Sometimes Venus appears in the morning at the station and talks with Johnny. It is a possibility that Venus might work a split shift, that is works 10 - 2 and then comes back at 4 and works until 8.
I missed Simon and Simon when it was on. There are a few episodes on YT of a show called Franks Place he stars in. I don’t know how long it ran, but hope someday it’s released as a box set.
Tim Reid brought his A game playing Venus. He was probably the strongest character on that show. His Vietnam story was something you didnt see in a sitcom back then. Also had to deal with Workplace Quotas, mistaken identity and trying to live up to what a Black guy should be in the public eye. Heavy stories and all done perfectly by him. Great actor and funny guy as well.
Thanks! I like Tim Reid’s Television Academy interviews, totally worth checking out. An advisor was used for ‘Who is Gordon Sims?” and the military liked the way it turned out. They used that episode as an example for training.
Don't know why you didn't include the episode where the gov't arrests Venus for being a deserter. He summed up the feelings of a lot of people in that episode. He'd done his duty and had had enough. He just walked away from it all. Wonderful writing.
I wished they had the skit of Venus and Johnny , when Venus freaks out about been called black, then Venus asks Johnny why he did not tell him he was black......Johnny's response ..... I thought you knew......love the classics
After reading a lot of Tim Reid interviews and re-bingeing the show, I came to realize that almost *all* of the best Venus scenes were in the first year and a half of the 4 year run. There was a lot of pressure put on him by black activists to demand of the producers that Venus stop dressing and speaking the way he did, stop having ladies in the booth late at night, etc. and Reid either agreed or capitulated, however you want to see it. Leaving all other debate aside to get to my point: Venus became a boring-ass character very quickly. He stopped being funny. Most of the best, classic stuff we remember came early on. Also, his backstory was completely changed not once but twice because of this.
So they made the character 3 dimensional and allowed him to be more then just a stereotype. Venus was still funny and clever, just not over the top. The show had plenty of over the top characters, it needed grounded ones to counter them out. It’s call being a straight men. Tim Reid has never been one to play over the top, he’s better as a grounded similar to a Bob Newhart. Also Hugh Wilson supported Tim Reid in the direction the character went. They why they went on to do Frank’s Place together.
@@davidhelmer9124 Agreed. When the show first started the character of Venus was not fleshed out. As time went on Tim Reid was given the power to shape and mold the character. Hugh Wilson sat down with Reid and really just asked him about his life. Tim told him about how he was into eastern religion/meditation, Bob Marley, Jazz and these things were incorporated into the character and portrayed on the show. For me personally I found Venus to be a well-drawn out character as time went on and he was funniest when he was indeed the straight man to all the bizarre nonsense going on at the station.
I remember being the TV remote when I was a kid, the folks said to change the channel, but I always waited till the MTM kitten mewed!
"I want a hat! Cops got a hat, I want a hat. Thanks for the lid. Art"
Venus was a great character who needed to be featured more in the show. :)
Great stuff loved the show RIP to Johnny doctor fever and Frank Bonner
Sometimes Venus appears in the morning at the station and talks with Johnny. It is a possibility that Venus might work a split shift, that is works 10 - 2 and then comes back at 4 and works until 8.
Tim Reid was also in Simon and Simon. Unfortunately the show didn't have that long of a run and the most I remember of it was the catchy theme song.
I missed Simon and Simon when it was on.
There are a few episodes on YT of a show called Franks Place he stars in.
I don’t know how long it ran, but hope someday it’s released as a box set.
Venus. Our ever loving soul brother.
Glad Tim Reid got the job, can't imagine anyone else.
Tim Reid brought his A game playing Venus. He was probably the strongest character on that show. His Vietnam story was something you didnt see in a sitcom back then. Also had to deal with Workplace Quotas, mistaken identity and trying to live up to what a Black guy should be in the public eye. Heavy stories and all done perfectly by him. Great actor and funny guy as well.
Thanks!
I like Tim Reid’s Television Academy interviews, totally worth checking out.
An advisor was used for ‘Who is Gordon Sims?” and the military liked the way it turned out. They used that episode as an example for training.
"Are you Earth, Wind, or Fire?"
Mrs Carlson manages to steal a scene in a montage not about her. No surprise. That character was a killer
Don't know why you didn't include the episode where the gov't arrests Venus for being a deserter. He summed up the feelings of a lot of people in that episode. He'd done his duty and had had enough. He just walked away from it all. Wonderful writing.
That's a great episode. The clip is in Arthur Carlson's review. but would have been served better in this one.
I wished they had the skit of Venus and Johnny , when Venus freaks out about been called black, then Venus asks Johnny why he did not tell him he was black......Johnny's response ..... I thought you knew......love the classics
I'll do a best bits vid - thanks!
After reading a lot of Tim Reid interviews and re-bingeing the show, I came to realize that almost *all* of the best Venus scenes were in the first year and a half of the 4 year run. There was a lot of pressure put on him by black activists to demand of the producers that Venus stop dressing and speaking the way he did, stop having ladies in the booth late at night, etc. and Reid either agreed or capitulated, however you want to see it. Leaving all other debate aside to get to my point: Venus became a boring-ass character very quickly. He stopped being funny. Most of the best, classic stuff we remember came early on. Also, his backstory was completely changed not once but twice because of this.
So they made the character 3 dimensional and allowed him to be more then just a stereotype. Venus was still funny and clever, just not over the top. The show had plenty of over the top characters, it needed grounded ones to counter them out. It’s call being a straight men. Tim Reid has never been one to play over the top, he’s better as a grounded similar to a Bob Newhart. Also Hugh Wilson supported Tim Reid in the direction the character went. They why they went on to do Frank’s Place together.
@@davidhelmer9124 Agreed. When the show first started the character of Venus was not fleshed out. As time went on Tim Reid was given the power to shape and mold the character. Hugh Wilson sat down with Reid and really just asked him about his life. Tim told him about how he was into eastern religion/meditation, Bob Marley, Jazz and these things were incorporated into the character and portrayed on the show. For me personally I found Venus to be a well-drawn out character as time went on and he was funniest when he was indeed the straight man to all the bizarre nonsense going on at the station.