I'm taking a break from injecting morbidity into the blogosphere. While I've been locked away doing research in the Retro-bituary labs, I've uncovered lots of other fun facts that don't involve the under-reported deaths of former TV stars.
For instance, did you know Don Knotts (no worries -- he's still kicking) was only 55 when he took over landlord duties from the Ropers? Mr. Furley looked 68. Sadly, Mr. & Mrs. Roper passed away in the late 1990s, but I think they received the requisite combination of sympathy and press to remove them from Retro-bituary consideration.
OK, that last part took a turn toward the morbid. Sorry. How about these fun facts?
• Ken Osmond (Eddie Haskell) ended up leaving show business to become a cop in LA, where he retired after 18 years on the force. He was shot three times (all non-fatal!) in the line of duty.
• Allison Smith, who played Jane Curtin's daughter (Jennie) on Kate & Allie, grew up to play Leo McGarry's daughter (Mallory) on The West Wing.
• The original Sam Malone (Fred Dryer) and the original Diane Chambers (Julia Duffy).
Past Retro-bituaries: Mr. Belvedere, Becky's Boyfriend from Roseanne, The Painter from Murphy Brown, Hotsy Totsy from Welcome Back Kotter and Morty Seinfeld.
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