TV Radio Mirror (Jan - Jun 1963)

Record Details:

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At home in the Sa?i Fernando Valley, Debbie treats Daddy to a cookie! Karen. Bobby and Mom ivatch. "For a long time I was frustrated." says Bob Crane. "No, I wasn't so unhappy I was ready for the psychiatrist's couch. But I did feel the acting game was agin me. Every time I got a break, something happened." However, now that he's been signed as a semi-regular on "The Donna Reed Show," Bob's frustration has disappeared. "It's not that I want to give up being a disc jockey on KNX to be an actor," he explains. "I just want to act. And now I'm getting my chance." . . . Bob's long string of disappointments began when the late Jerry Wald planned to cast him in a picture. Just before he signed, the front office at Twentieth found out Tony Randall was available — and hired him. Next, Joe Pasternak was discussing Bob for the part of an early-morning disc jockey in "The Courtship of Eddie's Father." He called Bob one day and said. "You're perfect for it! You'd be playing yourself." "Naturally," recalls Bob, "I was delighted. Then came the word from the front office — I wasn't the type! I just didn't look like a disc jockey!" . . . "On the other hand," sighs Bob, "I'm already type-cast. 'Radio,' they tell me, 'y°u do fine at it, boy. Stick to it.' Even the producers who've heard me on radio are skeptical about giving me acting jobs. They just don't believe I can be funny doing something else. And, for the parts they feel I might be good in, they want Gig Young. Tony Randall or Jack Lemmon." . . . One such case was the casting of "Send Me No Flowers" in Long Beach. Harold Lloyd Jr. and Tom Hatten were both wanted, but unavailable. Tom suggested Bob. Nobody had ever heard of him! But Hatten talked them into it. . . . "During rehearsals I could feel those doubt ful eyes on me." Bob recalls. "Then, when we opened, we broke attendance records and everybody was happy." . . . The acting bug bit Bob several years ago when he and his wife Anne saw a preview of "Tunnel of Love." In it Gig Young played a nextdoor neighbor, a martini-drinking lad with an eye for the ladies. Bob sat there telling himself. "There but for Gig Young go I." And, when they left the theater. Anne said, "You know — I just spent ninety minutes watching you!" A few months later. Bob was bowled over when he was approached by the producer-director of a San Fernando Valley theater to play the Gig Young part. That led to other parts in stage productions and assignments in TV. It was on "The Dick Van Dyke Show" that he was spotted by Donna Reed and her producer-husband Tony Owen. They signed him to play Dr. Dave Kelsey in one episode of "The Donna Reed Show," and his appearance was so successful, he was signed with comedienne Ann McCrea for another segment. The pair worked in so well that Owen then signed them for semi-regular appearances in the 1963-64 season. . . . Now that he's on "The Donna Reed Show," many other acting offers are coming in — but the busy Mr. Crane finds himself in the position of having to turn some of them down due to lack of time. "I never thought that would happen." he laughs. "But. you know, Gig Young has been on my radio show several times and we're always kidding about how he gets the parts I should have had. The other day he called up to say, 'Guess what — I'm doing another Bob Crane type!' Who knows . . . maybe some day I'll be right up there with Gig and Tony Randall. I can sure try." 65