Sunday, March 27, 2005

MY FAVORITE MARTIN

The proposed sitcom of 'Early Bird' for NBC, which is set in a Florida retirement community, put me in mind this week of the passing of Barney Martin, best known in Toobworld for his portrayal of Morty Seinfeld, Jerry's father on 'Seinfeld'. Morty Seinfeld used to be the president of his Florida retirement community until he was forced to resign.

I first saw Barney Martin as one of the onstage Nazis in 'The Producers'. But I really started to take notice of him with his role as Jack Terwilliger, the court clerk in Judge Walter Franklin's Philadelphia courtroom on 'The Tony Randall Show'.

He also did a great imitation of a coffee pot in a classic Maxwell House retromercial. And had Michael Landon's health had not deteriorated and his last project had gone to series, I would have watched it for Martin. (He was playing Landon's dad.)

As Red Skelton would sign off, "Good night and may God bless."

BCnU!
Tele-Toby

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