Frank Soyke
Screenwriter
We have had many great actors grace the small screen over the years but a few actors stand out to me as horrific actors/actresses. Either through the stilted emotionless delivery of their lines or ridiculous over-acting, this bunch IMO can't act their way out of a paper bag:
1) Celia Weston (Alice) - IMO the worst actress ever to be on TV. Her acting is downright putrid.How did she get the par of Jolene? Did nobody but Mason Reese audition?
2) Charlotte Rae (Different Strokes/Facts of Life) - I don't know whether it was the writing, directing, or something else, but her acting and line delivery are terrible. I'm guessing on this one the scripts may have been a factor since many of the other actors on those 2 shows (Plato, Coleman, Kohn) were pretty lousy too.
3) Ann B. Davis (Brady Bunch) - Has there ever been an un-funnier character on TV than Alice Nelson? Although Sherwood Schwartz did a decent of job of writing for a juvenile show like Gilligan, Brady Bunch was totally different. That aside, Davis is simply a poor actress to begin and her comedic timing is way off.
4) Gabe Kaplan (Kotter) - One liner stand up delivery make work at the Roxy in LA, but it doesn't make for a good viewing experience on most occasions. Even Seinfled (who acting wise, I don't think was stellar either) found a way to put some emotion in his character. Kotter is emotionless and isn't a good fit with the histrionic sweathogs or Mr. Woodman. Isn't the point of the show that he was an ex sweathog coming back home to teach? He acts more like an accountant than a sweathog. As an aside Marcia Strassman may have ever been worse than Kaplan.
5) The numerous child actors under 10 that were brought on to near dead shows to boost sagging ratings. Danny Cooksey, Joey and Matthew Lawrence, Dawn Lyn, Robbie Rist, Brian Bonsall. Truthfully, Brandon Cruz, Bill Mumy, Jerry Mathers and Ron Howard were the only pre teen child actors that were even watchable..... and Larry Matthews, don't get me started.
Who are your choices??
1) Celia Weston (Alice) - IMO the worst actress ever to be on TV. Her acting is downright putrid.How did she get the par of Jolene? Did nobody but Mason Reese audition?
2) Charlotte Rae (Different Strokes/Facts of Life) - I don't know whether it was the writing, directing, or something else, but her acting and line delivery are terrible. I'm guessing on this one the scripts may have been a factor since many of the other actors on those 2 shows (Plato, Coleman, Kohn) were pretty lousy too.
3) Ann B. Davis (Brady Bunch) - Has there ever been an un-funnier character on TV than Alice Nelson? Although Sherwood Schwartz did a decent of job of writing for a juvenile show like Gilligan, Brady Bunch was totally different. That aside, Davis is simply a poor actress to begin and her comedic timing is way off.
4) Gabe Kaplan (Kotter) - One liner stand up delivery make work at the Roxy in LA, but it doesn't make for a good viewing experience on most occasions. Even Seinfled (who acting wise, I don't think was stellar either) found a way to put some emotion in his character. Kotter is emotionless and isn't a good fit with the histrionic sweathogs or Mr. Woodman. Isn't the point of the show that he was an ex sweathog coming back home to teach? He acts more like an accountant than a sweathog. As an aside Marcia Strassman may have ever been worse than Kaplan.
5) The numerous child actors under 10 that were brought on to near dead shows to boost sagging ratings. Danny Cooksey, Joey and Matthew Lawrence, Dawn Lyn, Robbie Rist, Brian Bonsall. Truthfully, Brandon Cruz, Bill Mumy, Jerry Mathers and Ron Howard were the only pre teen child actors that were even watchable..... and Larry Matthews, don't get me started.
Who are your choices??