TV Obits: Goodman, Wilson, Love
A roundup of TV people from in front of the camera and behind the scenes who have passed away.
- Dody Goodman: She was a comic and character actress who appeared on several TV shows, including Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman, The Tonight Show, St. Elsewhere, Diff’rent Strokes, Murder, She Wrote, The Phil Silvers Show, Punky Brewster, Alvin & The Chipmunks, and The Love Boat, and was in movies such as Grease and Splash. She died at age 92.
- Gerald Wilson: He was an editor on several TV shows over the years, including Bewitched, Serpico, Adventures in Paradise, Gunsmoke, and The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet, as well as the miniseries Washington: Behind Closed Doors. He was also an editor on movies such as A Farewell To Arms and Mind Over Murder. He died at age 93.
- Kermit Love: He was the co-creator of the Sesame Street characters Big Bird and Mr. Snuffleupagus. He also played Willie the Hot Dog vendor on the show, and Jim Henson named Kermit The Frog after Love.. He was also an acclaimed choreographer and costume designer. He died at age 91.
Allan Melvin dead at 84
Allan Melvin had so many roles on so many TV shows over the years that it’s hard to know where to begin, but I guess the most logical spot would be The Brady Bunch, where he played Sam The Butcher, the guy Alice dated. He was also a regular on The Phil Silvers Show, played Archie Bunker’s friend Barney on All in the Family, and also played Rob’s army buddy on The Dick Van Dyke Show. He appeared on dozens of other shows over the years, from the Andy Griffith Show (he always played a crook - that’s him on the right in the pic) and Gomer Pyle, USMC to Kung Fu and The Banana Splits (he was Drooper).
You would probably also recognize his voice in many cartoons, including Magilla Gorilla, The Flintstones, The Scooby-Doo/Dynomutt Hour, The Smurfs, Spider-Man and Friends, Foofur, Ducktales, Talespin, and others.
He died of cancer in Los Angeles.
Seth Rogen on the VERY Conventional Stars of Judd Apatow Comedies
Entertainment Weekly did an indepth roundtable interview with SuperBad stars Jonah Hill and Michael Cera, screenwriter Seth Rogen, and producer Judd Apatow. The most interesting part of the conversation has to do with the media’s inability to admit that stars of Judd Apatow’s comedies aren’t really unconventional. Check it out below.
“I’m noticing when you do a lot of interviews, often the reporters go in with something they want you to say and they’ll keep asking questions until you say it. And the two things that people seem to want us to say more than anything is that audience’s tastes have changed and that we are all unconventional guys to be in comedies — both of which I very strongly disagree with,” says screenwriter Seth Rogen.
Judd Apatow: Don’t they remember Jack Klugman?
Rogen: Exactly!
Apatow: I always talk about Jack Klugman. In fact, when I was trying to get ”unconventional” kids on Freaks and Geeks…that’s a code word I use….
Rogen: …for Jewish. [Laughs] ”There are too many goddamn unconventionals at this country club!”
Apatow: ”I’ve got to go to temple with my unconventional friends.” But I always talked about Jack Klugman. Like, if you looked at all the great old television comedy, it was always Jack Klugman and Tony Randall and Phil Silvers.
Rogen: We’re the new Phil Silvers, Jack Klugman, and Tony Randall!
Apatow: I don’t know when it became that people thought funny people were all so handsome. That’s just an idea that I’ve always rejected. But what happens is that when people become popular, then people think they’re sexy also for some reason.
Jonah Hill: Thank God. Well, I think it’s funny because every interview they say, ”You guys are leading men now and you’re so unconventional,” or whatever the hell the word is…
Michael Cera: Untraditional.
Hill: And I go, like, ”Do you guys think Will Ferrell and Jack Black look different from us? Those guys are big movie stars!”
Rogen: If every comedy star is unconventional, doesn’t that then become conventional? Apatow: Do you guys get insulted by that?
Rogen: No, I honestly just think they’re crazy. It makes me feel like they’ve never heard of Albert Brooks or Woody Allen or W.C. Fields or the Marx Brothers or any other comedian.
Hill: They’re acting like we’re making movies like Bourne Ultimatum. It’s not like we’re in like f—ing Ocean’s 11 or something like that. We’re making comedies!
Rogen: It’s a weird stance to take.
Hill: And it’s everybody’s stance.