Tank Gates: Bigger Loser Than Oliver!!! (Just As Bad as Skip Farnam!) - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Jack1000 · 10-22-2005, 06:23 PM

Guys,

There is one guy that I CAN NOT STAND on the Brady Bunch. Well...ok...a couple guys. You know how I hate Skip Farnam, and almost everyone hates Oliver! But Tank Gates!!!?????? UGGHHHH!!! I saw on my program guide that the "Quarterback Sneak" episode was on and I found him to be the biggest LOSER!!! What would a nice conservative down to Earth lady like Carol Brady be doing with Tank Gates??!!

He seemed like such a total wasted charactor. What does he do? Comes to the door, talkes stupidly to Carol, Mispronounces Mike's name twice, looks at himself in their old yearbook that Carol brings out, and breaks a rare tropical fern. You can see Mike's disgust and I can see that this is another scene that may have given Robert Reed ulcers.

Jack

erin05 · 10-23-2005, 12:03 AM

lol i hate that guy i think his name was mark millard or something. he tried to steal alices money, god he was a creep.

Jack1000 · 10-23-2005, 12:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by erin05

lol i hate that guy i think his name was mark millard or something. he tried to steal alices money, god he was a creep.

Two unrelated topic sidenotes:

Mark Millard in "Alice's September Song." was played by an actor named Steve Dunne who would also appere as Pete Stern, the head of the TV station when the kids go on TV as The Silver Platters.

Steve Dunne also had an uncredited part in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory! (The Original) as a TV newscaster talking about the golden tickets!

Jack

TV Guy · 10-23-2005, 01:27 AM

I also hate the Tank Gates subplot. Carol's flirting with Tank is completely out of character, and Florence Henderson is at her hammy worst. We're supposed to believe the Carol's nickname was "Twinkles" (let alone that she ever dated this bozo)? Yeah, right.

Jack1000 · 10-23-2005, 01:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TV Guy

I also hate the Tank Gates subplot. Carol's flirting with Tank is completely out of character, and Florence Henderson is at her hammy worst. We're supposed to believe the Carol's nickname was "Twinkles" (let alone that she ever dated this bozo)? Yeah, right.

Just to show how BAD this guy is, the actor that played him portrayed an ape man (Tongo the Ape Man) in Gilligan's Island!!!! (Season 3: "Our Vines Have Tender Apes.") Yup, that was Tank Gates!! He grunted and made ape noises and talked like Tarzan. (A perfect role for this....this IDIOT!!!!

)

Jack

SKay · 10-31-2005, 12:27 AM

When my daughter was 2, she was scared to death of Hank!

She would crawl onto my lap and bury her face, crying whenever she saw him.

TV Guy · 11-01-2005, 12:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jack1000

Just to show how BAD this guy is, the actor that played him portrayed an ape man (Tongo the Ape Man) in Gilligan's Island!!!! (Season 3: "Our Vines Have Tender Apes.") Yup, that was Tank Gates!! He grunted and made ape noises and talked like Tarzan. (A perfect role for this....this IDIOT!!!!

)

The actor who played Tank, Denny Miller, now plays the Gorton's Fisherman in Gorton's seafood commercials. For true yuks, check out: http://www.tvacres.com/admascots_gortons.htm and scroll down to see Denny today.

Angelique 2 · 11-02-2005, 12:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SKay

When my daughter was 2, she was scared to death of Hank!

She would crawl onto my lap and bury her face, crying whenever she saw him.

Children are perceptive! I too can imagine Robert Reed would have been less than happy with this plot.

OKCRay · 12-29-2005, 03:37 AM

How about Jerry Rogers, who cozied up to Marcia just so he could steal Greg's football playbook? The guy who played him (Chris Beaumont) played a lot of troublemaking teen roles in the 70s.

FredScuttle · 12-29-2005, 08:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TV Guy

The actor who played Tank, Denny Miller, now plays the Gorton's Fisherman in Gorton's seafood commercials. For true yuks, check out: http://www.tvacres.com/admascots_gortons.htm and scroll down to see Denny today.

He also tried to put the moves on Alice Hyatt (on the tv show Alice) on the first regular episode (not counting the pilot). Of course, he played an ex-football player on that episode too.

erin05 · 12-30-2005, 06:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jack1000

Two unrelated topic sidenotes:

Mark Millard in "Alice's September Song." was played by an actor named Steve Dunne who would also appere as Pete Stern, the head of the TV station when the kids go on TV as The Silver Platters.

Steve Dunne also had an uncredited part in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory! (The Original) as a TV newscaster talking about the golden tickets!

Jack

OMG thank you! i knew i seen him on something.. ive seen willy wonka about a million times..

jehobden · 01-02-2006, 04:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jack1000

Just to show how BAD this guy is, the actor that played him portrayed an ape man (Tongo the Ape Man) in Gilligan's Island!!!! (Season 3: "Our Vines Have Tender Apes.") Yup, that was Tank Gates!! He grunted and made ape noises and talked like Tarzan. (A perfect role for this....this IDIOT!!!!

)

Jack

Here's a link to his IMDB listing:

http://us.imdb.com/name/nm0588225/

He also acted in Wagon Train, after Robert Horton had left the show, under the name Scott Miller, but he left the series before it was left the air in 1965.

OKCRay · 01-03-2007, 05:55 AM

I'm not sure why Tank Gates gets such a bum rap from everyone. Yes he dated Carol while they were in high school, and his character is supposed to be a boorish neanderthal. I actually thought some parts of the scenes where Carol is "gushing" over Tank were pretty funny. For instance when Tank puts Mike and Carol in position while re-enacting one of his football plays and he says to Mike, "you are a little fragile, aren't you?" And Mike also manages to get one in edgewise by mentioning the "Statue of Liberty" play (I loved how Mike then raised his index finger signifying his momentary triumph!).

Ohio8 · 01-15-2007, 06:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TV Guy

The actor who played Tank, Denny Miller, now plays the Gorton's Fisherman in Gorton's seafood commercials. For true yuks, check out: http://www.tvacres.com/admascots_gortons.htm and scroll down to see Denny today.

Here's the pic.

Ireneparalegal · 01-15-2007, 07:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TV Guy

I also hate the Tank Gates subplot. Carol's flirting with Tank is completely out of character, and Florence Henderson is at her hammy worst. We're supposed to believe the Carol's nickname was "Twinkles" (let alone that she ever dated this bozo)? Yeah, right.

I so agree. I would never flirt with a former flame in front of my husband or anywhere else. Mike never gave Carol reason to ever do that to him.

10-22-2005, 06:23 PM	#1
Jack1000 Member Senior Member Join Date: Dec 05, 2001 Posts: 2,055	Tank Gates: Bigger Loser Than Oliver!!! (Just As Bad as Skip Farnam!) Guys, There is one guy that I CAN NOT STAND on the Brady Bunch. Well...ok...a couple guys. You know how I hate Skip Farnam, and almost everyone hates Oliver! But Tank Gates!!!?????? UGGHHHH!!! I saw on my program guide that the "Quarterback Sneak" episode was on and I found him to be the biggest LOSER!!! What would a nice conservative down to Earth lady like Carol Brady be doing with Tank Gates??!! He seemed like such a total wasted charactor. What does he do? Comes to the door, talkes stupidly to Carol, Mispronounces Mike's name twice, looks at himself in their old yearbook that Carol brings out, and breaks a rare tropical fern. You can see Mike's disgust and I can see that this is another scene that may have given Robert Reed ulcers. Jack

10-23-2005, 12:03 AM	#2
erin05 I want a unicorn :) Frequent Poster Join Date: Jan 18, 2005 Location: An abyss Posts: 291	lol i hate that guy i think his name was mark millard or something. he tried to steal alices money, god he was a creep.
	__________________ "The grass was greener, the light was brighter.The taste was sweeter."

12-29-2005, 03:37 AM	#9
OKCRay Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Apr 18, 2003 Location: Area 51 Posts: 328	How about Jerry Rogers, who cozied up to Marcia just so he could steal Greg's football playbook? The guy who played him (Chris Beaumont) played a lot of troublemaking teen roles in the 70s.
	__________________ CHICAGO WHITE SOX 2005 WORLD CHAMPIONS!!!

10-23-2005, 01:27 AM	#4
TV Guy Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Jun 25, 2001 Location: Boston, MA, USA Posts: 3,419	I also hate the Tank Gates subplot. Carol's flirting with Tank is completely out of character, and Florence Henderson is at her hammy worst. We're supposed to believe the Carol's nickname was "Twinkles" (let alone that she ever dated this bozo)? Yeah, right.

10-31-2005, 12:27 AM	#6
SKay Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Sep 27, 2003 Posts: 321	When my daughter was 2, she was scared to death of Hank! She would crawl onto my lap and bury her face, crying whenever she saw him.

01-03-2007, 05:55 AM	#13
OKCRay Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Apr 18, 2003 Location: Area 51 Posts: 328	I'm not sure why Tank Gates gets such a bum rap from everyone. Yes he dated Carol while they were in high school, and his character is supposed to be a boorish neanderthal. I actually thought some parts of the scenes where Carol is "gushing" over Tank were pretty funny. For instance when Tank puts Mike and Carol in position while re-enacting one of his football plays and he says to Mike, "you are a little fragile, aren't you?" And Mike also manages to get one in edgewise by mentioning the "Statue of Liberty" play (I loved how Mike then raised his index finger signifying his momentary triumph!).