In the jaw-dropper department: I just watched the I've Got a Problem episode of The Young Lawyers, my very first guest shot (I don't receive guest star billing - I'm in the co-starring group, but today my role would absolutely get guest star billing and I probably would have back then if I'd done other jobs - but I'm in VERY good co-starring company). I remember the shoot, of course, and talk about it extensively in There's Mel, There's Woody, and There's You, but most of what I remember of the shoot has to do with the actual shooting, not with my role or the scenes. I have little memory of those, but boy did it come rushing back to me. Now, when we had our little viewing party when it was aired about three months after we shot, I remember sitting in our Van Nuys apartment with our friends, being somewhat mortified of certain aspects of what I'd done and I was very hard on myself. And beginning with my very next job after seeing that (I'd already shot the pilot for Young Love but didn't have much to do in that pilot), I made what I would call film adjustments and posture adjustments - small but necessary things as I got the hang of the camera.
Well, time is interesting. First of all, I am sooooooo skinny it's frightening - I weighed all of 137 pounds at 5'10". Second of all, boy was my hair dark. Third of all, there was nothing to really be embarrassed about in terms of my performance, especially considering it was a drama and that isn't my forte at all. I have a few really okay moments but it's all basically fine. There are times when I'm a bit loud but then everyone is except Gary Lockwood. That was actually the style back then - you know, that you could actually hear and understand actors - rather refreshing actually. Zalman King was so quirky and fussy - I think he made the wise choice to become a director. My old pal Phil Clark is fun - we met on this show and then just seven years later he did Stages for me. And my memory was that I didn't really have scenes involving Lee J. Cobb, although I do remember him driving a golf cart to the sound stage, and sure enough he's in the tag scene, which is me, Zalman, and Phil. He stands outside the room listening but is in one shot with us.
Finally, who knew Lalo Schifrin wrote the theme and that Kenyon Hopkins was the music supervisor, which means he probably wrote the actual underscoring or library cues for the show. This show lasted but one season (mine was the final episode) and was never shown again. So, this is the first time in forty-six years since I've seen this. I was petrified but am breathing easier now.
So, really, the only episode of anything that I'd really love to see again is Doctor's Hospital with George Peppard. I may try to figure out how to get some screen grabs from the episode.
