SitcomsOnline.com News Blog

FX's Adults Gets Prequel Episode; Remembering Anne Schedeen of ALF and Ronnie Schell of Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.

Ahead of its second season, FX's Adults surprised a sold-out crowd at Tribeca Festival with the screening of a special prequel episode that introduces the lovable friend group and reveals Paul Baker's origin story. Written by series creators Ben Kronengold and Rebecca Shaw and directed by Jonathan Krisel, the special episode entitled "Marathon Day" will be available for fans everywhere on Friday, July 31 on FXX and Hulu at 1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT. The full prequel episode will also be available beginning July 31 for a limited sneak peek on Hulu's YouTube channel and FX's TikTok and Instagram channels.

FX's Adults returns for its highly-anticipated second season on Thursday, August 27 on FXX and Hulu beginning at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT. The full eight-episode second season of the ensemble comedy will be available on FXX on-demand and Hulu at premiere, while two episodes will premiere each week on FXX. The series will also be available on Disney+ internationally.

FX's Adults is an ensemble comedy series about a group of twenty-somethings in New York leaning on each other to navigate love, work, friendship and family. Samir (Malik Elassal), Billie (Lucy Freyer), Paul Baker (Jack Innanen), Issa (Amita Rao) and Anton (Owen Thiele) are five friends crashing together in Samir's childhood home. Created by Ben Kronengold and Rebecca Shaw, the show puts a generational lens on the wins, losses and humiliations of being in your twenties.

Actress Anne Schedeen, who starred as Kate Tanner in ALF, has died. Her family announced the news with a heartfelt tribute on her Facebook page. The date and cause of death haven't been released. Ms. Schedeen was 77.

Schedeen had a recurring role as Linda, Jack Tripper's (John Ritter) girlfriend, in three episodes of the ABC sitcom Three's Company from 1978 to 1979. She appeared as Lisa Page, Jack's date, in a 1981 episode and as bank manager Louise Prescott in a 1982 episode. Some of her other early sitcom guest appearances included Semi-Tough, Cheers, and E/R (1984).

She starred as Kate Tanner in the 1986-1990 NBC sitcom ALF. The titular character, ALF, an acronym for "Alien Life Form", but whose real name is Gordon Shumway, crash-lands in the garage of the suburban California middle-class Tanner family. Kate Tanner is the mother of the Tanner family. ALF was performed by puppeteer Paul Fusco, who co-created the show with Tom Patchett. The series also starred Max Wright, Andrea Elson, and Benji Gregory. Supporting cast members included Liz Sheridan, John LaMotta, Anne Meara (1987), Bill Daily (1987-1989), Josh Blake (1988-1989), and JM (Jim) J. Bullock (1989-1990).

Scheeden had a recurring role as Sandy Porter, Dr. Marcus Welby's (Robert Young) daughter, in 12 episodes of the ABC medical drama Marcus Welby, M.D. from 1974 to 1976. She starred as Sara Frank in the short-lived 1984 ABC primetime soap opera Paper Dolls. Sara Frank is Blair's (Mimi Rogers) friend. She is a sensible lawyer, who is involved with Mark Bailey (Roscoe Born in a recurring role), a reporter doing a story on the fashion industry. In 2001, she had a recurring role as Det. Peggy Fraser in three episodes of the the CBS legal drama Judging Amy.

Some of her other television guest appearances included The Six Million Dollar Man, Get Christie Love!, Ironside, Lucas Tanner, McCloud, Three for the Road, The Bionic Woman, Emergency! (6 episodes), Lanigan's Rabbi, Kingston: Confidential, Family (2 episodes), Switch (2 episodes), Baretta, Project U.F.O., Friends (2 episodes of the 1979 comedy-drama), The Incredible Hulk, Simon & Simon (2 episodes), Magnum, P.I. (1986), and Murder, She Wrote.

Ms. Schedeen was a talented and versatile actress. She was funny and memorable as Kate Tanner in ALF. We thank her for the laughs and entertainment. She will be deeply missed.

Actor and stand-up comedian Ronnie Schell, who starred as Duke Slater in Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C., has died. He died at the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles, on June 12. Mr. Schell was 94.

Schell starred as Duke Slater in the CBS sitcom Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C., which aired from 1964 to 1970. Pvt. Gilbert "Duke" Slater is Gomer Pyle's (Jim Nabors) friend and platoon-mate. Schell left the show in the fourth season to star in the short-lived sitcom Good Morning World but returned in the final season as the corporal of Gomer's platoon. The cast included Frank Sutton, Roy Stuart (1965-1968), Ted Bessell (1965-1966), Barbara Stuart, William Christopher (1965-1968), Forrest Compton, Allan Melvin (1965-1969), Tommy Leonetti (1964-1965), Larry Hobis (1964-1965), and Elizabeth MacRae (1967-1969).

He starred as Larry Clarke in the 1967-1968 CBS sitcom Good Morning World. The series starred Joby Baker and Schell as Dave Lewis and Larry Clarke, morning drive time disc jockeys and hosts of the eponymous Lewis and Clarke Show on a small AM radio station in Los Angeles. The cast included Billy De Wolfe, Julie Parrish, and Goldie Hawn in her first professional role.

Schell starred as Lester Luster in the second and third seasons (1984-1985) of the WTBS sitcom Down to Earth. Lester Luster is the very concerned but comical heavenly boss and overseer of Ethel MacDoogan (Carol Mansell), a 1925 flapper who dies and spends sixty years in limbo before returning to 1980s Atlanta as an angel to help the widowed Preston family.

He appeared as Harvey Peck, one of Ann's (Marlo Thomas) agents at the Gilliam and Norris Theatrical Agency, in two episodes of the first season of That Girl in 1966. He played Bob Howard in a season five episode. Some of his other 1960s and 1970s sitcom guest appearances included Valentine's Day, The Patty Duke Show (3 episodes), The Andy Griffith Show (2 episodes), Love, American Style (2 episodes), Arnie, The New Dick Van Dyke Show (2 episodes), Here We Go Again, Temperatures Rising, The Girl with Something Extra, Diana, Lotsa Luck!, Happy Days (2 episodes), Karen (1975), Sanford and Son, The Practice (1977), One Day at a Time, Mork & Mindy (2 episodes), and Alice (2 episodes).

Some of his other sitcom guest appearances included The Love Boat, Too Close for Comfort, Madame's Place (1982), New Love, American Style (1986), Sledge Hammer!, 1st & Ten (2 episodes), She's the Sheriff, Mr. Belvedere, The New Gidget, Saved by the Bell, Empty Nest, 227, The Golden Girls, Out of This World, Good & Evil, Coach (2 episodes), Step by Step, The Wayans Bros., Yes, Dear, Phil of the Future, Jessie, and Retired at 35.

Schell played various roles in four episodes of Adam-12 and four episodes of Emergency! from 1973 to 1976. Some of his other television guest appearances included The Little People (2 episodes), Charlie's Angels, Strike Force, Trapper John, M.D. (2 episodes), and Santa Barbara (19 episodes).

He was also known for his voice work. Some of his voice credits included Goober and the Ghost Chasers, Peter Puck, Wait Till Your Father Gets Home (3 episodes), Fred Flintstone and Friends, Captain Caveman and the Teen Angels, Battle of the Planets, and Shirt Tales. He was the voice of robotic plant engineer Rudy-2 in Jetsons: The Movie (1990).

Mr. Schell was the last surviving main cast member of the popular Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. sitcom. He did a great job portraying the amiable Duke Slater. We thank him for his work on television. He will be greatly missed.

We also remember actress Margaret Kerry. She starred as Sharon Ruggles in The Ruggles. She died from lung cancer in Wilmington, North Carolina, on June 11. Ms. Kerry was 97.

Kerry starred as Sharon Ruggles in the 1949-1952 ABC sitcom The Ruggles. The star of the series is comedian Charlie Ruggles, playing a character with the same name. His wife, Margaret Ruggles, was played in the first season by Irene Tedrow, thereafter by Erin O'Brien-Moore. The television family also had four children: college student Sharon Ruggles (Margaret Kerry), high school student Chuck Ruggles (Tom Bernard), and the young twins, Donna and Donald, played by Judy Nugent and Jimmy Hawkins. The show's farewell episode at the end of its three-year run featured Sharon's wedding and honeymoon.

She appeared as Bess Muggins in The Andy Griffith Show episode "Christmas Story" in 1960. She played Helen Scobey in the episode "Andy Forecloses" in 1961.

Kerry provided numerous voices and live-action lead-ins for The New Three Stooges (1965) and Space Angel (1962-1964) animated series for Cambria Productions.

Her first role was as a fairy in the 1935 film A Midsummer Night's Dream. She starred as Marjorie Parker in If You Knew Susie (1948).

Ms. Kerry was best known for her work as a model for Walt Disney Pictures, where she served as the inspiration for the Peter Pan character of Tinker Bell, which she also pantomimed. We thank her for her work on television and in films. She will be sorely missed.

English actor Anthony Head played Rupert Mannion in Ted Lasso. He died on June 1 from complications of pneumonia. Mr. Head was 72.

Head appeared as Rupert Mannion in 18 episodes of the Apple TV sports comedy-drama Ted Lasso from 2020 to 2023. Rupert Mannion is Rebecca Welton's (Hannah Waddingham) vindictive, philandering ex-husband. He is the former owner of AFC Richmond, and later the owner of West Ham United. For his role in the third season, he was nominated alongside the rest of the cast for the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series.

He was best known for his role as Rupert Giles in The WB (1997-2001) and UPN (2001-2003) supernatural horror drama Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Giles, rarely referred to by his first name, is a Watcher and a member of the Watchers' Council, whose job is to train Slayers.

Head guest starred as Dr. Staretski, Ashley Walker's (Suzanne Cryer) professor, in a 1999 episode of Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place. He starred as Uther Pendragon, the father of Prince Arthur, in the BBC fantasy-adventure drama series Merlin from 2008 to 2012.

Mr. Head was a talented and versatile actor with a distinctive baritone voice. We thank him for work on Ted Lasso and his other television roles. He will be greatly missed.

Posted by Pavan -- SitcomsOnline.com at 1:00 PM

Email ThisBlogThis!Share to XShare to FacebookShare to Pinterest

Labels: Adults, ALF, Andy Griffith Show, FX, Gomer Pyle USMC, Good Morning World, Obits, Ted Lasso