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In the past, I've said no actor will ever love a show as much as its fans do, because he was there and it was work. But it just occurred to me that some actors did love their shows.
• Clayton Moore loved The Lone Ranger so much, he spent the rest of his life wearing the costume and traveling around making appearances. He really cared about the character.
• Richard Hatch loved Battlestar Galactica and spent much of his life trying to launch a revival series.
• Richard Anderson, who played Oscar Goldman on The Six Million Dollar Man and The Bionic Woman, must have loved that job because he was the driving force behind the reunion movies, they were his idea, and he wanted to get a new weekly series going as well.
I'm sure a lot of actors hated their shows, but I'm thin on examples off the top of my head. I thought I had some, but I'm drawing a blank. I recall Constance Wu complained bitterly on social media when Fresh off the Boat was renewed, and she got a lot of blowback from the public for being an ingrate. Also, Kim Cattrall did not enjoy her time on Sex and the City, that's pretty well-known.
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I know Martin Shaw detested/was ashamed of his role in The Professionals in the 70s.
One of these actors that wants to be known for his later maturer stuff, like Judge John Deed and Inspector George Gently. Somewhere I read he dodges questions in interviews about Professionals.
Didn't know about Max Wright in Alf, Doc. Loved that show. Was kinda an early version of Ted without swear words lol
Sounds bitter. I'm pretty sure he knew he was playing opposite a puppet when he signed up lol.
You would think these guys would be grateful to be in a successful show?
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Posted: |
Feb 24, 2024 - 3:22 AM
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By: |
Indy1981
(Member)
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Pernell Roberts was anxious to leave his hit series, Bonanza:
"It was perhaps not surprising that, despite enormous success, he left Bonanza after the 1964–65 season, criticizing the show's simple-minded content and lack of minority actors...". It particularly distressed him that his character, a man in his 30s, had to defer continually to the wishes of his widowed father, and he reportedly disliked the series itself, calling it "junk" television and accusing NBC of "perpetuating banality and contributing to the dehumanization of the industry.
"The equally self-critical Roberts ("I guess I'll never be satisfied with my own work", "had long disdained the medium's commercialization of his craft and its mass-production, assembly-line mindset." Frustrated with Bonanza and angry, he told a reporter in 1965, "I feel I'm an aristocrat in my field of endeavor. My being part of Bonanza was like Isaac Stern sitting in with Lawrence Welk."
"In much later interviews, Roberts denied statements about Bonanza attributed to him. "I did not enjoy Bonanza anymore...but I never said those things people said I said."He was, however, "too wise not to recognize its weaknesses." In a 1963 interview he asked a reporter, "Isn't it a bit silly for three adult males to have to ask father's permission for everything they do?" "They told me the four characters (Lorne Greene, patriarch Ben, Dan Blocker and Michael Landon as his brothers) would be carefully defined and the scripts carefully prepared; none of it ever happened," he complained to the Associated Press in 1964. He objected to how Bonanza portrayed the relationship between the "father" and adult "sons", describing it as "adolescent."
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Even though he was only the voice of Charlie and never appears on screen in "Charlie's Angels", actor John Forsythe hated the show.
Jack Webb loved "Dragnet" and his role. He was the major force behind the 1967 revival and was already into development and writing for a 1980's revival when he suddenly died.
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You're right. I've edited my post to "1980's".
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Roy Scheider was both. He loved the first season of SeaQuest, but famously loathed the second and was written out of the third, relegated to recurring role. Unlike most actors on this list, his disdain for the series was obvious in the performance.
Richard Basehart did Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea for the money (he was the highest paid actor Irwin Allen had), talked a good game in the press for the most part, but really couldn't stand it. Basehart could also be seen slumming in a few later episodes (the worst monster shows), but a slumming Basehart was still better than most actors trying their best.
Gil Gerard didn't enjoy doing Buck Rogers at the time. He felt the second season would be better, but in the end he wasn't happy there either.
Robert Conrad loved doing The Wild Wild West and never felt the series should have been cancelled. Same with Mike Connors and Mannix. They both happily did reunions and returns.
Larry Hagman famously hated doing I Dream of Jeannie to the point of indulging in too much alcohol and urinating on the sets. He later admitted his insecurities and addiction made him act out.
Alan Hale LOVED being The Skipper from Gilligan's Island. Loved it. He didn't mind being typecast in the slightest, opened a restaurant afterwards and greeted patrons in character. He was one of those actors I really wish I had met.
I don't know if George Peppard hated being on The A-Team, he seemed to be happy with the career resurgence after his bouts of alcoholism. But he really couldn't stand working with Mr. T.
Roy Thinnes loved The Invaders, totally believed in it and promoted it vigorously.
Culp and Cosby thoroughly enjoyed I Spy, mostly working together, but were frustrated with the scripts.
Fay Grant hated the weekly V series. She was slated to be killed off in the unproduced final episode.
Bill Shatner loved working on Star Trek from start to finish, but hated the typecasting of the 70's. He felt better when he landed more work in the 80's and his career picked back up.
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Guy Williams hated working on Lost In Space once it became the Dr. Smith and Robot show.
Robert Reed hated working on The Brady Bunch because he felt the show was to juvenile and wanted to tell more serious stories.
Funnily enough, Reed LOVED the Brady Bunch Variety Hour and was pretty much the only cast member who did. He had a great time doing skits, singing and dancing. He also loved the kids. That was probably the only reason he kept coming back.
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Larry Hagman famously hated doing I Dream of Jeannie to the point of indulging in too much alcohol and urinating on the sets. He later admitted his insecurities and addiction made him act out.
However, in contrast, Hagman clearly loved playing JR Ewing. IIRC, he even wore a JR-style Stetson hat out in public.
Well, in contrast to IDOJ, Hagman was the draw and he was very secure in his place on the series. Yeah, he was very happy on Dallas and wound up in a producer role. He was a lot of fun, I met him a few times and he was a joy to talk to. A very sweet and fun guy in his later years.
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Jeffrey Dean Morgan has stated he very much enjoyed playing Negan and the atmosphere on the set of THE WALKING DEAD.
In a recent interview, William Shatner said he loved playing Kirk, even though he never cared about excessive fandom.
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I know Martin Shaw detested/was ashamed of his role in The Professionals in the 70s.
One of these actors that wants to be known for his later maturer stuff, like Judge John Deed and Inspector George Gently. Somewhere I read he dodges questions in interviews about Professionals.
I read somewhere that he wouldn't allow repeats of The Professionals for years, until someone told him that Gordon Jackson's widow could use the repeat fees.
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