...that none of Ted Knight's former colleagues from The Mary Tyler Moore Show ever appeared on Too Close For Comfort (especially since he appeared on The Love Boat several times)? Was this Ted's call because he was trying to distance himself as much from "Ted Baxter" as possible, or did his former co-stars simply want nothing to do with him professionally? Or did it honestly never occur to anyone at TCFC that an appearance by a TMTMS alumnus might boost the ratings?

Anyone else have any thoughts/theories?

Interesting post.

I guess McLeod's absence puzzles me the most. He was on a hit show on the same network as TCFC, at the same time. It really would have made all kinds of sense.

Asner and Knight argued about politics, I've heard, but I don't believe it was personal. No idea about Ms. Moore, though at that time I believe she had a variety show on another network, so that might have been a conflict. Harper had Rhoda until 1979, but after that she would have been free. Betty White was pretty much "at large" during those years, so she could have easily come on, too.

In those days, though, I don't believe it was quite as typical to have stars from former shows coming on to guest star on new shows. Now it's practically required.

Did anyone from MTM ever guest star on The Golden Girls? I don't believe any did. Love Boat was a little different since that show went out to get big name stars. I don't think there was anything to it. I remember when Knight died. Just about everyone from MTM commented on him.

Interesting post.

I guess McLeod's absence puzzles me the most. He was on a hit show on the same network as TCFC, at the same time. It really would have made all kinds of sense.

Yeah, he's the main one who got me thinking about this. Especially since Ted appeared on The Love Boat quite a few times.

Asner and Knight argued about politics, I've heard, but I don't believe it was personal. No idea about Ms. Moore, though at that time I believe she had a variety show on another network, so that might have been a conflict. Harper had Rhoda until 1979, but after that she would have been free. Betty White was pretty much "at large" during those years, so she could have easily come on, too.

In those days, though, I don't believe it was quite as typical to have stars from former shows coming on to guest star on new shows. Now it's practically required.

I wouldn't have expected Mary or Ed to appear on the show, because as noted there were certain conflicts of interest since both were still tied to CBS in various capacities. But Betty White? Georgia Engel? Cloris? Valerie? It's just weird that not one of them popped up (even for a cameo) in six years and yet someone like Ernie Wise (who is a very famous British comic icon, true enough, but still) or Dick Van Patten got the "Special Guest Star" treatment and was clearly intended to be some sort of ratings draw.

Did anyone from MTM ever guest star on The Golden Girls? I don't believe any did. Love Boat was a little different since that show went out to get big name stars. I don't think there was anything to it. I remember when Knight died. Just about everyone from MTM commented on him.


I don't recall anyone from MTM guest starring on GG, but then again there were a lot of those episodes I haven't seen, too.

Yeah, he's the main one who got me thinking about this. Especially since Ted appeared on The Love Boat quite a few times.



I wouldn't have expected Mary or Ed to appear on the show, because as noted there were certain conflicts of interest since both were still tied to CBS in various capacities. But Betty White? Georgia Engel? Cloris? Valerie? It's just weird that not one of them popped up (even for a cameo) in six years and yet someone like Ernie Wise (who is a very famous British comic icon, true enough, but still) or Dick Van Patten got the "Special Guest Star" treatment and was clearly intended to be some sort of ratings draw.

Well, I wonder if the fact that TCFC was only on ABC proper for, what, a couple seasons, before it went into syndication, had anything to do with it. In other words, maybe had it stayed on ABC longer they would have gotten around to some type of MTM guest stars?

I dunno, I'm reaching here, lol.

i always got the impression that Ted Knight felt that TCFC was HIS show and that he didn't want to get "upstaged" by anyone (even Audrey Meadows really seemed to have only significant scenes on the show with Ted) - they didn't really have very many big guest stars on the show at all that I can remember.

yet someone like Ernie Wise (who is a very famous British comic icon, true enough, but still) or Dick Van Patten got the "Special Guest Star" treatment and was clearly intended to be some sort of ratings draw.

Dick Van Pattern only appeared in the epsiode "Don't Rock the Boat", which was actually a pilot for a series he was going to star in, but it wasn't picked up. The episode is on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvWk9DxpfPE

Cisse Cameron, who guest starred in the TCFC episode "The Courier", co-starred with Ted Knight in his short lived, self titled show in 1978.