Well, dear readers, once upon a time when I was an actor, I was cast as Adam in Tabitha, a spin-off of Bewitched. It was one of the easiest jobs I ever got. By the time they were casting the show (early 1976) I was pretty well known in the TV industry, I’d just made The First Nudie Musical and it had sold to Paramount. I had done a lot of work for Columbia Pictures Television in the five years I’d been working, most importantly The Partridge Family. The casting directors there liked me a lot and I was pretty much always in the five who were brought in for any guest shot that was appropriate. For Tabitha, I got the call, went in and read for Bill Asher, who created the show and was directing it and a few hours later I had the part. No call back, no reading for the network, no nothing. It was a different world then. As it turned out I was the first person they cast. They then had me come and read with all the potential Tabithas who were seriously being considered, which included some pretty well known actresses, including my beloved Susan Dey, who would have been great. But Rhoda was the big show then and they ultimately went with a Rhoda type. She was a very good actor but not a Tabitha, although most of that was not her fault, but the producers/writers trying to turn the tables on what made Bewitched work, i.e. the leading lady having the powers and the leading man being the reality and having to deal with that. In our pilot, Tabitha didn’t want to use her powers, she wanted to just be normal. Of course, she does use them, but mostly the magic stuff fell to my character – they made Adam kind of like Robert Sterling in Topper, which was really fun to play.
Then because they’d gone in a character way with Tabitha, they couldn’t really cast a conventional leading man, which is what they needed – so that part fell to a good actor, a funny actor, but no leading man EVER. So, the whole balance was off. Watching the pilot now, it seems better than it did back then, but there’s a hole in the center of it that it can’t overcome and that is that Tabitha herself just isn’t much fun.
A year ago, I was asked by a nice fellow if I’d come and participate in a Bewitched Fan Event he was planning for a year later. I told him of course I would. Over the year, he found a lot of actors who’d appeared on Bewitched and got them to agree to come. In addition to me, they also found Lousie (Liberty) Williams, our Tabitha, and Archie Hahn (her boyfriend in the show), as well as Cindie Haynie, who’d played a small role in the first few minutes of the show. And from the version that actually went to series, they got Karen Morrow and David Ankrum, who played my part. I was asked to do the second pilot, but I was about to start shooting another pilot for Columbia, so couldn’t do it. And given what they’d done to Adam, I probably wouldn’t have wanted to – as they went back to the original formula, and Adam was kind of the Darren of Tabitha. David, however, was excellent in the role, and Lisa Hartman was a very good Tabitha. And Robert Urich was a conventional and handsome and charming leading man for her. Even with all that, the show only lasted twelve episodes.
In the end, it was me, Cindie Haynie, Karen Morrow and David Ankrum who showed up from the two Tabithas. At some point, both Louise and Archie decided not to come. One of the first questions I answered was about them and why they both might have decided they didn’t want to be a part of it. And my answer was simple: Neither of them had a good time doing the show. Bill Asher, the director, was not very nice to either of them. He was extraordinarily nice to me – in fact, he never said two words to me other than to tell me he loved what I was doing. But he was so much a part of Bewitched and knew so intimately the vibe he wanted, and so he was very strong with both Louise and Archie, sometimes gratingly so.
They began by showing two nice clips from our pilot, both with me. Then Cindie, Karen Morrow and I went up to chat about it to the attendees. They started with me, and I told them how I got the part and that for me it was a really fun shoot that I loved doing – one of the only times I actually got to go on location – in this case, San Francisco. Cindie talked a bit, and then David arrived and joined us. Karen reminisced about the series, as did David. We were all having a really good time yakking about it. Then after we talked about thirty minutes and took some questions (during one of them someone brought up that Dick Wilson, Mr. Whipple himself, had appeared on both Bewitched and Tabitha – and I got to ask everyone if they knew what actor had gotten to play Young Mr. Whipple in a Charmin commercial. No one knew and when I said “Me” it got a really funny and wonderful reaction). They then showed a complete episode of Tabitha. Karen was wonderful in it – everyone was good, actually, but the writing was dreadful and I have to say both Karen and I both thought it was the longest twenty-five minutes ever.
After, we signed some DVD covers that people had (amusingly, the DVD packaging blurb does not mention one person from the Tabitha series by name – not ONE. The only two actual names in the blurb are Liberty Williams and me. Isn’t that funny? We had some photo ops, then I left. A friend and I then went to The Smoke House, where I had a shrimp cocktail, a cup of soup, and a grilled artichoke.
Prior to all that, I’d gotten about seven hours of sleep, did work on the computer, had some telephonic conversations and answered a whole slew of e-mails, after which I went and had some lunch – a cup of soup and a grilled cheese and bacon sandwich. I picked up a couple of packages, did some banking and then came home.
Then I had a lovelier than lovely visit with our very own Mr. Nick Redman. We spoke of this and that and also that and this and I always enjoy yakking with Nick. Yakking With Nick – that’s the title of my next novel. After he left, I got ready for the event, did a little writing, worked a little on a song and then I was on my way to the Sportsman’s Lodge.
Today, I shall write, I shall hopefully pick up some packages, I’ll relax a bit, and then I’ll sup at Genghis Cohen, after which I’ll see a musical.
Tomorrow I’ll be back at the Sportsman’s Lodge to sign photos and I’ll also have some copies of my first memoir with me, should anyone want to purchase one. There’s a whole nice section on Tabitha. On Sunday I’m attending the opening of Kiss Me, Kate at the Pasadena Playhouse. Monday evening we finish comping Sandy’s vocals. Tuesday night, I hear and finesse the mixes at Westlake Audio. Wednesday night, we do the same with Lanny Meyers with us giving his notes and thoughts. I also have a work session for the Kritzerland show, and all kinds of meetings and meals.
Let’s all put on our pointy party hats and our colored tights and pantaloons, let’s all break out the cheese slices and the ham chunks, let’s all dance the Hora or the Monkey, because today is the birthday of our very own beloved dear reader Elmore. So, let’s give a big haineshisway.com birthday cheer to our very own beloved dear reader Elmore. On the count of three: One, two, three – A BIG HAINESHISWAY.COM BIRTHDAY CHEER TO OUR VERY OWN BELOVED DEAR READER ELMORE!!!
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, write, hopefully pick up packages, sup and see a show. Today’s topic of discussion: It’s Friday – what is currently in your CD player and your DVD/Blu and Ray player? I’ll start – CD, who knows anymore? Blu and Ray, who knows anymore? Your turn. Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, happy to have attended the Bewitched Fan Event, which was filled with very nice folks.