When we get to the series, there...

 Posted on 6/12/1992 by STRACZYNSKI [Joe] to GENIE


When we get to the series, there will doubtless be guest stars, some of
whom have already been arranged for. But not in the movie; we want to
concentrate on our regulars and the ensemble at this point.

The scene cut for time won't be filmed; you don't film what you know
you'll have to leave on the cutting room floor. Later, though, when the
series gets going...who knows, it might surface.

I was sure I'd spoken more about Garibaldi. Okay, remind me in, say, 3
weeks (top of July) and I'll go into more detail.

About Frank Welker...I've actually enjoyed working with him over the
years on TRGBs. Extraordinarily funny. By himself, he could get things so
funny that we'd have to stop down, nobody could stop laughing.

The absolute *worst* such incident _ and thus the best _ came on the
last episode of mine. See, we had to always keep Maurice, Frank and _ ogod,
the new Peter, I've forgotten the actor's name _ apart, because if they sat
together, this weird comedy loop would start, and they'd get funnier, and
funnier, and soon all hell would break out. (Once, when Lorenzo Music was
still doing the show, Frank learned to mimic his voice. So one day, in
taping, when Lorenzo missed his cue, Frank supplied his line...in his voice.
Lorenzo looked around with a "What the hell was THAT?" look on his face.)

Anyway...on this one day...all three of them were seated together, Frank,
Maurice and the Other Guy Whose Name I Can't Remember. And they started
improvising. And they went into Celebrity Farts. What would the farts of
various celebrities sound like? (We're talking in the middle of a taping, for
chrissakes.) Soon, Frank took the lead...Cher's fart, Twiggy's fart, Raymond
Massie's fart, the Pope's fart....

...and then...and then...he let fly with...William Conrad's fart.

And flattened the entire place.

People were *literally* on the floor. No one could talk. Laughter and
shrieking and carrying on for Twenty Minutes. Someone would try to get out a
line...and just dissolve. And every time we *thought* we had it in control
again...out would come another William Conrad Special.

I thought I would die.

Wonderful thing is, I have that on videotape, I think.

I think I'll go find it....

jms