What Steven Kampmann (Kirk Devane) Is Doing Now!! - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

catlover79 · 10-27-2010, 02:55 PM

He is now an English teacher and acting coach at an all boys private school named Blair Academy in Blairstown, NJ. Here are a couple of photos - that's Mr. Kampmann in the red ball cap.

Marvo301 · 10-27-2010, 03:02 PM

Wow! He hasn't aged much at all! It's nice that he has found a place where he can pass on his knowledge and experience to a new generation of acting students.

Miss Lisa · 10-28-2010, 09:15 PM

That's pretty cool. I hear of famous people going on to teach, I just wish one would move out to Toledo for once, lol we need something exciting out here.

catlover79 · 10-28-2010, 09:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marvo301

Wow! He hasn't aged much at all! It's nice that he has found a place where he can pass on his knowledge and experience to a new generation of acting students.

I concur!!!

catlover79 · 10-28-2010, 09:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Miss Lisa

That's pretty cool. I hear of famous people going on to teach, I just wish one would move out to Toledo for once, lol we need something exciting out here.

Steven Kampmann was also a sitcom writer - I know that he was one of the writers on WKRP. We can claim another MTM Productions alum as our own - Jack Riley (Mr. Carlin of the Bob Newhart Show). He is from Cleveland and is a graduate of John Carroll University.

liane49 · 03-14-2015, 02:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by catlover79

He is now an English teacher and acting coach at an all boys private school named Blair Academy in Blairstown, NJ. Here are a couple of photos - that's Mr. Kampmann in the red ball cap.

He was also a writer. I saw his name on the credits when I was watching WKRP in Cincinnati.

Marvo301 · 03-14-2015, 03:29 PM

It's a shame his character on "Newhart' was so one dimensional. I feel like the writers just ran out of ideas for that character and that's why he was let go from the cast. It certainly wasn't because of his performance!

liane49 · 04-22-2015, 10:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marvo301

It's a shame his character on "Newhart' was so one dimensional. I feel like the writers just ran out of ideas for that character and that's why he was let go from the cast. It certainly wasn't because of his performance!

Maybe it was his own choice to leave. Maybe he liked writing better then acting. I actually didn't like the character.

TMC · 11-18-2019, 04:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by liane49

Maybe it was his own choice to leave. Maybe he liked writing better then acting. I actually didn't like the character.

Why Steve Kampmann Left "Newhart"

Quote:

Based on an earlier post about the re-tooling of Newhart into a better show than it promised to be in its first season (in my opinion, anyway), I've been asked a couple of times why Steven Kampmann, who played Kirk, was dropped from the show after the second season. I've never been completely sure, and still am not, but there are two pieces of information I did turn up. One was an article about Kampmann from Jul 28, 1988 in the Los Angeles Daily News; it was about something else, but he mentioned in it that he was let go from Newhart because "Newhart decided he didn't like the focus being put on my character." (The second season of Newhart included a surprising number of episodes built around Kirk: he got married off, apparently in an attempt to make him more likable, and there were episodes about his dating life, proposal, and wedding among others.)

The other is a September 29, 1985 Associated Press article about Peter Scolari, who after being a guest star in season 2 was brought on as a regular in season 3 to replace Kampmann.

Quote:

The producers decided to make the switch when it became apparent that Kampmann's character had nowhere to go. The character was supposed to antagonize Newhart, but he had become too strong.
(...)
"When you have an obnoxious character you can go one way, as Danny DeVito did on 'Taxi,' and become a character you love to hate," said Scolari. "Or you can have a character who's obnoxious and doesn't realize it, as I do with Michael. This year Michael will be a lot more human. It's to avoid the same trap that Steven fell into, and to keep in step with the rest of the show."

10-27-2010, 02:55 PM	#1
catlover79 God Bless Val Forum Addict Join Date: May 29, 2006 Location: Bewitched in Ohio Posts: 70,376	What Steven Kampmann (Kirk Devane) Is Doing Now!! He is now an English teacher and acting coach at an all boys private school named Blair Academy in Blairstown, NJ. Here are a couple of photos - that's Mr. Kampmann in the red ball cap. Attached Images
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10-27-2010, 03:02 PM	#2
Marvo301 I'm NOT a Blockhead! Forum Celebrity Join Date: May 17, 2002 Location: The Great White North Posts: 21,450	Wow! He hasn't aged much at all! It's nice that he has found a place where he can pass on his knowledge and experience to a new generation of acting students.
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10-28-2010, 09:15 PM	#3
Miss Lisa Member Senior Member Join Date: Jan 08, 2005 Location: My very own Green Acres Posts: 1,113	That's pretty cool. I hear of famous people going on to teach, I just wish one would move out to Toledo for once, lol we need something exciting out here.
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03-14-2015, 03:29 PM	#7
Marvo301 I'm NOT a Blockhead! Forum Celebrity Join Date: May 17, 2002 Location: The Great White North Posts: 21,450	It's a shame his character on "Newhart' was so one dimensional. I feel like the writers just ran out of ideas for that character and that's why he was let go from the cast. It certainly wasn't because of his performance!