Darrins doing physical comedy - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Arfies · 11-23-2021, 01:06 AM

Despite Dick York’s back injury, they had him doing a lot of physical comedy, which sometimes makes me wince knowing the pain he was in. Certain times they’d use a stunt double (like Darrin falling over Larry in “Cousin Edgar,” being thrown on the sidewalk in “Samantha Goes South for a Spell,” flying down in “No Harm Charm”), but other times they wouldn’t (it’s really Dick York tripping over the table after being chased by Gerry in “A Most Unusual Wood Nymph” or climbing the ladder in “No Harm Charm.”) Considering that Dick Sargent didn’t have a back injury that would’ve prevented him from doing physical comedy, I wonder why they didn’t have him do more of it. He could be funny, like in “The Phrase is Familiar.”

rusty spike · 11-23-2021, 08:24 AM

Even if they used a stunt/body double, York most definitely has to get back on his feet without looking like the person in the "I've fallen and can't up" commercials. As a person with chronic back pain, I think York was most professional in his performances.

Willbo · 11-23-2021, 08:51 AM

Dick Sargent did not look as natural at physical comedy that Dick York did. DY seemed to have a better knack for physical comedy as well as facial expressions. I agree that I do not know how DY did a lot of the physical comedy that was required of him with his back issues.

I do think the producers knew the limitations of DS. It's as if they wrote him like a different character. DS definitely did not have the chemistry with Erin Murphy (Tabitha) that DY had.

stevea · 11-23-2021, 01:36 PM

Are we absolutely sure York did the stunts? Look for camera shot changes right before and right after the actual deed.

If he did stunts, I can't imagine why, unless he insisted he could do it.

Arfies · 11-23-2021, 05:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stevea

Are we absolutely sure York did the stunts? Look for camera shot changes right before and right after the actual deed.

If he did stunts, I can't imagine why, unless he insisted he could do it.

The ones I mentioned, yes. Off the top of my head, here's some stunt double ones:

Season 1 - "Cousin Edgar" (double falls into Larry and they flail around; his face is pressed into Larry's suit so you can't see it)
Season 2 - "Divided He Falls" (double does the diving scene and is thinner; Dick York is standing on the diving board in close-ups and in a different position on the diving board)
Season 4 - "No Harm Charm" (double is flown off the top of the ladder)
Season 5 - "Samantha Goes South for a Spell" (double is thrown onto the sidewalk and rolls away; double jumps above the sword; double also may be the one falling off the trellis)

Here's the ones I can think of that is really Dick York- the camera does not cut away:

Season 1 - "Cousin Edgar" (DY is in the bathroom fighting with the shaving cream and bonking his head on the mirror)
Season 2 - "Divided He Falls" (DY is doing the crazy dancing and gets up on the table)
Season 3 - "A Most Unusual Wood Nymph" (DY is chasing Samantha, gets elbowed by her, falls to his knees after being "hit" in the nose, gets chased by Gerry around the living room, takes a flying leap over the table and lands on his back. OUCH).
"Sam's Spooky Chair" - (DY is fighting with the chair and does fall with it when it collapses. Supposedly York further injured his back during this episode).
"Three Wishes" - DY fights with a suitcase invisibly moved by Samantha and slams against the back wall or door; can't remember
Season 4 - "No Harm Charm" (DY climbs up the shaky ladder and stands on top of it)
Season 5 - "Samantha Goes South for a Spell" (DY ducks under the sword as it slices the bedpost; York drops to his knees after being "cut")

This article has a story about Dick York being suspended up in the air in a chair held up by wires sometime in season 3 (who knows which episode), one of which snaps and messes up his back further. Bill Asher offered him a double, but as the author says, "Bill Asher has a way of making men feel challenged," so York didn't take him up on it. I suppose some amount of male pride was involved, as if asking for a double could be seen as some sort of weakness. Interestingly, when Dick York taught acting classes later in life, he chewed out two actors who did their own stunts. He probably didn't want them going through the same thing he did.

tcr1701 · 12-02-2021, 06:05 PM

There's an episode which I can't remember off the top of my head (I think "I'd Rather Twitch Than Fight) where York is standing straight on set then exits the front door - as soon as he assumed he was off camera you can see him drop his shoulder dramatically. I believe that was from the back pain. Rarely did you see him show pain onscreen, though. Just a few times his eyes betrayed him. But he always gave a great performance.

Dick Sargent (and I do Like Sargent as an adequate replacement) was not adept at physical comedy. Perhaps his tall lankiness attributed (although a lanky body helped Dick Van Dyke). In "The Phrase is Familiar" he gave physical schtick his best but he still managed to look uncomfortable instead of funny. Lila Garret (Bewitched writer) said she thought he would have been perfect as a detective type character but not a romantic leading man or comedian.

11-23-2021, 01:06 AM	#1
Arfies Memberific Frequent Poster Join Date: Dec 29, 2001 Location: There beneath the blue suburban skies, in summer, meanwhile back.... Posts: 481	Darrins doing physical comedy Despite Dick York’s back injury, they had him doing a lot of physical comedy, which sometimes makes me wince knowing the pain he was in. Certain times they’d use a stunt double (like Darrin falling over Larry in “Cousin Edgar,” being thrown on the sidewalk in “Samantha Goes South for a Spell,” flying down in “No Harm Charm”), but other times they wouldn’t (it’s really Dick York tripping over the table after being chased by Gerry in “A Most Unusual Wood Nymph” or climbing the ladder in “No Harm Charm.”) Considering that Dick Sargent didn’t have a back injury that would’ve prevented him from doing physical comedy, I wonder why they didn’t have him do more of it. He could be funny, like in “The Phrase is Familiar.”

11-23-2021, 08:24 AM	#2
rusty spike Member Senior Member Join Date: Mar 08, 2015 Location: Southwest Posts: 1,124	Even if they used a stunt/body double, York most definitely has to get back on his feet without looking like the person in the "I've fallen and can't up" commercials. As a person with chronic back pain, I think York was most professional in his performances.

11-23-2021, 08:51 AM	#3
Willbo Member Forum Regular Join Date: Feb 10, 2012 Location: Chattanooga, TN Posts: 863	Dick Sargent did not look as natural at physical comedy that Dick York did. DY seemed to have a better knack for physical comedy as well as facial expressions. I agree that I do not know how DY did a lot of the physical comedy that was required of him with his back issues. I do think the producers knew the limitations of DS. It's as if they wrote him like a different character. DS definitely did not have the chemistry with Erin Murphy (Tabitha) that DY had.

11-23-2021, 01:36 PM	#4
stevea 22 Years On Sitcoms Moderator Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 13, 2003 Location: Indy Posts: 44,759	Are we absolutely sure York did the stunts? Look for camera shot changes right before and right after the actual deed. If he did stunts, I can't imagine why, unless he insisted he could do it.

12-02-2021, 06:05 PM	#6
tcr1701 Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Oct 22, 2012 Posts: 461	There's an episode which I can't remember off the top of my head (I think "I'd Rather Twitch Than Fight) where York is standing straight on set then exits the front door - as soon as he assumed he was off camera you can see him drop his shoulder dramatically. I believe that was from the back pain. Rarely did you see him show pain onscreen, though. Just a few times his eyes betrayed him. But he always gave a great performance. Dick Sargent (and I do Like Sargent as an adequate replacement) was not adept at physical comedy. Perhaps his tall lankiness attributed (although a lanky body helped Dick Van Dyke). In "The Phrase is Familiar" he gave physical schtick his best but he still managed to look uncomfortable instead of funny. Lila Garret (Bewitched writer) said she thought he would have been perfect as a detective type character but not a romantic leading man or comedian.