Did they originally write Mrs. Ziffel to pass away? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

TheLittleFaerie · 03-16-2021, 06:26 AM

I'm wondering if they originally intended to have Mrs. Ziffel to pass away before they decided to bring in the new one. I'm on the episode where Oliver and Lisa are taking seperate vacations and Fred comes over and says, "I know it can be lonely, Dorris has been gone for 3 months now...."

PracTz · 03-16-2021, 09:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheLittleFaerie

I'm wondering if they originally intended to have Mrs. Ziffel to pass away before they decided to bring in the new one. I'm on the episode where Oliver and Lisa are taking seperate vacations and Fred comes over and says, "I know it can be lonely, Dorris has been gone for 3 months now...."

Good question but FilmWays didn't even do more to acknowledge Kate Bradley'd death than have someone say 'she would be missed' as she evidently (as per the show) went on an extensive one-way trip away from Hooterville forever right after her granddaughter Kathy Jo was born!

I suppose they initially might have thought to have led up to Mrs. Ziffel dying but then deciding that neither Mr. Ziffel or Arnold could function without a Mrs. Ziffel so they recast her.

PhoenixAcres · 03-16-2021, 01:16 PM

At some point they made the explanation that Doris was in Philadelphia visiting her aunt. Maybe that's what Fred was referring to here.

It would have been really nice if they made some sort of passing remark in honor of the original actress, but I guess Jay Sommers thought death, or even addressing death, was inappropriate in the zany irreverent comedy he created.

TheLittleFaerie · 03-16-2021, 03:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PhoenixAcres

At some point they made the explanation that Doris was in Philadelphia visiting her aunt. Maybe that's what Fred was referring to here.

It would have been really nice if they made some sort of passing remark in honor of the original actress, but I guess Jay Sommers thought death, or even addressing death, was inappropriate in the zany irreverent comedy he created.

Yeah I posted about that before... I think it would have been sorta funny and also sorta heart-felt at the same time, if Oliver had casually said something in regards to the new Mrs Ziffel like, "You know I just can't put my finger on it, but Mrs Ziffel just seems....different in some way." It would have sorta been funny and also an "Awwww" moment. I don't think it would have been disrespectful

PhoenixAcres · 03-16-2021, 04:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheLittleFaerie

Yeah I posted about that before... I think it would have been sorta funny and also sorta heart-felt at the same time, if Oliver had casually said something in regards to the new Mrs Ziffel like, "You know I just can't put my finger on it, but Mrs Ziffel just seems....different in some way." It would have sorta been funny and also an "Awwww" moment. I don't think it would have been disrespectful

Yeah I agree that probably would have worked nicely. Funny and sentimental at the same time like you said. A shame they never did that.

stevea · 03-16-2021, 11:42 PM

Generally the older sitcoms didn't acknowledge an actor's death--look at Joseph Kearns on Dennis the Menace or Alice Pearce on Bewitched (Marion Lorne too) . Filmways could have done a nice "in memory of" slide in the end credits, as Screen Gems could have for the other-mentioned actors.

TheLittleFaerie · 03-17-2021, 04:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stevea

Generally the older sitcoms didn't acknowledge an actor's death--look at Joseph Kearns on Dennis the Menace or Alice Pearce on Bewitched (Marion Lorne too) . Filmways could have done a nice "in memory of" slide in the end credits, as Screen Gems could have for the other-mentioned actors.

Yeah the whole 2 Mr Wilsons thing used to confuse me as a child... At first, not seeing the episode where Gale Gordon takes over... I thought Gale was supposedly playing the SAME character as Joseph Kearns because he lives in the same house with Martha Wilson for a while before Eloise comes along lol

Duster76 · 03-17-2021, 04:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheLittleFaerie

I'm wondering if they originally intended to have Mrs. Ziffel to pass away before they decided to bring in the new one. I'm on the episode where Oliver and Lisa are taking seperate vacations and Fred comes over and says, "I know it can be lonely, Dorris has been gone for 3 months now...."

I took a look at some of the reference material concerning the series and it appears Barbara was actually let go before the end of the third season, her final appearance was in "Spring Festival" which was aired in 2/68. Barbara died in July of 1969, she was not in any of the episodes during season 4 (1968-69). She did appear in an episode of Mayberry RFD during the 68-69 TV season as well as an episode of The Doris Day Show. By the time Fran Ryan appears as Doris Ziffel number two it's season 5 ("The Road" airdate 11/69), it actually had been almost two years since Barbara had appeared in that role. I don't think the acknowledgement would have been appropriate.

Coffeecup · 03-27-2021, 09:54 PM

I sometimes think the show was somewhat aimed for kids.I remember watching the show although my mom thought it was foolish. To have a in memory of Barbara with b+ d dates , I know I'd be asking my mother what happened. As a child, I didn't want to hear someone died. This way, you really never knew why she left. Back then you may have thought she had quarrel with actor Hank Peterson (Fred) and left. Now today with 24 hours media play, you would have found out within a day, that she left the show and why.

03-16-2021, 06:26 AM	#1
TheLittleFaerie Member Senior Member Join Date: Oct 15, 2017 Posts: 1,948	Did they originally write Mrs. Ziffel to pass away? I'm wondering if they originally intended to have Mrs. Ziffel to pass away before they decided to bring in the new one. I'm on the episode where Oliver and Lisa are taking seperate vacations and Fred comes over and says, "I know it can be lonely, Dorris has been gone for 3 months now...."

03-16-2021, 01:16 PM	#3
PhoenixAcres Member Moderator Forum Veteran Join Date: Jul 26, 2016 Location: United States Posts: 6,824	At some point they made the explanation that Doris was in Philadelphia visiting her aunt. Maybe that's what Fred was referring to here. It would have been really nice if they made some sort of passing remark in honor of the original actress, but I guess Jay Sommers thought death, or even addressing death, was inappropriate in the zany irreverent comedy he created.

03-16-2021, 11:42 PM	#6
stevea 22 Years On Sitcoms Moderator Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 13, 2003 Location: Indy Posts: 44,680	Generally the older sitcoms didn't acknowledge an actor's death--look at Joseph Kearns on Dennis the Menace or Alice Pearce on Bewitched (Marion Lorne too) . Filmways could have done a nice "in memory of" slide in the end credits, as Screen Gems could have for the other-mentioned actors.

03-27-2021, 09:54 PM	#9
Coffeecup coffeecup. Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Jan 17, 2003 Location: snoozeville Posts: 3,183	I sometimes think the show was somewhat aimed for kids.I remember watching the show although my mom thought it was foolish. To have a in memory of Barbara with b+ d dates , I know I'd be asking my mother what happened. As a child, I didn't want to hear someone died. This way, you really never knew why she left. Back then you may have thought she had quarrel with actor Hank Peterson (Fred) and left. Now today with 24 hours media play, you would have found out within a day, that she left the show and why.