Actor and game show icon Orson Bean was struck & killed by a vehicle in Venice, California last week. Bean, 91, is best remembered for a long tenure as a panelist on To Tell The Truth, although he also occasionally appeared on both iterations of Match Game with Gene Rayburn, including this 1964 installment, also featuring Jayne Mansfield:
Bean also guest-hosted Truth on occasion when original moderator Bud Collyer was unavailable. Bean's acting resume included appearances on The Twilight Zone, Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman, and the short-lived John Goodman sitcom, Normal, Ohio.
Former network executive turned producer Fred Silverman left us on January 30 at age 82 from cancer. After leaving NBC in the mid-80's, Silverman formed his own production company, which revived Perry Mason as a series of TV-movies, and followed that up with a line of crime dramas for the networks, including Matlock, Jake & The Fatman, & Diagnosis Murder. Originally known as Intermedia Entertainment, Silverman's company also developed Saturday morning shows such as Meatballs & Spaghetti (in collaboration with Marvel Productions) & Mighty Orbots, for CBS & ABC, respectively. Unfortunately, the cartoons each lasted one season.
He is best known as a network executive, however, having helped shepherd into production several beloved hits of the 70's, including The Mary Tyler Moore Show, The Waltons, Cannon, Kojak, The Bionic Woman, Eight is Enough, Donny & Marie, Soap, & Love Boat. Moving to NBC in 1978, however, proved to be a disaster, such that he hired Jean Doumanian to take over Saturday Night Live after Lorne Michaels' hand picked successor, Al Franken, shredded Silverman on air. Doumanian, however, lasted only one season as well.
Amsterdam native Kirk Douglas passed away last week at 103. In between movie roles in the 50's, Douglas took the time to make some television appearances, such as jamming with Jack Benny on the latter's CBS series, and being a mystery guest on What's My Line? in 1953:
Finally, Robert Conrad, who seemed to be a primetime fixture in the 60's & 70's, passed away at 84. Conrad's body of work included The Wild, Wild West, Hawaiian Eye, The DA, Baa Baa Black Sheep, aka Black Sheep Squadron, A Man Called Sloane, Centennial, and a stint as a pitchman for Eveready batteries.
What you might not know is that Conrad was also a singer, early in his career. Trust me, it was news to me, too.
Rest in peace, gentlemen.
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