Did ya ever notice the actors/actresses that did guest shots on Moonlighting and then later ended up on their own shows...mostly on ABC?

Such as Dana Delany who did Knowing Her and later starred in China Beach on ABC.

And Mark Linn-Baker who did Atlas Belched and later co-starred in Perfect Strangers on ABC.

And John Goodman who did Come Back Little Shiksa and later co-starred in Roseanne.


And then there are the actors/actresses who fairly earlier in their carrer did a Moonlighting episode and went on to fame.....Tim Robbins, Lisa Blount, Richard Tyson, Alley Mills, Virginia Madsen, Jennifer Tilly, Whoopi Goldberg, Amanda Plummer,

There is also an impressive list of established, very successful, already well-known who did roles on Moonlighting: Eva Marie Saint, Imogene Coca, Colleen Dewhurst, Brooke Adams, Demi Moore, Judd Nelson, Pat Boone, Ray Charles, Dr. Joyce Brothers, William Hickey, Mark Harmon and so on.

So my question is....did you have a favorite guest starring performance on Moonlighting? Who was it and which episode?

Colleen Dewhurst on Take My Wife for Example!
Such a nice Lady!!
And A very good actress!

I loved Colleen Dewhurst. She had that look on her face throughout the episode that she just knew what was really going on. She and George C. Scott had one of those volatile relationships - I love you, I hate you, I love you , I hate you ...

She was also that kind of woman that my quote describes: "being crazy about a woman like that is always the right thing to do". ( Just like Cybill.)

I gotta go with Charles Rocket and Brooke Adams. They were both terrific. I especially wish we could have seen Brooke back in the 5th season for at least for an episode or two.

Although I like Brooke Adams, I didn't care for her appearance on Moonlighting. I had no idea she was married in real life to that guy from Monk. I saw them both in an interview recently - Brooke looked extremely thin.

Charles Rockett - I thought he was terrific on Moonlighting. What has he been up to lately? He's very likeable on screen.

I haven't seen either one of them lately. But I tell you what I did like about Brooke's character. She was a sounding board for David. David and Maddie were not very good at telling each other how they felt and neither had any close friends, so I liked it when there was another character there that they could talk to. We usually learned more about their feelings by what they said to others, like some of the things that Maddie said to Walter on the train. (But that was no excuse for marrying the guy!!!!)

Originally posted by CyBr
I haven't seen either one of them lately. But I tell you what I did like about Brooke's character. She was a sounding board for David. David and Maddie were not very good at telling each other how they felt and neither had any close friends, so I liked it when there was another character there that they could talk to. We usually learned more about their feelings by what they said to others, like some of the things that Maddie said to Walter on the train. (But that was no excuse for marrying the guy!!!!)

I agree CyBr, because of Brooke we knew how miserable Dave felt.
And I liked her too, she's a down to earth woman who showed her feelings for Dave and also knew and accepted that Maddie was always on his mind! ("For God sakes will you two kiss already!!!")

Ok my favorite guest peformances...... Charles Rocket as Richard Addison...particularly in A Trip to the Moon when he plays Norton of the Honeymooners off David Addison's Ralph Kramden.

And then there is William Hickey in To Heiress Human as the wealthy doctor whose daughter hires Maddie and David to find out if her fiance really loves her or her money. He comes through as a loathsome guy determined to destroy his daughter and her fiance's relationship---but then has to turn of heart at the end and tries to make things up to them. His speech to David and Maddie at the end when he tells them about his cancer and that he was who set the gas explosion off is just terrific work by him.

Eva Marie Saint in Father Knows Last.....I love her as Maddie's mom throughout the series..but she is soooo good in Father Knows Last as she confronts and then supports Maddie about the pregnancy. Robert Webber who plays Maddie's Dad is also just great....particularly in Every Daughter's Father but also Father Knows Last.

And I very much enjoy Mark Linn-Baker playing off of Bruce in Atlas Belched.....he is funny....and rather pathetic and makes a great foil for the seemingly ever-confident David Addison...

Some of you are gonna hate me for this, but my favorite guest appearance is Mark Harmon as Sam. *ducks as the ML fans throw things*

Although I hated Sam, I thought Mark did an exceptional job of making me hate him. In my opinion, the entire concept of Sam the character was brilliant...creating someone seemingly perfect but still managing to get the audience to root for Davey in the end? Impossible! And lemme tell ya, compelling people to root against someone who looks like Mark Harmon must've been a tough job. :p

Lauren,

Here is one of my observations from having watched the trilogy episodes over and over throughout the years..... It isn't necessarily Mark Harmon who sells you on the idea of Sam as a perfect man for Maddie or as a foil for David Addison....and even though Cybill Shepherd is truly marvelous in the trilogy, she isn't really the person that drives home the idea of Sam Crawford as Mr. Ideal....it is Bruce Willis's performance as the flawed but lovable David Addison that does it. His reactions to Sam and his suffering and conflict in the situation are what make us first regard Sam as a very formidable opponent to our man Dave....and is also what turns us against Sam. Now this isn't saying Cybill's work is any less great or any less important than Bruce's during the trilogy....it is just that her character performs a very different role....that of the one who has a choice to make. It is the performance of Bruce Willis in contrast to the image of Mark Harmon as Sam Crawford that defines the choice.

Eva Marie Saint is such a nice lady!
Good actress and indeed very good in Father knows last.
She was also a great performer in Every Daughter's Father is a Virgin.
Cybill is BTW also acting superb in this epi. (really dramatic)

Originally posted by CindyK
Lauren,

Here is one of my observations from having watched the trilogy episodes over and over throughout the years..... It isn't necessarily Mark Harmon who sells you on the idea of Sam as a perfect man for Maddie or as a foil for David Addison....and even though Cybill Shepherd is truly marvelous in the trilogy, she isn't really the person that drives home the idea of Sam Crawford as Mr. Ideal....it is Bruce Willis's performance as the flawed but lovable David Addison that does it. His reactions to Sam and his suffering and conflict in the situation are what make us first regard Sam as a very formidable opponent to our man Dave....and is also what turns us against Sam. Now this isn't saying Cybill's work is any less great or any less important than Bruce's during the trilogy....it is just that her character performs a very different role....that of the one who has a choice to make. It is the performance of Bruce Willis in contrast to the image of Mark Harmon as Sam Crawford that defines the choice.

My sister and I are sitting here, and as I read your analysis, I said, "Wow, Cindy knows this show better than anybody I've ever spoken to!" :lol:

I guess it really was Dave's...er...less than perfect personality that made Sam seem more ideal than he actually was. On the other hand, Sam was GORGEOUS, a complete gentleman, and an astronaut. I don't think I would mind that one bit. :p

Well maybe not better than anybody....but I have been watching it since 4ever....and constantly am asked questions about it at my fansite that sometimes I have to go research....so I sorta have an advantage I guess when it comes to discussing ML topics.

Glad you are enjoying my two cents at times though....sometimes I wonder if I'm not just boring everybody. :p

Your insight is never boring. Keep up the great work.

Originally posted by CindyK
Well maybe not better than anybody....but I have been watching it since 4ever....and constantly am asked questions about it at my fansite that sometimes I have to go research....so I sorta have an advantage I guess when it comes to discussing ML topics.

Glad you are enjoying my two cents at times though....sometimes I wonder if I'm not just boring everybody. :p

No way boring, I've never met anyone who has so much psychological knowledge of Moonlighting.
I'm having fun reading your posts C!

You're great Cindy, really. We could never get bored with you, trust me ;)

Originally posted by Tazmania
No way boring, I've never met anyone who has so much psychological knowledge of Moonlighting.
I'm having fun reading your posts C!

Me, too. I feel like I understand the show better than ever since this board has become so active. Everybody contributes so much! :yourock:

I think I decided a long time ago that it wasn't either Bruce or Cybill that made specific epsidoses or storylines work. It was the interaction between the two of them that made this show. I think the fourth season, even though they did some good episodes, shows how critical the interaction between the two of them was. Without it, even though they each had some good individual performances, it was not nearly the same as having them on screen together. That's my take anyway.

Originally posted by CyBr
I think I decided a long time ago that it wasn't either Bruce or Cybill that made specific epsidoses or storylines work. It was the interaction between the two of them that made this show. I think the fourth season, even though they did some good episodes, shows how critical the interaction between the two of them was. Without it, even though they each had some good individual performances, it was not nearly the same as having them on screen together. That's my take anyway.

Thanks, CyBr. I agree.

Right! Moonlighting is BRUCE AND CYBILL!!!
Nothing more nothing less!

I never liked the episodes where Bruce was acting on his own, like Cool Hand Dave, I watched that episode twice and it made feel bad twice!
Not that I didn't like Bruce's performance but there was someting missing!!
I mean someone missing!
I loved the scene when Maddie comes back and Dave is watching her, leaning against his officedoor!
OOOHHHH!!



:happyface

Originally posted by Tazmania
Right! Moonlighting is BRUCE AND CYBILL!!!
Nothing more nothing less!

I never liked the episodes where Bruce was acting on his own, like Cool Hand Dave, I watched that episode twice and it made feel bad twice!
Not that I didn't like Bruce's performance but there was someting missing!!
I mean someone missing!
I loved the scene when Maddie comes back and Dave is watching her, leaning against his officedoor!
OOOHHHH!!



:happyface

We agree again, Taz. I found the interaction between David and Maddie the main reason for my love of the show. I didn't like most of the episodes after A Trip To The Moon during season 4 because they weren't together (exception -- Father Knows Last). I didn't even like the episodes after Walter was introduced because they left a bad taste in my mouth. Cybill seemed a little ill at ease for some of those episodes. That is why I like some of season 5 better than the second half of season 4 (I know - I'm crazy). Of course, there are a few scenes in every episode that I do like.

Originally posted by Tazmania
Not that I didn't like Bruce's performance but there was someting missing!!

That's exactly how I feel. Bruce is always great, but the whole magic of ML lies in the chemistry between the two. The show needs that.

Excellent analysis Cindy! I had never thought of the evolution of Sam as a rival to David in this context. But you are exactly right. Sam only SEEMS perfect when compared with David. And as thr Trilogy goes on, we start to see little imperfections in Sam as well. Never more evident than the scene in David's bedroom when Sam's shows up to "return David's keys". When he tells David that he happens to know "who and what is right for Maddie", we can see an over-bearing and possesive side that, to that point, was never imaginable. Nice work Cindy!