Which Mr. Wilson is Better?

[Scrabjan1]

Joe Kearns was so convincing as George Wilson they could never substitute another actor to play him so brought in John Wilson. Like Dick York was hands down the better Darrin Stevens.

The only reason I liked DTM was because of the relationship between Jay and Joe. Joe was perfectly crotchety.

[Wawwie]

George Wilson!

[OH Nuts!]

We agree again. Especially as I’m watching eps on the Antenna Marathon, Gale Gordon, great actor though he was, can’t hold a candle to Joseph Kearns—at least regarding this role.

[OH Nuts!]

Well, I do have to revise my response a bit. There was a very sweet episode where John Wilson hugs Dennis, only to have cake accidentally mushed into his shirt. At first he gets annoyed, but then ends up laughing. This scene, and others, make me realize what a great character actor Gale Gordon was.


Even thoughI still prefer Josepn Kearns, Gale Gordon does hold a candle. But Joseph came first, so that’s the tiebreaker for me. At the end of the day, Joseph Kearns will be “Mr.Wilson” to me.

[Liz81]

Definitely Joseph Kearns. He and Jay had way better chemistry. There's no better Mr. Wilson than him. I know many love Gale Gordon but I'm not a huge fan. I've seen him on The Lucy Show and I don't think he's the best actor. His acting seems forced or something.

The first three seasons were the best with Joseph Kearns and not only that. I think one of the biggest reason this show is so popular was because of Dennis' youth and because of his age, he was always causing trouble and that's what made the show funny. At the same time Gale Gordon joined the cast officially in Season 4 (I don't think he was actually cast in Season 3 after Joseph died but more like a guest, I guess), Dennis was maturing because Jay was getting older. The younger Dennis was just a little boy who caused trouble, wanted to run around and play and be with boys and not girls. He was never nice to Margaret. As Dennis got older, he started maturing, did away with his slingshot and overalls and started taking an interest in girls and was being nicer to Margaret. Everyone loved a little boy who caused trouble in a funny way, a boy who liked to bother other people, especially his next door neighbor and who was too young to take an interest in girls and his regular wardrobe every episode was classic. As Season 4 rolled around, Jay got older and so they couldn't make Dennis exactly as he used to be and the same fun and chemistry we saw was gone with Dennis' maturity and the sudden death of Joseph Kearns.

[stevea]

Yes, the fact that Jay was growing up is definitely a factor. The writers and producers recognized this, and thus the slingshot and baggy overalls exited, and the cowlick was less pronounced. Fewer blunders and more wisecracks from the younger kid, Seymour. And Dennis is 10 now and is waking up to girls, as shown in the first episode of season 4, where he really likes the Oriental girl. Comic strip Dennis never grows--he's always around 5--but real kids do.

They could have opted to just use Gordon as George, but I think it was wiser to cast him as a new character. So, out with Sylvia Field. Such is the life of an actor.

[king of comedy]

You can't stop puberty.

[Duster76]

stevea states:

"Yes, the fact that Jay was growing up is definitely a factor. The writers and producers recognized this, and thus the slingshot and baggy overalls exited, and the cowlick was less pronounced. Fewer blunders and more wisecracks from the younger kid, Seymour. And Dennis is 10 now and is waking up to girls, as shown in the first episode of season 4, where he really likes the Oriental girl. Comic strip Dennis never grows--he's always around 5--but real kids do.

They could have opted to just use Gordon as George, but I think it was wiser to cast him as a new character. So, out with Sylvia Field. Such is the life of an actor".

king of comedy states:

"You can't stop puberty".

When these two comments are put together, doesn't it bring one to the conclusion that for the good and survival of the series the part of Dennis should have been recast for season 4. There is no secret sauce here, "The Menace" was the key component that made the show "Dennis The Menace" work. Viewers were tuning in to see that character raise hell interacting with the world around him and especially interacting with Mr. Wilson. So Dennis being a menace was critical, redesigning that character to fit the maturing actor playing him changed the founding concept of the series. If the essence of Dennis The Menace isn't fully there then nothing else really matters and that includes who played Mr. Wilson.

The producers recognized the need to make changes they just zigged when they should have zagged.

[TV Guy]

While the episodes with Joseph Kearns were the best, Gale Gordon did a fine job under difficult circumstances. And Gordon was better in this show than he was on the various Lucy shows, where he frequently was over the top.

[schmave]

Originally Posted by Duster76

stevea states:

"Yes, the fact that Jay was growing up is definitely a factor. The writers and producers recognized this, and thus the slingshot and baggy overalls exited, and the cowlick was less pronounced. Fewer blunders and more wisecracks from the younger kid, Seymour. And Dennis is 10 now and is waking up to girls, as shown in the first episode of season 4, where he really likes the Oriental girl. Comic strip Dennis never grows--he's always around 5--but real kids do.

They could have opted to just use Gordon as George, but I think it was wiser to cast him as a new character. So, out with Sylvia Field. Such is the life of an actor".

king of comedy states:

"You can't stop puberty".

When these two comments are put together, doesn't it bring one to the conclusion that for the good and survival of the series the part of Dennis should have been recast for season 4. There is no secret sauce here, "The Menace" was the key component that made the show "Dennis The Menace" work. Viewers were tuning in to see that character raise hell interacting with the world around him and especially interacting with Mr. Wilson. So Dennis being a menace was critical, redesigning that character to fit the maturing actor playing him changed the founding concept of the series. If the essence of Dennis The Menace isn't fully there then nothing else really matters and that includes who played Mr. Wilson.

The producers recognized the need to make changes they just zigged when they should have zagged.

Thank goodness they did not take that approach. What an insult to the viewer that would have been to replace the central character and render the previous three seasons moot.
It stretched credulity enough that George Wilson suddenly went on a business trip and then, after being gone several weeks, he and Martha just up and decided to move from the town where they'd lived for who knows how long and were well-established.
In the process, they sold the house to his brother who sometimes acted as if he and Eloise never even visited the house prior to John's coming to stay with Martha and then Eloise joining him some weeks later.
That is realistic enough on its own, I suppose, but it was a far better move in comparison to, in essence, rebooting the series. Had that been the case, Jay North, Joseph Kearns and Sylvia Field would have been erased entirely, not to mention Tommy and Margaret who almost would have had to leave considering they were around Jay North's age.
I mean, there's a fair amount about the end of the third season and the entire fourth season that I don't like, largely that George and Martha were pretty much forgotten after the first several episodes. But considering what everyone involved with the show faced, they handled themselves well. The only thing I'd change would be the occasional implications that John and Eloise had been around for longer than they were, and keep in mind that George and Martha had been there first.

[Duster76]

Originally Posted by schmave

Thank goodness they did not take that approach. What an insult to the viewer that would have been to replace the central character and render the previous three seasons moot.
It stretched credulity enough that George Wilson suddenly went on a business trip and then, after being gone several weeks, he and Martha just up and decided to move from the town where they'd lived for who knows how long and were well-established.
In the process, they sold the house to his brother who sometimes acted as if he and Eloise never even visited the house prior to John's coming to stay with Martha and then Eloise joining him some weeks later.
That is realistic enough on its own, I suppose, but it was a far better move in comparison to, in essence, rebooting the series. Had that been the case, Jay North, Joseph Kearns and Sylvia Field would have been erased entirely, not to mention Tommy and Margaret who almost would have had to leave considering they were around Jay North's age.
I mean, there's a fair amount about the end of the third season and the entire fourth season that I don't like, largely that George and Martha were pretty much forgotten after the first several episodes. But considering what everyone involved with the show faced, they handled themselves well. The only thing I'd change would be the occasional implications that John and Eloise had been around for longer than they were, and keep in mind that George and Martha had been there first.

"What an insult to the viewer that would have been"

The viewer was insulted that's the reason so many stopped watching resulting in the show's cancellation!

The show was not Dennis, or Dennis Mitchell, or The Jay North show, it was Dennis THE MENACE that's why people were tuning in to begin with. If Jay could no longer play that role (again no fault of his own) then he had to be replaced. The producers had three choices, one, try to get another year out of North playing Dennis the Menace, two, replace Jay with a younger actor and stay true to the original premise, three, allow Dennis to grow older and tone his character down. The producers took the third choice, it didn't work, and the show was cancelled. Unlike shows like Leave It To Beaver, Father Knows Best or The Donna Reed Show which were built from the ground up, this series had a structure when it was handed to the producers and writers, Dennis The Menace wasn't conceived in a manner or structure that works with an older Dennis. Simply put, the older Dennis wasn't as funny or interesting as the younger Dennis.

[schmave]

I agree with much of what you said, especially the last line. The fourth season wasn't great for that reason combined with no Joseph Kearns. Even if Kearns still had been healthy, I don't think the show would have gone past that fourth season.
It probably could have ended after three seasons and people would have been fine with that, especially after Joseph Kearns died. Those final episodes of the third season, other than "Dennis and the Witch Doctor," would have been suitable to end the series.

[Hazel Anyday]

Actually, realistically speaking if some producers out there wanted more Dennis shows the best way to do that would just allow the original show die either the way it did or after the 3rd season. And THEN a few years later they could then bring the series back "retooled", as they say, with a whole new cast and in color too. This way people wouldn't be angry the show ignored George Wilson and would have looked on the new Dennis as a whole new series with a new George and a new everyone else.

[OH Nuts!]

Originally Posted by Hazel Anyday

Actually, realistically speaking if some producers out there wanted more Dennis shows the best way to do that would just allow the original show die either the way it did or after the 3rd season. And THEN a few years later they could then bring the series back "retooled", as they say, with a whole new cast and in color too. This way people wouldn't be angry the show ignored George Wilson and would have looked on the new Dennis as a whole new series with a new George and a new everyone else.

Not a bad idea. Would have been interesting to watch a new rendition had one actually rolled out.

[Duster76]

Originally Posted by Hazel Anyday

Actually, realistically speaking if some producers out there wanted more Dennis shows the best way to do that would just allow the original show die either the way it did or after the 3rd season. And THEN a few years later they could then bring the series back "retooled", as they say, with a whole new cast and in color too. This way people wouldn't be angry the show ignored George Wilson and would have looked on the new Dennis as a whole new series with a new George and a new everyone else.

It would have been difficult for the production company to give up that spot in the CBS line-up and hope to get it back in the future. That said, something like that might have worked. My Favorite Martian ran for 3 seasons, followed by It's About Time for an additional season before CBS returned that timeslot to another child led series, Gentle Ben. A Dennis The Menace reboot would have been a much better option than a boy and his 1,200 pound Bear.