Marc Tyler Nobleman's Blog, page 41

"Family Ties": oral history of the 1980s sitcom – introduction

Family Ties debuted in 1982 and ran seven seasons. Although the 35th anniversary of something is not acknowledged as regularly as the 25th or 50th, there ain't no nothin' like Family Ties. A TV show that can get away with a triple negative in its theme song can get away with nearly anything.

As part of my ongoing/bizarre commitment to preserving our pop culture past, welcome to the first oral history of Family Ties. It comprises the never-published memories and rare set photos of 53 of the show's notable guest stars. Some of them left show business long ago while others are still active—even Emmy-winning. Among those you'll hear from: 

Peter Scolari (Girls, Gotham, Newhart, Bosom Buddies)Timothy Busfield (thirtysomething, The West Wing, Field of Dreams)Kate Vernon (Battlestar Galactica)Alan Blumenfeld (Heroes)Christina Pickles (Friends, St. Elsewhere)Lily Mariye (ER)Stuart Pankin (Curb Your Enthusiasm)Julie Cobb (Star Trek)
What they all have in common: they're people we haven't yet heard from on this topic. I asked everyone a core set of questions and then certain questions specific to certain people.

Interviews (10 parts):

1—casting
2—shooting anecdotes
3—reactions
4—Michael J. Fox
5—rest of the family
6—other cast
7—favorites
8—your life today
9—your family, show legacy
10—mementos, memories

 season 1
 seasons 2-3
 season 4
 seasons 5-7
Over several months, I rewatched all 168 episodes for first time since the 1990s. The following surprised me:

how often characters (mostly Alex) opened and drank cans of soda and how much OJ they drank out of that glass container how certain actors appeared only two times, as the same character, but in different seasons (Chris Hebert, Sonia Curtis, Jason Naylor)how Alex's teasing of Mallory got crueler over time and her character got ditzierhow dimly lit it sometimes was (shadows across faces); maybe other sitcoms of the era were also like that and I never noticed?
Season 5, episode 1 ("Be True to Your Preschool") ends with Alex P. Keaton asking his young brother Andrew "Who loves you?" Andrew responds "Alex loves me." I often ask my kids the same—but did not remember till now that it came from Family Ties.

Another special if indirect connection: I went to Brandeis University as did Family Ties creator Gary David Goldberg (he was class of '66, I was '94). A key Family Ties director, Sam Weisman, is also a Brandeis alum (MFA'73). When Gary died in 2013, Sam memorialized him.

Here is a longer version of the theme song "Without Us," as performed by Johnny Mathis and Deniece Williams.

Guest stars who declined to participate (not including people who didn't get back to me):

Tom Hanks, seasons 1 and 2Amy Steel, season 1Deborah Foreman, season 1Daphne Zuniga, season 2Jami Gertz, season 2Geena Davis, season 3Beverly Archer, season 3 (willing but didn't even remember doing Family Ties)Shawn Schepps, season 3 (willing but all she remembered was "Justine was nice")Isabelle Walker, season 3Tracy Pollan, season 4Martha Plimpton, season 4Noah Hathaway, season 4Albert Macklin, season 4Christina Applegate, season 5Wil Wheaton, season 5Jennifer Salt, season 5Haviland Morris, season 5 (willing but upon seeing my questions reported "I honestly have not one interesting anecdote or impression")Joan McMurtrey, season 5Constance McCashin, season 6Jane Adams, season 7

   Shawn Schepps
 Isabelle Walker
 Noah Hathaway
Albert Macklin
Guest stars who agreed to participate…but then didn't (life is hectic):

Lee Montgomery, season 1Jeremy Schoenberg, season 1John Dukakis, seasons 1 and 2AnneMarie McEvoy (now Conley), season 4Tammy Lauren, season 6John Marshall Jones, season 7
 Lee Montgomery
 Jeremy Schoenberg
 John Dukakis
 AnneMarie McEvoy
 Tammy Lauren
 John Marshall Jones
The 53 participants, then and (when provided) now:

 Cindy Fisher
season 1, 1982-83, "Pilot"
 John Putch
season 1, 1982-83, "Summer of '82"
season 2, 1983-84, "Birthday Boy"
season 5, 1986-87, "Starting Over"
 Chris Hebert
season 1, 1982-83, "A Christmas Story"
season 2, 1983-84, "A Keaton Christmas Carol"
 Cristen Kauffman
season 1, 1982-83, "Oops"
 Lisa Lucas
season 1, 1982-83, "Sherry Baby"
 Earl Boen
season 1, 1982-1983, "The Fugitive: Part 2"
season 3, 1984-85, "4 Rms Ocn Vu"
 Terry Wills
season 1, 1982-83, "Suzanne Takes You Down"
season 2, 1983-84, "Double Date"; "The Graduate"
season 5, 1986-87, "A Tale of Two Cities: Part 1 and 2"; "Paper Chase"
season 6, 1987-88, "The Spirit of Columbus"
season 7, 1988-89, "Alex Doesn't Live Here Anymore" (appeared in the last scene of the last episode)
 Kerry Noonan
season 1, 1982-83, "Stage Fright" (on right)
 Edward Edwards(photo credit: Sasza Lohery) season 2, 1983-84, "The Harder They Fall"
Tanya Fenmore
season 2, 1983-84, "Batter Up"
 Kaleena Kiff
season 2, 1983-84, "A Keaton Christmas Carol"
 Kate Vernon
season 2, 1983-84, "Birthday Boy"
 Eileen Seeley
season 2, 1983-84, "Birthday Boy"
 Debbie Gilbert (now Webb)
season 2, 1983-84, "Birthday Boy"
 Tom Byrd
season 2, 1983-84, "Ready or Not"
 Susan Isaacs
season 2, 1983-84, "Ready or Not"
 Kathleen Wilhoite
season 2, 1983-84, "Ready or Not"
 Lenora May
season 2, 1983-84, "Ready or Not"
 Alan Blumenfeld
season 2, 1983-84, "Lady Sings the Blues"
season 3, 1984-85, "Auntie Up"
season 4, 1985-86, "Mr. Right"
season 5, 1986-87, "Beauty and the Bank"; "A Tale of Two Cities: Part 1 and 2"
season 6, 1987-88, "Miracle in Columbus"
 Timothy Busfield
season 3, 1984-85, "Little Man on Campus"; "Best Man"
season 5 (different character), 1986-87, "My Back Pages"
 Matthew Barry
season 3, 1984-85, "Love Thy Neighbor"
 Lily Mariye
season 3, 1984-85, "Best Man"
 Michelle Meyrink
season 3, 1984-85, "Don't Kiss Me, I'm Only the Messenger"
 Robert Costanzo
season 3, 1984-85, "Help Wanted"
season 4, 1985-86, "Nothing But a Man"; "Engine Trouble"
season 5, 1986-87, "Starting Over"
season 6, 1987-88, "Mister Sister"
 Nancy Everhard (now Amandes)
season 3, 1984-85, "Don't Know Much About History"
 Norman Parker
season 3, 1984-85, "Remembrances of Things Past: Part 1 and 2"
season 5, 1986-87, "O'Brother: Part 1 and 2"
season 6, 1987-88, "Father Time: Part 1 and 2"
 Adam Carl
season 3, 1984-85, "Remembrances of Things Past: Part 1 and 2"
 Suzanne Snyder
season 4, 1985-86, "The Real Thing: Part 1 and 2"
 Peter Scolari
season 4, 1985-86, "Once in Love with Elyse"
 Gracie Harrison
season 4, 1985-86, "Paper Chase"
 Robin Morse
season 5, 1986-87, " My Mother, My Friend"
 Julie Cobb
season 5, 1986-87, "O'Brother: Part 1 and 2"
 Jonna Lee Pangburn
season 5, 1986-87, "A Tale of Two Cities, Part 2"
 Margaret Nagle
season 5, 1986-87, "Band on the Run"
 Brian McNamara
season 5, 1986-87, "A, My Name Is Alex"
 Sonia Curtis
season 5, 1986-87, "Love Me Do"
season 6, 1987-88, "Citizen Keaton"
 Stuart Pankin
season 5, 1986-87, "The Visit"
 Dana Andersen Schreiner
season 5, 1986-87, "The Visit"
 Amy Lynne
season 5, 1986-87, "It's My Party"
 Nicole Nourmand
season 5, 1986-87, "It's My Party"
 Alyson Croft
season 5, 1986-87, "It's My Party"
 Jason Naylor
season 6, 1987-88, "Dream Date"
season 7, 1988-89, "Simon Says"
 Ellen Latzen
season 6, 1987-88, "Miracle in Columbus"
 Victor DiMattia
season 6, 1987-88, "Miracle in Columbus"
 Darrell Thomas Utley
season 6, 1987-88, "Sign of the Times"
 Susan Kohler
season 6, 1987-88, "Sign of the Times"
 Danielle von Zerneck
season 6, 1987-88, "Return of the Native"
 Debra Engle
season 7, 1988-89, "Designing Woman"
 Hilary Shepard
season 7, 1988-89, "Designing Woman"
 Christina Pickles
season 7, 1988-89, "Heartstrings: Part 1 and 2"
 Nick Rutherford
season 7, 1988-89, "Heartstrings: Part 3"
 Byron Thames
season 7, 1988-89, "Déjà Vu"
 Jaclyn Bernstein
season 7, 1988-89, "Simon Says"

Majority of interviews conducted in August 2016; several later in 2016 and first half of 2017.

Read, Ubu, read. Good dog. (Woof!)

"Lively, big-hearted" – my alma mater on "Brave Like My Brother"

Winter 2016/2017

"Scariest food I ate" contest for "The Chupacabra Ate the Candelabra"

The Chupacabra Ate the Candelabra is about fear. And food.


So illustrator Ana Aranda and I, with the support of our publisher, Penguin Random House/Nancy Paulsen Books, ran a little contest giving kids the chance to reveal the scariest food they ate for a chance to win a signed copy of the book.

Ana designed an adorable template (in both English and Spanish).



A winning entry:


That there's some terrifying eggs.

Thank you to all participants and congrats to the winners!

Renaming a Bronx street "Bill Finger Way"

On 6/23/17, after years and years of proposing the installation of a memorial to Bill Finger in New York, I learned that this fall, the city will be renaming 192nd Street "Bill Finger Way." 


It is the stretch along the southern end of Poe Park, in which Bill and Bob brainstormed Batman stories in the early 1940s.



Stay tuned here for details (including the date).

And for news of another memorial plan I have...

Why we don't hear from Bob Kane's side in "Batman & Bill"

Because some have asked: there is no statement from the Bob Kane estate in Batman & Bill (or in Bill the Boy Wonder: The Secret Co-Creator of Batman) not for lack of trying but rather for lack of response.


The only time I've heard from anyone in Kane's family was indirectly (for some reason, the comments I quote have since been removed).

"Bill Finger getting his due" on list "15 Times Fans Changed Comic Book History"

(The list is chronological, not ranked; #1 is the most recent.)

Thank you, Brian Cronin and Comic Book Resources!

Mazza Museum Summer Conference 2017

In 2008, mere months after Boys of Steel: The Creators of Superman came out, I had the privilege of speaking at the Mazza Museum in Findlay, Ohio, a wonderful place dedicated to the art of the picture book.

It was then and there where I met fellow creators-turned-friends including Tad Hills and Marla Frazee.

Thanks to the grand marshal of Mazza, Ben Sapp, I returned on 7/17/17 to kick off the three-day 2017 Summer Institute. This time, I again met a fun group including Jane Dyer, Jeff Ebbeler, and Sherri Rinker:


Special thanks to teacher and professional storyteller Kevin Cordi for one of the most dynamic introductions I've ever had—ever heard.

Alas, I was looking forward to seeing friends Barbara McClintock, Drew Daywalt, and Matt Phelan, but all were speaking on days 2 or 3, after I was gone (I could not linger because I had to present at the Scholastic Summit in Virginia the following day).

Two kind volunteers, Catherine and Karen, picked me up at the Dayton airport—but didn't take me straight to the hotel as I was expecting. First they surprised me with a visit to the nearby business of Katherine's husband Doug. He builds Batmobiles. As one does.




Yes, that's his job. He takes orders for either the 1966 TV show version or the 1989 movie version. It takes about a year to build one (over the body of another car).

I did not order one. I can't pull off Batmobile.

Part of the lovely care package waiting for authors in our rooms included boxes of local chocolates wrapped to look like our books.


Another highlight of the whirlwind trip: since late 2015, thanks to an enterprising fellow named Dan (shown below), the Mazza makes molds of the hands of their visiting authors and artists. Which hand? The hand we create with, of course. (Yes, writers type with both hands so we go with whichever hand is dominant.)


Renata Liwska and I went into the goo at the same time and both lived to tell the tale.


I can't explain what the goo is but it a) doesn't smell, b) doesn't stick to your skin, and c) feels like thick yogurt. We had to keep our hands in the goo for eight minutes. 


Mazza will display the hand molds alongside our work.

Let's see if they follow through on either of my suggestions: face molds or ice sculptures.

"Batman & Bill" & Ron & Andy & Judy

Three friends have connections to the documentary Batman & Bill and those connections have nothing to do with me.


My college friend Ron West works for Thruline Entertainment, one of the companies involved in the production.

My former neighbor Andy Singer works for Alkemy X, the company that created the evocative animation for the film.

My fellow children's book author Judy Schachner is married to Bob Schachner, the audio mixer on the film.

"Batman & Bill" in "Penny Arcade" webcomic

It was called to my attention that Batman & Bill was the topic of the 5/31/17 Penny Arcade, which I then learned is "among the most popular and longest running gaming webcomics" (Wikipedia). It debuted in 1998 and as of 2010 claimed to have 3.5 million readers.


Thank you, PA!

Departure from chupacabra legend: drinking blood vs. eating

Before The Chupacabra Ate the Candelabra came out, we received a comment worth addressing: why doesn't our chupacabra's signature act go according to legend?

In other words, chupacabras reportedly don't eat flesh but rather drink blood. (In Spanish, "chupacabra" means "goat sucker.")


My three goats, however, are not afraid of being drained of blood; they live in fear of being eaten. And my chupacabra is indeed more hungry than thirsty.

So why did I mythologize the myth?

It is simply a tweak to make the concept more appropriate for the picture book set (similar to the way picture books that tell the origin of Batman don't explicitly mention that his parents were shot to death). Odd as it may sound, it is less grotesque to talk of being eaten than to talk of having your blood sucked out.

Besides, either way, the goats would die.

Which (spoiler) they don't.