Topic: Steve Landesberg, 74

[BeAStooge]

The very funny Steve Landesberg died Dec. 20 at age 74 (many obits are listing his age incorrectly as 65).

I had the opportunity to meet him a couple times, and talk for a little while. He was a fan of Laurel & Hardy, and The Three Stooges. His regard for the Stooges inspired a scene in the March 26, 1981 episode of BARNEY MILLER. This isn't on youtube (and I have no idea how to put it there), but I thought you might enjoy a transcription of the scene.

Levitt is shocked to hear that the intellectual Dietrich's tastes run to more than just foreign films...


Levitt: Did you do anything last night?

Dietrich: Went to the movies.

Levitt: Foreign film?

Dietrich: Three Stooges film festival at The Gramercy.

Levitt: Really?! I wouldn't o' thought you went into that sort of thing.

Dietrich: Are you kidding? They're my favorites. I think they're one of the most under-rated comedy teams of the '30s and '40s. Surrealistic use of violence and mayhem... the almost Chekhovian interplay between Curly and Moe.

Levitt: I like the ones with Shemp!

Dietrich: I don't think we have anything further to say to each other.


(a few minutes later...)

Dietrich: Captain!... a disturbance on Broadway.

Barney: OK, you and...

Dietrich: Shemp!

Levitt: (annoyed) They never let you forget.

[Dr. Hugo Gansamacher]

Thanks for the transcript, BAS. I have no recollection of that dialogue---but then, at the time that I was watching Barney Miller, I would have had no idea who "Shemp" was.

My only distinct memory of Steve Landesberg in that series is from what I think was his first appearance on the show. I'm not even sure if he was named Detective Dietrich at that point. He is, with several other people, at the apartment of a young woman named Beverly (perhaps she was the daughter of the title character?), when a suitor whom she is trying to get rid of knocks at the door. She asks the Landesberg character to tell him (through the door) to go away and that she's busy. Landesberg obliges by saying, very gravely, "Go away; Beverly is busy." Beverly is greatly impressed and says: "Wow! You sound like Gregory Peck!" So as soon as I saw the obituary in this morning's paper, I said to myself, mimicking Landesberg's Gregory Peck-like utterance, "Go away; Beverly is busy!"

[BeAStooge]

My only distinct memory of Steve Landesberg in that series is from what I think was his first appearance on the show. I'm not even sure if he was named Detective Dietrich at that point. He is, with several other people, at the apartment of a young woman named Beverly (perhaps she was the daughter of the title character?), when a suitor whom she is trying to get rid of knocks at the door. She asks the Landesberg character to tell him (through the door) to go away and that she's busy. Landesberg obliges by saying, very gravely, "Go away; Beverly is busy." Beverly is greatly impressed and says: "Wow! You sound like Gregory Peck!" So as soon as I saw the obituary in this morning's paper, I said to myself, mimicking Landesberg's Gregory Peck-like utterance, "Go away; Beverly is busy!"

Landesberg's 2nd MILLER episode, but his first as Sgt. Dietrich. He appeared in a first season episode as a burglar.

In the episode you recall, the soon-to-retire Fish walks off the job when Dietrich is brought in as his replacement. Dietrich goes to Fish's house and into the middle of a family crisis... the girl locked in the bathroom is Fish's daughter. The first of several episodes done to set up Abe Vigoda's spinoff series FISH.

[Boid Brain]

Good stuff, all....I remember Steve as an actor in a sitcom BEFORE Barney Miller. He was the cello playing sidekick of the lead guy. It only ran one season and for the life of me I can't remember the name of that lead guy, or the name of the show.

As they were Philharmonic Orchestra type the show was a bit too highbrow for it's own good...too many jokes you had to think about....I can see the face of the lead in my head. He disappeared from view for years but I spotted him on the "Curb your enthusiasm" episode where he played a filth spouting turret's syndrome chef at Larry's new restaurant.

Any help out there??? Anyway, Steve will allways be remembered for his incredibly weird and kinky combover that defies description...RIP

[Dunrobin]

Good stuff, all....I remember Steve as an actor in a sitcom BEFORE Barney Miller. He was the cello playing sidekick of the lead guy. It only ran one season and for the life of me I can't remember the name of that lead guy, or the name of the show.

As they were Philharmonic Orchestra type the show was a bit too highbrow for it's own good...too many jokes you had to think about....I can see the face of the lead in my head. He disappeared from view for years but I spotted him on the "Curb your enthusiasm" episode where he played a filth spouting turret's syndrome chef at Larry's new restaurant.

Any help out there??? Anyway, Steve will allways be remembered for his incredibly weird and kinky combover that defies description...RIP

"Paul Sand in Friends and Lovers"

[Boid Brain]

"Paul Sand in Friends and Lovers"

YES! I would have come up with Sand, but never "Friends and Lovers". Did you have to search for that? Or did you (gulp) know it?

[Dunrobin]

YES! I would have come up with Sand, but never "Friends and Lovers". Did you have to search for that? Or did you (gulp) know it?

I remembered the show as soon as I read your description, but I did have to look for it in Landesberg's filmography on IMDb to get the actual name of the program.  It was pretty easy to find, since I knew approximately when it was on the air.

[Boid Brain]

I'm surprised, Dunrobin that anyone remembered that obscure show...2 average looking Jews with high I.Q's and nothing else going for them...no hotties on the show, no sight gags...if ever a show was doomed...well, you see.

That reminded me of another show in that time in history: Richard Benjemin and a TALL ass chick...I think the name was Paul and Paula, or something close to that...do you remember THAT show?

[Dunrobin]

I'm surprised, Dunrobin that anyone remembered that obscure show...2 average looking Jews with high I.Q's and nothing else going for them...no hotties on the show, no sight gags...if ever a show was doomed...well, you see.

I had completely forgotten about the show until you mentioned it.  My memory can be a little quirky like that.   

That reminded me of another show in that time in history: Richard Benjemin and a TALL ass chick...I think the name was Paul and Paula, or something close to that...do you remember THAT show?

You're thinking of "He & She" from 1967.  His co-star was Paula Prentiss. 

Update:  I should have mentioned that Benjamin and Prentiss have been married in real life since 1961.

[Boid Brain]

Little known fact: Paula Prentiss had the biggest feet in Hollywood in the 60's

[Dr. Hugo Gansamacher]

Little known fact: Paula Prentiss had the biggest feet in Hollywood in the 60's

You can see how much they detract from her appearance in this photo.



By the way, according to IMDB, she is 5 feet 10 inches tall.

[BeAStooge]

Update:  I should have mentioned that Benjamin and Prentiss have been married in real life since 1961.

Paula's sister, actress Ann Prentiss, died earlier this year and spent the last 12+ years of her life in prison... a little matter of trying to hire a hit man to kill her brother-in-law Richard Benjamin.

[Boid Brain]

You can see how much they detract from her appearance in this photo.



By the way, according to IMDB, she is 5 feet 10 inches tall.

WOW! She was smokin' hot! BTW, big pretty feet too.

[Dr. Hugo Gansamacher]

Paula's sister, actress Ann Prentiss, died earlier this year and spent the last 12+ years of her life in prison... a little matter of trying to hire a hit man to kill her brother-in-law Richard Benjamin.

From the page on her on IMDB.com:

Displayed signs of emotional and mental problems in later years. In 1997 Prentiss was convicted in a Santa Monica, California court of terrorizing her family. She was convicted of making terrorist threats, assault with a firearm, battery, and solicitation to commit the murder of her brother-in-law Richard Benjamin and her father. She was sentenced to 19 years in jail for the crimes.

Now if she had watched more of the Three Stooges, she would have learned to resolve her difficulties with people by more civilized and harmless means such as hitting them on the head with heavy tools, pulling their hair out, poking them in the eyes, and so on.

[Boid Brain]

I found a picture of Ann http://westernboothill.blogspot.com/2010/07/rip-ann-prentiss.html In the Bio it says that she was a co-star on 'Capt. Nice', an ill fated super hero comedy that I remember. The "Graduate's' father played the lead. There was another such show that same year, equally shitty. Can you name it, Dunrobin?