Did any of the cast EVER comment on Ted Knight's health?

[SitcomsHeydayfan]

I've seen several interviews of the cast since Knight died but none of them said they noticed his failing health. Unlike some of you I don't see any significant difference with Ted Knight on screen between season 1 and season 6. I just see a new mole appear in his left cheek. LOL.

If there was any significant difference in Ted's health while he was alive wouldn't the cast have mentioned it at least after he died?

[TMC]

A theory of the production schedule during the first-run syndication seasons:

The fourth season episodes (that began airing in April 1984) I think were produced in late 1983 into 1984. Then, I think it's safe to say that the two subsequent seasons were shot between August 1984-March 1985 and August 1985-March 1986, respectively. The August-March time table is usually when shows shoot, especially those that air typical September-May seasons. However, that schedule clearly worked even for this series, which was airing its seasons from April to November in syndication (or, in the case of the final season, April to the next February).

Keep in mind, Ted Knight was obviously still in enough shape to act in the Season 1 finale of The Ted Knight Show (which I assume was "Lisa Goes Lottery Loco", unless the production order was different), so that must have been a safe 3-4 months before Knight's passing.

[SitcomsHeydayfan]

The shocking thing is several episodes of season 6 aired AFTER Knight died!

This was such a great show & Knight was SO good in it I wish they filmed a few more episodes in those final months.

[TMC]

Being there for Ted Knight

Jun 12, 2015 Updated Jul 13, 2018 0

I had originally declined doing stand-in work in Hollywood because I was afraid it would hurt my chances of getting cast in on-camera speaking roles. Hollywood is a neurotic place, and an actor can easily get trapped into one area of the entertainment industry and never get out of it. But after I stood in so successfully for both Jerry Lewis on the film “Slap-stick” and Jim J. Bullock on the TV show “Too Close for Comfort,” I decided to accept more stand-in work if it was offered.

What is stand-in work, you might ask? Well, the stars of the show originally set the scenes with the director, and then unknown actors rehearse the stars’ scenes while the stars retire to their dressing rooms to learn lines, rest or do whatever stars do in their dressing rooms. These unknown actors are called rehearsal stand-ins, and after the stand-ins have rehearsed, the stars come back to the set for final adjustments to the scenes before shooting them. In the case of “Too Close for Comfort,” Jim J. Bullock was home sick with the flu, so I did full rehearsals for him for almost three days.

After standing in for Jim, a couple of years passed, but no one called me to do stand-in work. Then the phone rang one Friday afternoon in 1985, and it was Donna Anderson, the casting assistant from the old “Too Close for Comfort” show. I say “old,” because Ted Knight and Jim J. Bullock were now starring in a sequel to “Too Close for Comfort” called “The Ted Knight Show.” (You might also remember Ted from the “Mary Tyler Moore Show” during the early 1970s. He played the quirky newscaster Ted Baxter on that show.)

Donna explained to me that Ted Knight was battling cancer, and his doctor had suggested that the show hire a rehearsal stand-in, which would allow Ted to spend a large part of each day resting. I knew that I would have to rearrange my schedule in order to be available, but I was touched by the situation and wanted to do this for Ted. I told Donna, “I’ll be there Monday morning.”

Starting out the week on the show was a new experience because I got to sit in on the initial read-through of the script. Afterward, I observed Ted and the cast as they blocked a couple of the scenes. The AD (assistant director) then told Ted that he should go to his dressing room and rest while I rehearsed the scenes for him. Ted’s immediate reaction was, “I don’t need to do that. I can rehearse my own scenes.”

The AD retorted, “Ted, we promised your doctor that we would have a stand-in here. You remember Mac. He used to stand in for Jim.”

“Of course,” Ted reacted, “It’s not about Mac.” He then loudly proclaimed, “I just don’t need anyone else to rehearse my scenes!” Ted had a look of great concern on his face.

My heart went out to Ted Knight at that moment. I pondered, “Oh, dear, what have I gotten myself in to?” I began to feel quite uneasy.

The AD explained to Ted that they had set up a monitor in his dressing room, and he could watch the rehearsal. With a lot of prodding, Ted finally exited for his dressing room, but he was not a happy camper. I inhaled and knew that the pressure was on me. No one had told me that Ted would be watching my every move on a monitor. But I reminded myself that this was probably the lowest time in Ted Knight’s life, and I needed to be very patient and understanding of his feelings.

For another hour or so, I rehearsed a couple of Ted’s scenes with the director and other cast members. Then the moment came when, from the corner of my eye, I caught a glimpse of Ted standing over to the side of the set. He was smiling at me, and as I looked his way, he gave me an OK sign with his hand. I mouthed, “Thanks, Ted.” Then the AD yelled “break time.” Ted Knight walked over to me and softly said, “Thank you for doing this for me.” He patted me on the shoulder, and I replied, “It’s an honor to stand in for you, Ted, and I’ll try to be here as much as you need me.” Tears welled up in his eyes, and he whispered, “Thanks.” As he quietly turned and walked away, I knew, as trite as it might sound, that even God can use a stand-in.

I sat down and thought about both Jerry Lewis and Ted Knight. If Jerry had brought me great joy during my childhood, then Ted had certainly been the one to help brighten my young adult years. I recalled how I used to postpone Saturday night plans until after the “Mary Tyler Moore Show.” I had always gotten a special kick out of Ted Knight as the hilarious anchorman Ted Baxter on this hit sitcom.

I worked only a few more days on “The Ted Knight Show.” I was told by the casting office that Ted’s health was quickly failing and he needed a break.

To my knowledge, the show never taped again. Sometime in 1986, I read the disheartening news that Ted Knight had passed away at much too early an age. And I was never to work as a stand-in again.

[michelala]

^Thanks for posting. What an honor to stand in for Ted Knight.

Ted's health certainly seemed to fail quickly. I listened to a Gavin MacLeod interview a few years back and he was one of the few people that knew about him getting cancer during the last season of the MTM show. Luckily it went into remission for years but came back and spread quickly in 1985-86.