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."
McLean Stevenson was a good next door neighbor though.
I think the two best examples are the old guy from Alf (who shares his trembling voice with Sen Lieberman) and the guy who played Steve on Blues Clues. Both were sick of playing second fiddle to a fake puppet.
At least they made tons of money playing second fiddle to a puppet...
I never watched it either, I do remember seeing advertisements for it when it was running and never connected Adam Cartwright being Trapper John (he was bald and I didn’t recognize him).
It must have been a half way decent show as it lasted 7 years.
6 seasons of Numbers might say otherwise.
It seems like Alda got more chickified with each season.
It seems like Alda got more chickified with each season.
It all depends on whether you’re a “profit participant” in the show, which gives you a piece of the syndication revenue. On NCIS, for example, Mark Harmon is clearly in that category, but I’d be surprised if the rest of the cast has a cut of syndication profits. William Peterson of the original CSI left after nine seasons but still got paid as a producer, which gave him a share of the syndication profits as well. He’ll make far more off syndication deals for CSI than he ever earned as an actor (and he pulled down over $500,000 a episode at the end of his run).
I’ve read countless stories about supporting actors getting huge paychecks during the last couple of years of a series. In virtually every case, they’re getting their money up front, and will earn little/nothing from syndication and marketing. That’s one reason that virtually every writer on a TV show is also billed as a producer. It not only bumps up their weekly check, it also gets them into the syndication money.
Now Kelsey Grammerthere is a guy who knew how to leverage a supporting role! I read somewhere his net worth is $80M.
Yes, he as achieved the ultimate! 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??
...which he then promptly terminated.
I can vouch that McLean was a very nice guy.
Hirsch was way too ethnic for my tastes.
Speaking of actors that went nowhere..'Kramer' from Seinfeld, Michael Richards.
and
'George', Jason Alexander.
She's now reduced to doing commercials for an online college.
Gary Burghoff leaving MASH.
William Peterson and Jorja Fox CSI
Following the Rob Morrow theme:
David Krumholtz: Lost his gig as Morrow’s Brainiac brother, Charley and hasn’t done much of note since.
Self Induced exile due to swelled ego:
Sasha Alexander: Thought NCIS was all about her. Left after three seasons. Is just starting to come back as Dr. Maura Isles in TNT’s ‘Rizzoli & Isles’.
Genevieve Bujold: Was originally cast as Captain Janeway in ‘Star Trek: Voyager’, but couldn’t handle the twelve to 16 hour shooting days. The role went to Kate Mulgrew.
I would like to see the 'Boot hill' introduction at the beginning of that episode! :)
Never heard of it.
Meno to Ken Wahl:
Stunt men are on set for a reason. Use them!
Ken Wahl of ‘Wiseguy’ was injured in an accident on the set that resulted from a stunt gone wrong.
The scene involved Wahl being Tasered and then getting a beat down with an aluminum Fungo bat. Wahl tripped over some out of frame cables and messed up his leg and spine. Then Wahl developed a strong dependence on Vicodin and scotch.
Residuals, thanks to a guy named Reagan.
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