Monday, June 16, 2014
Forever Nurse Rachett
Louise Fletcher turned up on an episode of SHAMELESS, Season Two and reminded me of actors that are so strongly associated with one role that we are often surprised to find them in another. She will always be Nurse Ratchett to me. Who else will always be one character to you? There are so many examples: Robert Preston in THE MUSIC MAN for another.Is it a good thing or a bad one? I guess mostly bad. When I see how wonderful, Flletcher is in SHAMELESS, it makes me sad we don't have more memories of her.
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24 comments:
Yul Brynner in THE KING AND I, of course. Years and years later he was still playing the role on Broadway.
Jeff M.
Leonard Nimoy as Spock. Well, for that matter, almost the entire Star Trek cast and their associated characters.
We have some more for you:
Carroll O'Connor/Archie Bunker
Henry Winkler/The Fonz
James Gandolfini/Tony Soprano
Valerie Harper/Rhoda Morgenstern
as Deb suggested:
William Shatner/James T. Kirk
Jeff M.
Bebe Neuwirth as Lilith Sternin on both CHEERS and FRASIER.
MTM sort of scared her persona off with ORDINARY PEOPLE. But Lou Grant will always be Lou Grant to me. TV IDs are more permanent. It's the movie roles that are more surprising. To make yourself indelible in two hours is an achievement.
Shatner as Kirk
Doohan as Scotty
Nimoy as Spock
Kelley as Bones
etc.
Leo McKern as Rumpole
Peter Falk as Columbo
Patrick McGoohan as The Prisoner
And I hope I can say it someday about Hilary Swank as Diana!
Let me get us back to the movies, since everyone is fixated on TV:
Margaret Hamilton - The Wicked Witch of the West
(Pretty much everyone except Judy Garland is forever cemented in their Wizard of Oz role, but Hamilton never lived hers down for the rest of her life)
Gloria Swanson - Norma Desmond
Linda Blair - Regan MacNeil
Edmund Gwenn- Kris Kringle
Anthony Perkins - Norman Bates
I tried to come up with a variety of roles, but strangely I kept coming back to villains and "dark" characters.
And can I just say that the latest update to the "Please prove you're not a robot" nonsense is the worst ever. Took me six tries (!) before I got those wavy twisted letters correct. What's the point of the black dot in the back that distorts the letters even more? Maddening!
Yes to Rumpole. Also David Suchet as Poirot.
I thought of Columbo but I've seen Peter Falk in so many other roles (plus I was never a big Columbo fan) that I rejected it. I would add:
Telly Savalas/Kojak
Jeff M.
Patti, I just listen to ON POINT on NPR. They had their annual Summer Reading program. The last book they mention is Megan's THE FEVER. Congratulations!
Patti, you began with a female character, and so many responses were about males. I'm trying to think of more women and realize that maybe it takes a really big role for that identification to take place, and so few actresses get that opportunity.
I can't think of an example for a film. As for TV, all the characters on Perry Mason.
Thanks, George. Have to see if I can find it.
Yes, men are easier and Tv is easier.
Linda Blair is perfect. I guess dark characters are more memorable.
Basil Rathbone as Sherlock Holmes. Johnny Weismuller as Tarzan. Maureen O'Sullivan as Jane. William Boyd as Hoppy. Clayton Moore as the Lone Ranger and Jay Silverheels as Tonto. Bonita Granville as Nancy Drew. Hattie McDaniel as Mammy. The list is infinite.
Was trying to think of Bonita! Greatlist!
Gert Fröbe as Goldfinger.
Bela Lugosi as Dracula.
James Garner - Jim Rockford
Darren McGavin - Carl Kolchak
Anders-He even wore that cape on the street. Good ones, all.
Almost forgot:
Alan Alda - Hawkeye Pierce
She's choice in Exorcist II: The Heretic - a camp fave with at least two endings!
Have to disagree with Darren McGavin as Kolshak, for me he'll always be Ralphie's old man in A Christmas Story. Oh and there's another one: Peter Billingsley as Ralphie.
Never saw EXORCIST 2 but yes for A Christmas Story!
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