Herb Edelman was an "afterthought for the part of Stan"?? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

WatcherofOldTV · 09-14-2015, 07:09 AM

Not sure if any of this is true, but I still find it interesting.

I read years ago that Herb Edelman only got the part of Stan because he was friends with one of the writers who owed him a favor!!

Two guys who were up for the part of Stan were Jack Klugman and Herschel Bernardi!! They wanted to give it to Klugman but he only wanted it if Brett Somers played the role of Dorothy. Bernardi fell ill and could no longer be considered.

Frankly, I could see both guys in the role but I still think Herb Edelman did a great job.

jayman75 · 09-14-2015, 11:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WatcherofOldTV

Not sure if any of this is true, but I still find it interesting.

I read years ago that Herb Edelman only got the part of Stan because he was friends with one of the writers who owed him a favor!!

Two guys who were up for the part of Stan were Jack Klugman and Herschel Bernardi!! They wanted to give it to Klugman but he only wanted it if Brett Somers played the role of Dorothy. Bernardi fell ill and could no longer be considered.

Frankly, I could see both guys in the role but I still think Herb Edelman did a great job.

I would love to know if this was true. If you had a source, this would be a great bit of undiscovered GG trivia!

MichaelKeith · 09-14-2015, 11:57 AM

that could be true but did you notice how they stuck with him even through the final episode. I thought it was touching the way he came to the wedding and sat in the back row. You could tell he was sad to lose Dorothy.

jayman75 · 09-14-2015, 04:52 PM

Does anyone want their mind blown?

Stan and Miles (Harold Gould) never appear together in any episode. There is no photo of the two of them together, as far as we know.

Crazy, huh?

'80sSitcoms · 09-15-2015, 12:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jayman75

Does anyone want their mind blown?

Stan and Miles (Harold Gould) never appear together in any episode. There is no photo of the two of them together, as far as we know.

Crazy, huh?

Well, not really...I mean when you think of GG you don't---at least I don't---think of Stan as being in that many episodes (research pause: IMDB shows he appeared in 25 out of 180 shows). So that doesn't seem crazy to me (sorry to burst your bubble, lol).

I did just find something while Googling this info though; he was once married to Louise Sorel, who played wicked villainess Vivian Alamaine on Days of Our Lives from 1992-2000.

WatcherofOldTV · 10-02-2015, 03:00 AM

I thought this widely known, actually!

In fact, if Estelle Getty didn't accept the role of Sophia, it was going to go to Selma Diamond....once she died, that idea was out and Nancy Walker was the backup. But, Estelle accepted and they kept Nancy Walker in mind for future guest shots.

Hollis Irving was also in the running for Rose but Betty White was the first thought.

Betty Garrett was in mind for Blanche, but she just couldn't nail the southern accent that Jay Sandrich was looking for. She was also kept in mind for Sophia but wasn't right for the role after auditioning.

'80sSitcoms · 10-02-2015, 08:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WatcherofOldTV

Betty Garrett was in mind for Blanche, but she just couldn't nail the southern accent that Jay Sandrich was looking for.

This is not true because Jay Sandrich was not looking for a southern accent, he was against Blanche having a southern accent. Rue started doing it for the pilot and he stopped her and asked what she was doing, and when she said she was doing Blanche's southern accent, he said "No no I don't want that, just do your Oklahoma accent."

You can see Rue discuss this in her Emmy Legends web site interview, and it's also documented in The Q Guide to The Golden Girls.

Thank goodness Jay only directed the pilot (the only episode where Blanche does not have a southern accent) and Rue got to keep Blanche southern through and through after that.

WatcherofOldTV · 10-02-2015, 01:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by '80sSitcoms

This is not true because Jay Sandrich was not looking for a southern accent, he was against Blanche having a southern accent. Rue started doing it for the pilot and he stopped her and asked what she was doing, and when she said she was doing Blanche's southern accent, he said "No no I don't want that, just do your Oklahoma accent."

You can see Rue discuss this in her Emmy Legends web site interview, and it's also documented in The Q Guide to The Golden Girls.

Thank goodness Jay only directed the pilot (the only episode where Blanche does not have a southern accent) and Rue got to keep Blanche southern through and through after that.

And he was right! Her later southern accent was awful! That's why it didn't work out for as Aunt Fran on Mama's Family, and Sandrich knew this. She was funny but it became clownish with her long, drawn out accent to emphasize EVERYYYY SINGGGGLE WORDDDDD...OH MY GAWDDDDDD, DOROTHEYYYY....just too much...

bandonurse · 10-02-2015, 07:45 PM

I often hated Blanche's exaggerated accent too, "Watcherofoldtv"
Expecially when she'd play a scene where she was really in a "huff" about something. Like the scene where she stormed out of her job at the museum thinking Dorothy was outshining her at her job. "I quiiiitttt"

Otherwise, I loved Rue's portrayal of Blanche.

'80sSitcoms · 10-05-2015, 05:00 PM

Wow, I never knew any fans didn't love Blanche's accent! lol Rue knew it was ridiculously over the top and exaggerated and a melting pot of accents from the south, and she had so much fun doing it (this isn't me speaking for her, she explains this in interviews)...and I'm one of the fans who had so much fun hearing it.

I love the way she says Dorothy's name in her own 4-syllable Blanche way, "Duh-HAHR-uh-thee!"

Quote:

Originally Posted by WatcherofOldTV

And he was right! Her later southern accent was awful! That's why it didn't work out for as Aunt Fran on Mama's Family, and Sandrich knew this. She was funny but it became clownish with her long, drawn out accent to emphasize EVERYYYY SINGGGGLE WORDDDDD...OH MY GAWDDDDDD, DOROTHEYYYY....just too much...

I'm a huge fan of MF as well. But her accent as Aunt Fran fit in with the rest of the cast. The MF and Carol Burnett Show cast used very exaggerated melting-pot southern/rural accents, much like Blanche did, for the character of how they spoke in the little town of Raytown. Carol created the accent style for those old "Family" sketches with Eunice and had everyone do what she did, so Rue was just fitting in with her accent on MF. She and Betty White had the more "sophisticated" types of accents on that show, as they were the most learned and schooled and intelligent members of the family.

WatcherofOldTV · 10-22-2015, 02:52 AM

You are sadly mistaken...sorry...

bandonurse · 10-22-2015, 01:33 PM

Which person is "sadly mistaken", Watcher"?

You didn't do a very good job of stating what you actually meant by your comment. Which comment are you referring to, and what didn't you like about it?

Coffeecup · 10-23-2015, 07:25 PM

Both Bea and Herb had the right height for each other. I see Hershel on Naked City and I can't see Jack as Stan. Was Quincy done by then?

DJM77 · 10-23-2015, 10:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Coffeecup

Both Bea and Herb had the right height for each other. I see Hershel on Naked City and I can't see Jack as Stan. Was Quincy done by then?

Yes.

09-14-2015, 07:09 AM	#1
WatcherofOldTV Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Sep 23, 2011 Posts: 138	Herb Edelman was an "afterthought for the part of Stan"?? Not sure if any of this is true, but I still find it interesting. I read years ago that Herb Edelman only got the part of Stan because he was friends with one of the writers who owed him a favor!! Two guys who were up for the part of Stan were Jack Klugman and Herschel Bernardi!! They wanted to give it to Klugman but he only wanted it if Brett Somers played the role of Dorothy. Bernardi fell ill and could no longer be considered. Frankly, I could see both guys in the role but I still think Herb Edelman did a great job.

09-14-2015, 11:57 AM	#3
MichaelKeith Member Senior Member Join Date: Mar 01, 2007 Posts: 1,139	that could be true but did you notice how they stuck with him even through the final episode. I thought it was touching the way he came to the wedding and sat in the back row. You could tell he was sad to lose Dorothy.

09-14-2015, 04:52 PM	#4
jayman75 I Love the 80s! Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Dec 27, 2000 Location: THE GREAT UNITED STATES Posts: 3,809	Does anyone want their mind blown? Stan and Miles (Harold Gould) never appear together in any episode. There is no photo of the two of them together, as far as we know. Crazy, huh?

10-02-2015, 03:00 AM	#6
WatcherofOldTV Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Sep 23, 2011 Posts: 138	I thought this widely known, actually! In fact, if Estelle Getty didn't accept the role of Sophia, it was going to go to Selma Diamond....once she died, that idea was out and Nancy Walker was the backup. But, Estelle accepted and they kept Nancy Walker in mind for future guest shots. Hollis Irving was also in the running for Rose but Betty White was the first thought. Betty Garrett was in mind for Blanche, but she just couldn't nail the southern accent that Jay Sandrich was looking for. She was also kept in mind for Sophia but wasn't right for the role after auditioning.

10-02-2015, 07:45 PM	#9
bandonurse Member Senior Member Join Date: Jul 17, 2015 Location: Mentor, Ohio Posts: 1,082	I often hated Blanche's exaggerated accent too, "Watcherofoldtv" Expecially when she'd play a scene where she was really in a "huff" about something. Like the scene where she stormed out of her job at the museum thinking Dorothy was outshining her at her job. "I quiiiitttt" Otherwise, I loved Rue's portrayal of Blanche.

10-22-2015, 02:52 AM	#11
WatcherofOldTV Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Sep 23, 2011 Posts: 138	You are sadly mistaken...sorry...

10-22-2015, 01:33 PM	#12
bandonurse Member Senior Member Join Date: Jul 17, 2015 Location: Mentor, Ohio Posts: 1,082	Which person is "sadly mistaken", Watcher"? You didn't do a very good job of stating what you actually meant by your comment. Which comment are you referring to, and what didn't you like about it?

10-23-2015, 07:25 PM	#13
Coffeecup coffeecup. Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Jan 17, 2003 Location: snoozeville Posts: 3,183	Both Bea and Herb had the right height for each other. I see Hershel on Naked City and I can't see Jack as Stan. Was Quincy done by then?