cody1949 Posted October 15, 2013 Share Posted October 15, 2013 There are a number of them I can think of. Do not count the Oscar award shows. Please add any names I may have missed. CLARK GABLE SPENCER TRACY LIONEL BARRYMORE RANDOLPH SCOTT OLIVIA DE HAVILLAND TYRONE POWER Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cody1949 Posted October 15, 2013 Author Share Posted October 15, 2013 I am replying to my own thread to say I am wrong in listing Olivia de Havilland. I checked imdb website. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slaytonf Posted October 15, 2013 Share Posted October 15, 2013 If you mean absolutely zero appearances, that's tough. The only other I can think of is Cary Grant. Oh, and Rita Hayworth. And Marilyn Monroe. And Marlene. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brackenhe Posted October 15, 2013 Share Posted October 15, 2013 Did Brando do any tv besides those Larry King interviews? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Kimble Posted October 15, 2013 Share Posted October 15, 2013 >Did Brando do any tv besides those Larry King interviews? He supposedly did an episode of The Actors Studio show in the late '40s, but it is lost. He was also in Roots 2 as neo-Nazi George Lincoln Rockwell He was on Murrow's Person to Person. He did an interview with Dick Cavett ('73) and at least one with fellow Nebraskan Johnny Carson in '68 -- a clip was shown in Schickel's documentary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Kimble Posted October 15, 2013 Share Posted October 15, 2013 >If you mean absolutely zero appearances, that's tough. The only other I can think of is Cary Grant Was introduced in the Ed Sullivan audience at least once, and also appeared on the Hitchcock AFI tribute >Rita Hayworth Guest starred on Laugh In and The Carol Burnett Show >Marilyn Monroe Guest starred on Jack Benny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Kimble Posted October 15, 2013 Share Posted October 15, 2013 >RANDOLPH SCOTT Was the original choice to play Paladin on Have Gun Will Travel, but turned it down b/c he felt it would be too heavy a workload Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sepiatone Posted October 15, 2013 Share Posted October 15, 2013 I noticed some of the replies mentioned appearances on talk shows or as guests in variety shows. Do THEY count? Or were you more referring to working as an actor/actress in a drama or comedy or having a show of their own? Sepiatone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cody1949 Posted October 15, 2013 Author Share Posted October 15, 2013 No, there was no need to perform; just an appearance. Like a mystery guest on What's My Line would be fine. Cary Grant was tributed on the Kennedy Center Honors in the early '80's. Come to think of it, perhaps Tyrone Power appeared on What's My Line. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starliteyes Posted October 15, 2013 Share Posted October 15, 2013 Tyrone Power did appear on "What's My Line?" I saw it on youtube. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cody1949 Posted October 15, 2013 Author Share Posted October 15, 2013 Marilyn Monroe appeared on the Jack Benny Program and Rita Hayworth appeared on the Carol Burnett Show. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cody1949 Posted October 15, 2013 Author Share Posted October 15, 2013 It just dawned on me: WILLIAM POWELL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FredCDobbs Posted October 15, 2013 Share Posted October 15, 2013 Note to everyone: In the IMDB listings for individual actors, right under the section called FILMOGRAPHY, look for ACTOR and SELF. Many famous actors appeard on TV shows as themselves, so that appearance will usually be listed in the SELF section. For example, Judy Garland has many TV listings in the SELF category. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DownGoesFrazier Posted October 15, 2013 Share Posted October 15, 2013 It only made financial sense for the actors who remained at the top of the "A" list, and whose film earnings reflected that fact, to continue to avoid TV. Many who were initial holdouts caved in when their film stars diminished, at least as far as demand for them in top roles went. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ding19410922 Posted October 15, 2013 Share Posted October 15, 2013 I would add that the factor of having to work a lot harder and faster on a TV shoot could have influenced some of them, too. Thank Goodness, that caste difference has disappeared, and thank goodness it never showed up in the UK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TopBilled Posted October 15, 2013 Share Posted October 15, 2013 Definitely William Powell avoided television. So did Virginia Weidler. And Lucille Bremer. All three of these MGM stars retired from show business by their own choosing, and they stayed away for good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darkblue Posted October 16, 2013 Share Posted October 16, 2013 An interesting variation on the question would be - are there any actors whose careers began post-WW2 who never appeared in a tv movie or series episode? Talk show interviews don't count. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slaytonf Posted October 16, 2013 Share Posted October 16, 2013 >Me: >If you mean absolutely zero appearances, that's tough. The only other I can think of is Cary Grant >RKimble >Was introduced in the Ed Sullivan audience at least once If the Oscars don't count, I don't think being an audience member anywhere can count. How did he appear in the AFI tribute? In film clips, as an attendee, or as a speaker? At least I still have Marlene. Or do I? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sepiatone Posted October 16, 2013 Share Posted October 16, 2013 Quite possibly, some of them avoided TV in the early days as a dictate from the studio heads. Others because by that time they either retired, or their fame waned to the point that even television wasn't interested. Many others were smarter than that. Television was EXPOSURE. The best way to keep oneself on the public's mind was exposure. In any form. Those who hadn't died before wising up were probably too washed up to take advantage. If simply being SEEN on television counts, then Grant is disqualified from the avoidance list. He sat at Hitchcock's elbow during a televised tribute to Hitch's career. Sepiatone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesJazGuitar Posted October 16, 2013 Share Posted October 16, 2013 The variation you mention is the only one I find interesting. I would add that the actor has to play a character. I.e. they cannot play themselves. To me this variation is of interest because it relates to a change in the career of an actor. Note that there was just an announcement that Meg Ryan will star in a TV show next season. The announcement clearly implies her lead movie days are behind her at age 50. Being on a talk show or game show is often done to promote a movie and therefore doesn't signal a career change, per se. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DownGoesFrazier Posted October 16, 2013 Share Posted October 16, 2013 "Exposure" can cut both ways. If an actor appeared in a TV eposode, that could whet the public's appetite to see his latest film. On the other hand, if you can see him on TV, why pay money to see him in a movie? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ding19410922 Posted October 16, 2013 Share Posted October 16, 2013 Marlene was interviewed on TV at least once, but I do not think she ever appeared in any production. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
traceyk65 Posted October 17, 2013 Share Posted October 17, 2013 Marlene did a TV concert in the early 70's. I know it aired in Great Britain, but can't remember if it aired in the US. There was at least one other concert film made in the 60's, in Australia, maybe? Here's a clip from the 1970's one (I think): However, if you're talking about acting (in a role other than "Dietrich" ) on TV, then no, I don;t believe she did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slaytonf Posted October 17, 2013 Share Posted October 17, 2013 Was it a concert produced for television, or a concert performed and recorded that was later shown on TV? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clore Posted October 17, 2013 Share Posted October 17, 2013 >*If simply being SEEN on television counts, then Grant is disqualified from the avoidance list. He sat at Hitchcock's elbow during a televised tribute to Hitch's career.* I remember waking up to the news that Grant had died. Coincidentally, about twelve hours later, he could be seen in a TV special titled "All-Star Party For Clint Eastwood" in which he was shown making some remarks about the honoree. CBS preceded the program with a voice-over noting that it had been taped at an earlier date and expressed condolences to the Grant family. In the early 50s, Cary Grant also appeared unannounced on a program titled "Dave and Charley" that was hosted by the team of Cliff Arquette (aka Charley Weaver) and Dave Willock - he did this simply because he found the pair amusing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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