New Book Takes Readers onto the Set of 'The Odd Couple'
'Mom, Dad, Me, and Classic TV' by Peter Ackerman
Elinor Donahue, Tony Randall, and Jack Klugman on the set of the ‘Odd Couple’, a popular TV sitcom that ran from 1970-75.
By Adam Kluger
Peter Ackerman grew up behind the scenes of Classic TV.
His father was Harry Ackerman, Executive Producer of popular shows such as Bewiched and The Flying Nun, and his mother is Elinor Donahue, the actress who played on Father Knows Best, The Andy Griffith Show, and The Odd Couple.
As an insider into the world of living room entertainment, Peter had first-hand experience with the people who made us laugh and the personal lives they led.
In a new book, ‘Mom, Dad, Me and Classic TV’, Peter shares his memories of his parents who were at the forefront of sitcom television.
Peter, tell us about your new book and what was it like to grow up in an entertainment family with popular TV actress Elinor Donahue and Executive Producer Harry Ackerman
“Mom, Dad, Me, and Classic TV” was written so that readers can have a glimpse of what it was like to grow up in the household of two icons of the genre around the time they were creating their parts or programs that we call classic television today.
For example, my first memory of what one of my parents did for a living, which is in the book, was when I was around 3 years old and sitting on my mother’s lap watching television.
It was a re-run of Father Knows Best, the show on which she played the eldest child, daughter Betty Anderson.
As her character walked into the scene, pointing at the screen, she said to me, “Look, honey, there's mommy on the television!”
Your mom, as all fans of The Odd Couple and The Andy Griffith Show would know, had prominent roles in both classic comedy shows. Any funny anecdotes that Mom has shared with you about her wonderful work playing opposite Tony Randall, Jack Klugman, and Andy Griffith? Your mom played "Miriam," Felix Unger's girlfriend.
My mother loved working on The Odd Couple, though it was a bit of a challenge, for the same reason it was so great.
Besides the great cast, the series stars, and as well as her fellow co-stars, and guest actors, it was such a creative comedy experience.
The collective experience, not only of Tony and Jack but also of Executive Producer Garry Marshall, offered her the chance to work on her acting chops, which she appreciated.
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I remember her coming home one day and telling me about how they were trying to change a line to make something funnier. Tony and Jack each suggested something, and Garry said, “No, to be funny, the word has to have a hard “K” in it. ‘Chicken’ is funny, but ‘apple’ is not.”
If there was any downside to all that creativity on The Odd Couple it was that the scripts would often change so drastically that her character might be written out, or literally on the night before the live audience, be written in!
The Andy Griffith Show was filmed before I was born, but what I learned was that a lot was going on during her time on the program. She was the only cast member to go from Father Knows Best right into another series, The Andy Griffith Show.
Soon after the transition, she realized how tired she was. Unlike today, a program produced upwards of thirty episodes in a season. Also, two men made an impact on her during her first season of work on The Andy Griffith Show.
The creative people, including Mr. Griffith, were still working out what the show would become during its first season.
When Don Knotts’ character of Barney Fife was introduced, the producers saw a great team, and to bolster his part, they began giving Don Knotts some of my mother’s lines, even writing her out of scenes and in.
She was not bothered by that choice, she was and is a pro, and that is the nature of the business.
However, amidst all of this, she met Executive Producer Harry Ackerman, and their dating relationship was becoming serious, and the idea of settling down a bit, and raising a family appealed to her.
As to Andy, he was a professional, but also funny, though I do not think my dad was amused. When he appeared on the set, Andy delighted letting my mom know that her boyfriend was there, emphasizing the “boy.” My dad, you see, was 25 years older than my mom.
What was it that made both shows such comedy classics?
Casting! There were so many wonderful actors during that period, and each of the shows had the gift of bringing on great actors for even the smallest roles.
Another positive aspect of each was the creative aspect. Between cast members, writers, and producers, there was a lot of creative input which helped make each episode of each program a real gem!
What was it like to be part of an entertainment family?
There were nice perks. We were not spoiled (or at least we did not feel spoiled).
Having Elizabeth Montgomery and her husband producer-director William Asher, Aunt Liz, and Uncle Bill, as we Ackerman boys called them, and their kids over to the house almost every weekend was fun!
My dad was the Executive Producer of Bewitched and that is probably the one whose sets I visited most and interacted with the cast. A Harry Ackerman Production was much like a family and that was evident to me.
Still, there were normal days, I arrived home from school, began doing my homework, and actor Mike Henry was over at the house to chat with my dad. I loved Mike, who was in three Tarzan movies around this time, and he remains my favorite “Tarzan.”
Killing some time, he asked if I wanted to throw a football around in front of our house. I do not think I knew he had been a former Los Angeles Ram football player; I was just thrilled to be tossing a ball back and forth with Tarzan!
It was a privilege growing up this way, the many sets I visited and experiences I had are so numerous, which is why I wrote the book.
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