Tuesday, June 01, 2021

Remembering Gavin MacLeod of The Mary Tyler Moore Show and The Love Boat; Mr. Big Returns in New Sex and the City Chapter

Gavin MacLeod

Actor Gavin MacLeod, who starred as Murray Slaughter on The Mary Tyler Moore Show and as Captain Merrill Stubing on The Love Boat, has died. He died on May 29 at his home in Palm Desert, California, after a period of ill health. No cause of death was given. Mr. MacLeod was 90.

MacLeod made his television debut in 1957 on the crime drama The Walter Winchell File. Some of his early drama guest appearances included The Thin Man, U.S. Marshal, Steve Canyon, Manhunt, Peter Gunn (2 episodes), Mr. Lucky (2 episodes), Men Into Space, The Untouchables (5 episodes), Dr. Kildare, Death Valley Days (2 episodes), Perry Mason (3 episodes), Rawhide, The Man From U.N.C.L.E., Ben Casey, The Rat Patrol, Combat!, Death Valley Days (2 episodes), The Big Valley (3 episodes), It Takes a Thief (3 episodes) and Hawaii Five-0 (2 episodes).

Gavin MacLeod - McHale's Navy

His first sitcom starring role was as Joseph "Happy" Haines on the ABC sitcom McHale's Navy. He appeared on the show for the first two seasons from 1962 to 1964 before leaving to appear in the film The Sand Pebbles (1966). He also played Seaman Joseph Haines in the films McHale's Navy (1964) and McHale's Navy Joins the Air Force (1965). The series cast in the first two seasons included Ernest Borgnine, Joe Flynn, Tim Conway, Carl Ballantine, Gary Vinson, Billy Sands, Edson Stroll, Jane Dulo (1962-1964) and Yoshio Yoda.

The Mary Tyler Moore Show

MacLeod's breakout role was as Murray Slaughter on the 1970-1977 CBS sitcom The Mary Tyler Moore Show, which ran for 7 seasons and 168 episodes. Murray Slaughter was the head writer of WJM-TV's Six O'Clock News in Minneapolis. MacLeod received two Golden Globe nominations for Best Supporting Actor in 1975 and 1977 for the role. The series also starred Mary Tyler Moore, Edward Asner, Ted Knight, Valerie Harper (1970-1974), Cloris Leachman (1970-1975), Georgia Engel (1972-1977) and Betty White (1973-1977).

The Love Boat

He next starred as Captain Merrill Stubing on the 1977-1986 ABC sitcom The Love Boat, which ran for 9 seasons and 250 episodes. Merrill Stubing was the captain of the luxury passenger cruise ship MS Pacific Princess. MacLeod received three Golden Globe nominations for the role in 1979, 1981 and 1982. The series also starred Bernie Kopell, Fred Grandy, Ted Lange, Lauren Tewes (1977-1984), Jill Whelan (1979-1986), Pat Klous (1984-1986) and Ted McGinley (1984-1986). MacLeod reprised the role of Captain Merrill Stubing in a 1998 episode of Love Boat: The Next Wave.

Some of his sitcom guest appearances included The Dick Van Dyke Show, The Munsters, Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C., The Andy Griffith Show (2 episodes), My Favorite Martian (2 episodes), The Flying Nun, Hogan's Heroes (4 episodes), Love, American Style (1974), Rhoda (as Murray Slaughter), The King of Queens (2 episodes), That '70s Show (2 episodes) and The Suite Life on Deck (2 episodes).

Some of his other drama guest appearances included Wonder Woman, Charlie's Angels, Hotel, Murder, She Wrote (1990), Burke's Law, Oz, JAG and Touched by an Angel.

MacLeod's first credited film role was as The Lieutenant in I Want to Live! (1958). Some of his other film credits included Operation Petticoat (1959), Twelve Hours to Kill (1960), The Sword of Ali Baba (1965), The Sand Pebbles (1966), A Man Called Gannon (1968), The Thousand Plane Raid (1969) and Kelly's Heroes (1970).

He was interviewed for The Interviews: An Oral History of Television on January 3, 2003.

Mr. MacLeod had a great run for a combined 16 seasons on The Mary Tyler Moore Show and The Love Boat. He was very funny and memorable in his roles as Murray Slaughter and Captain Merrill Stubing. He was a dependable actor who made everything he appeared in much better. We thank him for the many laughs and entertainment he brought us during his long career. He will be greatly missed.

Share your memories on our The Mary Tyler Moore Show and The Love Boat message boards. View photos in our galleries.


Chris Noth

Chris Noth will reprise the role of Mr. Big in the HBO Max original series And Just Like That... This new chapter of the groundbreaking HBO series Sex and the City follows Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker), Miranda (Cynthia Nixon) and Charlotte (Kristin Davis) as they navigate the journey from the complicated reality of life and friendship in their 30s to the even more complicated reality of life and friendship in their 50s. The ten-episode, half-hour series is scheduled to begin production in New York this summer. Credits: Executive producers Sarah Jessica Parker, Kristin Davis, Cynthia Nixon, Julie Rottenberg, Elisa Zuritsky, John Melfi and Michael Patrick King. Writers include King, Samantha Irby, Rachna Fruchbom, Keli Goff, Rottenberg and Zuritsky. The HBO series Sex and the City was created by Darren Star and based on the book Sex and the City by Candace Bushnell. Previously Announced Cast: Sarah Jessica Parker, Cynthia Nixon, Kristin Davis and Sara Ramírez.

Two-time Golden Globe® nominee and SAG Award® nominated actor Chris Noth rose to prominence as Detective Mike Logan on the original Law and Order, where he spent five seasons before going on to set hearts aflutter as the iconic Mr. Big on HBO's groundbreaking series Sex and the City. Noth garnered his first Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor in a Comedy playing the unattainable bachelor who gradually evolves into the love of Carrie Bradshaw's life. Meanwhile, Mr. Big became a central point for the Carrie character and the series as a whole, with their tumultuous storyline launching two blockbuster movies Sex and the City and Sex and the City 2, in which he also starred. Next came a critically lauded turn as the flawed and powerful Peter Florrick opposite Juliana Margolis on the CBS hit drama The Good Wife. Noth's complex performance earned him a second Golden Globe nod – this one for Best Actor in a Drama, as well as two SAG nominations for Best Ensemble. He recently starred opposite Sam Worthington and Paul Betany in Discovery's Manhunt: Unabomber and the final season of the FX series Tyrant. Currently Noth can be seen on the popular CBS drama The Equalizer opposite Queen Latifah.


Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Thursday, May 8

Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage - "Ladies Love Brunch" (CBS, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Georgie tries to juggle his mom, his mother-in-law and Mandy on Mother’s Day. Meanwhile, Audrey wants to meet Connor’s girlfriend.

Ghosts - "The Devil Went Down to Woodstone" (CBS, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Sam and Jay host a big party for the launch of Sam and Isaac’s vampire book. Mary Holland (Patience), Punam Patel (Bela) and Matt Walsh (Elias Woodstone) return as guest stars.

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of May 5)

Thursday, May 8

  • Paula Poundstone (Home Movies) - Paula performs stand-up comedy on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
  • Natasha Lyonne (Russian Doll) - Natasha appears on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
  • Michelle Buteau (Survival of the Thickest/Bless the Harts/Enlisted) - Michelle talks about Netflix's Survival of the Thickest on Comedy Central's The Daily Show at 11pm.
  • Maria Bamford (Lady Dynamite/Benched) and Doug Benson (You're the Worst) - Maria and Doug are guests on After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
  • John Benjamin Hickey (HouseBroken/The Big C/It's All Relative) - John stops by Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen at 11:15pm on Bravo.
  • Patricia Clarkson (Davis Rules) - Patricia is a guest on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen at 11:15pm on Bravo.
  • Kerry Washington (UnPrisoned) - E! News has an interview with Kerry at 11pm on E!. Kerry and Omar Sy discuss their highly anticipated new film Shadow Force on Sherri, so check your local listings.
  • Rebel Wilson (Super Fun Night) - Rebel chats about Juliet & Romeo on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
  • Valerie Bertinelli (Hot in Cleveland/Café Americain/Sydney/One Day at a Time) - In A Little Bit Extra Valerie and Ross Mathews are sharing more of their conversation with Al Roker in Charleston at the Food & Wine Classic on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
  • Morris Chestnut (Out All Night) and Randall Park (Young Rock/Blockbuster/Fresh Off the Boat/Veep/Supah Ninjas) - Morris and Randall talk about Watson on PIX11 Morning News on WPIX in New York at 9:30am.


New on DVD and Blu-ray

The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series Frasier (2023) - Season Two Abbott Elementary - The Complete Third Season The Drew Carey Show - The Complete Series* (missing 4 episodes and some music has been replaced or altered) Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)

01/28 - Wait Till Your Father Gets Home - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
02/04 - The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series
03/11 - Frasier (2023) - Season Two
04/01 - Abbott Elementary - The Complete Third Season
05/13 - The Drew Carey Show - The Complete Series* (missing 4 episodes and some music has been replaced or altered)
06/06 - Shoresy - Season 2
06/17 - Looney Tunes - Collector's Vault - Volume 1 (Blu-ray)
07/08 - Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)

More Recent and Upcoming TV DVD and Blu-ray Releases / TV Shows on DVD, Blu-ray and Prime Video / DVD Reviews Archive


Recent SitcomsOnline.com News Blog Posts

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04/18 - 2025 TIME100 on ABC; Atsuko Okatsuka: Father Premieres June 13 on Hulu
04/17 - BET+ Orders Martin Spinoff Varnell Hill; It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia Returns in July
04/16 - And Just Like That... Season 3 on Max This May; MGM+ Comedy Series Adds Big Stars
04/15 - HBO's Harry Potter Series; Classic TV Comes to Life in NYC
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04/10 - David Spade's Prime Video Comedy Special; Brett Goldstein's HBO Comedy Special Filmed in New Jersey
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04/08 - Prime Video's New Comedy Overcompensating; Nine Perfect Strangers Returns on Hulu in May