The TV thread

8 Simple Rules was one of the more egrigious examples, adding relatives who had never been mentioned before to the cast.

But the king of replacements. Alias Smith and Jones, continued production the SAME DAY as Pete Duel killed himself, recast and began shooting with his replacement the day after.

"In the early morning hours of December 31, 1971, series star Pete Duel died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound at the age of 31. He was reportedly suffering from depression and had been drinking heavily when he shot himself. Upon learning of Duel's death, executive producer Jo Swerling Jr. initially wanted to end the series, but ABC refused.[1]: 27–28  Swerling later stated:

ABC said, "No way!" They said, "You have a contract to deliver this show to us, and you will continue to deliver the show as best you can on schedule or we will sue you." Hearing those words, Universal didn't hesitate for a second to instruct us to stay in production. We were already a little bit behind the eight ball on airdates. So, we contacted everybody, including Ben (Murphy), and told them to come back in. The entire company was reassembled and back in production by one o'clock that day shooting scenes that did not involve Peter — only 12 hours after his death.[1]: 28 

Series writer, director, and producer Roy Huggins contacted actor Roger Davis (who provided narration for the series, and who had also appeared in episode 19 "Smiler with a Gun") the day of Duel's death to fill the role of Hannibal Heyes, and actor/voice man Paul Frees came in to loop Duel's unfinished ADR on "The Men That Corrupted Hadleyburg".[2] Davis was fitted for costumes the following day, and began reshooting scenes Duel had previously completed for an unfinished episode the following Monday. According to Swerling, the decision to continue production so soon after Duel's death was heavily criticized in the press at the time.[1]: 29–30 "

 

Yes, sir, that's about as bad as it gets.

Another that comes to mind, although it was a season-to-season change, was Seann William Scott for bad-boy Clayne Crawford in "Lethal Weapon" (the TV show). Damon Wayans quit the show soon after Scott's arrival.

 

Richard Russo + Bob Odenkirk = better than Reese's Peanut Butter Cups:

Bob Odenkirk's AMC series 'Lucky Hank' sets premiere date, drops chaotic teaser

 

Finished Season 2 of Slow Horses — no spoilers, but some of the spy stuff was beyond ridiculous. That being said, Oldman is putting on one of the great TV performances in recent memory.

 

Wait, what? (Also, setting reminder for March 6)

 

Mel Brooks is another one of those old timers I'm really going to miss.

 

I saw "Blazing Saddles" the Friday of the week it was released. I'd read a review in Life magazine by their film critic, who wrote under the pen name "Cyclops", about the hilarious and surrealistic new comedy with railroad workers singing Cole Porter for work songs and Count Basie's band in a bandstand playing in the desert as cowboys ride past. The theater was packed and we actually missed some lines because people were still laughing so loudly at the previous line that we couldn't hear the next.

I guess I'm old, too. That was February of '74.

 

My parents took me and my brother, 14 and 11 at the time, to see the movie because they heard that every Jewish family should see it.

 

"Schvartzes!"

 

Agree on both counts.
Thank god there’s no smell-o-vision for his scenes.

 

So, no "Jews in Space?" or "Hitler on Ice?"