MovieChat Forums > The Bob Cummings Show (1955) Discussion > What were they thinking?! The writers mi...

What were they thinking?! The writers missed a goldmine in this show!!

posted 11 years ago by MyMovieTVRomance
5 replies | jump to latest

I know this is THE BOB CUMMINGS SHOW, so Bob is the main star. Alright, that's fine. But, I hate that the writers didn't write the character of Pamela Livingstone into all the shows and make her a regular, like Schultzy, because something I've noticed is that the shows she is in are the funniest shows of all!

Ann B. Davis was best as Alice, the maid from THE BRADY BUNCH, and that is now the part she is most remembered for. But, ironically, the part Nancy Kulp is best remembered for (Miss Jane Hathaway) is not her best part. Her best part is that of Pamela!

LTB is such a glamorous, carefree, fun show! Bob is so suave, and Nancy is such a perfect contrast to him, that when she is flirting with him, she's really in her element! Such fun, such fun, such fun!! I think Nancy, in that role, is even funnier than Lucy Ricardo! And, I would say that she needed her own show, but nope, that wouldn't do either, because part of what makes her so fun is having her against the backdrop of all that glamour, with Bob and the models.

So, yes. This is Bob's show, and that's just dandy. But, there was a goldmine of an opportunity there, with Nancy, and based on how scarcely she was used in the show, I'd say the writers totally missed the boat with that one, as they say!

Examples of the show at its best always had Nancy (even though I have only seen 16 episodes, I'm sure this is the case): The best episode of all that I've seen so far is the one called BOB JUDGES A BEAUTY CONTEST. When Pamela opens her coat and is wearing that bathing suit, planning to seduce Bob with "s-e-x"-appeal---PRICELESS LOL MOMENT!

The second best episode of the show is BOB GOES BIRD WATCHING! Gosh, what laughs! Such hearty laughs!

Yes, the show is still okay without Pamela, but it is A-grade with her! What were the writers thinking, not to have used her character more?! She's the funniest character I think I've ever seen! I love her! And, against that glamorous backdrop of Hollywood, model photography, and beautiful suburbia---the best!

Please excuse typos/funny wording; I use speech-recognition that doesn't always recognize!

[–] escalera-2 11 years ago

Interesting point of view, MyMovieRomance. I suppose as a young boy when I first watched Love That Bob, it was for a glimpse of Shirley (Joi Lansing) and no one else would do.

Older now, I ought to be a bit more objective and view the programs again. I have on DVD "Bob Judges A Beauty Contest so I'll give it a go.

I suspect I'll appreciate the character of Miss Livingstone a lot more, but afterwards I'm sure I'll want to sneak another peek at she who was "Mrs. Superman"!

"Please use elevator, stairs stuck between floors."

[–] MyMovieTVRomance 11 years ago

Well, I have to admit, I like looking at the models too. :-)

So, here's the compromise I would come up with: keep everyone on the show as is, except for Grandpa, as he's the one character that actually kinda spoils the show for me. I would love the show so much more w/o him. Cause I love the humor, the glamour, the carefree mood of this show...the setting...all of it, except him. He just doesn't fit.

So, what I would do is, for every episode that grandpa's featured in, I would feature Nancy Kulp and her love for Bob instead, cause that's actually funny rather than annoying---at least to me.

Please excuse typos/funny wording; I use speech-recognition that doesn't always recognize!

[–] escalera-2 11 years ago

Often times I would get weary of starring characters getting made-op to play the part of a visiting relative (the only disguised guy that I thought was kind of neat wasThe Lone Ranger as the old prospector, for example, and that was because the viewer was in on the gag).

I had never seen a woman so incredibly beautiful as Joi Lansing. She was unreal.

We live in a time of advanced movie magic, but it would have to take a skilled hand and a lot of want to to get someone to transform Grandpa in Pamela!

"Please use elevator, stairs stuck between floors."

[–] MyMovieTVRomance 11 years ago

We live in a time of advanced movie magic, but it would have to take a skilled hand and a lot of want to to get someone to transform Grandpa in Pamela!

Haha, yeah! And besides, no amount of technology can compensate for genuine beauty and talent and creativity. The new digitally-designed Oz movie proves that! Ugh! The old 1939 version looked more real, and that's not saying much for movie-magic today, I hate to say.

But, I truly believe that with the loss of style comes the loss of beauty. We have a different style and sensablity today. And, that has changed what movies are being made and how. I wish it didn't change though. I'm a sucker for "the golden age" of movies and TV!

Please excuse typos/funny wording; I use speech-recognition that doesn't always recognize!

[–] escalera-2 11 years ago

Well, I am a card-carrying "Old Coot"and grew up on television fare like The Bob Cummings Show and speaking as an Old Coot, most comedy shows today with their cheap laughs just don't do it for me.

Well, my day is past, I suppose. Fair enough. Apparently sponsors aren't interested in courting my dollar.

Whatever happened to Geritol anyway?

"Please use elevator, stairs stuck between floors."