Emmys flashback: 50 years ago movie stars made the move to TV
It’s no big deal these days when veteran film stars appear on the small screen such as Harrison Ford, who headlines two vastly different series this season, the hard-hitting Western “1923” on Paramount + and the Apple TV +’s comedy “Shrinking.” And two-time Oscar-winner Robert De Niro is set to star in his first TV series “Zero Day” on Netflix. But 50 years ago, it was major news when stars of the Golden Age of Hollywood took the plunge into the small screen waters.
Four-time Oscar-winning legend Katharine Hepburn made her TV debut in ABC’s acclaimed version of Tennessee Williams’ 1944 classi play “The Glass Menagerie.” The drama, which catapulted Williams to fame, reunited Kate with her “The Lion in Winter” director Anthony Harvey. She won an Oscar under his guidance for the 1968 “Lion,” and she earned an Emmy nomination for her haunting turn as Amanda in “Glass Menagerie.” The MOW won four Emmys: Joanne Miles won supporting actress in a drama and supporting actress of the year as Laura and Michael Moriarty received supporting actor in a drama and supporting actor of the year as the “Gentleman Caller.” Sam Waterston picked up a supporting nomination as Tom. Hepburn made several more TV movies, winning the Emmy for lead actress in a special program for ABC’s 1975 “Love Among the Ruins.”
William Holden, who made his starring film debut in 1939’s “Golden Boy” and won the lead actor Oscar for 1953’s “Stalag 17,” had appeared as himself in the memorable 1955 “L.A. at Last” episode of “I Love Lucy.” But he didn’t do any acting on TV until 1973 when he starred in the lauded four-part NBC limited police procedural series “The Blue Knight,” based on Joseph Wambaugh’s best-seller.
Holden’s world-weary “blue knight” Bumper Morgan, a 20-year veteran of the L.A.P.D. and is about to retire. He has a beautiful fiancée, a college professor (Lee Remick) who has a mind of her own. The performances are strong especially Holden who plays a character who is prone to violence and not particularly likeable and it is great fun to see the City of Angels half-a-century ago. Besides Holden, the limited series won three more Emmys including two for director Bob Butler -- best directing in a drama and director of the year (series). Holden did one more TV movie in 1976, ABC’s “21 Hours in Munich.” In 1975, CBS premiered a weekly “The Blue Knight” series starring George Kennedy as Bumper. It was history the following year.
Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton appeared in their final movie together “Divorce His/Divorce Hers,” which aired on ABC. The drama revolves around the breakup of an 18- year marriage as seen through the eyes of each spouse. Reviews were harsh. When the New York Times announced the worst TV of 1973, Liz and Dick were at the top of the list describing it as “a two-part concoction of excruciating pretentiousness on ABC. “ Ironically (and sadly) the couple’s marriage was unraveling during the production. And in fact, they divorced in 1974, only to briefly remarry in 1975. Both would go on to do more TV and they would reunite on stage in 1983 for a poorly received revival of “Private Lives.”
Two-time Oscar-winning Bette Davis had already done some television when she starred with Ted Bessell and Sian Barbara Allen in ABC’s deliciously looney “Scream, Pretty Peggy.” Reviews for the “Psycho”-esque thriller were pretty dismal with the LA. Times proclaiming that it was a “routine shocker….writers Jimmy Sangster and Arthur Hoffe have come up with such silly, trite dialogue and situations it’s too bad that director Gordon Hessler…didn’t play their script for laughs.” Davis had better luck with her other TV outings winning the Emmy in 1979 for outstanding lead actress in a limited series or a special for “Strangers: The Story of a Mother and Daughter.”
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