The OTN. 3.

I'm offering up two nominees for your consideration, which I would put on the OTN in a New York minute.
Both series took place in California.

The first is "Slattery's People", which starred Richard Crenna as a state legislator in Sacramento.
They made thirty-six episodes that ran in 1964-65.
The writing muscle was James E. Moser, who several years earlier created and was the writing muscle for "Ben Casey".
"Slattery's People" had the same dramatic tone as "Ben Casey", which I thought was also a class act.
The scripts were uniformly intelligent, and quite interesting and informative about a subject that I was totally ignorant about.
This was Crenna's first real opportunity to speak in his natural voice.
Not the high-pitched hilarious squeal he used on "Our Miss Brooks", or the hillbilly twang he used on "The Real McCoys"
Crenna was a wonderful actor, and was his usual wonderful in this.
Bing Crosby Productions produced both "Ben Casey" and "Slattery's People"
Der Bingle demonstrated very good taste in producing dramatic series.
Sitcoms, not so much.
"The Bing Crosby Show" was at best mediocre, at worst a waste of talent.
And "Hogan's Heroes" was a travesty which I will write about at length at a future date.

One of the supporting actors on "Slattery's People" stood out to me, and he was made aware to me for the first time on "Slattery's People"
I'm referring to Edward Asner.
The IMDB indicates that he was only in three episodes, but I could swear that it was many more than that. And that's why I remember him, and no other supporting actor from the show.
He was just simply interesting.

This leads me to my other nominee, "Lou Grant"
The dramatic spinoff from "The Mary Tyler Moore Show"
Great writing, compelling storytelling, and wonderful acting from the ensemble cast.
I'm amazed that this show has vanished.

I'm also amazed that most of the series regulars have also vanished.
The only one to have resurfaced was Nancy Marchand, who played the owner of Lou's Los Angeles newspaper.
She became Mama Soprano, and died during its run.
But all of the reporters have fallen off the face of the earth.
Linda Kelsey had a try at a short-lived sitcom, for which she was ill-suited.
Jack Bannon, who is the son of the late, great, Bea Benaderet---I have no idea what happened to him.
You'd think from his genes alone, someone would have tossed him into a sitcom.
No dice.
Robert Walden, the feisty reporter Joe Rossi, showed up on a sitcom that lasted a couple of seasons, but that was quite a while ago.
Darryl Anderson, who played the photographer, Animal, graduated only to Soap Opera Land.
Mason Adams, Lou's boss, worked up until his death, but not a whole lot, and will still be remembered primarily as the voice of Smuckers jelly.
This is an example of how life, and particularly show business, is not fair.
Because each of these actors, and each of the characters they played in this series were INTERESTING.
And deserved better.
As does "Lou Grant"
There is a time slot waiting for "Lou Grant" on the OTN.

'Til next time,

Mark Rothman, CEO of the OTN.

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My books ,"Show Runner" and it's sequel,"Show Runner Two", can be found at the Amazon Kindle Store.
Along with the newer ones, "The Man Is Dead", and "Report Cards".
You can search by typing in my name, Cindy Williams, Laverne & Shirley, The Odd Couple, or Happy Days.
Check them out.
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The paperbacks, "Mark Rothman's Essays" and my new novel, "I'm Not Garbo" are not
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I have many readings and signings lined up for those, and the thing about Kindle is you can't sign one. If you'd like one of the paperbacks, personally autographed, contact me at macchus999@aol.com.
And now, we've got my reading of my "Laverne & Shirley Movie" screenplay on YouTube.

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