I recall a flashback episode how Rob came to be hired for the Alan Brady Show. Sally and Buddy were already writers but it was implied that the show was floundering in the ratings and that Rob becoming head writer turned it around. Was Rob's writing style considered superior to the other two writers to make a difference?
shareIt was covered in the flashback episode that Rob was hired to create more innovative jokes and routines. Buddy and Sally were viewed as a bit old and stale.
shareIt was also explained that the three of them working together produced better material for Alan than any two of them without the other. I rather enjoyed the aspects of seeing the trio working on scripts--as presented on various episodes--that, at least for me as a kid, taught me about how writers can work together to accomplish a good script. Of course, they didn't take time to show every element that really exists, but they did do some things quite realistically.
Why don't we just shoot 'em down and be through with it?
In reality there would be many more writers than three. DVD Show was based, in part, on Your Show of Shows, which had several more writers.
But having a half hour sit-com with that many writers as characters would not have been feasible.
You are so right about how having more writers would have cluttered the series. Imagine, if they'd had, say 7 writers. We'd be through season 2 before we could remember each one's name, given all the time Rob spent at home. If they did an annual show featuring each one (like Sally's dating adventures or Buddy's Bar Mitzvah)--that'd take up way too much of the series episodes.
Why don't we just shoot 'em down and be through with it?
that was one of the funniest episodes ever, when he first met Alan Brady and couldn't stay awake after the radio program where he was awake for days.
I couldn't stop laughing about the cat in the tree. lol
100 Terrible Hours, very funny episode! "We're with ya pussycat!"
True that there would've been more writers. There would also have been more than one producer. If you read the credits for any show you'll see executive producer, associate producer, assistant producer, etc. Mel Cooley would likely have been Senior Producer but he would've had a staff under him.
Something else seemed even more unlikely. There was a time when Buddy took a job as head writer on another show and later Sally took a leave of absence to be on The Stevie Parsons Show. The two remaining writers had to practically beg to get a third writer. After Buddy left, I think the show would've been immediately interviewing for a new staff writer. Luckily they didn't since Buddy wanted to come back.
The whole staff would've been larger but in a thirty minute sitcom there was not enough screen time to portray and explore all those characters. Mrs. Cooley was never shown. She was never at any of the Petrie house parties. Mel came alone. We never saw Alan Brady's wife and after a few season, Pickles Sorrell was no longer seen.
"Mrs. Cooley was never shown. She was never at any of the Petrie house parties. Mel came alone. We never saw Alan Brady's wife......."
Hmmmmmmm..... they went the way of Vera, Cheers and Marris, Frasier.
I never really thought much about the writing staff being bigger until now! Having seen so many variety shows, I can't believe I never thought of that.
Still a great sit com! Love this show!
Well you sure made it here fast!! lol I remember Carl Reiner saying that they didn't have the time to explore all those characters in a thirty minute sitcom. I suppose there was a limit to the characters they could write for.
I do like to think that Mrs. Cooley was at some of those Petrie parties, but she was sitting in the background. Or in "Ghost of A. Chantz", maybe she accompanied Mel but was in their hotel room.
So many characters just weren't shown. Ritchie was best friends with Freddie Helper, but Freddie was only in about three episodes (that I can remember). The Helper's daughter was never shown and she only lived next door.
Variety shows did have bigger staffs but for a sitcom it would've been hard to write for an office full of writers. We just have to accept the fact that Rob, Sally and Buddy were SO talented that they didn't need help!
I never thought of Mrs. Cooley (no first name was ever given for her) as the same type of character as Vera or Maris. The latter two were talked about SO much, they really teased and tormented the audience. You really felt as though you knew them. I for one, wanted to see them. Mel's wife, however, was never talked about much at all. She just seemed to be a name mentioned once in a while.
Was it Mel's sister who was married to Allen Brady?
As for the Helper's daughter, I do remember her being talked about in earlier seasons. She was a teenager as I recall.
The funny thing about her is that she sort of went away..... up in the attic like Chuck on Happy Days?????
It's a shame that she wasn't one of the screaming teenage girls in that later episode, The Redcoats Are Coming!
That's a good question! The DVD Show wasn't sure because the details changed a few times. lol I can't remember the specific episodes, but Mel did say his sister was married to Alan Brady in at least one episode. But in another episode, Mel was married to ALAN'S sister.
I don't remember much about Ellen Helper. Was she a teen-ager? Interesting. In the Army flashback episodes Rob and Laura married BEFORE Millie and Jerry. Jerry's never even seen in those flashbacks. SO maybe the Helpers had a baby right away so she could be older than Ritchie.
In the episode when Rob is trying to get a three day pass for their honeymoon, it's obvious that Millie is still single. She was having a beer at the PX with Rob's friend Sam Pomeroy. But in 'Pink Pills and Purple Parents' , she seems like a more experienced married woman who counsels Laura on how to impress her new in-laws.
In the Redcoats episode I do think Millie wanted that ticket for her daughter to see The Redcoats.
I don't recall Ellen as a teenager, but whatever, that's just me. There are some inconsistencies in the show, but it's so good I'm willing to give them a pass.
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