Marcia Strassman "Prayed Every Day" For 'Welcome Back Kotter' Cancellation!? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Brian Damage · 02-15-2012, 10:26 AM

....was she justified? OR was she ungrateful for the opportunity?

Marcia Strassman landed a plum role as Mrs. Kotter on the hit sitcom Welcome Back, Kotter, but she wasn’t happy about it. “Every day I pray for cancellation,” she moaned in several interviews at the time. While some of us would shrug and think “a paycheck is a paycheck,” Strassman made it clear that smiling indulgently while Gabe Kaplan droned on about his great-uncle Schlomo and saying “Then what happened?” didn’t satisfy her artistic needs. Ironically, series star and co-creator Kaplan left after the third season, making Strassman the de facto star of the show. Such was her drawing power that Kotter was canceled promptly after season four.

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TVFactFan · 02-15-2012, 10:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian Damage

....was she justified? OR was she ungrateful for the opportunity?

Marcia Strassman landed a plum role as Mrs. Kotter on the hit sitcom Welcome Back, Kotter, but she wasn’t happy about it. “Every day I pray for cancellation,” she moaned in several interviews at the time. While some of us would shrug and think “a paycheck is a paycheck,” Strassman made it clear that smiling indulgently while Gabe Kaplan droned on about his great-uncle Schlomo and saying “Then what happened?” didn’t satisfy her artistic needs. Ironically, series star and co-creator Kaplan left after the third season, making Strassman the de facto star of the show. Such was her drawing power that Kotter was canceled promptly after season four.

Read the full text here: http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/arc...#ixzz1mSbmDE8t
--brought to you by mental_floss!

Why couldn't she just quit if she was that miserable? I hated her character anyway

Adamantium · 02-15-2012, 10:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TVFactFan

Why couldn't she just quit if she was that miserable? I hated her character anyway

Yeah, that's better than to basically pray for all those people working on the show behind the camera and in front of it to be out of a job just because she was unhappy there.

Brian Damage · 02-15-2012, 10:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TVFactFan

Why couldn't she just quit if she was that miserable? I hated her character anyway

I guess she was under an "Iron Clad" contract?

Retro4Life · 02-15-2012, 10:50 PM

Yeah, she could have quit unless she had a contract that prevented her from doing so. And the whole thing seems quite 'sour grapes' since she really didn't have to work very hard (smiling wryly at Gabe's jokes was usually about the extent of her conversation) and she probably got paid well.

I can understand going on to other things, but honestly, the show didn't last that long and it's unlikely she had to turn down the lead role in "The China Syndrome" or something because of it. And she didn't exactly set the world on fire AFTER the show ended, either.

Brian Damage · 02-15-2012, 11:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Retro4Life

Yeah, she could have quit unless she had a contract that prevented her from doing so. And the whole thing seems quite 'sour grapes' since she really didn't have to work very hard (smiling wryly at Gabe's jokes was usually about the extent of her conversation) and she probably got paid well.

I can understand going on to other things, but honestly, the show didn't last that long and it's unlikely she had to turn down the lead role in "The China Syndrome" or something because of it. And she didn't exactly set the world on fire AFTER the show ended, either.

Well, to be fair, she did star in a few of those "Honey I Shrunk the Kids" flicks LOL

TVFactFan · 02-15-2012, 11:02 PM

I will say it did become harder for her to FAKE THOSE LAUGHS after a while

Retro4Life · 02-15-2012, 11:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian Damage

Well, to be fair, she did star in a few of those "Honey I Shrunk the Kids" flicks LOL

Yeah, forgot about those, lol.

I liked Strassman a lot and like most guys my age, had a crush on her. Just disappointing to hear that she didn't care for the show, I guess.

Brian Damage · 02-15-2012, 11:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Retro4Life

Yeah, forgot about those, lol.

I liked Strassman a lot and like most guys my age, had a crush on her. Just disappointing to hear that she didn't care for the show, I guess.

I hear you and I agree, I am sure now that she had time to reflect, she probably realizes that she was stupid to want to end a gig that easy. lol

Mr. Television · 02-16-2012, 01:21 AM

Yea I read that before. I can understand why she would be bored. She was more window dressing than anything and I always enjoyed watching her. lol From what I read though, the main problem was that everyone was fighting on the show and wasn't fun. Her and Gabe had a falling out. The 4 sweathogs took sides. James Komack was the instigator of the problems. Marcia and Gabe later made up and both have said that Komack was the one responsible for all the striff. She obviously came to accept her WBK past as she attended the TV Land Awards with the cast last year. It's hard reading these things though as fans. We all love these shows and hope that the casts have as much fun making the shows as we have watching them. Unfortunately that isn't always the case.

old grouch · 02-16-2012, 11:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TVFactFan

I will say it did become harder for her to FAKE THOSE LAUGHS after a while

When Gabe started telling one of his stories, it always seemed like Marcia was rolling her eyes at him. To me, it always looked like she was thinking, 'Not another boring story about Uncle Whatshisface'.

TVFactFan · 02-16-2012, 03:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by old grouch

When Gabe started telling one of his stories, it always seemed like Marcia was rolling her eyes at him. To me, it always looked like she was thinking, 'Not another boring story about Uncle Whatshisface'.

I honestly think those jokes should have been cut out of syndicaton

catlover79 · 08-16-2012, 07:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TVFactFan

I honestly think those jokes should have been cut out of syndicaton

It was funny, though, over time how both Julie and the Sweathogs got bored with those yarns. Take "A Sweathog Christmas" where they all spend Christmas Eve reminiscing about old times (it was a clip show). When Gabe started to tell one of his family jokes, everyone else stood up and said, "Gosh, how are the babies doing?" and left the room. Even "Santa" literally disappeared when Gabe started to talk about Cousin Frieda's nose job.

Here are Gabe and Marcia, in their own words, about what went down:

Marvo301 · 08-17-2012, 01:49 PM

Marcia did leave the recurring role of nurse Margie Cutler on M*A*S*H to tale the role of Julie Kotter. So while she was sitting there listening to Gabe's lame "Uncle" jokes she was probably thinking to herself I could be working on the number one show on TV right now but instead I'm sitting here listening to lame jokes!

TVFactFan · 08-17-2012, 02:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marvo301

Marcia did leave the recurring role of nurse Margie Cutler on M*A*S*H to tale the role of Julie Kotter. So while she was sitting there listening to Gabe's lame "Uncle" jokes she was probably thinking to herself I could be working on the number one show on TV right now but instead I'm sitting here listening to lame jokes!

I guess she didn't understand that the show wasn't called the "The Kotters" and was a show about Mr. Kotter's Work Life and his students. So she really wasn't needed at all

02-15-2012, 10:26 AM	#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	Marcia Strassman "Prayed Every Day" For 'Welcome Back Kotter' Cancellation!? ....was she justified? OR was she ungrateful for the opportunity? Marcia Strassman landed a plum role as Mrs. Kotter on the hit sitcom Welcome Back, Kotter, but she wasn’t happy about it. “Every day I pray for cancellation,” she moaned in several interviews at the time. While some of us would shrug and think “a paycheck is a paycheck,” Strassman made it clear that smiling indulgently while Gabe Kaplan droned on about his great-uncle Schlomo and saying “Then what happened?” didn’t satisfy her artistic needs. Ironically, series star and co-creator Kaplan left after the third season, making Strassman the de facto star of the show. Such was her drawing power that Kotter was canceled promptly after season four. Read the full text here: http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/arc...#ixzz1mSbmDE8t --brought to you by mental_floss!
	__________________ The Key to the Kingdom of Heaven: John 3:3 *Money Doesn't Buy Happiness...But I'd Rather Cry in My Private Jet*

02-15-2012, 10:50 PM	#5
Retro4Life Accept No Substitutes Forum Veteran Join Date: Feb 04, 2009 Location: IL Posts: 6,708	Yeah, she could have quit unless she had a contract that prevented her from doing so. And the whole thing seems quite 'sour grapes' since she really didn't have to work very hard (smiling wryly at Gabe's jokes was usually about the extent of her conversation) and she probably got paid well. I can understand going on to other things, but honestly, the show didn't last that long and it's unlikely she had to turn down the lead role in "The China Syndrome" or something because of it. And she didn't exactly set the world on fire AFTER the show ended, either.
	__________________ 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."

02-16-2012, 01:21 AM	#10
Mr. Television 23 Years at Sitcoms Online Forum Icon Join Date: Jun 06, 2003 Location: Somewhere you're Not Posts: 62,132	Yea I read that before. I can understand why she would be bored. She was more window dressing than anything and I always enjoyed watching her. lol From what I read though, the main problem was that everyone was fighting on the show and wasn't fun. Her and Gabe had a falling out. The 4 sweathogs took sides. James Komack was the instigator of the problems. Marcia and Gabe later made up and both have said that Komack was the one responsible for all the striff. She obviously came to accept her WBK past as she attended the TV Land Awards with the cast last year. It's hard reading these things though as fans. We all love these shows and hope that the casts have as much fun making the shows as we have watching them. Unfortunately that isn't always the case.
	__________________ Sonny

08-17-2012, 01:49 PM	#14
Marvo301 I'm NOT a Blockhead! Forum Celebrity Join Date: May 17, 2002 Location: The Great White North Posts: 21,456	Marcia did leave the recurring role of nurse Margie Cutler on MAS*H to tale the role of Julie Kotter. So while she was sitting there listening to Gabe's lame "Uncle" jokes she was probably thinking to herself I could be working on the number one show on TV right now but instead I'm sitting here listening to lame jokes!
	__________________ Only a life lived for others is worth living. Albert Einstein A life isn't worth living unless it has impact on other lives. Jackie Robinson Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each new year find you a better man. Benjamin Franklin

02-15-2012, 11:02 PM	#7
TVFactFan Member Forum Junkie Join Date: Aug 17, 2002 Posts: 99,062	I will say it did become harder for her to FAKE THOSE LAUGHS after a while