He's probably best known for appearing in ten episodes of 'Bewitched' as a variety of McMann & Tate clients. Also for playing the governor of North Carolina in 'The Andy Griffith Show', the mayor in 'The Munsters', and several episodes of 'Gunsmoke', 'Bonanza', 'Batman', '77 Sunset Strip', 'Little House On The Prairie', and 'Maverick' - in which he had one of my favorite TV Western names: Loftus Jaggers.
And I have a Super Six List of my favorite one-shot roles played by Mr. McKinley:
- 'The Wild Wild West'
- 'Bret Maverick'
- 'Hec Ramsey'
- 'My Favorite Martian'
- 'McHale's Navy'
- 'The Rockford Files'
What I like best about that last one is that his character's name was a bit of an in-joke. He was a lawyer named Lee Melvin - a reference to both F. Lee Bailey and Melvin Belli.
Anyhoo, he was pretty good (McKinley died in 2004) and deserved to at least be treated with respect when it came to his credits.
In 1969, he had a key role in the 'Ironside' episode "And Be My Love", in which he played a wealthy man named John Evans. He proved instrumental when Ironside set up a sting to catch a cat burgler.
Mr. McKinley was always a stocky man, but he certainly carried it well. So it didn't sound right to hear Chief Robert T. Ironside address him as "Tubby". Especially since he wasn't exactly svelte himself.
But what was even worse was that in the final credits, he was listed simply as "Fat Man."
Mr. McKinley was always a stocky man, but he certainly carried it well. So it didn't sound right to hear Chief Robert T. Ironside address him as "Tubby". Especially since he wasn't exactly svelte himself.
But what was even worse was that in the final credits, he was listed simply as "Fat Man."
But no. He was just listed as "Fat Man".
At least the IMDb got it right:
John Evans
- And Be My Love (1969) ... John Evans
I don't know if J. Edward McKinley was ever bothered by that, but it bothered me. I hope he was at least compensated well for his work on the episode.
BCnU!
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