Ted Knight Didn't Give Credit To Mary Or Grant Tinker For His TV Success?!? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Brian Damage · 03-19-2011, 06:41 PM

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id...d+baxter&hl=en

Ted Knight was great in so many things like TMTMS and Caddyshack as well as Too Close For Comfort, but what was his major problem??? He said and I quote,

"I can't say what has happened to me is a result of The Mary Tyler Moore Show. I've been in this business for decades, developing my talent. Grant Tinker didn't pick me up off the street."

Do you think he was being ungrateful? Did he really have a big ego? What was up with Ted Knight???

Mr. Television · 03-19-2011, 07:50 PM

From what I've read, Ted really didn't like the Ted Baxter character. He thought the writers were making him into a buffoon. He hated the fact that he was famous because of Ted. It's too bad because he was great as Ted Baxter. Ted was my favorite character on the show.

Retro4Life · 03-19-2011, 07:59 PM

I hate to read stuff like this. I know it's reality, but it messes up my nostalgia.

Mr. Television · 03-19-2011, 08:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Retro4Life

I hate to read stuff like this. I know it's reality, but it messes up my nostalgia.

Oh I know what you mean. The media wasn't as tabloid back then so I never heard of this until I got the internet.

scotsguy · 03-20-2011, 08:19 AM

I think Ted Knoight what was know as an anxious actor,any success he

had,particularly as Ted Baxter,made him terrified of being typecast and not

getting work.

I just enjoy the performance as Ted Baxter,shame Ted's not around now,I'm

sure he'd be delighted that the MTMS is still so beloved today.

PGood97041 · 03-21-2011, 02:10 PM

I wouldn't worry too much about it.

First of all, if you read the article, it's not beyond the realm of possibility that as he's answering the questions, he's sort of "playing Ted Baxter", and maybe giving some responses more as TB would than Ted Knight. Just a thought...we don't know what the context was.

But beyond that, we know TK struggled for years to make it in show business, so one can totally understand his need to puff his chest out a bit once he DID make it. And TK's biggest problem was well-known...his breakout role was playing TB, a buffoon people sometimes made fun of behind his back (and with Murray and Lou, to his face as well). While that career situation wouldn't have bothered me in the least, it's well-documented it bothered TK.

Anyway, actors and actresses are rare birds, many with rather large egos. While TK may have been blustering a bit in this interview, I'm sure if he was within sight of Mary or Grant or any of the particulars, he'd have given them some of the credit for his success. And circa 2011 he may have had to, since I will say those comments, minus whatever context they were uttered in, might have been a bigger deal in this Twitter/Facebook world!

catlover79 · 03-21-2011, 02:22 PM

^ Very well said!!

mstewart · 03-22-2011, 12:29 AM

Ted Knight did not like the way Ted Baxter was written that was why they gave him Georgette as a wife and he became a dad. I read that he was difficult to deal with on Too Close for Comfort. It was heard that him and Nancy Dussault did not get along on the show especially when she wanted more character development on her role.

03-19-2011, 06:41 PM	#1
Brian Damage I'm Rich Bitch Forum Icon Join Date: Feb 03, 2002 Location: What Ain't No Country I Ever Heard Of...They Speak English in What? Posts: 63,107	Ted Knight Didn't Give Credit To Mary Or Grant Tinker For His TV Success?!? http://news.google.com/newspapers?id...d+baxter&hl=en Ted Knight was great in so many things like TMTMS and Caddyshack as well as Too Close For Comfort, but what was his major problem??? He said and I quote, "I can't say what has happened to me is a result of The Mary Tyler Moore Show. I've been in this business for decades, developing my talent. Grant Tinker didn't pick me up off the street." Do you think he was being ungrateful? Did he really have a big ego? What was up with Ted Knight???
	__________________ The Key to the Kingdom of Heaven: John 3:3 *Money Doesn't Buy Happiness...But I'd Rather Cry in My Private Jet*

03-19-2011, 07:50 PM	#2
Mr. Television 23 Years at Sitcoms Online Forum Icon Join Date: Jun 06, 2003 Location: Somewhere you're Not Posts: 62,133	From what I've read, Ted really didn't like the Ted Baxter character. He thought the writers were making him into a buffoon. He hated the fact that he was famous because of Ted. It's too bad because he was great as Ted Baxter. Ted was my favorite character on the show.
	__________________ Sonny

03-19-2011, 07:59 PM	#3
Retro4Life Accept No Substitutes Forum Veteran Join Date: Feb 04, 2009 Location: IL Posts: 6,708	I hate to read stuff like this. I know it's reality, but it messes up my nostalgia.
	__________________ Alex Reiger :[Trying to convince Louie not to antagonize Bobby] "It's not hard to make people feel bad about their lives. What's hard is making people feel good about their lives."

03-21-2011, 02:22 PM	#7
catlover79 God Bless Val Forum Addict Join Date: May 29, 2006 Location: Bewitched in Ohio Posts: 70,376	^ Very well said!!
	__________________ "Jesus loves you and He approves this message." "I'm alive. I'm feeling good. I'm trying to live every moment as much as I can." - Valerie Harper, March 2013

03-20-2011, 08:19 AM	#5
scotsguy Member Forum Regular Join Date: Nov 25, 2002 Location: Edinburgh,Scotland Posts: 696	I think Ted Knoight what was know as an anxious actor,any success he had,particularly as Ted Baxter,made him terrified of being typecast and not getting work. I just enjoy the performance as Ted Baxter,shame Ted's not around now,I'm sure he'd be delighted that the MTMS is still so beloved today.

03-21-2011, 02:10 PM	#6
PGood97041 Member Forum Regular Join Date: Jan 03, 2008 Location: Boston Posts: 747	I wouldn't worry too much about it. First of all, if you read the article, it's not beyond the realm of possibility that as he's answering the questions, he's sort of "playing Ted Baxter", and maybe giving some responses more as TB would than Ted Knight. Just a thought...we don't know what the context was. But beyond that, we know TK struggled for years to make it in show business, so one can totally understand his need to puff his chest out a bit once he DID make it. And TK's biggest problem was well-known...his breakout role was playing TB, a buffoon people sometimes made fun of behind his back (and with Murray and Lou, to his face as well). While that career situation wouldn't have bothered me in the least, it's well-documented it bothered TK. Anyway, actors and actresses are rare birds, many with rather large egos. While TK may have been blustering a bit in this interview, I'm sure if he was within sight of Mary or Grant or any of the particulars, he'd have given them some of the credit for his success. And circa 2011 he may have had to, since I will say those comments, minus whatever context they were uttered in, might have been a bigger deal in this Twitter/Facebook world!

03-22-2011, 12:29 AM	#8
mstewart mstewart Senior Member Join Date: Jan 25, 2002 Location: California Posts: 1,780	Ted Knight did not like the way Ted Baxter was written that was why they gave him Georgette as a wife and he became a dad. I read that he was difficult to deal with on Too Close for Comfort. It was heard that him and Nancy Dussault did not get along on the show especially when she wanted more character development on her role.