post some that you know. I'll start.
Procter & Gamble who sponsored "THE DICK VAN DYKE SHOW" cancelled it after the first season. (back then sponsors of TV shows had a lot of say in determining the shows fate) But then Carl Riener flew to the P & G headquarters and begged them to give the show another chance. They said they would, but only if they could get another sponsor. So, CBS got Kent cigarettes.

Jerry Van Dyke was originally considered for Gilligan on "GILLIGANS ISLAND" but he read the pilot script and called it "the worst piece of crap I ever saw".
Carroll O'Connor was first considered for the skipper, but they thought people would feel sorry fo Gilligan whenever the skipper yelled at him.

Mickey Rooney was first considered for the lead in "ALL IN THE FAMILY" but after reading the script he realized how controversial it would become and "I didn't want any part of that".

They decided to make "MASH" because; they first wanted to make a sequel to the movie but decided to make a TV show instead. They figured they could keep the costs down since the movies outdoor set was still standing, and they already owned the rights to the story.

Sharon Tate was originally picked to play Billie Jo on Petticoat Junction, but because of some photos she posed on playboy, she was let go.

Robert Foxworth was offered the role of JR on "Dallas" but turned it down.

Bea Benaderet was the original choice to play Ethel Mertz but had to turn it down, because she was already playing Blanche Morton on "The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show."

David Duchovny suggested Jennifer Beals, his classmate from Yale for the part of Scully.


CBS wanted Jane Sibbett for the part of Debra Barone on Everybody Loves Raymond, but the producers and Ray Romano preferred Patricia Heaton.

on "THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW" Andy was originally going to be the funny one, and Don Knotts the "straight man". But Andy realized that it'd be funnier the other way.

When they were having trouble finding someone to play Laura Petrie on "THE DICK VAN DYKE SHOW" Danny Thomas remembered an actress who had auditioned for his oldest daughter on his TV show, but had been turned down. So he suggested "that girl with the nose and the three names". That actress was, of course, Mary Tyler Moore.

Just to correct your story about the Dick Van Dyke Show. It was actually executive producer Sheldon Leonard who flew across the country to convince Procter and Gamble to renew their sponsorship not Carl Reiner. Reiner,like the rest of the cast and crew, thought the Van Dyke Show was done and was busy trying to line up other work for himself in the movies. Sheldon Leonard was the only one who refused to give up on the show. So he boarded a plane for Cincinnati and met with Proctor and Gamble. After some nervous minutes P&G agreed to pick up the show for another year and so Sheldon boarded a plane back to L.A. No sooner had Sheldon Leonard arrived back in L.A. then he received a message that P&G had changed their mind and was only willing to sponsor half the show. So It was back onto an airplane for Sheldon Leonard. This time his destination was New York to seek a sponsor for the other half of the show. His first pitch was at P. Lorillard Tobacco Co.(makers of Kent cigarettes). After this he moved on to the Alberto-Culver Co. and once again began his pitch. It was in the middle of this pitch that he received word that Kent Cigarettes had decided to pick up the second half of the Dick Van Dyke Show. And that is how Sheldon Leonard single handedly saved The Dick Van Dyke Show.

CBS wanted Jane Sibbett for the part of Debra Barone on Everybody Loves Raymond, but the producers and Ray Romano preferred Patricia Heaton.

I had read a few times that Maggie Wheeler was strongly considered for that role.

on "FRASIER" the name of the radio station-KACL-was Kelcey Grammer, David Angel, Peter Casey, & David Lee.

Also, when Kelcey Grammer decided to do his own show after "CHEERS" he originally wasn't going to continue playing Dr. Frasier Crane, and the show wasn't going to be a spinn-off of "CHEERS". Instead, he was going to play a millionaire who was injured in a motorcycle accident and conducted his buisness from his bed.

William Devane & Julia Duffy were first considered to play Sam & Diane on "CHEERS".
Fred Dryer was also considered as Sam, and he would've been an ex-football player. But when Ted Danson was cast, they decided to make him an ex-baseball player instead.
John Lithgrow was one of the actors first considered for Frasier.
The first wanted to set it in a small town in California.
John Ratzenberger first auditioned for the role of Norm.
A couple times when you heard Norms wife, Vera, it was George Wedents real wife.

David Duchovny suggested Jennifer Beals, his classmate from Yale for the part of Scully.


CBS wanted Jane Sibbett for the part of Debra Barone on Everybody Loves Raymond, but the producers and Ray Romano preferred Patricia Heaton.

I like Jennifer and Jane but I couldn't see them having those roles. I don't think Jennifer would have made a great Scully.

Roger Torrey was a leading candidate for the role of Jethro when "The Beverly Hillbillies" was cast, the role going instead to Max Baer Jr.

Roger did appear on the series much later in the roles of Matthew and Mark Templeton.

Gale Gordon, IIRC, was the original choice for the role of Fred Mertz on "I Love Lucy," the role that went to William Frawley (I can't recall for certain though regarding Gale).

the front of the mansion on "THE BEVERLY HILLBILLIES" was actually the back. They were denied permission to film the front.
At first, they filmed the exterior scenes of the mansion at a real one. (the black and white shows) The owner gave them permission too, as long as they never gave out the address. But then TV Guide found it out and printed it and suddenly, the show was so popular that it became a big tourist attraction, with people tresspassing on the lawn, climing over the gates, walking up and knocking and asking if Granny & Jed were home, etc.
So the owner denied them permission to keep filming it.

Despite the impression you might get "STAR TREK" was never a BIG hit in the ratings-not even in the first season. In fact, I think I read or heard somewhere that when the first episode aired Gene Rodenberry apoligized because he and everyone thought it was so bad.

Roger Torrey was a leading candidate for the role of Jethro when "The Beverly Hillbillies" was cast, the role going instead to Max Baer Jr.

Roger did appear on the series much later in the roles of Matthew and Mark Templeton.

Gale Gordon, IIRC, was the original choice for the role of Fred Mertz on "I Love Lucy," the role that went to William Frawley (I can't recall for certain though regarding Gale).
The reason Gale Gorden was unable to accept the role of Fred Mertz is because he was under contract to another show at the time.(on radio I believe). Likewise Bea Benaderet the original choice for Ethel was unavailable because she was under contract to the George Burns and Gracie Allen Show at the time.

Frances Fisher was originally picked for the role as Jill on Home Improvement, but didn't have the chemistry with Tim Allen so she was replaced.

Martin Landau was once originally offered the role to play Dr. Spock on "Star Trek" but Roddenberry gave the role to Leonard Nimoy instead.

Coincidentally, both Landau and Nimoy worked on another Desilu-Paramount-produced in "Mission: Impossible" in one way or another respectively.

Landau was originally a semi-regular throughout the entire 1st season as he was given an in-episode credit as "Special Guest Star Rollin Hand" but because he proved to be popular, the people of M:I gave him a regular role from S2-until he and his then-wife Barbara Bain left the series at the end of S3.

Another ironic twist was that when Landau left M:I after S3, the guy that took the role of Spock from Landau would replace Landau in S4 and S5 of M:I in the name of Leonard Nimoy as Paris.

Jeffersons.

Sherman Hemsley admitted that the scene with him and Isabel gettig out of the Cab in the opening credits and walking in the building never thought it would be chosen because that was one of the takes with him and isabel acting silly. He said that stroll walk was embarassing for him to see on TV since he was not being serious.

Sherman Also admitted that Isabel was not happy that he was chosen to be her TV husband because he was too small.

Sherman admitted that he felt the George Jefferson should start being more Nice during the 80's since he barely smiled dring the first 5 years of the show.


Sherman said the name"weezy" came from when he was a boy growing up in Philly and it was a girl in the neighborhood named Louise and everyone called her Weezy. So he asked Isabel would be okay with the name and she said no.

Jeffersons.

Sherman Hemsley admitted that the scene with him and Isabel gettig out of the Cab in the opening credits and walking in the building never thought it would be chosen because that was one of the takes with him and isabel acting silly. He said that stroll walk was embarassing for him to see on TV since he was not being serious.

Sherman Also admitted that Isabel was not happy that he was chosen to be her TV husband because he was too small.

Sherman admitted that he felt the George Jefferson should start being more Nice during the 80's since he barely smiled dring the first 5 years of the show.


Sherman said the name"weezy" came from when he was a boy growing up in Philly and it was a girl in the neighborhood named Louise and everyone called her Weezy. So he asked Isabel would be okay with the name and she said no.well, if she said "no" then why'd he call her that anyway, Solomon?

well, if she said "no" then why'd he call her that anyway, Solomon?


I meant to say she was ok with it.-lol

in "MASH" the picture of Col. Potters wife Mildred that was on his desk was a picture of actress Spring Byington, who starred in a sitcom that Harry Morgan co-starred in; in the 50s called "DECEMBER BRIDE".

Larry Linville was asked once if he based Frank Burns on anyone, and he replied "on every idiot I've ever known":lol:

Another time, he was asked why he didn't ever play Frank as more sensitive later on, and he said "You mean like Alan Alda"?

It was Gary Burghoffs idea for Radar to wear glasses-he felt that Radars eyes would be weak because of his "ESP".

Lisa Kudrow was originally going to Roz Doyle on Frasier but the chemistry wasn't there, she was replaced by Peri Gilpin.

CBS canncelled "GUNSMOKE" in 1967, but Bill Paley-the network president at the time-had them "un-cancell" it because it was his favorite show. They not only brought it back, they moved it to a new night (mondays) and started filming it in color.

After "MASH" debuted in 1972, Time magazine called it "the biggest disapointment of the 1972-73 fall TV season".
After the first season, the ratings were so low that CBS almost cancelled it but renewed it because Bill Paleys wife liked it.

"ALL IN THE FAMILY" was so low-rated after its first season, where it was seen on Wednesdays at 9:30 right before "60 minutes" that CBS cancelled it, but during the summer audiences discovered it in reruns and the ratings shot up. The next season they moved it to Saturdays at 8:00 and the ratings remained huge. Even a forced move later on didn't have an impact; its huge audience simply moved right along with it.

Serman Hemsley was very nervous before going face to face with Carroll O' Connor for the First time on All in the Family. He was standing behind the closed door and said he wanted to just run away he was so scared

CBS canncelled "GUNSMOKE" in 1967, but Bill Paley-the network president at the time-had them "un-cancell" it because it was his favorite show. They not only brought it back, they moved it to a new night (mondays) and started filming it in color.

Minor Correction: Actually the color episodes of Gunsmoke had begun in the fall of 1966, beginning with Season 11.

CBS canncelled "GUNSMOKE" in 1967, but Bill Paley-the network president at the time-had them "un-cancell" it because it was his favorite show. They not only brought it back, they moved it to a new night (mondays) and started filming it in color.

And the retaining of "Gunsmoke" also mean the end of "Gilligan's Island" in the process.