Was Gale Gordon a one-trick pony

[dee2364]

It doesn't make any sense to call him a one trick pony. Gale Gordon was a character actor, and character actors are people who specialize in one type of role or are the "go to" man or woman you always get to play a specific type of person. If we're going to call him a one trick pony, we might as well start calling Lucille Ball and Bea Arthur that, too.

He also got typecast, like Frank Nelson. Once everyone loved him as the foil on Our Miss Brooks, everyone wanted to see that again and again and again with Lucy, so that's why he wound up playing Mr. Mooney and was dragged out of retirement to play Lucy's husband on Life with Lucy.

[DJM77]

Originally Posted by dee2364

He also got typecast, like Frank Nelson. Once everyone loved him as the foil on Our Miss Brooks, everyone wanted to see that again and again and again with Lucy, so that's why he wound up playing Mr. Mooney and was dragged out of retirement to play Lucy's husband on Life with Lucy.

He didn't play her husband on Life with Lucy.

[stevea]

Originally Posted by TV Guy

Gale Gordon could be very funny when he gave controlled performances (as in “Dennis the Menace” or his early days on “The Lucy Show”). In those episodes, he came across as likable and put-upon. Later on, he overplayed the anger of his characters, and was just downright annoying.

His timing and reactions were really good on "Dennis." He played really well with Sara Seegar; I think they were a funnier combo than Jos. Kearns and Sylvia Field.

I also agree, he played well early on in the Lucy Show, but the later constant office bickering with Lucy got old pretty quickly. It might have worked better if she had not become his secretary, and was merely an outside thorn in his side, as she was before the move to California (another of those situations where they both just happened to make the move).