Shows where a secondary character became the reason to watch

[vjm]

Also, Henry Winkler as "Fonzie" became popular pretty soon after Happy Days started. As I recall, he did not even have a speaking part on the first show of that series.

During the first season, the Fonz wore a regular light jacket--instead of the leather jacket that would one day make it to the Smithsonian.

Originally, they didn't want Fonzie to wear the leather jacket because they though it made him look like a hoodlum.

 

[BDBopper]

Even though he isn't the main character, Barney Stinson is the big star of How I Met Your Mother.

 

[landtuna]

During the first season, the Fonz wore a regular light jacket--instead of the leather jacket that would one day make it to the Smithsonian.

Interesting story on how leather jackets came to be associated with bikers.

Many of the early 1940's era bikers were ex-military and the "bomber jacket" was what air crews normally wore in those unheated and unpressurized aircraft. Following the war there were millions of those jackets coming home with the troops and warehouses full of brand new ones that were selling for peanuts at Army-Navy surplus stores. The bikers adopted the leather bomber jacket as street wear and media and film popularized it as a badge which holds up to this day.

 

[onairb]

I always thought Bart Simpson and Stewie Griffin were the stars of The Simpsons and Family Guy respectively.

Bart was the star of 'The Simpsons' early on, before Homer kind of took over for a while.

 

[HamptonRoadsMediaFan]

Another show I can think of was Gimme A Break! with the late Nell Carter on NBC. Joey Lawrence was pretty much the draw on that show when it ended. I don't even think that two of the three daughters were on the show at its end (and Dolph Sweet passed away in 1985).

This wasn't the last time that happened with Joey Lawrence suddenly becoming the main draw during the later years of a show he was on; as he was practically the star during the 2nd half of Blossom's run.

 

[LKellerIII]

I always thought Bart Simpson and Stewie Griffin were the stars of The Simpsons and Family Guy respectively.

Yes - whenever Stewie's talking, Peter and Brian almost fade into the scenery. I wonder if Seth MacFarlane clashes egos with himself over this. ;D

 

[anotherguyTN]

Dr. Johnny Fever and Venus Flytrap on WKRP

You preferred watching them over Jennifer (Loni Anderson)?? ???

I always preferred Bailey.

Sorry about it being so long about replying. This thread slipped back pretty fast. :

 

[BD Sullivan]

Dr. Johnny Fever and Venus Flytrap on WKRP

You preferred watching them over Jennifer (Loni Anderson)?? ???

I always preferred Bailey.

So did James Brolin--for a time. Then he moved on to Barbra Streisand.

 

[FredLeonard]

Dr. Johnny Fever and Venus Flytrap on WKRP

You preferred watching them over Jennifer (Loni Anderson)?? ???

I always preferred Bailey.

So did James Brolin--for a time. Then he moved on to Barbra Streisand.

This proves Jan Smithers was acting. Bailey would never, ever fall for Brolin. When WKRP came back a decade later, Bailey and Andy Travis were the only members of the original cast not to make an appearance. They said in the first episode of the new series that Bailey had become the first woman mayor of Ann Arbor, Michigan. A little hard to believe Baily would end up there, let alone get elected to public office in that town; she was an Ohio State grad. No mention of a husband.

In the DVD commentary, Hugh Wilson expresses his shock that anybody would leave Bailey - especially for Streisand.

Loni showed far better judgement with Burt Reynolds.

 

[McCorryKL]

Flo on Alice, definitely. That one immediately came to mind when I saw the thread title.

 

[vjm]

Flo on Alice, definitely. That one immediately came to mind when I saw the thread title.

Well, there was a reason Flo got the spinoff...apparently people liked the possibility of grits being kissed.

 

[WMC2006]

But, apparently, Flo is fine in an ensemble in smaller increments. As star of her own show, FLO lasted two seasons before heading to grits heaven.

 

[onairb]

Looking up the scheduling in Brooks and Marsh, I see that 'Flo' ended up in the top 10 for its first season( on Monday nights at 9:30, with 'MASH' as its lead-in).
The next season, CBS moved it to Monday at 8 o'clock, against the more family-friendly 'Little House' and 'That's Incredible!', and the grits were kissed.

 

[jfrancispastirchak]

Virtually every supporting or "secondary" character on Frasier. And that includes Eddie. Frasier would have never grown wings without those foils.

 

[onairb]

Same with 'Cheers'. I always preferred the 'ensemble comedy' stories to 'Sam and Diane/Rebecca/Robin/Evan romantic comedy stuff.

 

[Mark Giardina]

If someone hasn’t already mentioned him already I will.

John Banner was the only reason that I watched ‘Hogan’s Heroes’.

Even before Banner said a word I started laughing because I, and every viewer to that show, was waiting for those (now)
famous words: “I see nothing…..I hear nothing….I know nothing! ;D

 

[jfrancispastirchak]

If someone hasn’t already mentioned him already I will. John Banner was the only reason that I watched ‘Hogan’s Heroes’. Even before Banner said a word I started laughing because I, and every viewer to that show, was waiting for those (now)
famous words: “I see nothing…..I hear nothing….I know nothing! ;D

Funny catchphrase in it's time, one resurrected to topically popular once again, thanks to some high profile political mischief and it's ensuing, clever news coverage.

 

[FredLeonard]

Cozi recently ran a 1949-50 episode of the Lone Ranger in which John Banner played the bad guy, a sinister European spy. He was good. He probably wasn't fully appreciated as an actor - especially by those who only saw him as the buffoonish Schultz.

 

[Mark Giardina]

Cozi recently ran a 1949-50 episode of the Lone Ranger in which John Banner played the bad guy, a sinister European spy. He was good. He probably wasn't fully appreciated as an actor - especially by those who only saw him as the buffoonish Schultz.

Banner also played a butler, or man-servant, on an early “The Adventures of Superman.”

There was a clip on You Tube of Banner and “Col. Klink” singing a Christmas song in German during a guest appearance on ‘The Hollywood Palace’ with Bing Crosby as the host. Crosby’s production company owned ‘Hogan’s Heroes.’

It’s a shame that John Banner passed away so soon after ‘Hogan’s Heroes’ went off the air. He was a talent.

 

[landtuna]

Cozi recently ran a 1949-50 episode of the Lone Ranger in which John Banner played the bad guy, a sinister European spy. He was good. He probably wasn't fully appreciated as an actor - especially by those who only saw him as the buffoonish Schultz.

Agreed. I recently saw him in a B western movie where he was the land swindler and he was very convincing despite his Austrian accent. I've recognized him in an episode of Perry Mason as well.