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Thursday, December 15, 2005

Ted Baxter


Dear Fred:

Really liked your story about you killing Ted Baxter. The Mary Tyler Moore Show is one of my two favorite sitcoms, along with the Dick van Dyke Show, another one of your favorites as well. (What is the commonality there?) But did you know that Ted Knight got started on television right here in the Capital Region, where you used to live, and where I still do? Check out this story.

I must admit, though, that I've NEVER seen the last episode of the Mary Tyler Moore Show! Now, I've seen clips - the Kleenex scene, for instance - but not the whole program. I've managed to miss it in reruns, even though it was on TV Land or Nick at Nite on New Year's Eve for a number of years. If you see it on the cable schedule, please let me know, O.K.?

Another confession: there was a period when I would confuse Ted Knight with another silver-haired fellow, Jack Cassidy, who was married to Shirley Jones. (Did you know that the Partridge Family was Gordon's guilty pleasure?) Jack was David's father, and Shirley was David's step-mom. Of course, a cultural maven such as yourself would NEVER make such a mistake, would you?

Glad that your reduced blogging schedule is working for you, though I miss those daily words of wisdom.

And where's the Macca review?

All the best, Roger

4 comments:

Roger Owen Green said...

My wife has a theory she told me about after I told her about the post: that FGH is a sensitive soul who was cosmicly aware of the dying Ted Knight and was compelled to honor him before he died

Anonymous said...

Roger, You and Carol should know that the real romance behind Jack Cassidy and Shirley Jones is the story of Stoney's Beer. Its maker, the Jones Brewing Co., then of Smithton, PA, was Shirley's family. I was introduced to the beer (and once danced at a wedding with Shirley c. age 20) by her uncle, Hugh Jones, my next-door neighbor growing up in Penn Twp. (now Penn Hills) east of Pittburgh. The beer impacted my neighbors in this way. Hugh, a strapping fellow, was nicknamed "Stone" Jones when he played football at Lafayette. When his first son was born he was asked, "Is this a little stone?" Someone said,"No, its a pebble." The knickname stuck: he's been Peb or Pebbie ever since. Stone and Pebble Jones: living adds for Stoney's Beer. Anyway, Stoney's eventually fell on hard times. According to one unconfirmed comment on the unofficial Stoney's website, the beer was sold to the Pittsburgh Brewing Co., maker of Iron City Beer--on which, as a good Pittsburgher, I grew up. Just within the past month there's been a news item that the Pittsburgh Brewing Co. has sought bankruptcy protection. Moral of the tale: it's one thing to remember Ted Knight, Jack Cassidy and Shirley Jones. It's quite another to have the beers of one's young adulthood in danger of slipping into oblivion!

Anonymous said...

I can't believe you never saw that MTM finale!

Apparently, you never saw the episode in which Jack Cassidy played Ted's brother, either. Talk about your sibling rivalries!

Hoping Lydia can stay away from the pink-eye for the holidays!

Best to you and Carol!

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