Phyllis on "Rhoda" - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

wayman · 01-19-2003, 04:10 PM

I thought Cloris Leachman gave one of her best performances as Phyllis on the episode "Rhoda's Wedding."

jon123 · 01-22-2003, 03:41 AM

Phyllis forgot to pick Rhoda up and Rhoda had to take a cab to her wedding. We know Phyllis didn't like Rhoda, but this episode stretched believability too much.

ThomasE · 03-03-2003, 01:11 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by jon123
Phyllis forgot to pick Rhoda up and Rhoda had to take a cab to her wedding. We know Phyllis didn't like Rhoda, but this episode stretched believability too much.

I wanted to ring Phyllis' neck. Rhoda let her off too easy. I guess with it being her wedding day and all.

catlover79 · 08-15-2009, 09:34 PM

Yes, that episode (and Cloris) were awesome. I would've loved to see Ida clobber Phyllis!!

janet42 · 08-15-2009, 09:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by catlover79

Yes, that episode (and Cloris) were awesome. I would've loved to see Ida clobber Phyllis!!

Me too

catlover79 · 08-16-2009, 03:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by janet42

Me too

That would've made an already classic episode one for the ages!!

TMC · 08-10-2025, 04:06 AM

When her show was canceled in March 1977, the network had the idea of sending Cloris Leachman to Rhoda, and help that series rebound after a disastrous third season. A script was prepared for the third or fourth episode in that fourth season, in which Leachman would be a guest star.

The premise was that Phyllis was visiting Manhattan, but gets stuck at the airport over the weekend and asks to stay in Rhoda's apartment (the script was apparently titled, "Knock, Knock! It's Your Old Friend Phyllis!"). If ratings were a hit, the writers were going to make her a series regular by 'November sweeps' a few months later - somehow, Phyllis was to relocate to Manhattan and rent an apartment in Rhoda and Brenda's building.

The plan fell through - it was rumored that Leachman supposedly wanted to keep her 'leading actress salary' even though she was going to be a costar on the show, and CBS wouldn't agree. The 'Knock, Knock!' episode was scrapped, as well.

Duster76 · 08-30-2025, 03:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TMC

When her show was canceled in March 1977, the network had the idea of sending Cloris Leachman to Rhoda, and help that series rebound after a disastrous third season. A script was prepared for the third or fourth episode in that fourth season, in which Leachman would be a guest star.

The premise was that Phyllis was visiting Manhattan, but gets stuck at the airport over the weekend and asks to stay in Rhoda's apartment (the script was apparently titled, "Knock, Knock! It's Your Old Friend Phyllis!"). If ratings were a hit, the writers were going to make her a series regular by 'November sweeps' a few months later - somehow, Phyllis was to relocate to Manhattan and rent an apartment in Rhoda and Brenda's building.

The plan fell through - it was rumored that Leachman supposedly wanted to keep her 'leading actress salary' even though she was going to be a costar on the show, and CBS wouldn't agree. The 'Knock, Knock!' episode was scrapped, as well.

I assumed the idea was to create kind of a female version of the Odd Couple. Phyllis and Rhoda would wind up living in the same apartment "temporarily" with Phyllis being the Felix character and Rhoda being the Oscar character. It's an interesting concept that might have saved the show, but in the real world, fuhgeddaboudit!

thejuliekavnergirl · 08-30-2025, 04:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TMC

When her show was canceled in March 1977, the network had the idea of sending Cloris Leachman to Rhoda, and help that series rebound after a disastrous third season. A script was prepared for the third or fourth episode in that fourth season, in which Leachman would be a guest star.

The premise was that Phyllis was visiting Manhattan, but gets stuck at the airport over the weekend and asks to stay in Rhoda's apartment (the script was apparently titled, "Knock, Knock! It's Your Old Friend Phyllis!"). If ratings were a hit, the writers were going to make her a series regular by 'November sweeps' a few months later - somehow, Phyllis was to relocate to Manhattan and rent an apartment in Rhoda and Brenda's building.

The plan fell through - it was rumored that Leachman supposedly wanted to keep her 'leading actress salary' even though she was going to be a costar on the show, and CBS wouldn't agree. The 'Knock, Knock!' episode was scrapped, as well.

I actually own the script for that episode (thanks to eBay)! The title on mine is just "You're Old Friend Phyllis", though.

stevea · 08-30-2025, 05:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thejuliekavnergirl

I actually own the script for that episode (thanks to eBay)! The title on mine is just "You're Old Friend Phyllis", though.

I've never heard of this, but what an interesting idea.

Actually, the Your Old Friend Phyllis idea wouldn't really work--the viewers wouldn't buy it. They're like oil and water. And sharing an apartment? No way!

stevea · 08-30-2025, 05:50 PM

An interesting script would be to have Brenda go thru some job problems and she ends up moving into Rhoda's apartment to save money.

Rhoda begins to notice things she didn't notice when they briefly shared Brenda's apartment a few years back. Rhoda leaves some dishes in the sink and five minutes later she comes back and they're done, etc.

This develops into some full blown arguments, and we see things we never knew about Rhoda before--messy bedroom, etc. Ida could even get into some of these situations.

opus · 08-30-2025, 05:53 PM

Script readable here

https://jacksonupperco.com/2016/06/2...riend-phyllis/

Howard · 08-31-2025, 05:00 PM

Totally agree! I always loved her on both Mary's and her own show and was sorry it got cancelled after the 2nd season. I thought the characters were rich with quirkiness and there could have been so many more storylines to pursue!

Duster76 · 08-31-2025, 10:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stevea

I've never heard of this, but what an interesting idea.

Actually, the Your Old Friend Phyllis idea wouldn't really work--the viewers wouldn't buy it. They're like oil and water. And sharing an apartment? No way!

"And sharing an apartment? No way!"

The writers could have fixed that in 5 minutes, create some never before heard fact about how Phyllis befriended Rhoda during a tough time in her life when Rhoda first arrived in Minnesota. Didn't Rhoda have a sister named Debbie that just vanished, back stories in TV land were constantly adjusted to assist the storytelling process.

stevea · 08-31-2025, 11:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Duster76

"And sharing an apartment? No way!"

The writers could have fixed that in 5 minutes, create some never before heard fact about how Phyllis befriended Rhoda during a tough time in her life when Rhoda first arrived in Minnesota. Didn't Rhoda have a sister named Debbie that just vanished, back stories in TV land were constantly adjusted to assist the storytelling process.

Yes, from an MTM Show episode. I think she was retconned away in Rhoda.

01-19-2003, 04:10 PM	#1
wayman Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Jan 15, 2002 Location: Iowa Posts: 237	Phyllis on "Rhoda" I thought Cloris Leachman gave one of her best performances as Phyllis on the episode "Rhoda's Wedding."

08-15-2009, 09:34 PM	#4
catlover79 God Bless Val Forum Addict Join Date: May 29, 2006 Location: Bewitched in Ohio Posts: 70,376	Yes, that episode (and Cloris) were awesome. I would've loved to see Ida clobber Phyllis!!
	__________________ "Jesus loves you and He approves this message." "I'm alive. I'm feeling good. I'm trying to live every moment as much as I can." - Valerie Harper, March 2013

01-22-2003, 03:41 AM	#2
jon123 Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Feb 04, 2002 Location: Temecula Valley, CA Posts: 395	Phyllis forgot to pick Rhoda up and Rhoda had to take a cab to her wedding. We know Phyllis didn't like Rhoda, but this episode stretched believability too much.

08-10-2025, 04:06 AM	#7
TMC Member Forum Idol Join Date: Jan 09, 2001 Posts: 124,387	When her show was canceled in March 1977, the network had the idea of sending Cloris Leachman to Rhoda, and help that series rebound after a disastrous third season. A script was prepared for the third or fourth episode in that fourth season, in which Leachman would be a guest star. The premise was that Phyllis was visiting Manhattan, but gets stuck at the airport over the weekend and asks to stay in Rhoda's apartment (the script was apparently titled, "Knock, Knock! It's Your Old Friend Phyllis!"). If ratings were a hit, the writers were going to make her a series regular by 'November sweeps' a few months later - somehow, Phyllis was to relocate to Manhattan and rent an apartment in Rhoda and Brenda's building. The plan fell through - it was rumored that Leachman supposedly wanted to keep her 'leading actress salary' even though she was going to be a costar on the show, and CBS wouldn't agree. The 'Knock, Knock!' episode was scrapped, as well.

08-30-2025, 05:50 PM	#11
stevea 22 Years On Sitcoms Moderator Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 13, 2003 Location: Indy Posts: 44,163	An interesting script would be to have Brenda go thru some job problems and she ends up moving into Rhoda's apartment to save money. Rhoda begins to notice things she didn't notice when they briefly shared Brenda's apartment a few years back. Rhoda leaves some dishes in the sink and five minutes later she comes back and they're done, etc. This develops into some full blown arguments, and we see things we never knew about Rhoda before--messy bedroom, etc. Ida could even get into some of these situations.

08-30-2025, 05:53 PM	#12
opus VB Forum Superstar Join Date: May 16, 2015 Location: VB Galaxy Posts: 32,053	Script readable here https://jacksonupperco.com/2016/06/2...riend-phyllis/

08-31-2025, 05:00 PM	#13
Howard Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Apr 23, 2003 Posts: 238	Totally agree! I always loved her on both Mary's and her own show and was sorry it got cancelled after the 2nd season. I thought the characters were rich with quirkiness and there could have been so many more storylines to pursue!