Every so often, a TV show comes along that changes its perspective from one TV dimension to another, usually caused by recasting a key role which can't be "splained away" by other means.
133 episodes
14 episodes
- "Make Room for Grandson" (1970)
This could be the best example:
'Alias Smith And Jones'
Reason: Recasting Joshua Smith/Hannibal Heyes
From Pete Duel to Roger Davis
Splainin: In both TV dimensions, Hannibal Heyes was an orphan. When Mr. & Mrs. Heyes went to the orphanage to adopt a baby boy, their choice determined the difference in the boys' physical appearance from one dimension to the other. (But since their lifestyles remained unchanged in both dimensions, both versions of Hannibal Heyes grew up to become train robbers... along with their Kansas cousin Kid Curry.)
(I fleshed out this theory earlier. You can read it here.)
I think that was the case when Penney Parker took over the role of Terry Williams from Sherry Jackson in 'Make Room For Daddy'. We stopped watching the original family from "Earth Prime-Time" and basically switched the channel to an alternate TV dimension with her recasting.
SHERRY JACKSON
'Make Room for Daddy'133 episodes
PENNEY PARKER
'Make Room for Daddy'14 episodes
SHERRY JACKSON
Make Room for Granddaddy'- "Make Room for Grandson" (1970)
From Wikipedia:
In the early part of the sixth season, Sherry Jackson left the show and the character of Terry was said to have gone to a girls school in Paris.
During season seven, the character of Terry was brought back but recast with Penney Parker. Terry was featured in a seven-episode story arc which saw her engaged and eventually married to Pat Hannigan (Pat Harrington, Jr.), a nightclub friend of Danny's. After the wedding, the Hannigans moved to California and Terry was rarely mentioned and she and Pat were never seen in the program again.
ABC brought it back on a weekly basis in 1970, in 'Make Room for Granddaddy'. For the series premiere, Sherry Jackson reprised her role of oldest daughter Terry. There was no mention of her husband Pat Hannigan. Instead, for this new version of the series, Terry's husband was named Bill, who was a soldier. In this episode, Terry left her son, 6-year-old Michael (played by Michael Hughes) in the care of his grandparents (Danny and Kathy) so she could join Bill, who was stationed overseas.
During season seven, the character of Terry was brought back but recast with Penney Parker. Terry was featured in a seven-episode story arc which saw her engaged and eventually married to Pat Hannigan (Pat Harrington, Jr.), a nightclub friend of Danny's. After the wedding, the Hannigans moved to California and Terry was rarely mentioned and she and Pat were never seen in the program again.
When Terry married Pat Hannigan, it was Penney Parker playing the role. And soon thereafter she basically left the series to be with her husband. All of that happened in the alternate Toobworld.
But when the family returned for the 'Grand-Daddy' sequel, we were back in the familiar tele-terra firma.
Well at least that's how I'm dealing with such a discrepancy. Although 'Make Room For Daddy' does take place in a TV dimension in which the faces of characters could be magically transformed, such a plot device doesn't feel germane to the basic structure of this sitcom.
So it really wasn't Terry Williams who changed; it was our point of view to the other dimension.
From Wikipedia:
The show ended in 1964, but Danny Thomas, Marjorie Lord, Angela Cartwright, Rusty Hamer, Sherry Jackson, Amanda Randolph, and Hans Conried returned in two hour-long "reunion" specials on NBC – "0The Danny Thomas TV Family Reunion" in 1965 (considered the first TV reunion show), and "Make More Room For Daddy", which aired as an episode of 'The Danny Thomas Hour' in November 1967. There was then a CBS reunion special, "Make Room for Granddaddy", in 1969. The special did so well that it was picked up as a series by CBS but Thomas considered the slot they gave it to be a quiet slot and pulled the show.ABC brought it back on a weekly basis in 1970, in 'Make Room for Granddaddy'. For the series premiere, Sherry Jackson reprised her role of oldest daughter Terry. There was no mention of her husband Pat Hannigan. Instead, for this new version of the series, Terry's husband was named Bill, who was a soldier. In this episode, Terry left her son, 6-year-old Michael (played by Michael Hughes) in the care of his grandparents (Danny and Kathy) so she could join Bill, who was stationed overseas.
Our point of view reverted back to the main Toobworld with the return of the show now known as 'Make Room For Grand-Daddy'. And that meant the return of Sherry Jackson as Terry to the show. However, it was only for the one episode as she dropped off her son to live with her parents.
By the way, the Terry Williams of Earth Prime-Time never married Pat Hannigan (unless that ended quickly in divorce.) Instead, she was married to Bill Wilson when 'Make Room For Grand-Daddy' debuted.
And since we didn't get to see Sherry's Terry at her own wedding, this picture from an episode of 'The Wild Wild West' ("The Night Of The Vicious Valentine") can show us how it could have been....
BCnU!
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