George Maharis' illness - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Little_stinker · 09-12-2019, 07:46 PM

If Marty Milner had contracted some illness and couldn't continue, would Route 66 have continued on with just George Maharis or would it have been canceled?
I think that because Todd owned the Corvette that they drove around, it would have been more noticeable if he was missing.
I wonder if MM was considered more of a marketable star and the show would still draw viewers, even though GM was not part of the cast any longer, as a reason the producer chose to continue on further.

TMC · 12-30-2020, 11:43 PM

http://www.agcwebpages.com/BLINDITEM.../DECEMBER.html

338. ENTERTAINMENT LAWYER 12/30 **14**

He Killed The Show - Old Hollywood: I am calling it Old Hollywood, but the subject of the blind is still alive. Very old, but alive. I always say the first rule of Hollywood is to never leave a hit show. This actor/singer (George Maharis) was one of the first to do it and when he left, the show ("Route 66") didn't have a chance, and crashed and burned the next year. He will say he left the show because he was sick. Yes, sick from drinking too much, but that isn't the reason. The reason was that he knew, that despite him being the second lead (Martin Milner), he was the star of the show. People watched because of him. He wanted a raise that would have made him the highest paid actor of the time, whether in movies or television. The name of the show is also memorialized in song ("(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66"). The producers of the show thought he was bluffing. He wasn't. They thought they could be a hit without him. They were wrong. It limped through the one season without him. They tried to get him to come back during that final season, but he asked for even more money than before, because he knew they were desperate. Not desperate enough to pay him his fee though. So, what happened to our actor? He never had another hit. He worked and worked, but no hits. George Maharis/"Route 66"/Martin Milner/"(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66" (George Maharis arrested in men’s room)

Duster76 · 01-02-2021, 02:11 PM

Maharis did irreversible damage to his career with his antics no question about it, that said, I'm not convinced the show would have run any longer even if he had returned or never left. There were a few "man on the move" series in the 1960's and the successful ones had similar runs. Run For Your Life ran three seasons, 86 episodes, The Fugitive ran 4 seasons (same as Route 66), 120 episodes (Route 66 did 116). The audience may become disinterested in the endless journey concept and desire a conclusion.

09-12-2019, 07:46 PM	#1
Little_stinker Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Apr 19, 2018 Location: Illinois Posts: 315	George Maharis' illness If Marty Milner had contracted some illness and couldn't continue, would Route 66 have continued on with just George Maharis or would it have been canceled? I think that because Todd owned the Corvette that they drove around, it would have been more noticeable if he was missing. I wonder if MM was considered more of a marketable star and the show would still draw viewers, even though GM was not part of the cast any longer, as a reason the producer chose to continue on further.

12-30-2020, 11:43 PM	#2
TMC Member Forum Idol Join Date: Jan 09, 2001 Posts: 124,493	http://www.agcwebpages.com/BLINDITEM.../DECEMBER.html 338. ENTERTAINMENT LAWYER 12/30 14 He Killed The Show - Old Hollywood: I am calling it Old Hollywood, but the subject of the blind is still alive. Very old, but alive. I always say the first rule of Hollywood is to never leave a hit show. This actor/singer (George Maharis) was one of the first to do it and when he left, the show ("Route 66") didn't have a chance, and crashed and burned the next year. He will say he left the show because he was sick. Yes, sick from drinking too much, but that isn't the reason. The reason was that he knew, that despite him being the second lead (Martin Milner), he was the star of the show. People watched because of him. He wanted a raise that would have made him the highest paid actor of the time, whether in movies or television. The name of the show is also memorialized in song ("(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66"). The producers of the show thought he was bluffing. He wasn't. They thought they could be a hit without him. They were wrong. It limped through the one season without him. They tried to get him to come back during that final season, but he asked for even more money than before, because he knew they were desperate. Not desperate enough to pay him his fee though. So, what happened to our actor? He never had another hit. He worked and worked, but no hits. George Maharis/"Route 66"/Martin Milner/"(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66" (George Maharis arrested in men’s room)

01-02-2021, 02:11 PM	#3
Duster76 Member Senior Member Join Date: Mar 01, 2008 Location: New jersey Posts: 1,639	Maharis did irreversible damage to his career with his antics no question about it, that said, I'm not convinced the show would have run any longer even if he had returned or never left. There were a few "man on the move" series in the 1960's and the successful ones had similar runs. Run For Your Life ran three seasons, 86 episodes, The Fugitive ran 4 seasons (same as Route 66), 120 episodes (Route 66 did 116). The audience may become disinterested in the endless journey concept and desire a conclusion.