The Donna Reed Show:Wide Open Spaces(1962)(Unsold Pilot): This was a back-door pilot and intended spin off vehicle starring Bill. He played David Adams a former CPA who moves his family (wife and two sons) to a farm. The family deals with the changes from city life especially when the Stones visit. Think of this show as a less-farcical version of “Green Acres.” Actress Donna Reed was thinking about ending her series and this show would have replaced it but Reed changed her mind. Patricia Breslin played David’s wife, Millie. Patricia and Bill worked together during a performance of “Romeo and Juliet” produced by Fordham University in 1949. They also appeared in the play live on tv for “The Philco Television Playhouse.”
The Farmer’s Daughter(1962)(Concept Pilot): A concept pilot was shot in the Fall of 1962 along with a promo of Inger Stevens encouraging network executives to “vote” for The Farmer’s Daughter. The 30 minute pilot introduced the character of Katy Holstrum who has traveled from Minnesota to Washington, D.C. to ask here Congressman to help her get to the Congo to work with children. Glen Morley is a an up and coming young politician who recently lost his wife. He notices Katy has a way with children and asks Katy to stay on as the governess for his two sons. Everything is going well until Katy encourages elder son, Steve, to use some of his father’s poltical speech for a class assignment. Steve does and a local reporter gets wind of this and publishes an article accusing Steve of publicizing a subject Glen has been non-committal about. Glen yells at Katy who leaves the home. No one is happy and Glen realizes the family, especially him, needs Katy in their life. Katy agrees to return and convinces an elder politician that Glen intentionally had Steve make the speech to see how the public would react. The elder politican thinks it’s a brilliant political move by Glen and congratulates him. A confused Glen wonders just what Katy said that made the older man approve of the whole situation. In the end, Inger Stevens asks the network to “vote” for The Farmer’s Daughter for the upcoming Fall Season.
The Gallant Men(1962)(Pilot): This was the first episode of the military show. Bill played Pvt. Jake Miller who, as it turns out, was a major who went AWOL but returned to the military under an assumed name. During an operation in Italy, Miller’s strategic advice helps his squad but his true identity is discovered and eventually does him in. Director Robert Altman directed this episode. He would direct Bill in an episode of “Combat!” and in the film “Brewster McCloud.”
Prescription Murder(1969)(TV Movie Pilot): This was the pilot movie for the highly successful “Columbo” mystery movies with Peter Falk. However he is not the disheveled schlep the world eventually grew to love. He played the role a bit more straight. Bill played Burt Gordon a friend of the murderer played by Gene Barry. Bill worked with Gene Barry on two episodes of “Name of The Game” called Lola in Lipstick and The Time is Now and on an episode of the new “Burke’s Law” in the 1990s called Who Killed the Tennis Ace?
UMC/Operation Heartbeat(1969)(TV Movie Pilot): This movie introduced the tv show “Medical Center.” An elder doctor is suffering from heart disease and his only hope is a transplant. Meanwhile Dr. Joe Gannon is treating a man, Raymond Hanson, who injured himself days before and now may be suffering from a pulmonary embolism. It turns out Hanson and his wife had a fight and he was so drunk he fell down the stairs and left the house. He returned in severe pain and that’s when he went to Medical Center. However, Hanson had forbidden his wife from seeing him and even asked Dr. Gannon to call a lawyer. When his character dies his heart is donated to the ailing doctor, as Hanson willed his body to the hospital. However, Hanson’s wife files a lawsuit against Gannon. She claims he let her husband die so his doctor friend could get the healthy heart. This originally aired on CBS but then was released as a feature film in the theatres in 1971. Bill played Raymond Hanson a rich and carefree man who dies from a traveling blood clot. Bill didn’t like the role. In one interview, he said his character spent most of the time under a sheet, which was not the case. He just spent all the time in a bed, which prevent Bill from flexing his acting muscles. Actor Richard Bradford played Dr. Joe Gannon in this pilot but when the series started, the role went to Chad Everett. Bill had forgotten Bradford’s name but the two later worked together on a episode of “Murder, She Wrote” called Curse of the Daanav where Bradford played the estranged brother of Bill’s character, Seth. Bill would later appear on 4 more “Medical Center” shows and later work with Chad Everett in two episodes of “Murder, She Wrote.” They also played tennis together. Actor Kevin McCarthy also appeared in the episode. He and Bill were good friends and appeared on a live tv adaptation of “Romeo & Juliet” and then in the TV movie “The Great American Tragedy.” Finally Shelley Fabares co-starred in the pilot. She and Bill had appeared together in two episodes of “The Donna Reed Show” and in an episode of “The Love Boat.” She and Bill did not have scenes together. They would also work later on a two-part episode of “Murder, She Wrote” called Mirror, Mirror on the Wall. This is the first time Bill worked with actor James Shigeta. They would later appear together in another “Medical Center” episode called Vison of Doom.
Jamison’s Kids(1971)(Unsold Pilot): This pilot was a vehicle for actor Gary Collins. It was a half-hour pilot that aired twice, however the time slots were awful: late at night and then on a Sunday afternoon so it didn’t have a chance. Collins played a social worker named Paul Jamison who worked at an adoption agency. He has a tough case on his hands, a little boy who can’t seem to land himself with a permanent family. When Larry and JoAnn Bradley show interest, Paul thinks he’s finally found a perfect match. However, Larry soon has second thoughts because the little boy also has a behavioral problem. The show, a drama, would have shown what adoption is like from the inside and how it affects not only the children and families but the social workers. Bill played Larry Bradley who learns how to give and receive a little tough love.
Escape(1971)(Unsold TV Movie Pilot): This was an unsold pilot with the common PI theme of the 1970s. Christopher George played a former escape artist turned PI. He’s hired by a scientist asking for protection. It seems the scientist, Dr. Henry Walding, and his more maniacal brother have created a living organism that is self sufficient and can essentially destroy the planet. Bill plays Dr. Henry Walding the scientist who knows his brother has gone insane. Henry wants to put an end to the monster he’s created so he hires the PI for protection. Also co-starring in the movie is actor Avery Schrieber. The actor/comedian (Burns and Schreiber team) worked with Bill in the movie “Second Chance” a year later.
The Homecoming: A Christmas Story(1971)(TV Movie Pilot): This movie was the pilot for the hugely popular “The Waltons.” Patricia Neal and Andrew Duggan played the roles of John and Olivia and Edgar Bergen played grandpa. The plot involved John taking a job away from the mountain to make money. He hasn’t come home yet and it’s almost Christmas. All the children went on to play the roles in the tv show. Bill played mountain resident Charlie Snead who basically steals food from grocery suppliers and gives it to the poor. There was talk of bringing Bill back for the actual show but Bill said the character didn’t appear regularly and he couldn’t afford to sign on for a role like that. This is the first time Bill appeared with actor Cleavon Little (“Blazing Saddles”). They would work on the tv movie “The Day the Earth Moved” and a public tv special called “A House Divided.” Andrew Duggan and Bill had appeared in the “12 0’Clock High” episode Gauntlet of Fire and later appeared on an episode of “McMillan & Wife” called The Game of Survival. They also appeared in the miniseries “Once an Eagle.” Ellen Corby who played Grandma Esther Walton had worked previously with Bill. She appeared in an episode of “The Farmer’s Daughter” called The Woman Behind the Man and on an episode of “The F.B.I.” called The Nightmare. Actress Elizabeth McDonough who played Erin in the movie and throughout the series, later worked with Bill on a straight-to-vhs film “Funland.” Actress Judy Norton who played eldest daughter Mary Ellen said was great fun and such a talented actor and such a pleasure and honor to work with him.
Is There a Doctor in the House?/Triple Play(1971)(Unsold Pilot): After “My World” Bill was tapped for this new tv show that never got past this pilot episode. It was part of an NBC special called “Triple Play.” The show was hosted by Dan Rowan and Dick Martin and featured three pilots: “Doctor…,” “The Good Life” starring Larry Hagman and “Inside O.U.T” with Bill Daily (Hagman’s “I Dream of Jeannie” co-star”). In “Doctor” Bill played Dr. Tim Newley who practices in a small New England town (sound familiar?). He realizes he needs another doctor for the practice and hires Michael Griffin, site unseen. Turns out Dr. Griffin (Rosemary Forsyth) is a woman and Dr. Newley thinks a woman’s role is NOT in the doctor’s office. However, the townspeople and the doctor’s housekeeper all fall for Dr. Mike. Of course, things come to a head when Dr. Mike interferes with one of the patients and also buys an expensive x-ray machine. Dr. Newley feels like he’s no longer in control and yells at Dr. Mike, causing her to leave. In the end Dr. Newley realizes he’s only angry because he’s an older man set in his ways and he’s already falling for Dr. Mike. His only fear is that he’s too old. In typical Screen Gems style, Dr. Newley stops Mike and convinces her to return to the office.
(CONT.)Obviously the two would be linked romantically if the show took off but in 1971 it’s possible the networks were looking for more edgy sitcoms. Screen Gems was hoping to recapture the good old days of “The Farmer’s Daughter.” Bill and Inger had such chemistry but that wasn’t as evident between Bill and Rosemary. There was also the inside joke about the age difference of 20 years. However, the show was still quite entertaining. The “will they do it? Won’t they do it?” atmosphere of “The Farmer’s Daughter” wasn’t popular in the prime of the sexual revolution. This is probably why the show didn’t do well. Coincidentally Dr. Newley’s housekeeper, Emma, was played by Margaret Hamilton of “The Wizard of Oz.” She was Bill’s kindergarten teacher and they never knew about this until they began talking about their pasts. They became good friends after that. Also, Bill and Rosemary Forsyth later worked together on an episode of “Petrocelli” called The Golden Cage and on an episode of “Murder, She Wrote” called Bite the Big Apple. However, they didn’t have any scenes together in MSW. For the role of Tim Newley, Bill was told to look more romantic and lose some weight. His wife at the time would joke that he would only do this for acting but not when she asked him to do it. Bill added some personal touches to his role. For example, Dr. Newley shaves with a straight-edged razor, like Bill. Also, Dr. Newley drives an old army Jeep. Bill had always wanted one since the war but, at the time, was driving a Gremlin in the 1970s. He sold it in the 1980s and finally bought an old army Jeep. He painted it white and painted his paratrooper unit on the back. Ironically, Bill would become famous to tv viewers for playing another crusty New England doctor, Seth Hazlitt, on “Murder, She Wrote.” The “Doctor” pilot was shot in Mendocino, California which is the same town used as the fictional Cabot Cove, Maine for “Murder, She Wrote.”
The New Healers/AKA Med-Ex(1972)(Unsold TV Movie Pilot): The plot focused on a small California community with a former Vietnam Veteran, Calvin Briggs, as an EMT along with his friend and an ex-Navy nurse. They form a paramedics team and open a clinic because there’s only one doctor around for miles. Now he’s sick and the team is offering the town medical care, but no one trusts the EMTs. They want a doctor. Even the mayor, Mr. Farrigan, won’t listen. Briggs calls his father, also a doctor, to help but it’s only temporary. Meanwhile a nearby dam is about to burst, threatening to wash out the entire town. When one of the workers suffers a serious injury, Briggs must perform an operation. Only his nurse and Mr. Farrigan are by his side. In the end, Briggs saves the life and the town is safe from flooding. Bill played Mr. Frank Farrigan and with the town emergency he realizes he was wrong about the young EMTs. Actor Burgess Meredith played the elderly doctor. He and Bill had appeared together in an episode of “The Virginian” called The Orchard and would appear in the film “The Man.” Some of the film was shot at the studios but the exteriors were shot around the seaside town of Mendocino. It was the location for Bill’s unsold pilot “Is There A Doctor In The House?” and it was the setting for Cabot Cove in “Murder, She Wrote.” In fact, the shots of the home meant to be the EMT’s clinic is later used as the home/office for Seth Hazlitt on MSW. This is the second time Bill worked with Robert Foxworth (Calvin Briggs). A year before they worked on the law drama “Men at Law” in the episode Let the Dier Beware. Character actress Irene Tedrow had a small role. She and Bill had appeared together on an episode of “The Farmer’s Daughter” called Katy’s Campaign. They would later appear on an episode of “Insight” called Jesus B.C. and an episode of “The Streets of San Francisco” called Requiem For Murder, that same year.
Heck’s Angels(1976)(Unsold Pilot): This was another pilot meant for Bill to star in but it didn’t sell. He played U.S. Col. Gregory Heck the leader of Aero squadron 35 in World War I France. Heck is basically pompous and clueless. In the only episode Heck wants one of his men to volunteer for a dangerous mission but refuses to give the details knowing they would chicken out. Bill called it a cross between “Gilligan’s Island” and “Hogan’s Heroes.” Just about everyone in the group was clueless including Heck himself who couldn’t tell his French girlfriend was a German spy. Also one of his “Men” was actually a woman in disguise to avenge her father’s death. Actress Susan Silo (of “Here Come the Brides”) said she was the double agent who played Bill’s girlfriend. She said working with Bill was a lot of fun and that he was a very bright man. This would be the first time Bill worked with actor Henry Pollic II. They would later work together on an episode of “Murder, She Wrote” called Keep the Home Fries Burning. “Heck’s Angels” aired at the end of August, one of the worst months for Nielsen Ratings due to people traveling the last minute before summer ends. It’s no wonder the show didn’t sell.
The Prime of Life(1976)(unclear if pilot was ever filmed): It’s unclear if Bill actually shot the show at all. According to the book “Single Season Sitcoms 1948-1979,” Bill was asked to star in this pilot. It was created by Monty Hall (“Let’s Make a Deal”) and it focused on a couple who actually have enough money to enjoy life and travel now that they’re empty nesters. However, it all comes crashing down when both their children return home and his mother-in-law moves in. The show was to air on NBC but the network was shopping around for a new vehicle for actor McLean Stevenson. The network demanded Bill be replaced with McLean and he was. The show was re-christened “The McLean Stevenson Show” and it lasted 13 episodes. Monty Hall, who worked with Bill on an episode of “The Flip Wilson Show,” said he had to break the difficult news to Bill that he was being replaced.
Richie Brockleman: The Missing 24 Hours(1976)(TV Movie Pilot): This movie was a spin-off of “The Rockford Files” character Richie Brockleman. The plot involved the wannabe PI Richie (Dennis Dugan) who is confronted by an amnesiac woman, Elizabeth, on the run from a gunman. She eventually remembers who she is and returns home to her husband Arthur Springfield. Arthur explains that two men broke into the home and shot Elizabeth’s mother causing Elizabeth to run and lose her memory. Arthur said he wasn’t home at the time, the police filled him in…but that’s not the truth. Turns out Elizabeth is not Arthur’s wife. She’s his wife’s secretary and she lived in the guest house. She watched Arthur kill his wife and now he plans to kill Elizabeth. Richie realizes what happens and hopes he’s not too late. Bill played the Arthur Springfield character. This is the first time Bill and Harold Sylvester (Rider) appeared together. They would later work on the tv show “Walking Tall” in the episode The Protectors of the People.
Hunters of the Reef(1978)(Unsold TV Movie Pilot): Bill co-starred in this tv movie pilot about a captain, Spanner, and his partners Panama Cassidy and Winston. Spanner leases part of his property to a doctor with the Navy, and it turns out to be a woman. Then Spanner’s younger half-brother shows up after being orphaned by their mutual father. All this while the salvage crew tries to raise a sunken vessel full of treasure. It was shot in Key West which is home to a well-known sandal making factory (Bill loved sandals). Bill played Panama and said, “it’s the eunich, best-friend, no threat buddy who throws the straight lines.” Bill said the movie was like “Little House on the Prairie” but on water. There’s a scene in which Panama talks about his past and it mirrors Bill’s, life to an extent. Panama mentions he was in 6 serious relationships, some of them turning into marriages but they never took. He also commented that he wasn’t much to look at but when he was young he was quite handsome. Panama even said all the women were right but he was the one who was wrong. Bill was known for being self-deprecating especially when it came to his lifestyle. That was his type of humor. If the series sold it would have been called “Peter Benchley’s Mystery of the Deep.” The movie had a calypso-like theme song, and it was not very good. If you’ve ever watched the pilot to “Gilligan’s Island” it, too, had a calypso theme song that wasn’t good. It was around the filming of this movie that Bill became a father for the final time.
Landon, Landon & Landon(1980)(Unsold Ghost Pilot #1): One of two ghostly vehicles that CBS was hoping to sell with Bill. It premiered June 14th, 1980. As a pilot that aired in the summer, it didn’t have a chance…who would be watching tv in the summer? Bill, who was the star, played Ben Landon, a Hollywood private eye killed on the job, leaving behind his two adult children. He wasn’t the best dad but now his son and daughter, Holly and Nick, attempt to keep dad’s PI office alive. Luckily their dad’s ghost appears to help them solve his murder. Landon had a secretary, Judith Saperstein (played by Millie Slavin), who also helps out. The show did not sell and was re-packaged a year later with a new twist. A series of press photos seem to be the only proof the show existed. Quinn Martin was proud of its stable of veteran actors like Windom and others. QM was sure the show would sell because pilots using Windom or any other QM actor always did. The show didn’t sell but was given a second chance.
Quick and Quiet(1981)(Unsold Ghost Pilot #2): Basically the writers re-tooled the pilot “Landon, Landon & Landon” and made it seedier. The episode aired on August 8th, 1981. Like Landon, et. al., the show aired in the summer, which is not a ratings boom due to people likely going on vacation and away from their television sets. Once again Bill played a private eye but was named Thaddeus Charles “T.C.” Cooper. The writers kept Millie Slavin, the actress who played the secretary but gave her a new name, Camille. Now, here’s where the plots differed. T.C. dressed more modern than Ben, who wore a tweed hat and jacket. Similar to how Bill dressed in “Murder, She Wrote.” However T.C. did have a tweed jacket and hat in his office. Also, T.C. was a schemer who liked to make bets but always lost. Unlike Ben, T.C. had one child, a son named Elliott. He’s just like dad, a schemer looking to make good on gambling debts. T.C. was not killed on the job but died “on the job” (wink, wink) with his secretary. So there was no subplot to find a killer. Finally, T.C. ever the schemer, had a reason to make amends with his son, avoid eternity in Hell Bill was not the star of the show but rather the young actor who played his son. Bill received third billing in the credits, “with William Windom.” So we learn that Elliot Cooper had amassed a lot of gambling debts and was hoping dad left him something valuable. Only thing dad left was his grungy PI office and an out-of-work secretary/lover.
(CONT.) When Elliot is reluctantly given a case of a missing husband, T.C. joins along to make sure his son does alright. Turns out the missing husband is joining a religious order and is giving away all his money. In the end the jilted wife tries to kill her husband and Elliot. Luckily Elliot manages to take care of things on his own, he solves the case and he finds more people looking for his services. T.C. decides to assist even though Elliott is the only one who can see him. By this time no one was interested anymore in the broad comedy of ghosts (that can only be seen by one person) and the cheesy special effects that went with them, like floating bottles and drinking glasses. Let’s not forget the invisible butt grabbing by T.C. with a shocked Camille. This pilot was overseen by former actor turned CBS executive Dwayne Hickman (“Dobie Gillis”). He wasn’t a fan of the pilot either. An actress who appeared in the show later became Hickman’s second wife. Actor Henry Jones appeared in this pilot. He and Bill were good friends going back to the their ART days. They had previously appeared in an episode of the tv show “The Outsider” and would work on an episode of “Murder, She Wrote” called Mr. Penroy’s Vacation. Actress Linda Day George also appeared, she had appeared with Bill previously in the miniseries “Once an Eagle,” the tv movie “The House on Greenapple Road” and an episode of “Mission: Impossible” called The Fighter. Millie Slavin would later appear in an episode of “Murder, She Wrote” called Deadly Assets. She and Bill didn’t have any scenes together but they may have crossed paths on the set. Of this pilot concept, Bill said it was too bad it didn’t make a series because it was a pretty good idea.
The Suzanne Somers Show(1982)(Unaired Pilot): The former “Three’s Company” actress had a 5 year contract with CBS to develop a starring vehicle. In this un-aired pilot, Somers starred as Suzie Mahoney who happens to be a tv star and single mom. However, another source states that she was supposed to be a flight attendant. Bill played her landlord but no mention of his character’s name. His character was a sort of mentor to Suzie’s young son. Bill had to re-schedule his one man show at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire at a later date because of his involvement with this tv pilot. He said Somers was much smarter than he thought, which he originally based his opinion on publicity.
The Tom Swift and Linda Craig Mystery Hour(1983)(Unsold TV Movie Pilot): This was an attempt to rekindle the teen super sleuth shows of the 1970s. This time Lori Loughlin and Willie Ames played the teen leads, Tom Swift and Linda Craig. A big Thank You to James Karenko of Lansing, Michigan who gave me an incredibly detailed synopsis of this movie. The movie aired on July 3, 1983 and featured young inventor Tom and his cousin Linda, a teenaged detective. In this episode some thieves steal a page from an old book being stored at a mission. The page features the hallmark of Rancho del Sol owned by Bronco Mallory and his wife. They’re Linda and Tom’s grandparents. Bronco is lured away from the ranch and is being held ransom by a man who demands Tom’s newest invention. The two teens work together to save Bronco and stop the theives. Bill played Bronco Mallory. Trivia note, the film was shot on The Morrison Ranch which was used in “Spin & Marty” and “24.”
Velvet(1984)(Unsold TV Movie Pilot): Think of it as an 80s version of “Charlie’s Angels.” It was also created by the prolific Aaron Spelling who featured Bill in a lot of shows. This movie focused on a spa called Velvet and the beauties that work there. The spa is not what it seems….it’s a really a front for government operatives. A talented scientist and his son have been kidnapped and the government needs the help of the women at Velvet. Bill played a government official with no name. His scene is in the very beginning and the shot is dimly lit, so you barely see Bill’s face. Easy work in between doing his one-man shows.
Dirty Work(1985)(Unsold Pilot): The plot focused on Nadine Leevanhoek who is looking for a new and exciting job, so she becomes a secretary for a PI. However the PI needs to go undercover and soon leaves Nadine by herself to run the office. Bill played Capt./Cmdr. Leevanhoek, Nadine’s father.
ABC Comedy Special: Moscow Bureau(1986)(Unsold Pilot): This pilot aired in June of 1986 and later aired on Canadian TV show call “The Comedy Factor.” This show was sort of a take on “The Mary Tyler Moore Show.” It looked at the inner workings of an American News Magazine in Moscow. This Witt-Thomas (creators of 80s tv sitcoms like “Benson” and “The Golden Girls”) project featured Witt-Thomas alum Caroline McWilliams (“SOAP”/”Benson”) playing the female reporter, Kris/Christine. Bill played Herb Medlock a sort of hard drinking Lou Grant character. He wants to retire and that means his replacement will be Kris. While Kris is heading up a major story, Herb decides against retirement. So Kris thinks about leaving the bureau for New York to be with her boyfriend instead. However there’s a problem when Kris’ story gets leaked to the KGB. Kris has no choice but to stay. Herb then tells Kris some welcome news and the episode ends happily. The only copy of this show is at the Paley Center.
Working Guy(1996)(Unaired Pilot): The new UPN network was trying to borrow a page from the successful FOX network. This was one of the pilots with a mainly African-American cast. The show focused on a military veteran adjusting to life on Wall Street. Bill played a character named Stockdale.