Dan Lauria "Wonder Years" Interview

[Just My Show]

Hi,

Thought some of you might be interested in the new episode of my pop culture podcast "Just My Show" which includes an interview with Jack Arnold himself, Dan Lauria. We talked all about the show and I think you'll really enjoy hearing what he had to say about it.

Here's the direct link:
http://www.justmyshow.com/showfourteen.html

(You can either listen on the audio player right on the site, or if you prefer, download the episode as an MP3.)

Hope you enjoy it.

Thanks,
Eric
www.justmyshow.com

[thetornado]

Wow Thanks I think Dan Lauria is a great actor and I am looking to listen to it!

[Yankeesfan]

Eric, I listened and found it fascinating! Thanks for letting us know about it. You conversed with Dan the way a true fan would and asked the questions we would have asked. It was sad to learn that the ratings could have justified another season, and that the producers had the plotlines of the final season already sketched out. And Dan said that on cable, one minute is cut from each episode to fit in commercials. So that confirms what has been discussed on another thread. I recommend that everyone here listen to the show; it's very worthwhile!

[catlover79]

I love Dan Lauria!! A few years ago I wrote to him and he sent me a gorgeous autographed photo that he inscribed personally to me. Since the show was a big part of my elementary/middle school years, I was just thrilled. God bless him!!

Again, thanks for sharing the interview with us...and here's a suggestion for a future interview, one I would LOVE to hear:

GREGORY SIERRA!!

[thetornado]

I agree everything that Dan Lauria said including why Danica McKeller does not have a series but yet Paris Hilton does!

Also I agree about what he said about Hollywood and if the show were to come back with Fred Savage playing the father and Jack Arnold was the ghost that todays tv standards would not allowed it!

Excellent Interview!

[catlover79]

Originally Posted by thetornado

I agree everything that Dan Lauria said including why Danica McKeller does not have a series but yet Paris Hilton does!

Also I agree about what he said about Hollywood and if the show were to come back with Fred Savage playing the father and Jack Arnold was the ghost that todays tv standards would not allowed it!

Excellent Interview!

Why couldn't he play Jack as a ghost? Remember Sydney's dreams about her late mother on Providence?? I think they should go for it!!

[James]

Thanks for posting this! I just listened to the interview!

Originally Posted by thetornado

I agree everything that Dan Lauria said including why Danica McKeller does not have a series but yet Paris Hilton does!

Tsk, tsk, it's actually spelled McKellar.

It is not an issue to me that Danica does not have a series. I think that because of this she will be remembered far more for her role as Winnie Cooper. I mean, who really wants to see her as one of the Desperate Housewives? She is to Winnie what Florence Henderson is to Carol Brady, Tina Louise is to Ginger Grant, etc. She should rest on her laurels if you ask me--after all, she's involved helping kids with math!

What caught me off guard was the fact that the corporations (e. g. Westinghouse and GE) are run by conservative people. I thought the corporations were run by liberals because of so many shows that sympathize with liberals--and at the same time catching the wrath of the Parents Television Council, American Family Association, etc.

I also noticed him saying the show actually finished 26th out of 137 shows the final season despite claims to the contrary on these boards (likely the General Sitcoms Q&D) saying it finished out of the top 60. Plus, one other site (IMDB.com?) says it never finished in the top 30 in 1990-91, 91-92, or 92-93.

Oh, and how could Ron Perlman at Revlon have canceled the show?

Originally Posted by thetornado

Also I agree about what he said about Hollywood and if the show were to come back with Fred Savage playing the father and Jack Arnold was the ghost that todays tv standards would not allowed it!

I'm not sure I'd be interested. It's too big a departure from TWY. Despite having said that, doesn't Ghost Whisperer on CBS (Friday night at 8) starring Jennifer Love Hewitt involve a ghost?

[Wannabe Nerd]

That was a great interview, thanks for sharing!

Originally Posted by James

Oh, and how could Ron Perelman at Revlon have canceled the show?

You weren't the only one wondering about the Perelman connection. I did a Google search on it and apparently, Perelman bought New World Entertainment, Inc. in 1989. New World Entertainment produced "The Wonder Years."

The article can be found here.

[JulieSomoski]

Great interview! Just found it browsing around the internet, and Dan had a lot of great things to say. I never knew The Wonder Years was still that highly rated during it's last season. I know the first season was very highly rated (I think around 25 million an episode) and the second season was also high. Still, for a sixth season of a show, 26th place is very high.