As a radio & television star, George Burns thought he had the Midas touch.
However, by the mid-60's, his production company, McCadden Productions, had more of a leaden touch.
1964's Wendy & Me, in which Burns co-starred with Connie Stevens (ex-Hawaiian Eye) for ABC, failed to put a dent in CBS' powerful Monday block. So Burns moved McCadden's tack to United Artists for his next project.
Unfortunately, Mona McCluskey, a star vehicle for actress-dancer Juliet Prowse, was another flop for UA, and had the misfortune of being part of a UA package that NBC picked up in 1965. Along with the infamous My Mother The Car.
If Burns was hoping the pairing of Prowse and Denny Miller would be the 2nd coming of Lucille Ball & Desi Arnaz, more so than Burns himself and Gracie Allen, it just didn't work.
Mike McCluskey (Miller) was in the military, living on a monthly stipend. Wife Mona (Prowse) was an actress, trying to make her own way. Co-star Herbert Rudley (ex-Michael Shayne) would work for Arnaz & UA two years later on The Mothers-in-Law.
Let's take a look at the intro:
Miller also starred in a couple of Tarzan movies, and parodied the iconic jungle hero on Gilligan's Island. UA must've thought enough of him to give him a series berth, but this, insofar as I know, was his only series.
No rating. I was a toddler when this aired initially.
2 comments:
Before Mona, Denny Miller spent three seasons on Wagon Train, as Duke Shannon, a provisional sub for the departed Robert Horton (1961-64).
He had changed his billing to Scott Miller at this time; after leaving the Train, he gradually reverted to Denny (as here in Mona).
Which is why some sources list him as Denny Scott Miller. Got it. Thanks, Mike.
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