Season 5-Episode 8 (The Curse)

[WatcherofOldTV]

This episode is the one that was supposedly the beginning of an idea the producers had of spinning Kevin off into his own show.

Anatol was going to be a new character/roomate (a foil for Kevin) and had previously auditioned in a similar way as Balki for Perfect Strangers.

The idea never got off the ground but was going to be entitled "Livin' It Up", and Bruno (landlord) was going to have a wife played by Nancy Walker. It was rumored that his assistant would be played by Cheech Marin.
Neighbor was going to be Rose Marie, a loud overbearing person who is really sweet on the inside but complains all the time.

[Bonniegirl]

Originally Posted by WatcherofOldTV

This episode is the one that was supposedly the beginning of an idea the producers had of spinning Kevin off into his own show.

Anatol was going to be a new character/roomate (a foil for Kevin) and had previously auditioned in a similar way as Balki for Perfect Strangers.

The idea never got off the ground but was going to be entitled "Livin' It Up", and Bruno (landlord) was going to have a wife played by Nancy Walker. It was rumored that his assistant would be played by Cheech Marin.
Neighbor was going to be Rose Marie, a loud overbearing person who is really sweet on the inside but complains all the time.

Oh wow that would have been cool!!! I liked that foreign roommate and his pet goat!!!

[Vahan]

Originally Posted by WatcherofOldTV

This episode is the one that was supposedly the beginning of an idea the producers had of spinning Kevin off into his own show.

Anatol was going to be a new character/roomate (a foil for Kevin) and had previously auditioned in a similar way as Balki for Perfect Strangers.

The idea never got off the ground but was going to be entitled "Livin' It Up", and Bruno (landlord) was going to have a wife played by Nancy Walker. It was rumored that his assistant would be played by Cheech Marin.
Neighbor was going to be Rose Marie, a loud overbearing person who is really sweet on the inside but complains all the time.

Where did this come from that they intended "The Curse" to be a backdoor pilot?

[WatcherofOldTV]

Originally Posted by Vahan

Where did this come from that they intended "The Curse" to be a backdoor pilot?

I remember reading it in the TV Guide at the time.

Family Ties had a spinoff pilot in the works too, with the father (Mr. Keaton)'s co-worker and his family who are black and live in a white neighborhood. However, producers worried that it bring too much controversy. Roxie Roker was in the works as a possible re-cast for the wife.

[glickmam]

Originally Posted by Bonniegirl

Oh wow that would have been cool!!! I liked that foreign roommate and his pet goat!!!

I don't know. It seems to me to be too much of a knockoff of Perfect Strangers.