Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Monday, December 13th, 1976

Jack Cassidy died yesterday.

Band-aid on my nose at school made me feel stupid. Saw second part of REBECCA. A dozen new customers ordered the Yearbook.

Saw Linda's latest TV movie.

NOTES: Although ostensibly based on a true person, Linda's role in VICTORY AT ENTEBBE was rather silly as, in the middle of an airplane hijacking, she knocks on the door of the cockpit to offer both the crew and the hijacker chocolates to calm them down. Um...Yeah...right. Although obviously a favorite of mine, her acting skills were shown up horribly in her scene opposite the great Helen Hayes. I recently ran some screen grabs at my other blog


Jack Cassidy was one of my favorite character actors. He specialized in charming, egotistical men with secrets and agendas, both in comedy and drama. Several times a COLUMBO villain, he was also JETMAN in the TV series HE & SHE back in 1968, Ted Baxter's brother on THE MARY TYLER MOORE SHOW, top billed as a reporter in the 1966 SUPERMAN stage show and just a delight in so many things. One role I particularly remember him for was, ironically enough, from this time of year--the voice of Bob Cratchit in MISTER MAGOO'S CHRISTMAS CAROL. He had been married to Shirley Jones and was, in fact, father to Shaun and David Cassidy. He died by falling asleep with a lit cigarette. Sigh...So prolific an actor was Jack, however, that he continued to have new performances come out on TV and in films for more than another year.

1 comment:

  1. Watching Victory at Entebbe now. Mild disagree on Blair's acting in it and with Hayes; may be adorable portrayal (which I agree with younger you, good enough for me) but it doesn't compromise or ruin the tone overall for me. Liz Taylor's acting, however, does remind me of Catherine O'Hara's outrageous impression early on SCTV:
    https://youtu.be/K36GvEltKiQ?t=722

    (**also did you spot Richard Sanders ("Les Nessman" on WKRP) among the hostages in the movie? I just added his role on IMDB...)

    Currently going through He & She too; so ahead of it's time!
    RIP JC

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