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Horrible Showbiz Career Decisions (McLean Stevenson Effect)
Self | November 25, 2012 | PJ-Comix

Posted on 11/25/2012 7:06:22 AM PST by PJ-Comix

People in the entertainment business sometimes make horrible career decisions. This is what is known as the "McLean Stevenson Effect." Named after actor McLean Stevenson who played the part of Henry Blake in the hit TV series "M*A*S*H." Stevenson was unhappy with being part of an ensemble so after about 3 seasons left the show to become the lead in the "McLean Stevenson Show" which promptly flopped. His career never recovered.

Another victim of the McLean Stevenson effect was Shelly Long who was in the hit series "Cheers." She left after 5 seasons to become a movie actress but pretty much flopped in that endeavor.

Finally there was Jeff Conaway who starred in my own favorite TV series "Taxi." After 3 seasons he left the show with a one-way ticket to obscurity.

Who else made poor showbiz career decisions to become victims of the "McLean Stevenson Effect."


TOPICS: Humor; Music/Entertainment
KEYWORDS: hollywood; mcleanstevenson
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To: US Navy Vet

And whatever happened to Wentworth Miller and Dominic Purcell from Prison Break? Neither was a very strong actor, but it’s amazing how you’re a star for three or four seasons of a show, then totally disappear into obscurity.


161 posted on 11/25/2012 2:51:59 PM PST by AmericanMermaid
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To: autumnraine
Another big bust: Sherri Stringfield from ER, played Susan Lewis MD. Left after a couple of seasons, and the show ran for another 10 years. She'd be a zillionaire. Ironically George Clooney left ER, and DID make it big.

Suzanne Somers stupidly left 3s company, but she eventually became successful. Not for acting, though.

162 posted on 11/25/2012 3:29:12 PM PST by boop ("I need another Cutty Sark"-LBJ)
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To: boop

Suzanne Summers eventually did have another successful series with Patrick Duffy called Step by Step.


163 posted on 11/25/2012 3:40:27 PM PST by Jonty30 (What Islam and secularism have in common is that they are both death cults.)
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To: All

Suzzane Somers had a VERY successful show (Step by step) with “Bobby” from Dallas. It ran for 7 seasons. That’s not exactly falling off the earth.


164 posted on 11/25/2012 3:56:01 PM PST by autumnraine (America how long will you be so deaf and dumb to the tumbril wheels carrying you to the guillotine?)
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To: jjotto
At least two TV series since Beauty, numerous TV series guest roles and movies, and an upcoming mini-series.

She was awesome as Chuck's mom on "Chuck". Just about a perfect casting for a show that played on a LOT of 70s-90s GenX sentimentality.

The real shame of that show is that they killed off Chuck's dad (played by Quantum Leaper/Enterpriser Scott Bakula) a season before she was written in, so the two never got to have a single scene (let alone a story arc) together.
165 posted on 11/25/2012 4:22:28 PM PST by tanknetter
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To: Oztrich Boy
There is the situation where an act's second banana quits and subsequently proves that he was the real talent all along: The Dean Martin Effect

I can just picture Jerry Lewis watching the TOP TV show at the time, "The Dean Martin Show," in a dark room while simmering in his own jealous rage.

166 posted on 11/25/2012 4:56:46 PM PST by PJ-Comix (Beware the Rip in the Space/Time Continuum)
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To: Georgia Girl 2

Wasn’t mcqueens series called wanted dead or alive?


167 posted on 11/25/2012 5:14:37 PM PST by morphing libertarian
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To: Ransomed

I still like to watch the old westerns, but as I got older and read accurate historical portrayals of the real west, it took a lot of fun out of the shows. Like there was no fast draw gunfighters. And the sixguns of the day were wildly inaccurate, and nobody shot from the hip. And little or no quicksand. Every long-running western seemed to have one episode where the hero got stuck in quicksand.


168 posted on 11/25/2012 6:24:10 PM PST by driftless2
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To: Lx

This is why I love FR. I thought I was the only one who had seen this (let alone have it at home). It is very twisted, but extremely funny!! It is morer like an avant-garde film school project, similar in some way to German Expressionism...

Soundtrack by Danny Elfman and the mystic Knights of the Oingo Boingo


169 posted on 11/25/2012 6:53:50 PM PST by bt_dooftlook (Democrats - the party of Amnesty, Abortion, and Adolescence)
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To: Venturer

Pernell Roberts had a decent run on “Trapper John, MD”, based on an older current day version of Wayne Rogers character.


170 posted on 11/25/2012 7:43:16 PM PST by Tanniker Smith (Rome didn't fall in a day, either.)
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To: IronJack

Not the same thing. Hat was a spinoff. And they went back.

And then he had Charles in Charge.


171 posted on 11/25/2012 7:44:51 PM PST by Tanniker Smith (Rome didn't fall in a day, either.)
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To: driftless2

The movie western is truly part of mythology now. As far as being disapointed, well I reckon I still dig them even though it isn’t always realistic. Could be there were plenty of ancient Greeks who knew better as well, I imagine. If they have a good story I can look past a lot.

Freegards


172 posted on 11/25/2012 7:54:46 PM PST by Ransomed
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To: Vinnie

Jason Alexander played a truly frightening character on “Criminal Minds”. I didn’t even recognize him.

I’ve also seen him listed as a director.

He’s doing just fine.

.


173 posted on 11/25/2012 8:33:33 PM PST by Mears
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To: A_perfect_lady

Matt LeBlanc(Joey) just won a Golden Globe for a BBC show he is in.

.


174 posted on 11/25/2012 8:43:30 PM PST by Mears
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To: bt_dooftlook

The first time I saw it, almost thirty years ago, I was under the influence of some heavy hallucinogens. The next day, I made my friend play it again because I couldn’t believe what I had seen. It was just as weird the second time straight.

Great movie. Richard Elfman said he wanted to do a movie because it took a semi full of equipment to produce the Mystic Nights of the Oingo Boingo road show.

I’ve seen Oingo Boing three times with Danny at the helm and they are some seriously great musicians and their music is awesome as well.


175 posted on 11/25/2012 8:45:48 PM PST by Lx (Do you like it, do you like it. Scott? I call it Mr. and Mrs. Tennerman chili.)
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To: bt_dooftlook

I forgot, I have a copy as well. I loaned it to a friend and his wife wouldn’t let him watch it all.

One of the funniest scenes is when the big guy that doesn’t talk beats the ape character and when he’s done, it looks like he’s pounding ground beef.

The chick that says something like 10,000 years... was also in Wizards.


176 posted on 11/25/2012 8:49:22 PM PST by Lx (Do you like it, do you like it. Scott? I call it Mr. and Mrs. Tennerman chili.)
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To: Yaelle
Is there another actor who was a side character on a series, then became a Name Lead in a decade running live sitcom, then was syndicated and on 3 times a day, tried out multiple other lead series, and finally found one with a character so vastly different you can’t believe it’s the same guy??

Yep.
Jerry Seinfeld's dentist, Tim Whatley comes to mind. From a sitcom dentist, to a sitcom dad to... Walter White, meth cook extraordinaire?

177 posted on 11/25/2012 9:11:41 PM PST by Lancey Howard
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To: ExNewsExSpook

Nobody but NOBODY has parlayed a TV career into crazy money like William Shatner. Last I saw his net worth was $650 million, including at least $600 million from his Priceline.com stock.


178 posted on 11/25/2012 9:16:14 PM PST by Lancey Howard
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To: Vinnie
Speaking of actors that went nowhere..'Kramer' from Seinfeld, Michael Richards. and 'George', Jason Alexander.

With the syndication money rolling in forever they don't need to work. Jason Alexander, though, still does alright. He was pretty good in 'Shallow Hal' and a guest role on 'Criminal Minds'.

179 posted on 11/25/2012 9:20:55 PM PST by Lancey Howard
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To: Jack Deth
Sasha Alexander: Thought NCIS was all about her. Left after three seasons.

I read that she couldn't stand the very long hours and thought the cast was overworked. Mark Harmon complained about the situation, too. Apparently the producer, Donald Bellisario, is a perfectionist who demands perfection from his actors and everybody else. In order to keep Harmon on the show, Bellisario finally agreed to turn the day-to-day reins over to somebody else.

By the way - trivia note: Donald Bellisario served in the Marines with Lee Harvey Oswald.

180 posted on 11/25/2012 9:28:36 PM PST by Lancey Howard
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