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Joeytrom · 07-11-2006, 08:42 PM

There are so few postings about Generals Peterson (Barton MacLane) and Schaffer (Vinton Hayworth).

I always liked Peterson because he was more of a serious guy playing off Dr. Bellows suspicions. Shaffer can get a little comical now and then.

I know Barton MacLane (General Peterson) died during the fourth season, but what was his last episode? They had already introduced General Schaffer while Peterson was still appearing on the series.

While watching the first season, I only now noticed that they were testing different actors as different generals for the first several episodes until they realized that MacLane clicked with the cast.

TV Knowledge Fan · 07-12-2006, 04:15 PM

General Peterson was first seen in "Too Many Tonys" [12/25/65], apparently as another one of those "guest generals" Tony had to face. Somehow, he "clicked" with the cast. Of course, being the producer and #1 writer of the show, Sidney Sheldon felt the same way. That's why he brought him back in "The Richest Astronaut In the Whole Wide World" [the one where Roger finds out about Jeannie; 1/15/66], and regularly, beginning with "My Master, the Doctor" [2/5/66]. Sidney ALWAYS wrote the same variations for General Peterson's reactions; instant disbelief when Dr. Bellows tells him what he observed Captain/Major Nelson doing {"I'm telling you, General...Major Nelson just vanished into thin air- right before my very eyes!!"/"If your eyes don't need a vacation...you certainly do!"};"the warning" {"I'm warning you, Doctor, if this is another one of your cockeyed daydreams.."/"I'm NOT dreaming, General...I SAW what I saw.."/"All right, let's go...but if you're wrong this time...I see an authorization for a long leave of absence on my desk....FOR YOU."}; and of course, "the payoff" {"WELL, Doctor?"/"He's done it to me...again."/"So have I....I'll see you in about six months...IF you're lucky!"}. And then, of course, there's that "father figure" image he projected to Tony {"Tony, I'm going to give you some advice...it's the same advice I'd give you if you were my own son.."/"Yes, sir."/"GET......OUT."- "The Greatest Invention In the World", 1/9/67}. MacLane was perfect, no matter WHAT he did on screen!

And it's funny- General Peterson usually appeared ONLY when Sheldon was writing the scripts. There was a period of an entire season where Barton MacLane didn't appear; coincidentally, that was the time when Sidney began cutting back on his scriptwriting chores. Maybe it was the cancer MacLane was suffering from, I don't know. By the time he did return in 1968, you notice that his frame seems to "melt" in later episodes...the last episode he appeared in was "Jeannie And the Case Of the Porcelain Puppy" [3/3/69; filmed in December 1968, just a few weeks before MacLane's death]...he didn't move around too much, and he looked thinner than usual.

By that time, Vinton Hayworth was being "groomed" as MacLane's "replacement"- I'm pretty sure his first FILMED appearance was in "Jeannie And the Top Secret Secret" [12/2/68] as a visiting "General" reacting to the ridiculous NASA film Jeannie tampered with- oh yeah, he smolders, pipe falling out of his mouth, and finally roars, "TURN IT OFF!!!!". That's a clue to the kind of character he'd eventually play...see, "General Schaeffer" was supposed to be a recurring character, as was his DAUGHTER, Suzie [Hilarie Thompson]. Screen Gems and NBC had this idea of introducing a "young hippie type" who finds out about Jeannie (somewhat), and she becomes just one more obstacle for Major Nelson to overcome in his quest to keep Jeannie away from discovery by Bellows and Schaeffer and NASA, etc. Or was SUPPOSED to be. After "Jeannie My Guru" [12/30/68] was filmed, the character of "Suzie Schaeffer" was quietly dropped, and General Schaeffer NEVER mentions her, ever again. Nor do we have any further hints that he's supposed to live in Tony's neighborhood!

General Schaeffer has NO patience for anything that isn't "by the book". He simply will NOT tolerate any of Dr. Bellows' "observances". He sputters, screams, and he's a lot more threatening that Peterson ever was.

And the sad thing was, even if "JEANNIE" had been renewed for another season, Vinton Hayworth would never have returned. He passed away just as the last episodes of the series were being shown in May 1970.

07-12-2006, 04:15 PM	#2
TV Knowledge Fan Member Senior Member Join Date: Mar 29, 2006 Location: Long Branch, N.J. Posts: 2,577	well, 'joeytrom'.... General Peterson was first seen in "Too Many Tonys" [12/25/65], apparently as another one of those "guest generals" Tony had to face. Somehow, he "clicked" with the cast. Of course, being the producer and #1 writer of the show, Sidney Sheldon felt the same way. That's why he brought him back in "The Richest Astronaut In the Whole Wide World" [the one where Roger finds out about Jeannie; 1/15/66], and regularly, beginning with "My Master, the Doctor" [2/5/66]. Sidney ALWAYS wrote the same variations for General Peterson's reactions; instant disbelief when Dr. Bellows tells him what he observed Captain/Major Nelson doing {"I'm telling you, General...Major Nelson just vanished into thin air- right before my very eyes!!"/"If your eyes don't need a vacation...you certainly do!"};"the warning" {"I'm warning you, Doctor, if this is another one of your cockeyed daydreams.."/"I'm NOT dreaming, General...I SAW what I saw.."/"All right, let's go...but if you're wrong this time...I see an authorization for a long leave of absence on my desk....FOR YOU."}; and of course, "the payoff" {"WELL, Doctor?"/"He's done it to me...again."/"So have I....I'll see you in about six months...IF you're lucky!"}. And then, of course, there's that "father figure" image he projected to Tony {"Tony, I'm going to give you some advice...it's the same advice I'd give you if you were my own son.."/"Yes, sir."/"GET......OUT."- "The Greatest Invention In the World", 1/9/67}. MacLane was perfect, no matter WHAT he did on screen! And it's funny- General Peterson usually appeared ONLY when Sheldon was writing the scripts. There was a period of an entire season where Barton MacLane didn't appear; coincidentally, that was the time when Sidney began cutting back on his scriptwriting chores. Maybe it was the cancer MacLane was suffering from, I don't know. By the time he did return in 1968, you notice that his frame seems to "melt" in later episodes...the last episode he appeared in was "Jeannie And the Case Of the Porcelain Puppy" [3/3/69; filmed in December 1968, just a few weeks before MacLane's death]...he didn't move around too much, and he looked thinner than usual. By that time, Vinton Hayworth was being "groomed" as MacLane's "replacement"- I'm pretty sure his first FILMED appearance was in "Jeannie And the Top Secret Secret" [12/2/68] as a visiting "General" reacting to the ridiculous NASA film Jeannie tampered with- oh yeah, he smolders, pipe falling out of his mouth, and finally roars, "TURN IT OFF!!!!". That's a clue to the kind of character he'd eventually play...see, "General Schaeffer" was supposed to be a recurring character, as was his DAUGHTER, Suzie [Hilarie Thompson]. Screen Gems and NBC had this idea of introducing a "young hippie type" who finds out about Jeannie (somewhat), and she becomes just one more obstacle for Major Nelson to overcome in his quest to keep Jeannie away from discovery by Bellows and Schaeffer and NASA, etc. Or was SUPPOSED to be. After "Jeannie My Guru" [12/30/68] was filmed, the character of "Suzie Schaeffer" was quietly dropped, and General Schaeffer NEVER mentions her, ever again. Nor do we have any further hints that he's supposed to live in Tony's neighborhood! General Schaeffer has NO patience for anything that isn't "by the book". He simply will NOT tolerate any of Dr. Bellows' "observances". He sputters, screams, and he's a lot more threatening that Peterson ever was. And the sad thing was, even if "JEANNIE" had been renewed for another season, Vinton Hayworth would never have returned. He passed away just as the last episodes of the series were being shown in May 1970.

07-11-2006, 08:42 PM	#1
Joeytrom Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Aug 03, 2002 Posts: 60	The Generals There are so few postings about Generals Peterson (Barton MacLane) and Schaffer (Vinton Hayworth). I always liked Peterson because he was more of a serious guy playing off Dr. Bellows suspicions. Shaffer can get a little comical now and then. I know Barton MacLane (General Peterson) died during the fourth season, but what was his last episode? They had already introduced General Schaffer while Peterson was still appearing on the series. While watching the first season, I only now noticed that they were testing different actors as different generals for the first several episodes until they realized that MacLane clicked with the cast.