Carole King On The Mary Tyler Moore Show

[ApocalypsePlough]

What on earth could be the reason for having Carole King do a guest-shot on the show? Must be related to, or friends of, one of the producers, or something. This was after "Tapestry", so it's not like she needed the work.

[ApocalypsePlough]

Also, something that people have touched on here is true - the older white-headed woman at the beginning - Mabel Albertson, Darrin's mother on Bewitched - was Cloris Leachman's real-life mother-in-law. Cloris was married to George Englund, who was Mabel Albertson's son. Mabel was also Jack Albertson's sister. And her grandson, Cloris Leachman's son, dated Sharon Stone.

Hollywood must be a small world.

[lpride1]

Laurence Luckenbill with the mustache? Husband of Lucie Arnez.

[Danmark30]

Wow..I've also seen this episode dozens of times and never knew it was Carole King. She's quite a decent actress too.

[michaeljohndudley]

You might want to know that Mabel Albertson, who played the old lady in this and also played Samantha's mother in law on bewitched was Cloris Leachman's mother-in-law in real life. She was also the sister of Jack Albertson, movie actor and TV star of Chico and the man.

[calalilygirl]

@michaeljohndudley Never knew she was Jacks sister. thanks

[luvbearbut]

No doubt...this is a trip. I've probably seen this episode more then a dozen times and never noticed.... I did remember seeing Darrell Stevens mom from Bewitched on this episode as the grandmother. Who can forget "Frank! I'm getting a sick headache" LOL

[luvbearbut]

@luvbearbut Sorry I meant Darrin Stevens....

[fromthesidelines]

See, Carole apparently didn't want any publicity for appearing in such a small role, so she asked to be credited under her married name. Incidentally, my favorite scene in this episode is where Sue Ann [Betty White] asks Stevie if he'd like "cookies and milk"- "I don't LIKE cookies and milk!", he snarls. Sue Ann, knowing the kid for what he is, sweetly suggests, "How about some Fritos and a beer?'.

[jrg8008]

@fromthesidelines That's so funny I forgot to laugh. :-(

[dav1237]

Wow! For years I thought they hired an actress who looked and acted like Carole King! i had no idea it was her!! And i was the prez of MTM's fan club for 15 years!

[mikejaysmith]

Actually, she was billed under her married name (At the time) Carole Larkey (Her hubsand is her bassist, Charles Larkey).

[fromthesidelines]

This was a "bit role" for Carole (as "Aunt Helen"), as she didn't receive "Special Guest Star" billing in the episode. Even I wasn't aware it was HER until this posting, and I first saw this way back in March 1975!

[mikejaysmith]

She was billed as Carole Larkey (Her hubsand is Charles Larkey, her bass player at the time).

I know about that after I read a gossip column shortly after the episode aired.

[ClarenceFisher]

@mikejaysmith I should have recognized the voice - I never would have thought!! THis is wilder than Christine Baranski, as a child, on the Brady Bunch - in Marcia's slumber party episode. I learned about that on the TUBE as well.

[jrg8008]

@fromthesidelines OK, I'll bite. Remembering the year I can understand, but how can you possibly remember it was March?

[sneezyize]

@fromthesidelines I must have had the same reaction, that I thought it looked like her, but didn't think it was. I'm glad this aired long before I had the chance to meet Carole back in February 2004 (at an event here in Atlanta, GA when she came and campaigned for John Kerry.) I think I would have been so embarrassed if I had seen that episode back then in 1975, after meeting her and not recognized it was her.