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It has been 40 years since The Love Boat set sail, 30 years since it took its last voyage, and today the six leads got together to talk about their beloved show on Today. Captain Stubing (Gavin MacLeod), Vicki (Jill Whelan), Julie (Lauren Tewes), Doc (Bernie Kopell), Gopher (Fred Grandy) and Isaac (Ted Lange) climbed aboard and reminisced about the days on the cruise ship.
Even though that have been on dry land for 3 decades, they still get together all the time. To me when a cast still keeps in touch after so many years even decades after their show ended, it explains why their shows still air in syndication. It is that chemistry that makes the a special show even more special.
This show was so special that actors and musicians begged to be on it. Celebrities like Aretha Franklin, but no one believed Lange when he would tell them that.
Did they know the show was going to be a hit from the beginning? Nope, even the network thought it wasn’t going to get passed the pilot phase. The head honchos thought San Pedro Beach Bums was going to be the biggest show and it never made it to air.
Back in 1977, it was all about cop shows and sitcoms, and The Love Boat was different. MacLeod explained how legendary producer Aaron Spelling made it different than the others. He revealed what were the three storylines were they tackled every week, “We had a sophisticated comedies, we had our broad funny one and a poignant one.” Then he added,”They were touched and they were happy endings.”
What also set this show apart from the rest, they really traveled the World.
There was nothing like The Love Boat back then and nothing like it now. Something I think we are desperately missing. A show about happy endings during difficult times. Yes it was on UPN for a season and I think it needs to be brought back again. More than a show like American Idol. What do you think?
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