Hal Linden's making you a promise

Not a lot of people know this, but Hal Linden was a lot more than just TV's 'Barney Miller.' He started his career as Harold Lipschitz, clarinet player and danceband leader. As he reached national fame at a relatively late age, (he was in his mid-forties when the dramedy 'Barney Miller' became an unexpected hit), it makes sense that he'd want to use his newfound exposure to show people his other, gentler side.

(Although you'd be hard-pressed to find a gentler father-figure than Barney Miller. Barney would reprimand his cops like he was bathing a kitten with a warm washcloth. People used to talk about Alan Alda and Phil Donahue as paragons of the sensitive, wussy 70's Liberal Man. But for my money, Hal Linden was always who I thought of as being "stereotypically like that.")

Here he is singing "Goodbye Doesn't Mean Forever' on an apparently abandoned Riverboat, from the 1977 'Captain & Tennille in New Orleans' special. Enjoy!

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Captain
• Tennille
• Riverboat
• Hal
• Linden

[efrazier0217]

This was so great as the Natchez was possibly less than a year old. He has a great voice and this is seems to be recorded live as you can hear the paddlewheel churning water.

[csrogc63]

Great song, great guy. Hal Linden is total class

[glaufenberg]

An incredibly underrated performer.

[rosemhs]

He also appeared in a *very* scary early episode of Law and Order Criminal Intent!

[stevevandien]

I'd love to see that one again, too!

[stevevandien]

Hal Linden is one of my favorite performers. A fine actor with an excellent singing voice:) --

[gergsar]

How about Hal singing "In My Own Lifetime" from The Rothchilds play...

[steadfastcoward]

That was swell!

[SUMAHAMA]

A brilliant video.

Hal Linden has a wonderful voice i hope there are more videos of Mr Linden singing outhere.