Very few sitcoms audition the leads - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

jamesanthony · 06-10-2004, 12:52 PM

It just dawned on me that most sitcoms are designed for certain personalities, stand up comics, entertainers or actors. There are very few I can think of where the lead or leads had to audition to be cast into the show. All in the Family, One Day at a Time, Cheers .... I can't think of any other show that was a hit like this. I don't include shows that had unknowns as the stars because many of these were developed for those people (The Big House with Kevin Hart was a recent example- he was one of the producers and the show was based on that guy's life even though no one had ever realy heard of him as a performer).

Some others I'm not sure of where the lead(s) may have had to audition: Soap, Family Affair, MASH, Barney Miller, Dsigning Women ???

FamilyTiesGOP · 06-10-2004, 02:59 PM

Family Ties was like that. I don't know about Meredith Baxter or Michael Gross, but the person who eventually become the lead (in my mind and in the awards) was Michael J. Fox. And the creator didn't even want him at first and he had to read again for him to get the part.

jamesanthony · 06-10-2004, 04:14 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by FamilyTiesGOP
Family Ties was like that. I don't know about Meredith Baxter or Michael Gross, but the person who eventually become the lead (in my mind and in the awards) was Michael J. Fox. And the creator didn't even want him at first and he had to read again for him to get the part.

This is true about Fox. He was considered a supporting player at first. I think Meredith Baxter's part was created with her in mind or for her though. SHe had been a graduate of 2 other shows so she was a "bankable" talent. As I thought of the shows I just realized that the networks don't put up sitcoms too often without some person who is already an established personality, if not on TV in some other entertainment arena.

Chambers · 06-10-2004, 05:26 PM

I think most of the shows that have auditions are shows with an ensemble cast - like Cheers. It's safer. If one of the unknown leads screws up, they can fall back on one of the other characters.

Then again...even Friends started off with a bankable star: Courtney Cox.

What about shows like Just Shoot Me and Wings?

tvfan0101 · 06-10-2004, 05:33 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by DianeDiane
Then again...even Friends started off with a bankable star: Courtney Cox.

To be fair, Courtney Cox really wasn't a bankable star. She was just the most well-known of the cast, having appeared on Family Ties for a while in a respected role and in several other shows, commercials and one memorable music video. I wouldn't call that bankable but there was name recognition.

Chambers · 06-10-2004, 05:44 PM

Right. I only meant she was the one they were counting on to get word out about the show. By no means a big name, but a recognizable name nonetheless.

jamesanthony · 06-10-2004, 10:54 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by DianeDiane

I think most of the shows that have auditions are shows with an ensemble cast - like Cheers. It's safer. If one of the unknown leads screws up, they can fall back on one of the other characters.

Then again...even Friends started off with a bankable star: Courtney Cox.

What about shows like Just Shoot Me and Wings?

I don't know anything about Wings, but George Segal and David Spade were well known people so I don't know if their roles in Just Shoot Me were written for them or if they had to audition for them. Wendie Malick's part may have been written for her, I don't know. The other two players seemed to have had to try out for their roles.

rossnrach4ever · 08-22-2004, 12:44 AM

It should be noted as history that Courtney Cox was NOT the first person cast for Friends...the first friend cast was David Schwimmer who previously auditioned for Kauffman and Crane and they created the character of Ross based on his performance in that audition Courtney was originally supposed to read for the part of Rachel, but felt that Monica was more like her.Everyone auditioned for the show, with the exception of one..david

mstewart · 08-22-2004, 10:03 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Jen1989
Exactly. I don't know if Meredith Baxter had to audition or not, I'm guessing she did. Michael Gross had to audition and so did Justine Bateman. I'm guessing Tina Yothers had to audition. Brian Bonsall had to audition. I'm guessing Marc Price also had to audition.

According to the creator of Family Ties Meredith did not audition for the role of Elyse Keaton. She got the part when he and his wife were at her house when Gary had a project for David Birney, Meredith's former husband, that never got off the ground. Gary was quite impressed by Meredith's charm and wit and as soon as he got the green light on Family Ties he immediately casted her. She was the first person he casted.

mstewart · 08-22-2004, 10:04 AM

Ted Knight did not audition for his role as Henry Rush for Too Close for Comfort but Nancy Dussault auditioned for her role as Muriel Rush, Ted's TV wife.

bschmale1113 · 08-28-2004, 11:26 PM

Some Sitcoms do auditions if a Lead for a TV Series liked the Brady Bunch, All in the Family, Happy Days, Three's Company, Family Ties, Cheers, Growing Pains, Full House, Family Matters, Friends, That's 70s Show & Will & Grace does shows could have end up with other leads and plus they are like Micheal J. Fox is the Star of Family Ties you it could have been Matthew Broderick could have been Alex P. Keaton on Family Ties but it did not happen but these Sitcoms Leads on not made for them it Liked Happy Days somebody else could have Played Richie or Fonzie but it was Ron Howard & Henry Winkler so does sitcoms do audtions

Here are the Others Sitcoms that don't do audtions these sitcoms are not spinoffs and liked The Mary Tyler Moore Show, The Bob Newhart Show, Newhart, The Cosby Show, Who's the Boss?, Roseanne, Seinfeld, Home Improvment, Ellen, The Drew Carey Show, Everybody Loves Raymond & The King of Queens does shows have auditons for Second Lead not the first lead liked Tim Allen is the Star for Home Improvement if Tim Allen did not want to do Home Improvement they will not be a Home Improvemnt like somebody played his TV Wife but nobody could be the first lead of Home Improvment Beacuse the series was made for Tim Allen just liked Seinfeld was made for Jerry Seinfield and Everybody Loves Raymond just for Ray Romano these stars of thery sitcoms are did not audtions for there part beacuse if you are a well know star or a comedian they give you the part for a show before is in the works

JT · 08-28-2004, 11:44 PM

All three of Three's Company's leads audition, though, I believe I read that they when they was thinking of actors for Jack Tripper, they thought of John Ritter first. He, along with Norman Fell and Audra Lindley, shot the first pilot with Valerie Curtin and Suzanne Zenor as Jenny (Janet) and Samantha (Chrissy), respectively. They re-auditioned for Janet and Chrissy and shot a second pilot, with Joyce DeWitt and Susan Lanier replacing Curtin and Zenor, respectively. They re-re-audtioned Chrissy and cast Suzanne Somers in the role and they shot the third pilot, and the rest is history.

Petrie Malone · 08-29-2004, 02:57 PM

The actors and actresses who don't audition for the shows are well established performers and/or the producers are familiar with their work.

Before getting her own show, Mary Tyler Moore established herself on The Dick Van Dyke Show, and won two Emmys for her portrayal of Laura Petrie.

06-10-2004, 12:52 PM	#1
jamesanthony Member Senior Member Join Date: Mar 30, 2004 Posts: 2,180	Very few sitcoms audition the leads It just dawned on me that most sitcoms are designed for certain personalities, stand up comics, entertainers or actors. There are very few I can think of where the lead or leads had to audition to be cast into the show. All in the Family, One Day at a Time, Cheers .... I can't think of any other show that was a hit like this. I don't include shows that had unknowns as the stars because many of these were developed for those people (The Big House with Kevin Hart was a recent example- he was one of the producers and the show was based on that guy's life even though no one had ever realy heard of him as a performer). Some others I'm not sure of where the lead(s) may have had to audition: Soap, Family Affair, MASH, Barney Miller, Dsigning Women ???

06-10-2004, 05:26 PM	#4
Chambers The Crane Trinity Forum Veteran Join Date: Apr 27, 2004 Location: Where everybody knows a Crane. Posts: 5,427	I think most of the shows that have auditions are shows with an ensemble cast - like Cheers. It's safer. If one of the unknown leads screws up, they can fall back on one of the other characters. Then again...even Friends started off with a bankable star: Courtney Cox. What about shows like Just Shoot Me and Wings?
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08-28-2004, 11:44 PM	#12
JT Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Apr 29, 2001 Location: USA Posts: 7,223	All three of Three's Company's leads audition, though, I believe I read that they when they was thinking of actors for Jack Tripper, they thought of John Ritter first. He, along with Norman Fell and Audra Lindley, shot the first pilot with Valerie Curtin and Suzanne Zenor as Jenny (Janet) and Samantha (Chrissy), respectively. They re-auditioned for Janet and Chrissy and shot a second pilot, with Joyce DeWitt and Susan Lanier replacing Curtin and Zenor, respectively. They re-re-audtioned Chrissy and cast Suzanne Somers in the role and they shot the third pilot, and the rest is history.
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08-29-2004, 02:57 PM	#13
Petrie Malone Former Member Forum Regular Join Date: Dec 20, 2003 Location: PIB Posts: 510	The actors and actresses who don't audition for the shows are well established performers and/or the producers are familiar with their work. Before getting her own show, Mary Tyler Moore established herself on The Dick Van Dyke Show, and won two Emmys for her portrayal of Laura Petrie.
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06-10-2004, 02:59 PM	#2
FamilyTiesGOP _ Senior Member Join Date: Oct 28, 2003 Posts: 1,631	Family Ties was like that. I don't know about Meredith Baxter or Michael Gross, but the person who eventually become the lead (in my mind and in the awards) was Michael J. Fox. And the creator didn't even want him at first and he had to read again for him to get the part.

06-10-2004, 05:44 PM	#6
Chambers The Crane Trinity Forum Veteran Join Date: Apr 27, 2004 Location: Where everybody knows a Crane. Posts: 5,427	Right. I only meant she was the one they were counting on to get word out about the show. By no means a big name, but a recognizable name nonetheless.

08-22-2004, 12:44 AM	#8
rossnrach4ever Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Aug 18, 2004 Location: corner of bedford and grove Posts: 133	It should be noted as history that Courtney Cox was NOT the first person cast for Friends...the first friend cast was David Schwimmer who previously auditioned for Kauffman and Crane and they created the character of Ross based on his performance in that audition Courtney was originally supposed to read for the part of Rachel, but felt that Monica was more like her.Everyone auditioned for the show, with the exception of one..david

08-22-2004, 10:04 AM	#10
mstewart mstewart Senior Member Join Date: Jan 25, 2002 Location: California Posts: 1,780	Ted Knight did not audition for his role as Henry Rush for Too Close for Comfort but Nancy Dussault auditioned for her role as Muriel Rush, Ted's TV wife.

08-28-2004, 11:26 PM	#11
bschmale1113 Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Jan 05, 2004 Location: Stirling NJ Posts: 440	Some Sitcoms do auditions if a Lead for a TV Series liked the Brady Bunch, All in the Family, Happy Days, Three's Company, Family Ties, Cheers, Growing Pains, Full House, Family Matters, Friends, That's 70s Show & Will & Grace does shows could have end up with other leads and plus they are like Micheal J. Fox is the Star of Family Ties you it could have been Matthew Broderick could have been Alex P. Keaton on Family Ties but it did not happen but these Sitcoms Leads on not made for them it Liked Happy Days somebody else could have Played Richie or Fonzie but it was Ron Howard & Henry Winkler so does sitcoms do audtions Here are the Others Sitcoms that don't do audtions these sitcoms are not spinoffs and liked The Mary Tyler Moore Show, The Bob Newhart Show, Newhart, The Cosby Show, Who's the Boss?, Roseanne, Seinfeld, Home Improvment, Ellen, The Drew Carey Show, Everybody Loves Raymond & The King of Queens does shows have auditons for Second Lead not the first lead liked Tim Allen is the Star for Home Improvement if Tim Allen did not want to do Home Improvement they will not be a Home Improvemnt like somebody played his TV Wife but nobody could be the first lead of Home Improvment Beacuse the series was made for Tim Allen just liked Seinfeld was made for Jerry Seinfield and Everybody Loves Raymond just for Ray Romano these stars of thery sitcoms are did not audtions for there part beacuse if you are a well know star or a comedian they give you the part for a show before is in the works