Was The Character of "Bess Lindstrom" The Worst Part Of 'The Mary Tyler Moore Show?' - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Brian Damage · 05-19-2011, 03:25 PM

Usually, for an adult comedy, the worst part of it is the child actor /actress. Was this the case of "Bess?" What are your personal opinions about the character?

Dianne3 · 05-19-2011, 04:07 PM

Bess was mostly on in the first 2 seasons and more in season 2.

Starting in season 3, Phyllis started appearing less and so obviously did Bess. I think Bess was only on once in season 3 and don't know is she was on in season 4.

So, I don't feel that she was one too often to affect the show.

I've always wanted to ask, what ever happened to the actress?

scotsguy · 05-19-2011, 04:50 PM

I liked Bess,she was this togethor kid with a wacky Mother and the unseen

Lars,who was usually the voice of reason against Phyllis' wild ideas.

Its very sweet in the Phyllis pilot,how Phyllis is leaning on Bess at a tough

time,and Phyllis' line:

"...what a wonderful child you are,I must be a wonderful Mother!".

According to the internet,Lisa Gertissen,may now be a project manager,she quit acting

shortly after Phyllis was cancelled.

Brian Damage · 05-19-2011, 10:38 PM

So let me ask you all this, if Bess wasn't all that bad, was there any character on the show that you did not like?

dakert · 05-19-2011, 10:44 PM

I like Bess and there wasnt anyone on the show I didnt like

Retro4Life · 05-19-2011, 10:49 PM

I liked Bess a lot. I liked the way she was kind of Mary's (the iconic career woman) surrogate daughter, and that Mary was a more natural "mother" to her than her own mother.

I thought Bess was the rare example of a precocious kid on TV that I didn't want to throttle. She was smart but still vulnerable.

As to someone I didn't like...I liked all the main characters. I didn't like a lot of the guest stars, but I think most of them were people I wasn't supposed to like, lol.

Mr. Television · 05-19-2011, 11:06 PM

I can't think of anyone on the show that I didn't like. The cast was perfect.

catlover79 · 05-19-2011, 11:40 PM

Bess wasn't on the show nearly enough to be the worst part of it (I can't think of any cast member/character I didn't like). I loved the episode where Lou babysat her and they wound up playing cards. They played for cookies.

old grouch · 05-20-2011, 09:49 AM

I liked Bess and I always thought Lisa was a pretty good child actress.

catlover79 · 05-21-2011, 05:07 AM

Last I heard, she was retired from acting and the mother of triplets (!).

scotsguy · 05-21-2011, 05:26 AM

I found Ted annoying at the start of MTM but Ted changed and just got

funnier and funnier.

There were one off charcaters on MTM I couldn't take it like Mary's ex fiancee in the pilot although we were clearly not meant to.

The guy in "Keep Your Guard Up",I didn't really take to but agree with the other posts,all the other cast emmbers were great.

LittleRickyII · 05-21-2011, 09:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dianne3

I've always wanted to ask, what ever happened to the actress?

I heard years ago that she was living in the Bay Area, working in the IT field, prefers to keep a very low profile, and doesn't like to talk about her childhood past as Bess Lindstrom. I guess she's moved on with her life, prefers not to be famous anymore or involved in showbiz, and doesn't want her life defined by what she did as a little girl four decades ago.

LittleRickyII · 05-21-2011, 09:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LittleRickyII

I heard years ago that she was living in the Bay Area, working in the IT field, prefers to keep a very low profile, and doesn't like to talk about her childhood past as Bess Lindstrom. I guess she's moved on with her life, prefers not to be famous anymore or involved in showbiz, and doesn't want her life defined by what she did as a little girl four decades ago.

Oh wow, just found her on Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lisa_Gerritsen

I think this is her husband: http://www.santarosa.edu/theatrearts/staff/john.html
And husband and son (???): http://www.facebook.com/people/John-...00000988839721
It would be kind of late in life to have such a young son, but it happens these days.
And I think this is her: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/leisa-gerritsen/6/291/a21

catwoman1 · 05-21-2011, 04:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian Damage

So let me ask you all this, if Bess wasn't all that bad, was there any character on the show that you did not like?

I did not care for Georgette character. Too stupid acting. I have all the seasons and won't watch the shows where the story revolves around her and Ted.

Tweety · 05-21-2011, 06:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian Damage

Usually, for an adult comedy, the worst part of it is the child actor /actress. Was this the case of "Bess?" What are your personal opinions about the character?

lol, that's a great picture, I remember that episode.

Was Bess the weakest part of the show? Maybe, but if she was, I don't think it's because she's a bad actress. It's just that everyone else on that show was so incredibly good. Lisa was a pretty good actress, but I do think that a kid just seemed out of place on that show, even as the daughter of one of the main characters. Still, I like a couple of eps she was on that have already been mentioned, and the writers didn't emphasize her a whole lot.

Prior to the cast breaking up, MTM was a near-perfect show. A lesser actress in Bess' part could have been a disaster. But Lisa held her own. Again, it's not easy to look good in the middle of all the other great actors on that show.

I think I might agree w/catwoman1 that the Georgette character could be annoying.

05-19-2011, 03:25 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	Was The Character of "Bess Lindstrom" The Worst Part Of 'The Mary Tyler Moore Show?' Usually, for an adult comedy, the worst part of it is the child actor /actress. Was this the case of "Bess?" What are your personal opinions about the character?
	__________________ The Key to the Kingdom of Heaven: John 3:3 *Money Doesn't Buy Happiness...But I'd Rather Cry in My Private Jet*

05-19-2011, 10:49 PM	#6
Retro4Life Accept No Substitutes Forum Veteran Join Date: Feb 04, 2009 Location: IL Posts: 6,708	I liked Bess a lot. I liked the way she was kind of Mary's (the iconic career woman) surrogate daughter, and that Mary was a more natural "mother" to her than her own mother. I thought Bess was the rare example of a precocious kid on TV that I didn't want to throttle. She was smart but still vulnerable. As to someone I didn't like...I liked all the main characters. I didn't like a lot of the guest stars, but I think most of them were people I wasn't supposed to like, lol.
	__________________ 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."

05-19-2011, 11:06 PM	#7
Mr. Television 23 Years at Sitcoms Online Forum Icon Join Date: Jun 06, 2003 Location: Somewhere you're Not Posts: 62,133	I can't think of anyone on the show that I didn't like. The cast was perfect.
	__________________ Sonny

05-19-2011, 11:40 PM	#8
catlover79 God Bless Val Forum Addict Join Date: May 29, 2006 Location: Bewitched in Ohio Posts: 70,376	Bess wasn't on the show nearly enough to be the worst part of it (I can't think of any cast member/character I didn't like). I loved the episode where Lou babysat her and they wound up playing cards. They played for cookies.
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05-19-2011, 04:07 PM	#2
Dianne3 Member Senior Member Join Date: Aug 07, 2002 Posts: 1,057	Bess was mostly on in the first 2 seasons and more in season 2. Starting in season 3, Phyllis started appearing less and so obviously did Bess. I think Bess was only on once in season 3 and don't know is she was on in season 4. So, I don't feel that she was one too often to affect the show. I've always wanted to ask, what ever happened to the actress?

05-19-2011, 04:50 PM	#3
scotsguy Member Forum Regular Join Date: Nov 25, 2002 Location: Edinburgh,Scotland Posts: 696	I liked Bess,she was this togethor kid with a wacky Mother and the unseen Lars,who was usually the voice of reason against Phyllis' wild ideas. Its very sweet in the Phyllis pilot,how Phyllis is leaning on Bess at a tough time,and Phyllis' line: "...what a wonderful child you are,I must be a wonderful Mother!". According to the internet,Lisa Gertissen,may now be a project manager,she quit acting shortly after Phyllis was cancelled.

05-19-2011, 10:38 PM	#4
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	So let me ask you all this, if Bess wasn't all that bad, was there any character on the show that you did not like?

05-19-2011, 10:44 PM	#5
dakert Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: May 10, 2007 Location: Altoona PA Posts: 3,411	I like Bess and there wasnt anyone on the show I didnt like

05-20-2011, 09:49 AM	#9
old grouch Member Senior Member Join Date: May 13, 2010 Location: montana Posts: 1,877	I liked Bess and I always thought Lisa was a pretty good child actress.

05-21-2011, 05:07 AM	#10
catlover79 God Bless Val Forum Addict Join Date: May 29, 2006 Location: Bewitched in Ohio Posts: 70,376	Last I heard, she was retired from acting and the mother of triplets (!).

05-21-2011, 05:26 AM	#11
scotsguy Member Forum Regular Join Date: Nov 25, 2002 Location: Edinburgh,Scotland Posts: 696	I found Ted annoying at the start of MTM but Ted changed and just got funnier and funnier. There were one off charcaters on MTM I couldn't take it like Mary's ex fiancee in the pilot although we were clearly not meant to. The guy in "Keep Your Guard Up",I didn't really take to but agree with the other posts,all the other cast emmbers were great.