Gloria Swanson

Celebrity

Years and years ago I saw a ...

Question: Years and years ago I saw a movie about an aristocratic family who get stranded on a desert island with their servants and at some point the blue bloods have to acknowledge that the butler and other servants are more inventive, ingenious, resourceful and street-smart than they are. So the servants take charge, until — if my memory serves me correctly — they're rescued, brought back to England and everybody goes back to his or her original position in the pecking order. I saw it as a kid — I'm 43 now — and think it was an older movie already. But every time I think about this adventure/psychological drama, it seems to me that it would be a nice story to remake. Answer: The story is definitely The Admirable Crichton, which started life as a play by James M. Barrie — yes, the man who wrote Peter Pan. It's been filmed three times already, first by Cecil B. DeMille read more

I was watching some show that ...

Question: I was watching some show that listed all of the spin-offs of All in the Family. Wasn't there a show about Archie Bunker's daughter Gloria, post-divorce, as a single mom? That show is never mentioned regarding Norman Lear spin-offs. Or are just the successful shows mentioned?


Answer: That would seem to be the case, Phyllis, though, to pat myself on the back once again, I mentioned it when discussing All in the Family spin-offs way back when. But I'm always happy to provide a little more detail.

Sally Struthers stepped into Gloria's shoes again for a year beginning in September 1982 as CBS' Gloria found the character doing veterinary-assistant work in a small upstate New York town. It seems Meathead had bailed on her to live on a commune when they were out in Califor read more

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