THC article about Wings... - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

McFly121 · 03-03-2005, 02:54 AM

It's easy to see why people might find Church a little off-kilter. After all, he's calling from one of his ranches, located three hours west of Austin, Texas, where he personally works 10,000 acres of land and handles 400 head of cattle. He sold his house in L.A. in 2001 to live full-time on his ranch, more or less willing to kiss his acting career goodbye. This was after six years as mechanic Lowell on the sitcom Wings, two seasons on the underrated Ned and Stacey, and several film credits, including George of the Jungle and Tombstone. Also notable are the movies he didn't get: he had close calls on Ace Ventura, Saving Private Ryan, and Quiz Show. "At some point, you just kind of have to embrace where you are," he explains. "In 2001, I did a couple of small parts in movies that were wholly unfulfilling and went straight to cable. In 2002, all I did was a straight-to-video sequel that I was contractually obligated to do. It was diminishing returns for me. I had financial security; I was happy living in Texas. Not to wax too sentimental about it, but there is a part of me that had kind of waved goodbye to acting. Then I read Sideways."

Church is quick to point out he's been a writer longer than an actor, and improv is something he feels comfortable with. When he first met with Fox TV about doing Ned and Stacey, one of his conditions was that he be allowed some freedom with the dialogue. "I said that I'd been frustrated on Wings because, while they'll occasionally embrace improvisation and ad-libbing, you have to so completely make your case that it would damn near stand up [in the] Supreme Court. Just to get something in that you come up with," says Church. "It was frustrating, and I wanted to have the freedom to work off-page if I thought it was appropriate and organic to the scene. So my deal on Ned and Stacey for two years was: I would always give them what was on the page for one or two takes, and then I would have one or two takes to give them what I wanted. It's something I think I'm good at."

When his contract with Wings expired, Church told the
producers he no longer wanted to play Lowell, the man NBC
referred to as the "eccentric, laconic general maintenance
man," and he quit the show.
It was a bold move on Church's part, because many sidekicks
have left hits only to end up in oblivion. (Remember McLean
Stevenson of M*A*S*H and Demond Wilson of Sanford and Son?)
But Fox, which liked Church's work as a recurring character
on its Flying Blind series a few years earlier, signed him to
front his own show: Ned and Stacey. Church, happy to finally be freed of Lowell, looks back at
the Wings years as a wasted opportunity.
"He came in, told a joke and left," says Church. "They
never took advantage of him. It was very frustrating."
The actor asked the Wings producers to give Lowell a good-
bye episode the prior season, but he says they were focused on
the season-ending wedding of Joe (Tim Daly) and Helen
(Crystal Bernard) and refused.
But the producers did ask Church to return that fall; Lowell
would make his final appearance on the show in late October.

He had gotten a small role on a memorable episode of Cheers:
Carla's husband (played by Jay Thomas) dies, and Church, one
of his ice hockey teammates, comes to the bar to announce
the news. He got one of Cheers' biggest laughs and was
snapped up by Cheers writers Peter Casey, David Lee and
David Angell, who were leaving to form their own show,
Wings.
"I went in for a three-day part on Cheers and it lasted six
years," says Church.
He initially read for the part of Brian, but Steven Weber
nabbed it. So the producers created Lowell for him.
"Originally, he was a sardonic observer, but then, after we
did the pilot, the producers decided there were too many
smart-asses on the show, and they changed Lowell
dramatically."
Most would refer to Lowell as "dumb," but not Church. He
calls him "literal-minded and distracted."
He figures that out of 130 episodes of Wings, about 12 were
Lowell stories, which is why he decided to leave. He tried
to quit once, but the producers threatened him with a
lawsuit. He finally was free when his contract expired.

"I never played him dumb. I always played him innocent. The only way to play somebody is honest. Nobody goes through life believing 'I'm the stupidest [guy] in the room,' even an inbred guy."

(So there could possibly be an "original" Wings pilot collecting dust in a Paramount vault somewhere?? C'mon, Perrymount and get off your arses and release Wings!!!)

AngeFaitore · 03-03-2005, 09:14 AM

I think that I've read this before... I'm not sure. I'll have to look through all the articles that I've collected over the Sideways coverage.
This interview wasn't during the Wings days because it mentions his ranch.

Brian Hackett · 03-03-2005, 09:59 AM

You find some really interesting articles. I am always looking for this kind of stuff and can never find it. Thanks for sharing this with us. If you ever come across an interview that was given to Amy Yasbeck after the show was finished, please post it.

McFly121 · 03-03-2005, 08:18 PM

Yeah, Ange, I just put "article on Wings" because he talked a good deal about it.

Brian, you may just get your wish

AngeFaitore · 03-03-2005, 08:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by McFly121

Yeah, Ange, I just put "article on Wings" because he talked a good deal about it.

Brian, you may just get your wish

Sorry, but I'm pretty familiar with the Thomas Haden Church timeline now and I like to point it out

Wings#1ShowPeriod · 03-06-2005, 02:08 AM

I don't know Thomas Haden Church thinks, but I hope he realizes the fans never saw Lowell as a dumb person, I saw Lowell the same way he did.. The fans appriecated his work and Tim Daly was the headliner of this series.. but Thomas Haden Church was the backbone, and when Wings lost the backbone.. Wings was still great, but wasnt the same... I hope when someone says, "hey you were on that show Wings"... that he smiles because the fans enjoyed his time on the show, and he was part of one of the best sitcoms ever...

03-03-2005, 02:54 AM	#1
McFly121 Member Forum Regular Join Date: Feb 18, 2004 Location: calif Posts: 812	THC article about Wings... It's easy to see why people might find Church a little off-kilter. After all, he's calling from one of his ranches, located three hours west of Austin, Texas, where he personally works 10,000 acres of land and handles 400 head of cattle. He sold his house in L.A. in 2001 to live full-time on his ranch, more or less willing to kiss his acting career goodbye. This was after six years as mechanic Lowell on the sitcom Wings, two seasons on the underrated Ned and Stacey, and several film credits, including George of the Jungle and Tombstone. Also notable are the movies he didn't get: he had close calls on Ace Ventura, Saving Private Ryan, and Quiz Show. "At some point, you just kind of have to embrace where you are," he explains. "In 2001, I did a couple of small parts in movies that were wholly unfulfilling and went straight to cable. In 2002, all I did was a straight-to-video sequel that I was contractually obligated to do. It was diminishing returns for me. I had financial security; I was happy living in Texas. Not to wax too sentimental about it, but there is a part of me that had kind of waved goodbye to acting. Then I read Sideways." Church is quick to point out he's been a writer longer than an actor, and improv is something he feels comfortable with. When he first met with Fox TV about doing Ned and Stacey, one of his conditions was that he be allowed some freedom with the dialogue. "I said that I'd been frustrated on Wings because, while they'll occasionally embrace improvisation and ad-libbing, you have to so completely make your case that it would damn near stand up [in the] Supreme Court. Just to get something in that you come up with," says Church. "It was frustrating, and I wanted to have the freedom to work off-page if I thought it was appropriate and organic to the scene. So my deal on Ned and Stacey for two years was: I would always give them what was on the page for one or two takes, and then I would have one or two takes to give them what I wanted. It's something I think I'm good at." When his contract with Wings expired, Church told the producers he no longer wanted to play Lowell, the man NBC referred to as the "eccentric, laconic general maintenance man," and he quit the show. It was a bold move on Church's part, because many sidekicks have left hits only to end up in oblivion. (Remember McLean Stevenson of MAS*H and Demond Wilson of Sanford and Son?) But Fox, which liked Church's work as a recurring character on its Flying Blind series a few years earlier, signed him to front his own show: Ned and Stacey. Church, happy to finally be freed of Lowell, looks back at the Wings years as a wasted opportunity. "He came in, told a joke and left," says Church. "They never took advantage of him. It was very frustrating." The actor asked the Wings producers to give Lowell a good- bye episode the prior season, but he says they were focused on the season-ending wedding of Joe (Tim Daly) and Helen (Crystal Bernard) and refused. But the producers did ask Church to return that fall; Lowell would make his final appearance on the show in late October. He had gotten a small role on a memorable episode of Cheers: Carla's husband (played by Jay Thomas) dies, and Church, one of his ice hockey teammates, comes to the bar to announce the news. He got one of Cheers' biggest laughs and was snapped up by Cheers writers Peter Casey, David Lee and David Angell, who were leaving to form their own show, Wings. "I went in for a three-day part on Cheers and it lasted six years," says Church. He initially read for the part of Brian, but Steven Weber nabbed it. So the producers created Lowell for him. "Originally, he was a sardonic observer, but then, after we did the pilot, the producers decided there were too many smart-asses on the show, and they changed Lowell dramatically." Most would refer to Lowell as "dumb," but not Church. He calls him "literal-minded and distracted." He figures that out of 130 episodes of Wings, about 12 were Lowell stories, which is why he decided to leave. He tried to quit once, but the producers threatened him with a lawsuit. He finally was free when his contract expired. "I never played him dumb. I always played him innocent. The only way to play somebody is honest. Nobody goes through life believing 'I'm the stupidest [guy] in the room,' even an inbred guy." (So there could possibly be an "original" Wings pilot collecting dust in a Paramount vault somewhere?? C'mon, Perrymount and get off your arses and release Wings!!!)
	__________________ "That was Bob's donut!"

03-03-2005, 09:14 AM	#2
AngeFaitore This Week's Logo Forum Regular Join Date: Sep 30, 2002 Location: Something somewhere, in some way at some point and time Posts: 690	I think that I've read this before... I'm not sure. I'll have to look through all the articles that I've collected over the Sideways coverage. This interview wasn't during the Wings days because it mentions his ranch.
	__________________ Ange Faitore The Closing Logo of the Week: The Viacom "V" of Death. Thomas Haden Church: The Power of a Laugh http://www.geocities.com/thc3_31_60/Thomas.html

03-03-2005, 09:59 AM	#3
Brian Hackett Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Feb 16, 2005 Location: Minneapolis, MN Posts: 83	You find some really interesting articles. I am always looking for this kind of stuff and can never find it. Thanks for sharing this with us. If you ever come across an interview that was given to Amy Yasbeck after the show was finished, please post it.

03-03-2005, 08:18 PM	#4
McFly121 Member Forum Regular Join Date: Feb 18, 2004 Location: calif Posts: 812	Yeah, Ange, I just put "article on Wings" because he talked a good deal about it. Brian, you may just get your wish

03-06-2005, 02:08 AM	#6
Wings#1ShowPeriod Boo Lois, Yay Beer. Forum Regular Join Date: Feb 03, 2005 Location: Inside the Big Brother House Posts: 797	I don't know Thomas Haden Church thinks, but I hope he realizes the fans never saw Lowell as a dumb person, I saw Lowell the same way he did.. The fans appriecated his work and Tim Daly was the headliner of this series.. but Thomas Haden Church was the backbone, and when Wings lost the backbone.. Wings was still great, but wasnt the same... I hope when someone says, "hey you were on that show Wings"... that he smiles because the fans enjoyed his time on the show, and he was part of one of the best sitcoms ever...