creepy molester guy on Diff'rent Strokes.
ReplyDeleteOh thank God this isn't John Candy! I'm happy about that. Apologies for suggesting him.
ReplyDelete