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Horrible Showbiz Career Decisions (McLean Stevenson Effect)
Self | November 25, 2012 | PJ-Comix

Posted on 11/25/2012 7:06:22 AM PST by PJ-Comix

People in the entertainment business sometimes make horrible career decisions. This is what is known as the "McLean Stevenson Effect." Named after actor McLean Stevenson who played the part of Henry Blake in the hit TV series "M*A*S*H." Stevenson was unhappy with being part of an ensemble so after about 3 seasons left the show to become the lead in the "McLean Stevenson Show" which promptly flopped. His career never recovered.

Another victim of the McLean Stevenson effect was Shelly Long who was in the hit series "Cheers." She left after 5 seasons to become a movie actress but pretty much flopped in that endeavor.

Finally there was Jeff Conaway who starred in my own favorite TV series "Taxi." After 3 seasons he left the show with a one-way ticket to obscurity.

Who else made poor showbiz career decisions to become victims of the "McLean Stevenson Effect."


TOPICS: Humor; Music/Entertainment
KEYWORDS: hollywood; mcleanstevenson
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To: TADSLOS
Burt also turned down the James Bond role...said no American could pull it off- good call on that one.

That sounds suspiciously like integrity. I hope you're not telling me that someone in Hollywood has principles.

141 posted on 11/25/2012 12:41:09 PM PST by Slings and Arrows (You can't have IngSoc without an Emmanuel Goldstein.)
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To: pabianice

Whatever that conflict was killed one of the best-written TV shows I’ve ever seen. That show lived continuity and it showed.


142 posted on 11/25/2012 12:41:38 PM PST by Colonel_Flagg ("Don't be afraid to see what you see." -- Ronald Reagan)
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To: PJ-Comix

Don Knotts leaving the Andy Griffith Show


143 posted on 11/25/2012 12:42:10 PM PST by aomagrat (Gun owners who vote for democrats are too stupid to own guns.)
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To: Stealth Ninja

Villechaize was in a movie. “The Forbidden Zone”. If you want to see the weirdest movie ever, rent it if you can find it.
Danny Elfman is in it and does some of the music but his Scientoligst brother directed it. It is truly bizarre.


144 posted on 11/25/2012 12:42:25 PM PST by Lx (Do you like it, do you like it. Scott? I call it Mr. and Mrs. Tennerman chili.)
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To: murron
Larry Linville.
145 posted on 11/25/2012 12:46:09 PM PST by Slings and Arrows (You can't have IngSoc without an Emmanuel Goldstein.)
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To: murron

Larry Linville.

From what I’ve read he got tired of playing Frank Burns and thought he had taken the character as far as he could. When the show moved from comedy to more of a drama-based show he saw himself boxed out.

He had numerous guest appearances after leaving MASH on shows like “Murder, She Wrote”, Love Boat, Mission: Impossible, The Rockford Files, Bonanza and Mannix.


146 posted on 11/25/2012 12:50:41 PM PST by Colonel_Flagg ("Don't be afraid to see what you see." -- Ronald Reagan)
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To: Slings and Arrows

I would atttribute it more to career survival instinct than integrity. Then again, Burt made plenty of other pretty lousy career decisions along the way.


147 posted on 11/25/2012 12:52:39 PM PST by TADSLOS (LOSING BIG- The GOP legacy.)
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To: TADSLOS

Survival counts too. The dead face few moral quandaries. ;^)


148 posted on 11/25/2012 1:02:05 PM PST by Slings and Arrows (You can't have IngSoc without an Emmanuel Goldstein.)
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To: PJ-Comix

Whoever cast Ashton Krutcher to replace Charlie Sheen in Two and a Half Men has big time fail in their future.


149 posted on 11/25/2012 1:02:12 PM PST by Lurkina.n.Learnin (Superciliousness is the essence of Obama)
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To: IronJack
How about Scott Baio’s decision to leave “Happy Days” for “Joanie Loves Chachi”?

They wouldn't have kept him around forever, so he took his shot. It didn't work out, but at least people know his name even today. Joanie, Erin Moran, wasn't anywhere near as fortunate (assuming she wanted to stay in show business).

There may be some spectacular cases of bad choices, but show business is so iffy that some of these people may have left just before they lost their roles. Plus, it can be hard to tell who jumped and who was pushed. Did Shannen Doherty leave 90210 on her own, or was she such a pain that she was eased out?

It seems like Chevy Chase was on Saturday Night Live forever, but he only did about one season before leaving for LA to marry somebody who lived there. The marriage didn't laugh, and I guess he had a typical SNL alumni career, but it's great for the viewing public that he bailed as soon as he did.

150 posted on 11/25/2012 1:05:25 PM PST by x
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To: murron
Larry Linville? I always preferred him to preachy liberal Alan Alda, but most people didn't. He just wasn't likeable enough. He did marry five times, though, so maybe he put his energy into that.

Mike Farrell only seems to turn up in ads for the left-wing Nation magazine. A lot of people who "failed" as actors, though, go into producing and do alright. No need to worry about them.

151 posted on 11/25/2012 1:21:08 PM PST by x
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To: Yaelle

You knew him?


152 posted on 11/25/2012 1:22:26 PM PST by Vision (Obama is king of the "Takers." Don't be a "Taker.")
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To: autumnraine

Blake was the best charcter ever on TV IMO.


153 posted on 11/25/2012 1:23:30 PM PST by Vision (Obama is king of the "Takers." Don't be a "Taker.")
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To: murron

He left us too early.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larry_Linville


154 posted on 11/25/2012 1:28:17 PM PST by Vision (Obama is king of the "Takers." Don't be a "Taker.")
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To: murron

When I was in college, I sometimes chauffeured visiting speakers in my (very old) car for a few days. Larry Linville was one of them. He was very nice and gracious, and showed a lively interest in my major, which was physics. He seemed like a very sharp guy and was also really quick-witted.


155 posted on 11/25/2012 1:55:13 PM PST by thesharkboy (posting without reading the article since 1998)
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To: Jack Deth

David Krumholtz: Lost his gig as Morrow’s Brainiac brother, Charley and hasn’t done much of note since.


FWIW He’s got a new show called Partners on CBS.


156 posted on 11/25/2012 2:04:17 PM PST by chaosagent (Remember, no matter how you slice it, forbidden fruit still tastes the sweetest!)
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To: Road Glide

‘Then Came Bronson’ was great! Well produced and directed TV but it only lasted one season iirc, 1969-1970. Around 26/27(??) or so episodes were done and I have the full collection on DVD. (Now I’m gonna have to go find ‘em and watch a few, haven’t seen any of them for a while!)


157 posted on 11/25/2012 2:15:03 PM PST by bobby.223 (Retired up in the snowy mountains of the American Redoubt and it's a GREAT life!)
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To: chaosagent

I thought “Partners” was already canceled?


158 posted on 11/25/2012 2:15:28 PM PST by GeronL (http://asspos.blogspot.com)
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To: GeronL

Yeah, I didn’t realize Partners had already been canceled until my wife just told me.


159 posted on 11/25/2012 2:18:38 PM PST by chaosagent (Remember, no matter how you slice it, forbidden fruit still tastes the sweetest!)
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To: IronJack
How about Scott Baio’sHe did "Charles in Charge" for several years, and has a new series.
160 posted on 11/25/2012 2:23:08 PM PST by verga (A nation divided by Zero!)
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