Actor Robert Guillaume dies at 89

[roadman65]

Remember Benson and Soap?  Well the well known actor who played the character of sharp tongued Benson in both sitcoms has died.
http://www.nbcchicago.com/entertainment/entertainment-news/Robert-Guillaume-Emmy-Winning-Soap-Actor-Dies-at-89--452837463.html

[US71]

Remember Benson and Soap?  Well the well known actor who played the character of sharp tongued Benson in both sitcoms has died.
http://www.nbcchicago.com/entertainment/entertainment-news/Robert-Guillaume-Emmy-Winning-Soap-Actor-Dies-at-89--452837463.html

I saw that about an hour ago. 89 is a good run, though

[spooky]

You want me to get that?

[Throckmorton]

Remember Benson and Soap?

Also the comedy Sports Night from the late 90's. Funny show that got cancelled after 2 seasons.   
   
Robert Guillaume suffered a stroke during it's production. They wrote it into the show to explain his absence.   
   

[PHLBOS]

Remember Benson and Soap?

That was one of the first instances where the spinoff show (Benson) outlasted its parent show (Soap).

[hbelkins]

Remember Benson and Soap?

That was one of the first instances where the spinoff show (Benson) outlasted its parent show (Soap).

Loved both those shows.

[roadman65]

Yes, both were awesome. In fact Billy Crystal got his start on the former.

[briantroutman]

Even though I've never seen the show, I'm somewhat familiar with Benson since it was included on a '70s/'80s installment of a set of TV theme CDs I had back in the '90s (Soap was on the same disc). And I've seen a few Benson clips on YouTube–since knowing the theme aroused my curiosity.

But was Benson not a popular series for re-run? I can't recall ever seeing it on TV–not in TV listings, not a brief second as I was flipping through channels...not once. I know I've seen reruns of other popular shows from the Witt/Thomas/Harris team (Soap, The Golden Girls, Empty Nest, Nurses, Blossom), but never Benson.

[mrsman]

Even though I've never seen the show, I'm somewhat familiar with Benson since it was included on a '70s/'80s installment of a set of TV theme CDs I had back in the '90s (Soap was on the same disc). And I've seen a few Benson clips on YouTube–since knowing the theme aroused my curiosity.

But was Benson not a popular series for re-run? I can't recall ever seeing it on TV–not in TV listings, not a brief second as I was flipping through channels...not once. I know I've seen reruns of other popular shows from the Witt/Thomas/Harris team (Soap, The Golden Girls, Empty Nest, Nurses, Blossom), but never Benson.

Hard to know what types of shows will last the test of time and be enjoyable to future generations and what shows were meant only for the time period when it was created.  Benson was very funny, but I'm not sure that it has the timeless humor of the real classics of the era.

[roadman65]

It was part of the ABC Friday night line up before Full House and Perfect Strangers.   It was a sitcom that had an open ending as the last episode was with Benson and the Governor both running for the unnamed state they lived in.

In the end it was about to reveal the winner, but the show ended and we never knew whether Gene Gatlin got reelected or if Benson got to be the new governor.  I believe it was to go into another season but ABC pulled the plug.  I

Anyway it had a good run and it even featured future Star Trek universe stars Rene Auburjonous and Ethan Phillips.  It was typical 80's type of humor though. 

Will miss the actor though.

BTW, Guillaume also had a short lived Pacific Station show on NBC one year in the 90's.  Too bad it got canned before it started.