TUBULAR KNELLS - REMEMBERING KATHERINE HELMOND

Unfortunately, this is a Two for Tuesday Tubular Knells….

From the Los Angeles Times:
Katherine Helmond, the sitcom star whose memorable roles as ditzy matriarchs in “Soap,” “Who’s the Boss?” and “Coach” endeared her to audiences of all ages, has died. She was 89.

Helmond died Feb. 23 at home in Los Angeles from complications of Alzheimer’s disease, according to her talent agency, APA.

This obituary had both of her signature TV shows in the headline, leading off with ‘Soap’ there as well.  Most of the stories I saw about her passing led with ‘Who’s The Boss?’ and some of those didn’t even mention ‘Soap’!

The prime-time comedic soap opera is what made her a household name after so many years in the business, first appearing in Toobworld with a guest spot in an episode of ‘Car 54, Where Are You?’ with stops along the way in episodes of ‘Gunsmoke’, ‘Mannix’, ‘The Bob Newhart Show’, and ‘The Six Million Dollar Man’.  (Adding to her post-‘Soap’ resume along with ‘Coach’ would be ‘Everybody Loves Raymond’ as Ray’s mother-in-law.)

Sure, she was in twice as many episodes of ‘Who’s The Boss?’ than in ‘Soap’, but it will be Jessica Tate who will be remembered far longer.  (As big a television fanatic as I am, I didn’t know Mona’s last name was Robinson until after Ms. Helmond passed away.)

I looked into both of these two major roles of hers in hopes that I might be able to induct at least one of them into the TV Crossover Hall of Fame.  Unfortunately they only got ⅔ of the way towards crossover immortality. 

1977-1981
Soap
88 episodes

1979-1983
Benson
- Jessica (1979)
- God, I Need This Job (1983)

Jessica Tate helped to launch the ‘Soap’ spinoff ‘Benson’ by appearing in the sequel’s pilot.  She then returned in a dream sequence when it looked like her character was going to die on ‘Soap’.

Both shows were Susan Harris productions and that’s probably what limited her crossover opportunities.  But differing production companies were never an impediment to crossovers.  Jessica Fletcher and Thomas Magnum appeared in each others shows; Alan Brady stepped out of his 30 plus year limbo to appear in an episode of ‘Mad About You’ on another network; and John Houseman as his Oscar-winning character not only switched networks but genres when he appeared in the sitcom ‘The Associates’ while playing Professor Kingsfield in ‘The Paper Chase’.

So there was an ABC sitcom broadcast around the same time which wasn’t produced by Susan Harris, and which didn’t share the same style of humor as ‘Soap’, but which would have been the perfect setting for a Jessica Tate crossover showcase – ‘Barney Miller’.

‘Soap’ was mainly set in two different locations – Dunn’s River, Connecticut, and New York City.  So it would not be out of the realm of possibility that Jessica Tate was down in lower Manhattan and through some kind of ditzy misunderstanding, found herself in the squad room at the 12th Precinct. (I can just imagine her interactions with Barney and Dietrich, with Scanlon and Luger both enamored of her!)

1984-1992
Who's the Boss?
196 episodes

Charmed Lives
- Pilot (1986)

As for Mona Robinson, her other appearance besides in ‘Who’s The Boss?’ was also a pilot – for a short-lived sitcom starring Fran Drescher and Donna Dixon.  I wasn’t invested in WTB? as I was with ‘Soap’, so I’m not as eager to get Mona into the Hall as I would be for Jessica.

When it comes to inducting Jessica, I think I can pull it off but it would have to be as part of the Birthday Honors List due to the pretzel logic splainin I’d have to come up with.  So maybe next year. 

I hope my splainin works.  We’ll see.  But I would truly hate not having Jessica Tate in the Television Crossover Hall of Fame.  The incandescence in her eyes and smile would surely save on the Hall’s lighting bill….

BCnU!