Bosom Buddies

[Bobby Southworth]

So, from a very young age, I have fond memories of my mom telling me, "Hey, Bosom Buddies is about to come on". I knew I liked the theme song, and that was about it.

When I was about to start High School, I caught some episodes on the USA network, and became a fan. Always thought Tom Hanks was hilarious, and his dynamic with Peter Scolari was fantastic, and the way they would improvise lines. Holland Taylor was also a treat.

Yes, the show had just about all the touches of the corny miiler-boyett assembly line working against it, especially the 1st season. The 2nd season did away with a lot of the dressing up as girls. and the 'special message' format wasn't always included, and if it was, the moral might be a little more lighthearted and comical. I actually feel the show was improving the second season, but from what I've read, night time airing changes and times hurt the show.

Anyone else have thoughts on this short lived series that gave us Forrest Gump?

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

I thought they were a great pair, and the show silly fun. It was "smarter" than most of the sitcoms of the time, despite its crass, cheapy videotaped look a la the early-'80s.

And I don't like drag.

But the show wasn't a ratings hit, and many people never discovered it until after it was cancelled and Tom Hanks had done SPLASH for Ron Howard, bolstering Hanks into bonafide star status.

In reruns, Billy Joel's song was sometimes replaced due to music rights issues. But whatever.

Hanks & Scolari had great chemistry (as they say) and played off each other quite well. But when Tom wanted to later do a big screen version of BOSOM BUDDIES (like SOME LIKE IT HOT) and had the cred to get it made, Peter Scolari just didn't want to do it (despite the fact that it would have been a career boost for him, and the duo were still friendly). So I guess ermine and pearls wasn't his bag.

I rather liked Scolari and was slightly stunned when he died a couple years ago, until I remembered how old we're all getting -- especially me -- and then it all made sense.

I've been told I gesticulate in a Scolarian fashion, and I get it. He was a good edition to NEWHART (Julia Duffy called him "no better partner!" when he passed away) although Stephanie & Michael became increasingly too-broadly drawn, as did NEWHART itself, and thus decreasingly funny.

They should have made that movie.

 

[Bobby Southworth]

I thought they were a great pair, and the show silly fun. It was "smarter" than most of the sitcoms of the time, despite its crass, cheapy videotaped look a la the early-'80s.

And I don't like drag.

But the show wasn't a ratings hit, and many people never discovered it until after it was cancelled and Tom Hanks had done SPLASH for Ron Howard, bolstering Hanks into bonafide star status.

In reruns, Billy Joel's song was sometimes replaced due to music rights issues. But whatever.

Hanks & Scolari had great chemistry (as they say) and played off each other quite well. But when Tom wanted to later do a big screen version of BOSOM BUDDIES (like SOME LIKE IT HOT) and had the cred to get it made, Peter Scolari just didn't want to do it (despite the fact that it would have been a career boost for him, and the duo were still friendly). So I guess ermine and pearls wasn't his bag.

I rather liked Scolari and was slightly stunned when he died a couple years ago, until I remembered how old we're all getting -- especially me -- and then it all made sense.

I've been told I gesticulate in a Scolarian fashion, and I get it. He was a good edition to NEWHART (Julia Duffy called him "no better partner!" when he passed away) although Stephanie & Michael became increasingly too-broadly drawn, as did NEWHART itself, and thus decreasingly funny.

They should have made that movie.

Yes, they should have made that movie! Thank you for sharing this piece of info because honestly, I had always been a little put off that it seemed like Tom Hanks had made it so 'big'(ok pun intended) and didn't do anything to try to help his old friend. That was kind of unfair on my part because obviously, as with this instance, Peter could have just refused, for whatever reason. Peter added a great element to Newhart, even if it was a lot more subtle than the waves Hank's was stating to ride.

Yeah...the theme song. Apparently "Shake Me Loose", the version sometimes heard in syndication was actually the song written to be the theme song, but ABC didn't think it made the grade, and they went with a remake of Billy Joel's "My Life".

Well, apparently even remakes are too costly because by the time I was watching it on the USA network in 92, it had the initially rejected song as the intro. Not to mention all DVD's have it as well. There were still some channels that showed it with "My Life", at least back in the late 90's/early 2000's. I'm thinking WUAB...possibly TBS??

The rejected intro was always used, even in original airings as the closing instrumental. So, we just never heard the words until syndication stopped paying for licensing the Joel song.

Again, yes, they should have made that movie. Peter was a great talent in his own right. May he rest in peace.

 

[Crimson]

He was a good edition to NEWHART (Julia Duffy

Duffy and Scolari starred in my two favorite sitcoms of early-ish childhood: BOSOM BUDDIES and WIZARDS & WARRIORS. Both were short lived, neither have been seen by me in decades, yet the both loom large in my fond nostalgia.

As for the BOSOM BUDDIES film, I never took it seriously when it was mentioned; it seemed disingenuous on Hanks' part and Scolari, recognizing the unseriousness of it, didn't take the bait. There's no reason why Scolari, who's career peaked with a (wonderful) supporting sitcom role, wouldn't leap at the chance for a big screen film with one of Hollywood's emerging great stars.

 

[Bobby Southworth]

Does anyone have any favorite episodes? Off the top of my head. I will say, from the first season..

Macho Man
Kip and Sonny's Date
Beauty And The Beasts
How Great Thou Art
The Rewrite
The Hospital

Season 2
Honestly, it's easier to say the ones I like the least..
"Water Balloon Gate"
"2 Percent Solution"
"Hildy's Dirt Nap"

I think one of the issues with "Hildy's Dirt Nap " might be in the way it's been edited/chopped up due to music rights-even on the DVD.