20 Emmys In Memoriam Snubs

The Emmys' in memoriam segment included a lot of people I was worried they'd forget — but it inexplicably forgot quite a few others.

No sale?! (Image via CBS)

Maybe if the Queen's Gambit director had shut his trap sooner?

Just as bad, the director decided to shoot a lot of footage of the performers Leon Bridges and Jon Batiste. No matter how movingly they performed, they should not have been the focus. I did not need to see them at their mics with Ed Asner relegated to a background longshot.

Watch:

The most ridiculous omission was Michael Constantine, who won an acting Emmy in 1970 for Room 222 (he was on the show 1969-1974). Norman Lloyd was 106 years old and worked on Alfred Hitchcock Presents (produced 184 episodes, 1957-1962) and The Alfred Hitchcock Hour (another 44 episodes, 1963-1965) which should make him a no-brainer.

I also think leaving out Charlie's Angels (1980-1981) actress Tanya Roberts (whose death was so widely reported), Michael Nader (on Dynasty 1983-1989, daytime soaps) and Jay Pickett (Port Charles, 1997-2003; General Hospital, 2006-2008) were surprising snubs.

Among others I noticed missing:

Ben Best — The co-creator and star of Eastbound & Down (2009-2013) just died, but others who died recently were included

Frank BonnerWKRP in Cincinnati (1978-1982)

Johnny Crawford — Hugely popular kid star from The Rifleman (1958-1963)

Stuart Damon — He was an ideal Prince Charming in TV's second Cinderella (1965), a bona fide sensation in its day, and a longtime General Hospital (1977-2013) actor

Mac Davis — Tons of TV

DMX — Hey, if Biz Markie, the rapping actor, gets a mention, why not sometimes-TV actor DMX?

Richard Donner — Yes, a great film director, but he cut his teeth on TV, including on six episodes of The Twilight Zone (1963-1964)

Arlene Golonka — She was a big party of Mayberry R.F.D. (1968-1971) and was all over TV

James Hampton — He of F Troop (1965-1967) fame, and another ubiquitous face in the medium

Pat Hitchcock — Alfred Hitchcock's (1899-1980) daughter was on 10 episodes of Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955-1960)

Tom Kennedy — Game show host

Larry McMurtry — Heavily associated with film (and books), but he adapted his Lonesome Dove (miniseries 1989; series 1994-1995; sequel 1995-1996) for TV

Helen Reddy — Like Mac Davis, she brought her act to TV

Gregory Sierra — Everyone remembers Julio from Sanford and Son (1972-1975), and he was also on Barney Miller (1975-1976) and many other TV series

Felix Silla — Cousin Itt from The Addams Family (1965-1966) and Buck Rogers in the 25th Century (1979-1981)

1 Response

  1. One that irked me because I’m friends with his widow was Herbert F. Solow, an executive at Desilu in the ’60s who complemented Gene Roddenberry’s flightiness and had as much to do with Star Trek remaining on the air (along with Mission Impossible, Mannix, and many others) as anybody.

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