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Favorite and Least Favorite Guest Star performances?

posted 11 years ago by charcas67
14 replies | jump to latest

There's a thread started by someone complaining about the guest stars on Adam 12 overacting. But surely there are some good guest turns on the show? As well as some weak ones. What are your favorite and least favorite guest star turns?

For me:

Favorite: Anytime Virginia Gregg pops up in a show. She always delivered, especially as blowsy characters. No wonder Jack Webb used her over and over again on his shows.

Least Favorite: Tina Sinatra on the Season 5 episode The Late Baby as Officer Wells niece. If her name wasn't Sinatra I doubt she would have gotten the job. She was so stiff (especially when next to Gary Crosby, a singer/actor's kid who could perform) it was no wonder she didn't have much of an acting career. And while it's not a fault of her performance, but having the show end with the revelation she's about to have a date with a cop played by her brother was taking inside joke to a pretty twisted place.

[–] esor-2 11 years ago

Haha Wally cleaver-tony Dow in the wild woman,cigarettes episode picked up some "chick"who stole his car

[–] fa6947 11 years ago

watching the episode right now with good ol' Wally. pretty funny seeing him in a Adam-12 episode.

[–] slackersmom 11 years ago

BTW, he was also in an episode of Emergency.

[–] marissac2000 11 years ago

Yeah, as a petty crook.

[–] seldon913 11 years ago

I'd probably put Burt Mustin as my favorite. None of the Adam-12 appearances quite match the Dragnet episode where he's an apartment manager who turns out to be a retired police chief, but the one where he's the world's oldest cat burglar is really good. Even the quick appearances are good, like the one where a restaurant owner won't let him pay with reward stamps and he ends up pulling out a $100 bill.

edit: my mistake... I just looked it up and found the oldest cat burglar is also Dragnet...

[–] voyageur0713 11 years ago

Another Burt Mustin fan! I thought I was the only one (or at least the only person to actually know he had a name besides 'that old guy that guest starred on absolutely everything made in the 60'a and 70's. At least twice.')

He always delivered. I only seem to remember him doing light comedy. Did he ever do a really dramatic part?

And the Dawn Lyn episode is one of my very favorite from the entire series. Most child actors of that time (even today) didn't have the subtlety or ability to use quiet like she did. Heck, most adult actors don't understand the value of quiet.

[–] scribe1270 11 years ago

Mr. Mustin was also on "All in the Family" where he was an escapee from the rest home who stayed with them til his friend 'Jo' (short for Josephine) whom he wanted to stay with could come and get him. He also was in Disney's "Son of Flubber" (the original b&w version) as the court bailiff.

[–] peg-jo 11 years ago

My favorite was Dawn Lyn's first guest starring role as the abused 6 year. She was so good in the role she moved me to tears.

And I was not fond of Tina Sinatra's guest appearance either. I am a fan of hers, but, she was stiff in her portrayal of the niece.

[–] g_dekok 11 years ago

Believe it or not, Dawn Lyn is Leif Garrett's younger sister.

[–] LittleStorpingInTheSwuff 11 years ago

My least favorite has to be the worst ever (imho) actress ever, Barbara Nichols

[–] charcas67 11 years ago

I disagree with you on Barbara Nichols. I think she was a hoot in her character actress persona as a blowsy bimbo. But if you see her in Sweet Smell of Success, she gets a chance to put some depth into her usual character and she's very good, IMO.

[–] googuse 11 years ago

The Most Interesting Man in the World as the Mullholland Mauler

[–] urgeking 10 years ago

I didn't much care if Tina Sinatra's acting was up to par, because she just looked so damn luscious. She was cast as the new employee who has all the patrolmen hot and bothered, and in that sense it was very good casting indeed.

[–] badge7213 10 years ago

Larry Linville, just a year before his signature role in 'M*A*S*H*, as Sgt. Brasher in 'The Tip.' A refreshing change of pace to see him playing a competent character.

Luana Anders - if I have the correct actress named - as the blonde who has her car stolen, complete with a boa constrictor in the trunk, in 'Log 111.' (The actress' appearance and character's personality remind me a lot of an ex-girlfriend who is still a friend. )