Barbara Billingsley as Dorothy??? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

WatcherofOldTV · 02-26-2016, 04:13 AM

Read somewhere a few years ago that Elaine Stritch was first considered for the role of Dorothy. Writers wanted Bea Arthur all along but thought she would command too much dough. So, they went for an Elaine Stritch "lookalike" and wanted Barbara Billingsley. She auditioned and went into negotiations until Bea Arthur expressed interest. I guess Barbara got the shaft...

bandonurse · 02-26-2016, 01:35 PM

Hmmmmmm

I guess I could see Barbara in that role. Who knows? We're so used to seeing Bea portray Dorothy that it's hard to picture. But I guess she probably would have won our hearts too. Rue has revealed that Bea only agreed to play Dorothy when it was explained to her that Rue would play the "nympho" and Betty the naïve girl from Minnesota, not the other way around. She didn't want to play off of two characters that she had played off of again.

WatcherofOldTV · 02-26-2016, 08:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bandonurse

Hmmmmmm

I guess I could see Barbara in that role. Who knows? We're so used to seeing Bea portray Dorothy that it's hard to picture. But I guess she probably would have won our hearts too. Rue has revealed that Bea only agreed to play Dorothy when it was explained to her that Rue would play the "nympho" and Betty the naïve girl from Minnesota, not the other way around. She didn't want to play off of two characters that she had played off of again.

Sophia was going to go to Joyce Van Patten has this happened because they felt she would fit better with Billingsley. Blanche would have been played by Sheree North and Rose MIGHT have been played by Betty White...

mets82 · 03-02-2016, 04:45 PM

I cant see Mrs. Cleaver calling Blanche a slut or Rose an idiot. Plus, I dont know if she could pull off the sense of humor that Bea had.

Anna Karenina · 08-26-2016, 03:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mets82

I cant see Mrs. Cleaver calling Blanche a slut or Rose an idiot. Plus, I dont know if she could pull off the sense of humor that Bea had.

Who would have thought she could pull off "speaking jive"...

bandonurse · 08-26-2016, 06:42 PM

"Who would have thought she could pull off "speaking jive"...

Yeah....... "I can dig it."

WatcherofOldTV · 08-27-2016, 12:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bandonurse

"Who would have thought she could pull off "speaking jive"...

Yeah....... "I can dig it."

"Speaking jive"? What does that mean in reference to Barbara Billingsly?

Or, is this some kind of inside joke that the two of you have?

opus · 08-27-2016, 01:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WatcherofOldTV

"Speaking jive"? What does that mean in reference to Barbara Billingsly?

Or, is this some kind of inside joke that the two of you have?

It's from the movie Airplane:

https://youtu.be/fXSLcYQHqFQ

Bonniegirl · 08-27-2016, 01:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by opus

It's from the movie Airplane:

https://youtu.be/fXSLcYQHqFQ

My soon to be new Husband's ex wife was in the movie Airplane!

No, not really, just kidding!!!

Disregard my post!

Moving right along......

Now this IS an inside joke!!!

king of comedy · 08-27-2016, 06:40 AM

I loved her in that movie!! It's a classic!

bandonurse · 08-27-2016, 07:39 AM

@WatcherOfOldTV,

As the posters above have explained, the "speaking jive" reference was from the movie, "Airplane!". With the notable exception of making jokes about pedophilia, (very poor judgment, in my opinion) it was one of the funniest movies of all time.

My "I can dig it" reference was a quote from Dorothy, in an episode where she was mocking Stan for trying to talk like a young, hip, guy.

jayman75 · 08-27-2016, 07:46 AM

I would love to know the sources of the Barbara Billingsley rumor. I've never heard that, and don't recall it mentioned in the recent "Golden Girls Forever" book.

Anna Karenina · 08-27-2016, 10:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bandonurse

"Who would have thought she could pull off "speaking jive"...

Yeah....... "I can dig it."

I just love Stan for some reason, he cracks me up when he always announces himself at the door and says "Hey Babe... its me... Stan."

Not sure why I get such a big kick out of him but I do...

Anna Karenina · 08-27-2016, 11:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bonniegirl

My soon to be new Husband's ex wife was in the movie Airplane!

No, not really, just kidding!!!

Disregard my post!

Moving right along......

Now this IS an inside joke!!!

There are at least 2 of your friends here who are on the inside of that joke!

Babalu · 08-27-2016, 01:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anna Karenina

There are at least 2 of your friends here who are on the inside of that joke!

Maybe more.....

02-26-2016, 04:13 AM	#1
WatcherofOldTV Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Sep 23, 2011 Posts: 138	Barbara Billingsley as Dorothy??? Read somewhere a few years ago that Elaine Stritch was first considered for the role of Dorothy. Writers wanted Bea Arthur all along but thought she would command too much dough. So, they went for an Elaine Stritch "lookalike" and wanted Barbara Billingsley. She auditioned and went into negotiations until Bea Arthur expressed interest. I guess Barbara got the shaft...

03-02-2016, 04:45 PM	#4
mets82 Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Mar 14, 2011 Location: Connecticut Posts: 5,058	I cant see Mrs. Cleaver calling Blanche a slut or Rose an idiot. Plus, I dont know if she could pull off the sense of humor that Bea had.
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08-27-2016, 07:46 AM	#12
jayman75 I Love the 80s! Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Dec 27, 2000 Location: THE GREAT UNITED STATES Posts: 3,809	I would love to know the sources of the Barbara Billingsley rumor. I've never heard that, and don't recall it mentioned in the recent "Golden Girls Forever" book.
	__________________ A fan of quality, classic television comedies and holiday specials... The Wonder Years,The Golden Girls,Burns and Allen, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Are You Being Served?, Family Guy, South Park, Designing Women, Dallas, The Facts of Life, Roseanne, Will and Grace, The Twilight Zone, Original Scooby-Doo, Murphy Brown, The Big Bang Theory... Talk to me about one of these shows, and I'm all yours...

02-26-2016, 01:35 PM	#2
bandonurse Member Senior Member Join Date: Jul 17, 2015 Location: Mentor, Ohio Posts: 1,082	Hmmmmmm I guess I could see Barbara in that role. Who knows? We're so used to seeing Bea portray Dorothy that it's hard to picture. But I guess she probably would have won our hearts too. Rue has revealed that Bea only agreed to play Dorothy when it was explained to her that Rue would play the "nympho" and Betty the naïve girl from Minnesota, not the other way around. She didn't want to play off of two characters that she had played off of again.

08-26-2016, 06:42 PM	#6
bandonurse Member Senior Member Join Date: Jul 17, 2015 Location: Mentor, Ohio Posts: 1,082	"Who would have thought she could pull off "speaking jive"... Yeah....... "I can dig it."

08-27-2016, 06:40 AM	#10
king of comedy Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Aug 31, 2012 Location: New Jersey Posts: 5,140	I loved her in that movie!! It's a classic!

08-27-2016, 07:39 AM	#11
bandonurse Member Senior Member Join Date: Jul 17, 2015 Location: Mentor, Ohio Posts: 1,082	@WatcherOfOldTV, As the posters above have explained, the "speaking jive" reference was from the movie, "Airplane!". With the notable exception of making jokes about pedophilia, (very poor judgment, in my opinion) it was one of the funniest movies of all time. My "I can dig it" reference was a quote from Dorothy, in an episode where she was mocking Stan for trying to talk like a young, hip, guy.