Haha!!!
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I know that in 1988 Morgan appeared in a pilot that didn't get picked up.. but I'm not sure if she was the star on it or if she was only appearing as a guest star in it. It was called Some Kinda Woman.. and it was aired on CBS Summer playhouse (a late 80s summer thing where pilots not picked up were aired during the summer).
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I like Morgan and think her gift for comedy was underutilized, but she was very oddly cast on ROSEANNE. It was the phase of the show when it felt like stuff was just getting thrown on the screen and stunt casting made the show look ridiculous. I couldn't guess as to why she was cast or why she was treated poorly, but everything about her appearance on the show itself was awkward and incongruous.
Now MURPHY BROWN was a show that knew how to use Morgan's comedic gifts and her image; she was very funny in her guest spot there. I'd be bold enough to say I think I would have liked the series more with Morgan in the lead rather than the very wooden Candace.
Now MURPHY BROWN was a show that knew how to use Morgan's comedic gifts and her image; she was very funny in her guest spot there. I'd be bold enough to say I think I would have liked the series more with Morgan in the lead rather than the very wooden Candace.
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In a weird way, I didn't really mind Candice (I always want to spell her name with two "A"s as well) Bergen's woodenness, at least early on, as that just seemed be her default comedic setting -- even in her SNL appearance. It comes off as a parodic kind of delivery and almost works on that level.
But as MURPHY BROWN became tired, her stilted delivery aged badly as well. If the material isn't there, nothing else works.
Frankly, I might have liked to have seen Fairchild turned into a semi-regular on MURPHY BROWN, sort of Murphy's libidinous, political-oriented equivalent of Sue Anne Nivens... Better that than the unnecessary add-on of Lily Tomlin in the final season. (Nothing against Lily, but she might have been better used as the networks' switchboard operator).
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Dang I forgot to keep my references more contemporaneous while discussing a 74 year old actress
No, you're fine.
Great points about Roseanne and Murphy Brown. I agree with all. I just watched a bunch of Roseanne episodes, and the first three seasons are very realistic and somewhat sad, dark and bleak. Then around season 4, it’s suddenly tons of celeb stunt casting, as you mentioned. Joan Collins comes in as a cousin. Vicki Lawrence is an old flame of Dan’s. People like Morgan and Florence Henderson pop in as residents of the town. Debbie Reynolds was suddenly Dan’s mom. The Gillligans Island cast even appeared in a fantasy sequence. At the same time, Roseanne herself got plastic surgery and became more attractive and Hollywood - just as the guest casting got a lot more ridiculous and fantastical. It made me think Roseanne was just casting people she wanted to meet? Someone at the show, whether Roseanne or someone else(?), took the casting and other things in a new direction - and all this may have connected directly or indirectly, to whatever Sandra’s issue was with Morgan. I wonder if the issue was just something as simple as a semi-guest star like Sandra not wanting to be upstaged by someone else being added to the show who was considered very beautiful. She wouldn’t have known or been in control of, how long Morgan’s stint would be, or whether Morgan’s new character might end up being favored by the producers/writers. She was probably relieved when Marla vanished after only 3 episodes.
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One of my favorite episodes actually. Her and Rosie trading barbs at the end of the episode is pure gold. They both seemed to be having fun with it.
The 1988 pilot Some Kinda Woman… I’ve either seen a clip of it or read about it or dreamed it. If memory serves, it was to be a Moonlighting/Romancing the Stone type of thing, with Morgan as a mysterious woman who would pull a strait laced guy (Hunt Block) into mysteries and intrigue every week.
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CBS originally wanted Heather Locklear as MURPHY BROWN. Seriously.
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Sure it was "fun" and it makes me feel like a stick in the mud for saying it, but Joan's appearance on ROSEANNE was symbolic of the show going off the rails. This was stunt casting that just chipped away at the integrity of the show's blue collar credentials. Joan was too old to be convincing as a "cousin" -- far closer in age to Estelle Parsons than Roseanne -- and, well, obviously too British to be believably from Illinois, even if they built a gag around her accent.
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No, you’re not a stick in the mud as I do get what you’re saying and it was indicative of the show shifting away from what made it successful. I kind of liked the stunt casting at times though, at least the times it was done right. Joan’s appearance, as unrealistic as it was, at least I found it entertaining and fun to watch.
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Well, of course you're right.
Note to self and others: do not image search for "stick in mud" unless your google safe-search is on.
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Interestingly, Morgan posted a photo on her Instagram yesterday of her hanging out with “old friend” Tom Arnold, who I believe would’ve been starring in (and getting a producer credit on) Roseanne at the time of her guest stint. I don’t know where their paths crossed prior to Roseanne but maybe she was hired on the back of her friendship with him? Not that I’m disputing her ability to get hired on her own merits but it may explain the slightly random casting choice.
This is something that popped into my head today - the memory of Sandra Bernhard on Arsenio in 1992 talking about Morgan being newly cast on the show. Hope you will find it as interesting to see again as I did.. go to 6:40, that’s where she starts talking about casting of MF. And yes, there is in fact an edge to it, that I now sense when she talks about working with Morgan.
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I know she was already Jenna Wade, but she would have been great as Katherine Wentworth, or a smarter Holly Harewood.
Having said that, both Morgan Brittany and Lois Chiles played those roles quite well.
Having said that, both Morgan Brittany and Lois Chiles played those roles quite well.
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Fairchild would have smashed the role of Jenna. A far more accomplished actor than PP. She would have certainly given Jenna far more nuance and edge than what we got.
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Yes, Morgan’s version would’ve made for the best Jenna. I’ve always wondered what would’ve been had she returned to the role and I’m not one that ever really had a problem with the way Priscilla played it. Francine could’ve done well with the role long term as well but I think overall Morgan would’ve been the best fit.