Could 'The Bunch' Have Worked With These Cast Choices? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

PracTz · 03-04-2006, 07:35 PM

We all know who got the roles but here's a few of the more famous performers who were considered but, ultimately, not cast in the parts. Here's some thoughts on them:

Gene Hackman as Mike. OK, I know he played Lex Luthor as a comedic villian in the 'Superman' series but I can't imagine him being a good straight man (in the comedic sense) to Carol, Alice and the kids. He could have pulled off a slow burn, though.

Joyce Bullifant as Carol. From her 'Match Game' appearances(on the lower left-hand corner often occupied by Betty White, Fannie Flagg and Patti Deutch), she seemed perfectly nice but came across cutesy and downright kittenish. While it's certainly true Carol's character was a traditional homemaker who deferred to Mike when making decisions about the entire family, there were times Carol laid the law down on the kids, Alice and even Mike- and I somehow have a hard time picturing Joyce believably pulling that off as Carol.

Kathleen Freeman as Alice. She hilariously intimidated Jerry Lewis in the 'Orderly' as well as Lucille Ball on her shows as a 'tough-as-nails/ no-prisoner' kinda gal. But would it have been right for Alice to have been able to steamroll over the kids, Carol or even Mike? Kathleen's Alice could have made Hazel seem like a pushover! I think it was vital to Alice's character that the audience had to know she actually cared about (and loved) her employers and their kids and, for that reason, was considered a member of the family! Besides, could Kathleen Freeman have pulled off being nutty and occasionally vulnerable like the Alice we knew?

TV Guy · 03-06-2006, 09:32 PM

Kathleen Freeman could be nutty when the part called for it - she was a frequent guest on Lucille Ball's various series over the years. I'll bet she would have done a solid job, as would have Joyce Bulifant (I always thought that hammy Florence Henderson was the weak link of the Bradys).

03-04-2006, 07:35 PM	#1
PracTz Member Senior Member Join Date: Jul 14, 2002 Location: United States of America [Happily Living in the 20th Century] Posts: 2,711	Could 'The Bunch' Have Worked With These Cast Choices? We all know who got the roles but here's a few of the more famous performers who were considered but, ultimately, not cast in the parts. Here's some thoughts on them: Gene Hackman as Mike. OK, I know he played Lex Luthor as a comedic villian in the 'Superman' series but I can't imagine him being a good straight man (in the comedic sense) to Carol, Alice and the kids. He could have pulled off a slow burn, though. Joyce Bullifant as Carol. From her 'Match Game' appearances(on the lower left-hand corner often occupied by Betty White, Fannie Flagg and Patti Deutch), she seemed perfectly nice but came across cutesy and downright kittenish. While it's certainly true Carol's character was a traditional homemaker who deferred to Mike when making decisions about the entire family, there were times Carol laid the law down on the kids, Alice and even Mike- and I somehow have a hard time picturing Joyce believably pulling that off as Carol. Kathleen Freeman as Alice. She hilariously intimidated Jerry Lewis in the 'Orderly' as well as Lucille Ball on her shows as a 'tough-as-nails/ no-prisoner' kinda gal. But would it have been right for Alice to have been able to steamroll over the kids, Carol or even Mike? Kathleen's Alice could have made Hazel seem like a pushover! I think it was vital to Alice's character that the audience had to know she actually cared about (and loved) her employers and their kids and, for that reason, was considered a member of the family! Besides, could Kathleen Freeman have pulled off being nutty and occasionally vulnerable like the Alice we knew?

03-06-2006, 09:32 PM	#2
TV Guy Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Jun 25, 2001 Location: Boston, MA, USA Posts: 3,419	Kathleen Freeman could be nutty when the part called for it - she was a frequent guest on Lucille Ball's various series over the years. I'll bet she would have done a solid job, as would have Joyce Bulifant (I always thought that hammy Florence Henderson was the weak link of the Bradys).