Avaricious Actuary tidbit...true or not?

[Apple]

Ok, here's a tidbit that I found in the archives over on the other WWW board. In Avaricious Actuary when Ross is replaced due to his broken leg, who is his replacement?

According to an article (I didn't get to read it, the link is old) it was none other than William Schallert. Here is the link to that thread where another well known member tells everyone that he is amazed by that fact:

www.wildwildwest.org/forum/topic.asp?ARCHIVE=true&TOPIC_ID=489&SearchTerms=article,about,ross,and,olavee

[California gal]

Funny that the subject has been brought up in later threads and that was not mentioned again.

I watch AA reasonably often as it is one of my (few) favorites from season 4. Next time I'll have to pay closer attention to the voice and face.

Speaking of Schallert, there's a story in the most recent TV Guide about Patty Duke who is going to guest star on some current show (can't remember which one). She said that Schallert, who played her father in her own long running show, was like a father in real life, and still is. Her own father deserted the family when she was quite young.

[Apple]

That's what I was thinking, that it wasn't brought up again. Odd. Maybe I should bring it up over there again.

[MissRedhead]

I have Schallert's autograph!!!!!!! ;D sorry, had to brag!

[Apple]

Did you meet him to get it, Red?

[Dieter]

The guy filling in as Artie in disguise was his regular stunt double Bob Herron. Bob told me that himself during lunch wioth Sue Kesler a couple years ago. I can see how some may have thought it was William Schallert I guess---but nope. It was Bob.

[California gal]

Dieter, are you sure Bob was talking about this episode? The stand-in near the end of Circus of Death looks more like Bob Herron than does the gas repairman in Avaricious Actuary. Did he do both perhaps?

[Dieter]

Yep--Bob meant the one in Avaricious Actuary--we talked all about how I wondered who filled in for Ross at the end because it didn't look or sound like him at all. And Bob said it was him after Ross broke his leg. Bob was already working on the set as Ross's double anyway, so the director asked him to just do the whole scene since Ross was taken to the hospital. He was their first choice.

I'm sure Bob was in the Circus of Death scene too, because he was Ross's stunt double all 4 years of the series. Bob told me he was in about 90% of the episodes, beginning with playing Captain Jackson in Deadly Bed.

[snish]

Wow... I would swear it was a smaller guy, with small hands. I haven't watched the scene in a long time though.

[Apple]

That's what I thought, that it wasn't Bob, because his face is distinctive. Now I'm going crazy!

[Dieter]

Don't forget Bob was in disguise for that whole scene too, just like Ross would have been, with the fake hair and mustache and beard, etc. Also he was kinda crowched over a bit doing that scene, which made him look shorter anyway. Now you guys make me want to go pull out that episode to totally watch the scene. haha I'm just telling you what Bob told me himself.

[Dieter]

I just looked up Bob Herron's credits on Imdb--and under the "actor" section--it lists 15 acting rolls he had on WWW, and Avaricious Actuary is one of them, but part he plays said actor uncredited. Others he did besides Captain Jackson in Deadly Bed was bartender in Flying Pie Plate, Tigo in Skulls, Third fastest gun in Surreal McCoy, and lots more. Man he has a super looong list of TV and movie credits listed on Imdb!! What a great career he had!!

[artiesniecewannabe]

I watched the episode a month or two back, and I will say that, although when the gasman showed up, he was obviously not Ross, later when it briefly was Ross in the gasman disguise, it was very hard for me to tell when they did the switch.

[Apple]

Yes I agree. I can't tell if it's Ross or Bob when the wall turns. In my opinion, it looks more like Ross. And I know that the Gas man was hunched over, but I can always tell when Bob is standing in for Ross. He is HUGE! He must have had 40 pounds on Ross back then. Muscle, but 40 pounds of it. ;D

I say someone take a screen shot of the gas man and send it to Robert Conrad and Bob Herron, and ask them about that guy specifically.

[Dieter]

I don't think Bob Herron was Huge. He looked normal size as Captain Jackson and the bartender in Flying Pie Plate I'm thinking from memory. He's 5'10 according to Imdb.

[Double Take]

There is one scene that aways gets me. It starts with the fake (i.e. not RM) gasman, then cuts to Ross as the gasman. Very disconcerting.

[snish]

I remember when I first watched it, I didn't even realize that the gas man was Artie in disguise, because it was so obvious that it wasn't RM. Who was that guy? What was he doing there? I was so confused.

[Dieter]

I was always confused by that part of the episode as to why Ross didn't do the scene till the very end when it really is him. I couldn't come up with any clue as to why he didn't do it himself. Then found out later it was because he broke his leg and somebody else had to fill in to finish the episode for him.

[Apple]

Dieter if you watch him in the fight scene in the bar in Fire and Brimstone, you can see that he's bigger. Not taller, just bigger. More barrel chested, thicker neck. I have to watch Avaricious Actuary and take a good look at the face and then compare it to him as Captain Jackson.

[Dieter]

Apple--You sure you weren't looking at Red West maybe? He's definitely the bigger of the regular team of stunt heavies on the show.

[Apple]

Yes I'm sure. He was doubling Ross at the time. Red has red hair. Wish I could do screen grabs again...

[Dieter]

I'm gonna have to get some of these eps out to watch scenes of him. Alot of times I don't pay attention to which regular each bad guy is or when Ross is being doubled by Bob. Easiest one to recognize always was Whitey Hughes tho. =)

[California gal]

Oct 7, 2011 16:32:42 GMT -8 @snish said:

I remember when I first watched it, I didn't even realize that the gas man was Artie in disguise, because it was so obvious that it wasn't RM. Who was that guy? What was he doing there? I was so confused.

I expected Artie to show up any minute!

[artiesniecewannabe]

It was only when Jim himself hollered, 'Artie!' at him that I realized who it was supposed to be.

[California gal]

Yep. And then it obviously is RM when they go out by the fortune telling machine and the bad guy corners them. Can't tell if he's in a cast, or if perhaps this part was filmed before the accident.

I watched the episode last night specifically to see this scene and I still can't tell. Only that it's NOT Ross Martin in the disguise.

Dieter--when and if you do have lunch with Bob, ask him why he subbed for Ross in Circus of Death in that brief scene. I have never seen an explanation for it.

[Dieter]

I'm gonna have to look at that Circus of Death scene you're talking about, Cal Gal---I don't remember a moment like that. Near the end of the episode??

[California gal]

Yes. I believe we see the mint assistant leave and walk down the street. Then Jim and "Artie" join up, watching him go behind some buildings and Jim tells "Artie" to go around the back. The guy playing Artie turns enough that you can see it's not Ross Martin. I presume it's Bob Herron, but I'm not positive. But then Ross as Artie turns up inside the building.

[Dieter]

That sounds pretty bizarre. I'll check it out in a little...

[California gal]

I always wondered if, for some reason, they needed to redo the scene, or they needed to add it, and Ross had already left for the day or something.

[Apple]

Cal Gal, do you have a shot of the gas man in your screen grabs?