Q: I recall a sitcom that hit the airwaves during the late 1950s. The main character was a man named Tom. He was the only male in his home. His wife's TV name was Fran, her mother was Irene and his daughters were Carol, Debbie and Sissie. Tom was also the owner of a lady dog and bird. Do you remember the name of the show and how long it ran?
A: That was "The Tom Ewell Show," which aired on CBS for a single season in 1960-61. You may remember Ewell for his movie roles in "The Seven Year Itch" (which he had also starred in on Broadway) and "The Girl Can't Help It," as well as a recurring role on the TV series "Baretta." He passed away in 1994. On the sitcom, he played a real estate agent dealing with all the women in his life: Fran (played by Marilyn Erskine), Irene (Mabel Albertson), Carol (Cindy Robbins), Debbie (Sherry Alberoni) and Sissie (Eileen Chesis).
'Saul' better get here soon
Q: Do you know when "Better Call Saul" is returning? I know COVID messed up the making of many shows, so I didn't know if that was what delayed it or if there are other issues delaying its return.
A: Yes, the pandemic stalled production on "Better Call Saul's" sixth and final season. Shooting finally began in March of this year, with 13 episodes planned for wrapping up the marvelous series. I do not know of a return date, but most of the published speculation points to 2022.
Name game
Q: While watching an old episode of "The Rat Patrol" I noticed one of the actors was Eric Braeden of "The Young & The Restless," but the name given in the credits was Hans Gudegast. Are Gudegast and Braeden one in the same? If so, what prompted the name change?
A: Hans Gudegast is the given name of the German-born actor Braeden, and he performed under the Gudegast name for several years. As he told it in an interview for the Archive of American Television, he was offered a role in the movie "Colossus: The Forbin Project" (1970) but was asked to change his name. He was unwilling, he said, until his wife reminded him that actors with German names were often typecast as Nazis. He took his new last name from the village where he was born (Bredenbek) and chose a first name he considered vaguely "northern European ... could be British, could be anything." You can see more of that interview on YouTube.
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