Sad sack Ed Halstad

[Sterling Holobyte]

I am always interested in characters on shows that are on for more than one episode(well, not always).

Character actor Ernie Sabella portrayed aimless and wishy-washy suit salesman Ed Halstad on two episodes of Newhart in the second season. He first showed up at the Stratford Inn after having a fight with his wife in the episode The man who came forever.

I was surprised to see him on the next episode, titled The looks of love. But I was also glad he was in it because it added some continuity to the program. Not like people showing up in town one day and then never seeing them again(Kind of like Kirk's infatuation interest in that episode).

But when characters return, it always gets me wondering if the Newhart people were considering making them a permanent character on the show. Or at least a semi-recurring character.

Was that the reason in Ed Halstad's case? Or was it simply a matter of being in the right place at the right time, given that the second episode he was in was centered around Kirk's newly formed singles club and they could use another single character in that episode?

Ernie Sabella was in an episode of the first season of Newhart, as a decidedly non-aimless nor wishy-washy police officer, who keeps Dick from enjoying a basketball game after losing his bench pass in A view from the bench.