I don’t know about you, PopWatchers, but reading this L.A. Times article about the lineup of pilots for the 2007-2008 TV season made me feel like a kid again — largely because so many of the shows feature folks who were really big, like, 10 or 20 years ago. Certainly, it’ll be cool if the likes of Jimmy Smits, Kelsey Grammer, Julianna Margulies, and Alyssa Milano wind up back on the air.
But nothing has me nearly as jazzed as the potential return of two classic TV tough guys: Lee Majors and Tom Selleck. That’s right, the 67-year-old ex-Mr. Farrah Fawcett/erstwhile Fall Guy could return in a Fox comedy. (Called Me & Lee?, it would feature the former Six Million Dollar Man, pictured, as a version of himself who’s obsessed with bionics in real life.) And although he’s not in any pilots, Selleck (whose Magnum P.I. was one of the best shows ever, lest we forget) is reportedly in negotiations to replace James Caan in Las Vegas. Yay!
So I’ve gotten to thinking: What other stars of old should return to do a network series? Sadly, it’s probably too late for the great James Garner to saddle up again full time. But what about, oh, Dirk Benedict ? Or Gil Gerard? Or Paul Michael Glaser? Or Mr. T? Or Lyle Waggoner? Or Ed Marinaro? Or Tom Wopat? Or Harry Hamlin? Or, heck, the Hoff, yet again? And what sort of roles would you like to see them in? Fire away!
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What is it with E.W. and ignoring actresses? We get ten pages of pictures of the next comedy king, without a single queen. And then we get a list of potential comebacks, and of course they’re all washed-up dudes.
>So I’ve gotten to thinking<
Someone needs to learn their grammar …
That’s right….where are the ladies! Loni Anderson,Lynda Carter,I’m tired of Lindsey Wagner just doing commericals..come back we still love you! Heck,I really miss Patrica Richardson(“Home Improvement” for those with short memories!)
I would LOVE to see Paul Michael Glaser and Don Johnson back on TV. Was a big Starsky & Hutch fan, and I loved Miami Vice! Surely we could find a good show for them to be on – maybe even together?
I only watched because my mother watched (I’m absolved of all guilt!) the laid back ‘Matt Houston.’ Anyway, Lee Horsley played the millionaire, private investigator (there were quite a few of those in the 80s.) He played a prince in ‘The Sword and the Sorcerer.’ So, more LEE HORSLEY!
One of the joys of watching Ugly Betty this season has been the amazing Judith Light. I want more random but brilliant casting like that. I could see Mindy Cohn (Natalie, The Facts of Life) on Ugly Betty. Or Katherine Helmond (Mona, Who’s The Boss) on Desperate Housewives. Or ANYONE from Growing Pains. And where oh where has Mr. Belvedere gone?
DITTO what Cliff said…what’s up with THAT?
UH, Nine, I hate to break this to you but Mr. Belvedere died.
Oh please don’t remake the Bionic Woman – no one could ever be Jamie Summers like Lindsey Wagner! I still have my Jamie Summers doll and I even had the Bionic Woman board game. Please leave Jamie alone
I LOVE James Garner. The Rockford Files was such a great show.
With regret, I saw Gil Gerard a couple of summers ago at Wizard World Chicago signing autographs, and the years have not been kind to him. Get ready to absolutely NOT recognize the guy, should he turn up on TV again.
Ed O’Neill (Al Bundy)!!!
I would have liked to see Joyce DeWitt from Three’s Company do another comedy show. She was so good as Janet Wood. But everytime she does an interview about Three’s Company she seems really bitter about television. Oh well, “come and knock on my door”.
I want Dirk Benedict to cameo on Battlestar Galactica something FIERCE!
On that tip, is anyone else Jazzed that Jane Seymour keeps getting hired for tv shows like “In case of Emergency”? The former Bond girl still gets top billing with me.
Technology… hmmmm… can we clone James Garner?
Pam Dawber. She’s so likable. I know she played the dull wife in a very short-lived sitcom a few years ago, but I think she needs her own vehicle. Come back Pam!
Rev Oj Flow-
Gil Gerard (aka Buck Rogers) had a comeback reality tv show called Code 3, and has an upcomming show called “Extreme Action Hero Makeover”.
But yeah, the dude doesn’t look anywhere near as good as the old spandex days…
Fall Guy a comedy?? I don’t think so.
And as for old television actors making comebacks, is Robert Braverman (Vega$$) still alive?
A couple of weeks ago my mom and I ate at a semi-posh French restaurant. We sat next to Dave Thomas (SCTV’s McKenzie Brothers, and Grace Under Fire). There is a guy that should get his own show.
I wish Kirk Cameron would drop the Jesus stuff and make triumphant return as a America’s premire hunk.
Oh my god. Finally a blog entry with my name written all over it. ALL I did was watch TV in the 70’s and early eighties (Not so much now, thanks adulthood.) And I need to know, if anyone knows …what happened to Karen Valentine of Room 222. I loved her, she was everywhere for 5 minutes and then gone. Also, in no particular order, Shields and Yarnell, the only mimes to have their own Variety show. Pink Lady (Let Whitney tell you about them if he’s inclined.)”Thelma” and “Michael” from Good Times. Rodney Allen Rippy from the Jack in the Box ads and them put them all in a tv show to comepte on who had the better afterlife and give the prize to orphans. I would sooo watch that show.
Billy Crystal
c.e:
Rodney Rippey? Sure, if VH1 is willing to do Surreal Life 70’s version. Robbie “Cousin Oliver” Riis, The original Burger King actor (yes folks Burger King actually had an actor dress up as the King without a mask first), Lee Majors, Eddie from “The Courtship of Eddies Father”, etc. First episode, Robbie goes to the orthodontist and gets braces for those nasty teeth of his.
What happened to Scott Baio? I thought he had a lot of charisma. I’m sorry, his career is dead.
Chloe, did you see Baio on Arrested Development? He played their straight talking no nonsense lawyer, named Bob Loblaw. He has a law blog too, the Bob Loblaw Lawblog.
But yeah, it’d be nice to see him “In Charge” of another sitcom. hehe.
RE: Bob Loblaw Lawblog
You, sir, are a mouthful.
Ep Sato – No, I missed that.
I’m ashamed to say that I’ve only seen 3 or 4 episodes of Arrested Development. They were all funny but for some reason, I never got attached enough to make an appointment to catch it when it aired. I think they moved it around a lot too. I’m happy to hear Scott Baio is still around. His ex’s seem to still be around, of course, Scott Baio was a little bit like the Wilmer Valderrama of his day, who dated a lot of famous starlets. I hope he still looks good. I might have a Scott Baio pinup from Tiger Beat in some memory chest somewhere. LOL.
Adam Rich…bah hahahahaha
Seriously – Dirk Benedict
RANDOLPH MANTOOTH!!!!!!!
I’d like to see Kristy McNichol back on TV. Oh, remember Vince VanPatten? Enough with the Reality TV shows…let’s put the Variety shows back on the air, eh? I miss the talent!