If able to work would Dick York have been offered a new contract after Season 5? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Larry Tate · 03-04-2020, 05:57 PM

If able to work would Dick York have been offered a new contract after Season 5?

This is a difficult question to answer, it really could be taken in either direction with one or the other
being just as likely as the other to be the answer to it.

After Season 3 William Froug the producer that season said that Elizabeth Montgomery wanted Dick York fired
and replaced as Darrin, both William Asher & Harry Ackerman thought he was so good in the role that and the show was
going so well with the present cast wanted to keep the status co.

They managed to talk Liz into letting York keep the part.
The question is that after season 5 if York had not had to quiet due to physical ailments would William Asher & Harry Ackerman
felt as strongly about keeping him or would they have been more willing to go along with Liz's request he be replaced.

They may have been more sympathetic to Liz's view, as well if they felt York's health problems were getting worse they may have felt now was
the time to cut the cord as well as per their concern of the money it was costing Screen Gems and the Asher's as time is money in the Biz and York's inconsistent
availability affected production schedules and crew idling time caused lost income to all that owned the show.

I am sure it occurred to them that he could only go on so long and that if they signed him up for 4 more seasons and he broke down as he indeed did
,then they could find themselves without a Darrin as in deed happened in season 5, so their concern on such a event taking place would have affected their
view on the matter resulting in their switching and going with Liz on this one.

It has been stated as well that ABC wanted York out for quite some time for much the same reason.
However this would have been more to the tune of the instability he caused on their flagship show that so much
of their profit was based on, he in their view was a threat to the show by his absence at times and by their not knowing
on any given week if he was going to be able to make it to work that week.

I assume ABC paid a flat rate to Screen Gems per episode so if York caused any episodes to be more expensive
by his inconsistency in availability, then that would have been on Screen Gems dime not ABC's.

Liz most likely still felt the same way for the same reasons and would have wished him out as Darrin.

It well might be that his still being only in year 3 of 5 of his contract had contributed to his being kept on in 1967, but with his contract having expired after season 5 that the powers that be may well have felt that simply not renewing his contract rather then firing him would give them cover from the press and fans in letting him go after season 5.

Even if he managed to deal with his back problems through the end of season 5, this all could well have resulted in Dick York being fired and not being offered a new contract, unlike all the other cast members who of course were offered new contracts and were resigned.

At the same time it is quite possible that what had irked Liz in 1967 had faded in her mind and that she would be willing to continue to work with Dick York as she had in the two previous seasons after her request that he be replaced, after all she had problems with Dick York for most of the first 5 years of the show re his availability and yet she and Asher were willing to keep him on the show for the good of the show, this view in Liz's mind may have become paramount once again leading to his getting a new contract.

William Asher and Harry Ackerman could well have still felt the same way on the matter as in 1967 and insisted he be resigned for the good of the show.

ABC could well have felt that he had made it through 5 years so there was no reason to think that would not continue and after all it was on Screen Gems dime not theirs.

As a result if he could have held up a few more months Dick York could well have been offered a new contract with no additional creative power or billing but with a good sized raise for his work well done.

As i say it could go either way one as likely as the other, and one can't know what the truth is about what lay before him if he did not have to quit, unless Andy Ackermen or perhaps Richard Michaels come forward to illustrate the truth in this matter we shall be forever wondering as to the answer to this question.

Myself i don't think York coming back or not had any impact on Elizabeth Montgomery's decision on continuing the show or not.

In the end i believe the concern they had about Dick York's future availability and that his back condition might deteriorate would have let Bill Asher & Harry Ackerman to side with Elizabeth Montgomery and with ABC agreeing have Dick York fired and not offered a new contract and have him replaced as Darrin.

An interesting sub plot to this is that near the end of season four Dick York pulled a Larry Hagman style power & $$$$ grab trying to get a lot more of both with a sick out that was disingenuous in nature.

Basically he hurt his back in a fall and when it was ok after 2 weeks he milked it for several more trying to force a new long term contract when he still had a year to go.

This was not well received by Liz and Bill who spoke publicly in an interview on the matter and expressed the view that York was trying to pull a fast one at that time, he even offered to take York to the Hospital to get him looked at by specialists with York declining the offer.

When it looked at that time that he might be replaced with hints from Screen Gems that if the role was too much for him physically then he should just stay home for good he made a swift recovery.

He wanted to report to the set right away but was told by the producers that they were already committed to a Non-Darrin script costing him several thousand $$$ for the episode he missed.

A Majority of Two was the one i am referencing here that he was in effect banned from the set and prevented from doing even when he indicated he could.

Point being that there could well have been some additional resentment on behalf of Liz, Bill & Harry Ackerman towards Dick York as a result of his sickout that would have made them think differently towards his unreliability and from that if they were willing to put up with it and resign him after season five.

tcr1701 · 03-04-2020, 07:06 PM

That's quite a "history" you have written there. Do you have and unpublished book sitting in a drawer "The REAL Story of Bewitched" by Larry Tate. Absolutely none of this has ever been printed anywhere but here and is totally unverifiable. It's odd, though, that you write this as if it's historical fact when it really reads like a continual quest to besmirch Dick York's reputation.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Larry Tate

They managed to talk Liz into letting York keep the part.

Bill Asher has stated that York's back problems and occasional unavailability made ABC execs nervous and wanted to replace York. Asher always said no because he knew how good York was. It's a safe bet Asher would have said no to Elizabeth too - and obviously did since he stay on. See Asher's interview https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_c...ature=emb_logo

If Froug's comments about Elizabeth wanting York gone around season 3 are true, Asher would have again said no to her. And you always ignore the fact that Froug's comments about York looking at Elizabeth "lovingly" was not an attack on York - he was saying Elizabeth was a cold and unfeeling woman who did not want to be loved. I'd think that would set you off since you adore her so. But that never bothers you...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Larry Tate

Dick York could well have been offered a new contract with no additional creative power or billing but with a good sized raise for his work well done.

Again you assert with no proof Dick York demanded creative control. Dick York could barely get out of bed most mornings (from his won writings). Why in the world would he want creative control and more work to do. York himself said he had hoped to finish the run of Bewitched then get a show of his own.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Larry Tate

An interesting sub plot to this is that near the end of season four Dick York pulled a Larry Hagman style power & $$$$ grab trying to get a lot more of both with a sick out that was disingenuous in nature.

Says who? This has never been written anywhere but here by you. And if you claim it came from a 1960s TV/Movie gossip magazine that says it all.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Larry Tate

Basically he hurt his back in a fall and when it was ok after 2 weeks he milked it for several more trying to force a new long term contract when he still had a year to go.This was not well received by Liz and Bill who spoke publicly in an interview on the matter and expressed the view that York was trying to pull a fast one at that time, he even offered to take York to the Hospital to get him looked at by specialists with York declining the offer.

Please provide the interview for this wildly fanciful tale.

Honestly, what is the point of this? There's stuff in here you didn't have Herbie Pilato include in his books which you claim to have been his researcher on.

merlinjones · 03-04-2020, 07:10 PM

I wonder if contract extension has something to do with it - typically the contracts would expire at season 5 - in this case that's what we know about Ashmont taking over the show with a new 5 year extension - so the replacement of Darrins happenning at that juncture seems likely not a coincidence.

tcr1701 · 03-04-2020, 07:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by merlinjones

I wonder if contract extension has something to do with it - typically the contracts would expire at season 5 - in this case that's what we know about Ashmont taking over the show with a new 5 year extension - so the replacement of Darrins happenning at that juncture seems likely not a coincidence.

Jackie Cooper wrote in his book that Screen Gems got a lucrative syndication deal if Elizabeth would sign on past season 5 (i.e. getting more episodes to syndicate). He rushed to talk her into it by throwing money at her...but not as much as she could have gotten had she known about the syndication deal. So she made out well, but it was pretty sneaky of Cooper. Bill Asher stated Elizabeth originally wanted to end it at season 5.

Joey York - Dick's wife told us on the Harpies Bizarre board that ABC execs came to their house to see if there was any way York could continue - not because they cared we now know but because of the syndication deal. When it was obvious York could not go on - Joey did not want him to if he could - they went to Dick Sargent.

merlinjones · 03-04-2020, 08:42 PM

Sargent cost less!

Larry Tate · 03-05-2020, 01:26 PM

This is all common knowledge, if you don't know these things then you are not qualified to even comment on this page, i mean do you even know there was a Bewitched TV show.?

No merely an eternal quest to ensure the Bewitched fans out there know the truth and facts of the show rather then your agenda driven lies.

So a woman being sexually and emotionally harassed and almost stalked is supposed to respond lovingly and warmly to that type of behavior?
Liz's reaction to his conduct was natural and the way any woman would react to such conduct.
Your more twisted then even i could imagine.!!!!!!

Again i have proof of York's power play, from industry insiders, Bill & Liz as well in their own words.
Your thoughts are Yorks situation at the time are moot, his are not.
Froug's comments were not an attack on anybody, merely am observation of what he was seeing which is what i have recounted, he never said anything about Liz being cold and uncaring about her reaction to York's behavior.

More deflecting and obfuscation on your part.

There is much that Herbie Pilato chose not to include in his Bewitched or Liz Bio. and yes i was his primary researcher on his Elizabeth Montgomery Biography.

tcr1701 · 03-05-2020, 02:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Larry Tate

Again i have proof of York's power play, from industry insiders, Bill & Liz as well in their own words.

Words only you can hear?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Larry Tate

No merely an eternal quest to ensure the Bewitched fans out there know the truth and facts of the show rather then your agenda driven lies.

yes - your made-up almost day by day "truth" of what happened 55 years ago from people you've never met. And you never provide actual documentation to back up this history you are determined to make people believe. Saying it is "historical fact" doesn't make it so. There has to be actual evidence. The only
agenda" I have would be to counter obvious mis-truths I can back up with real evidence. But clearly your fantasy-laden history is more important to you.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Larry Tate

Your thoughts are Yorks situation at the time are moot, his are not.
Froug's comments were not an attack on anybody, merely am observation of what he was seeing which is what i have recounted, he never said anything about Liz being cold and uncaring about her reaction to York's behavior.

um...Froug stated that she was "a tough cookie...and nuts." Herbie left the "and nuts" part out of his book for some reason. But research the actual statement beginning at 45 minutes.

https://interviews.televisionacademy...8#people-clips

Larry Tate · 03-05-2020, 04:19 PM

Your referring to yourself hearing things again?
No factual accurate truthful recounting from the people actually were there 55 years ago which i might add you were not.

Their actual words are all the truth needed, documented in both words and video.

Being corroborated historical fact makes it so, your rejoinders are merely hysterical.
Froug words were in reference to how she dealt with people who were doing her wrong, not how he viewed her reactions to Yorks actions.

All you have is repeated deflection, obfuscation and deluded argumentative debating tactics.

[QUOTE=tcr1701;5691591]Words only you can hear?

tcr1701 · 03-05-2020, 04:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Larry Tate

All you have is repeated deflection, obfuscation and deluded argumentative debating tactics.

What about froug calling your beloved Elizabeth "nuts." No reaction to that? And I am not saying I agree with Froug about her. I don't. I think he had an axe to grind.

Monliz · 03-05-2020, 05:12 PM

Froug's words about Liz being nuts it's just his opinion, but what he said about York mooning at her longingly it wasn't his opinion, it was something he saw, it was a fact.

tcr1701 · 03-05-2020, 05:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Monliz

Froug's words about Liz being nuts it's just his opinion, but what he said about York mooning at her longingly it wasn't his opinion, it was something he saw, it was a fact.

What he saw was his interpretation as he admits. Froug said (if you don't want to watch the clip):

I think the truth was - and nobody will know - I think Dick was madly in love with Liz. He would off camera lie there - he had to lie on a back board. He hurt his back in a jeep accident and he would lie there just looking at her like longingly. It was pretty clear he was smitten. It was equally clear she couldn't stand him because of that. Liz was the kind of woman if you loved her you were in trouble. She was a touch cookie. And nuts.

As Froug said, nobody will ever know. That was his interpretation of things. Another biographer - the Pintar Youtube video - she didn't like him because his absences messed up her schedule and it irritated her (which he claims came directly from conversations with Bill Asher). But Froug was right - we will NEVER know now.

Monliz · 03-05-2020, 05:50 PM

"he would lie there just looking at her like longingly" this is not just a perception or an opinion , this is something Froug saw.

And Frough was absolute right when he said York was in love with Liz, because York himself admitted in his book that was in love with Elizabeth Montgomery. So yes, we know.

Larry Tate · 03-05-2020, 06:04 PM

Absolutely right, She was ticked off at York for harassing her with his unwanted attentions on the set as well as his unreliability to be on the set which caused untold problems and $$$ lost for those running the show Liz included.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Monliz

"he would lie there just looking at her like longingly" this is not just a perception or an opinion , this is something Froug saw.

And Frough was absolute right when he said York was in love with Liz, because York himself admitted in his book that was in love with Elizabeth Montgomery. So yes, we know.

Willbo · 03-05-2020, 06:10 PM

Monliz, it is so ridiculous what you pick and choose what to believe and not believe. Froug said DY was in love with EM. He also said she was nuts. But you only believe what he says about DY and not EM even though it came out of his mouth. I do not agree with what he said but you are in denial about anything negative that someone would say about EM.

Willbo · 03-05-2020, 06:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Larry Tate

Absolutely right, She was ticked off at York for harassing her with his unwanted attentions on the set as well as his unreliability to be on the set which caused untold problems and $$$ lost for those running the show Liz included.

Then why would the Asher's keep asking the York's out for dinner is she was so bothered by him? This seems contradictory to what you keep saying.

03-04-2020, 05:57 PM	#1
Larry Tate Member Senior Member Join Date: Dec 26, 2001 Location: Vancouver, Canada Posts: 1,569	If able to work would Dick York have been offered a new contract after Season 5? If able to work would Dick York have been offered a new contract after Season 5? This is a difficult question to answer, it really could be taken in either direction with one or the other being just as likely as the other to be the answer to it. After Season 3 William Froug the producer that season said that Elizabeth Montgomery wanted Dick York fired and replaced as Darrin, both William Asher & Harry Ackerman thought he was so good in the role that and the show was going so well with the present cast wanted to keep the status co. They managed to talk Liz into letting York keep the part. The question is that after season 5 if York had not had to quiet due to physical ailments would William Asher & Harry Ackerman felt as strongly about keeping him or would they have been more willing to go along with Liz's request he be replaced. They may have been more sympathetic to Liz's view, as well if they felt York's health problems were getting worse they may have felt now was the time to cut the cord as well as per their concern of the money it was costing Screen Gems and the Asher's as time is money in the Biz and York's inconsistent availability affected production schedules and crew idling time caused lost income to all that owned the show. I am sure it occurred to them that he could only go on so long and that if they signed him up for 4 more seasons and he broke down as he indeed did ,then they could find themselves without a Darrin as in deed happened in season 5, so their concern on such a event taking place would have affected their view on the matter resulting in their switching and going with Liz on this one. It has been stated as well that ABC wanted York out for quite some time for much the same reason. However this would have been more to the tune of the instability he caused on their flagship show that so much of their profit was based on, he in their view was a threat to the show by his absence at times and by their not knowing on any given week if he was going to be able to make it to work that week. I assume ABC paid a flat rate to Screen Gems per episode so if York caused any episodes to be more expensive by his inconsistency in availability, then that would have been on Screen Gems dime not ABC's. Liz most likely still felt the same way for the same reasons and would have wished him out as Darrin. It well might be that his still being only in year 3 of 5 of his contract had contributed to his being kept on in 1967, but with his contract having expired after season 5 that the powers that be may well have felt that simply not renewing his contract rather then firing him would give them cover from the press and fans in letting him go after season 5. Even if he managed to deal with his back problems through the end of season 5, this all could well have resulted in Dick York being fired and not being offered a new contract, unlike all the other cast members who of course were offered new contracts and were resigned. At the same time it is quite possible that what had irked Liz in 1967 had faded in her mind and that she would be willing to continue to work with Dick York as she had in the two previous seasons after her request that he be replaced, after all she had problems with Dick York for most of the first 5 years of the show re his availability and yet she and Asher were willing to keep him on the show for the good of the show, this view in Liz's mind may have become paramount once again leading to his getting a new contract. William Asher and Harry Ackerman could well have still felt the same way on the matter as in 1967 and insisted he be resigned for the good of the show. ABC could well have felt that he had made it through 5 years so there was no reason to think that would not continue and after all it was on Screen Gems dime not theirs. As a result if he could have held up a few more months Dick York could well have been offered a new contract with no additional creative power or billing but with a good sized raise for his work well done. As i say it could go either way one as likely as the other, and one can't know what the truth is about what lay before him if he did not have to quit, unless Andy Ackermen or perhaps Richard Michaels come forward to illustrate the truth in this matter we shall be forever wondering as to the answer to this question. Myself i don't think York coming back or not had any impact on Elizabeth Montgomery's decision on continuing the show or not. In the end i believe the concern they had about Dick York's future availability and that his back condition might deteriorate would have let Bill Asher & Harry Ackerman to side with Elizabeth Montgomery and with ABC agreeing have Dick York fired and not offered a new contract and have him replaced as Darrin. An interesting sub plot to this is that near the end of season four Dick York pulled a Larry Hagman style power & $$$$ grab trying to get a lot more of both with a sick out that was disingenuous in nature. Basically he hurt his back in a fall and when it was ok after 2 weeks he milked it for several more trying to force a new long term contract when he still had a year to go. This was not well received by Liz and Bill who spoke publicly in an interview on the matter and expressed the view that York was trying to pull a fast one at that time, he even offered to take York to the Hospital to get him looked at by specialists with York declining the offer. When it looked at that time that he might be replaced with hints from Screen Gems that if the role was too much for him physically then he should just stay home for good he made a swift recovery. He wanted to report to the set right away but was told by the producers that they were already committed to a Non-Darrin script costing him several thousand $$$ for the episode he missed. A Majority of Two was the one i am referencing here that he was in effect banned from the set and prevented from doing even when he indicated he could. Point being that there could well have been some additional resentment on behalf of Liz, Bill & Harry Ackerman towards Dick York as a result of his sickout that would have made them think differently towards his unreliability and from that if they were willing to put up with it and resign him after season five.

03-04-2020, 07:10 PM	#3
merlinjones Member Forum Regular Join Date: Dec 30, 2019 Location: los ángeles Posts: 933	I wonder if contract extension has something to do with it - typically the contracts would expire at season 5 - in this case that's what we know about Ashmont taking over the show with a new 5 year extension - so the replacement of Darrins happenning at that juncture seems likely not a coincidence.

03-04-2020, 08:42 PM	#5
merlinjones Member Forum Regular Join Date: Dec 30, 2019 Location: los ángeles Posts: 933	Sargent cost less!

03-05-2020, 01:26 PM	#6
Larry Tate Member Senior Member Join Date: Dec 26, 2001 Location: Vancouver, Canada Posts: 1,569	This is all common knowledge, if you don't know these things then you are not qualified to even comment on this page, i mean do you even know there was a Bewitched TV show.? No merely an eternal quest to ensure the Bewitched fans out there know the truth and facts of the show rather then your agenda driven lies. So a woman being sexually and emotionally harassed and almost stalked is supposed to respond lovingly and warmly to that type of behavior? Liz's reaction to his conduct was natural and the way any woman would react to such conduct. Your more twisted then even i could imagine.!!!!!! Again i have proof of York's power play, from industry insiders, Bill & Liz as well in their own words. Your thoughts are Yorks situation at the time are moot, his are not. Froug's comments were not an attack on anybody, merely am observation of what he was seeing which is what i have recounted, he never said anything about Liz being cold and uncaring about her reaction to York's behavior. More deflecting and obfuscation on your part. There is much that Herbie Pilato chose not to include in his Bewitched or Liz Bio. and yes i was his primary researcher on his Elizabeth Montgomery Biography.

03-05-2020, 04:19 PM	#8
Larry Tate Member Senior Member Join Date: Dec 26, 2001 Location: Vancouver, Canada Posts: 1,569	Your referring to yourself hearing things again? No factual accurate truthful recounting from the people actually were there 55 years ago which i might add you were not. Their actual words are all the truth needed, documented in both words and video. Being corroborated historical fact makes it so, your rejoinders are merely hysterical. Froug words were in reference to how she dealt with people who were doing her wrong, not how he viewed her reactions to Yorks actions. All you have is repeated deflection, obfuscation and deluded argumentative debating tactics. [QUOTE=tcr1701;5691591]Words only you can hear?

03-05-2020, 05:12 PM	#10
Monliz Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Oct 26, 2019 Location: Miami Posts: 253	Froug's words about Liz being nuts it's just his opinion, but what he said about York mooning at her longingly it wasn't his opinion, it was something he saw, it was a fact.

03-05-2020, 05:50 PM	#12
Monliz Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Oct 26, 2019 Location: Miami Posts: 253	"he would lie there just looking at her like longingly" this is not just a perception or an opinion , this is something Froug saw. And Frough was absolute right when he said York was in love with Liz, because York himself admitted in his book that was in love with Elizabeth Montgomery. So yes, we know.

03-05-2020, 06:10 PM	#14
Willbo Member Forum Regular Join Date: Feb 10, 2012 Location: Chattanooga, TN Posts: 863	Monliz, it is so ridiculous what you pick and choose what to believe and not believe. Froug said DY was in love with EM. He also said she was nuts. But you only believe what he says about DY and not EM even though it came out of his mouth. I do not agree with what he said but you are in denial about anything negative that someone would say about EM.