Do You Think Valerie Harper Was Type cast As "Rhoda Morgenstern?" - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Brian Damage · 04-19-2010, 06:49 PM

Do you think her post "Rhoda" career suffered from portraying Rhoda for so long?

scotsguy · 04-21-2010, 06:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian Damage

Do you think her post "Rhoda" career suffered from portraying Rhoda for so long?

I think Valerie herself,said she felt Rhoda went on a bit too long,she did play Rhoda for 9 years including the MTM years,Ed Asner played Lou Grant for 12 years.

Valerie seemed to make a lot of TV movies after Rhoda and a lot of theatre work,so she seemed to escape the ghost of typecasting.

I think Mary Tyler Moore had more of a difficult time until her great turn in "Ordinary People",it certainly broke the mould of Mary just playing perky types.

OOliver · 04-27-2010, 02:20 PM

I did watch some of Harper's sitcoms after 'Rhoda' - "Valerie", "The Office" and "City" and must admit I only saw Rhoda Morgenstern in each of those sitcoms. Each of her characters had too many of the same qualities as 'Rhoda', she didn't play anything opposite her original character.

That's why Rue McClanahan, Bety White and Bea Arthur were so iconic in 'Golden Girls' - none of their previous incarnations ('Vivienne', 'Sue Ann' or 'Maude') could be mistaken as their new characters.

This never happened with Harper.

scotsguy · 04-27-2010, 02:56 PM

Well I have to say Dorothy was quite like Maude,when they were casting for

Dorothy,they were looking for a "Bea Arthur",type.

Betty was gonna be Blanche and Rue was gonna be Rose,then director,Jay

Sandrich,swapped the roles around,certainly proving Betty and Rue,could do

different types of roles.

I haven't seen an episode of "Valerie" for years,I do know Julie Kavner,felt

typecasted by the role of Brenda and doesn't take part,in "Rhoda" reunions.

OOliver · 04-30-2010, 06:18 PM

I think the difference between Maude and Dorothy were obvious:

Maude was pushy and abrasive but Dorothy was not (Sophia was, though).

Maude thought she was the smartest in the family (but her daughter and husband proved her wrong), whereas Dorothy was indeed the smartest (and well-educated, as was pointed out time and time again).

04-19-2010, 06:49 PM	#1
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04-27-2010, 02:20 PM	#3
OOliver Member Forum Regular Join Date: Jan 28, 2009 Location: Providence RI Posts: 569	I did watch some of Harper's sitcoms after 'Rhoda' - "Valerie", "The Office" and "City" and must admit I only saw Rhoda Morgenstern in each of those sitcoms. Each of her characters had too many of the same qualities as 'Rhoda', she didn't play anything opposite her original character. That's why Rue McClanahan, Bety White and Bea Arthur were so iconic in 'Golden Girls' - none of their previous incarnations ('Vivienne', 'Sue Ann' or 'Maude') could be mistaken as their new characters. This never happened with Harper.

04-27-2010, 02:56 PM	#4
scotsguy Member Forum Regular Join Date: Nov 25, 2002 Location: Edinburgh,Scotland Posts: 696	Well I have to say Dorothy was quite like Maude,when they were casting for Dorothy,they were looking for a "Bea Arthur",type. Betty was gonna be Blanche and Rue was gonna be Rose,then director,Jay Sandrich,swapped the roles around,certainly proving Betty and Rue,could do different types of roles. I haven't seen an episode of "Valerie" for years,I do know Julie Kavner,felt typecasted by the role of Brenda and doesn't take part,in "Rhoda" reunions.

04-30-2010, 06:18 PM	#5
OOliver Member Forum Regular Join Date: Jan 28, 2009 Location: Providence RI Posts: 569	I think the difference between Maude and Dorothy were obvious: Maude was pushy and abrasive but Dorothy was not (Sophia was, though). Maude thought she was the smartest in the family (but her daughter and husband proved her wrong), whereas Dorothy was indeed the smartest (and well-educated, as was pointed out time and time again).