Taxi (1 Viewer)

[Jeffrey D]

I’ve had this series for many years now- I’ll have to start watching the episodes again. I don’t know which episode this scene is in, but Louie has a Pac Man machine brought into the garage, then he gives Ignatowski his pay in quarters so Jim can just give his pay back to Louie by playing the video game.

 

[ClassicTVMan1981X]

I’ve had this series for many years now- I’ll have to start watching the episodes again. I don’t know which episode this scene is in, but Louie has a Pac Man machine brought into the garage, then he gives Ignatowski his pay in quarters so Jim can just give his pay back to Louie by playing the video game.

That would be "The Unkindest Cut" (season 4, episode 18); the same episode also had Ted Danson as a guest star (he was Sam Malone on Cheers; which came out seven months after this episode aired).

~Ben

 

[ClassicTVMan1981X]

You are indeed correct-- proof from episode guide within fifth-and-final-season individual release:
View attachment 54757

I would guess the breakup of this special even here was for time reasons... the DVDs used were likely DVD5s and each disc also had specific special features.

~Ben

 

[albert_m2]

At one point, Louie De Palma is dating Xena (sp?), a woman who comes into the taxi place to refill the candy/coffee machine; she is played by Rhea Perlman, better known as "Carla" on Cheers (though her appearance(s) on Taxi pre-dates Cheers). After they date for a while, Xena wants Louie to meet her parents. However Louie, afraid he may put his "foot in his mouth", brings Alex along for guidance/support. As it turns out, Louie unintentionally says many inappropriate, awkward things & Xena's parents are disgusted with him, though they're too polite to say anything in front of everyone. However, towards the end of the visit, Xena's mother takes Louie aside & forbids them to marry; if they do, she threatens to hire a hit man to "take Louie out" - HA! HA! Extremely funny. And, what makes this even more hilarious is that Perlman & DeVito are married IRL.

I love that episode and considering that the key people behind Taxi did Cheers, it's no surprise that Rhea Perlman was cast and the workplace style continued.

 

[The Drifter]

Interesting anecdote about Taxi: In addition to "Vic Ferrari", Andy Kaufman (Latka) had another obnoxious alter ego - Las Vegas lounge singer "Tony Clifton". As seen in the superb Jim Carrey film "Man in the Moon" (1999), Kaufman would disguise himself as Clifton to trick people - using proshetics/wigs/etc. to make himself look completely different....and also undergoing a complete personality change - LOL.

Kaufman wanted Clifton to make an appearance(s) on Taxi, and IIRC even went to far to write this into his contract. However, though Clifton was scheduled & supposed to appear on Taxi in at least one episode, due to "creative differences" (ha ha) he was thrown off the set. Though some of this may have been filmed, Clifton was never actually in any an episode of Taxi - unfortunately. However, the incident with Clifton/Kaufman on the set of Taxi was recreated in the MITM film:

http://lostmediaarchive.wikia.com/wiki/ ... ome_Movie)

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0718454/

 

[bmasters9]

I would guess the breakup of this special even here was for time reasons... the DVDs used were likely DVD5s and each disc also had specific special features.

~Ben

That's right-- all discs had episode promos, and the final one had a couple of series-wide syndie promos (which is what I believe was meant by "series promos"; I may be incorrect).

 

[The Drifter]

I finished with Taxi late last year, and at the same time I was (and still am) watching Night Court & Cheers, pretty much for the first time - and, it's It's amusing to see how various actors/actresses on these '80's sit-coms "cross over" in other shows; they typically don't play the same characters, however. For example:

Taxi:
-As mentioned, Ted Danson (Cheers) was in one episode - playing an expensive, snobbish hairdresser that Elaine goes to - LOL. He ends up giving her the worst haircut in the history of haircuts, and tells her it looks great - hilarious.
- George Wendt (Norm on Cheers) plays a bug exterminator in one episode, who is hired to kill roaches at the Sunshine Cab Company.
-As mentioned, Rhea Perlman (Carla on Cheers) had a recurring role as Xena on Taxi, Louie Di Palma's on again/off again love interest.

Cheers:
-Harry Anderson (Judge Harry Stone on Night Court) was also very funny on the first two seasons of "Cheers", as Harry "The Hat" Gittes, the good-natured con-artist - LOL.
-Markie Post (Night Court) is in at least one episode, playing a friend of Diane's.

And I'm sure there are others I'm missing.

I also attest the best way to watch all of these shows is on the existing DVD sets - though I know it's a hassle/expense to buy these. However, I like watching the DVD's since all of the shows are in chronological order, with the commercials edited out. And, though the picture quality isn't always great, at least it's better than what was seen on network TV back in the day.

 

[JQuintana]

Cheers is on Netflix and Hulu and looks great. Terrific show too btw.

 

[greenscreened]

...
- George Wendt (Norm on Cheers) plays a bug exterminator in one episode, who is hired to kill roaches at the Sunshine Cab Company.
....

(after Wendt sprays a toxic chemical in the work cage):

DeVito - "Now now, how soon is it safe to go back in there"?

Wendt - "Well, that depends on your system, you know.

Some people, they go in there the first day, they get sick.

Other people might get a headache.

Me...I like it".

 

[greenscreened]

Taxi is definitely in my top 10 sitcoms.

Didn't know Conaway had a substance abuse problem.
At the time it was stated he left Taxi early as he felt the ratings were slipping and he didn't want to be associated with a show that was cancelled.
I don't think he was forgiven by many for that decision.


I was at a video store in late eighties and heard a female voice the next aisle over ask the clerk where the Charlie Chaplin video section was.

I immediately recognized the unique-sounding voice as that of Carol Kane's.

I was at CBS the evening of the taping of Evening Shade.
Don't think it was the actual pilot, but it was I believe the first episode filmed on the CBS lot after it was picked up.
At one point, I was walking by Marilu Henner's dressing room when she walked out in her flannel bathrobe, so close to me as we passed each other, that I could smell her freshly shampooed hair!


Here's a brief interview snippet with Tony Danza, regarding the Taxi/Kaufman incident and some interesting Kaufman tidbits:

 

[JamesSmith]

At one point, I was walking by Marilu Henner's dressing room when she walked out in her flannel bathrobe, so close to me as we passed each other, that I could smell her freshly shampooed hair


You sir, have been blessed. Tell us more.

James

 

[greenscreened]

Actually, moments earlier, I was in Burt's 'Star Wagon' (if that was the actual model of the vehicle), and she in hers.

She said something to someone audible enough for me to hear her.

What she actually said, I don't recall, but I do remember it was something that I was oh so tempted to easily rework and immediately retort with a comic comeback line similar to one that was used in a Taxi episode.

The episode was Alex The Gofer.
DeVito barks at Hirsh about the latter ending up being just a trash compacter.

I don't recall if what MH said mentioned a trash can or not, or if it was merely just that a reworked similar response that involved that trash compacter line would have fit her current situation.

I was also planning to do it in a impersonation close enough to Danny's voice when he delivered his similar line that she would have, for better or worse, got the connection.
All that was decided in less that a second and a half. Just as well, as there could have been first night filming tension and it could have backfired on me as it did to a coworker in a similar situation.

They told me they were at Albert Brook's house in the eighties I believe, discussing a fence that was either used in a shot, or was a G-Job/donation from the studio he was currently at.

Brooks said something to my friend about the fence and my friend said he not only replied with a line that was taken from a Brook's film either regarding a fence, or tailored an appropriate similar comeback line that included the fence, he did it a pretty spot-on impression of Brooks (an obscure person to impersonate at that).
Also, his facial and hair coloring, along with his curly-ish hair was not unlike that of Brook's.

I asked what Brooks said, and he went back into his impression with a sort of patronizing, yet bored and bothered look and 'yeah I get it' answer he received.

I told my friend, yeah...he (as well as other actors) pretends he's bored and/or bothered by it, then for the rest of the week he relays that story to anyone in his circle who would listen about the average Joe who knew, quoted, and mimicked one of his lines spot-on!

I didn't want to take that kind of chance with Marilu.

So back to what you really wanted to know, James, although there's not too much more to the story.

Within one minute of me deciding to keep my mouth shut, we both exited the trailers about the same time which was about dusk.

We passed each other no more than two feet apart and yes I was ecstatic, as I too had a major crush on her and was trying not to let the smile on my face get too big.

I also liked her laugh, which also could be heard off camera (Taxi) many times.

 

[The Drifter]

Thanks for the posts/anecdotes. I can certainly understand having a crush on MH. In her heyday, she was gorgeous. I've always been partial to voluptuous redheads like her

I had actually never heard of Evening Shade prior to your post. I almost completely stopped watching TV in the early '90's, so I'm not surprised I missed this show. However, it lasted four seasons (1990-1994) so it must have been somewhat popular. I just did some research, and the first season of the show came out on DVD in 2008, but the subsequent seasons have never been released to home video (rights issues?!).

 

[JamesSmith]

Actually, moments earlier, I was in Burt's 'Star Wagon' (if that was the actual model of the vehicle),
I told my friend, yeah...he (as well as other actors) pretends he's bored and/or bothered by it, then for the rest of the week he relays that story to anyone in his circle who would listen about the average Joe who knew, quoted, and mimicked one of his lines spot-on!

I didn't want to take that kind of chance with Marilu.

We passed each other no more than two feet apart and yes I was ecstatic, as I too had a major crush on her and was trying not to let the smile on my face get too big.

I also liked her laugh, which also could be heard off camera (Taxi) many times.

She seems to be a rather, pleasant person. God bless her.

James

 

[greenscreened]

She seems to be a rather, pleasant person. God bless her.

James

That she is.
She's always so pleasant, bubbly, and girlie...great for her Taxi role as well.

 

[The Obsolete Man]

Thanks for the posts/anecdotes. I can certainly understand having a crush on MH. In her heyday, she was gorgeous. I've always been partial to voluptuous redheads like her

I had actually never heard of Evening Shade prior to your post. I almost completely stopped watching TV in the early '90's, so I'm not surprised I missed this show. However, it lasted four seasons (1990-1994) so it must have been somewhat popular. I just did some research, and the first season of the show came out on DVD in 2008, but the subsequent seasons have never been released to home video (rights issues?!).

Sales, music, and/or lack of interest on CBS's part.

VEI has had the rights for years since they licensed a bunch of stuff from CBS and are supposedly going to be releasing it eventually.