I shrink with embarrassment every time Richie does a scene. I mean I have read how carefully they cast this show only to get the worst child actor I've ever seen. Now, do you think that was purposeful because there are a few times Rob makes little comments about how Richie doesn't have his on screen parents talents. I just want to know what other people think about his "acting" skills.
shareMisunderstood? No chance!
He is definitely one of the worst - if not the worst - actors of all-time!
Any time he opens his mouth, the scene/show is instantly ruined by his horrible acting which 100% kills any believablity in the story world.
IMO the producers must have been hopped up on drugs not to have fired him after his first few episodes.
You seem to be given to exaggeration.
I'm with ya in regards to Richie's many whining and bawling scenes, but must part company in regards to numerous episodes where the kid is featured and behaving more or less tolerably -- the "f'rinstance" being the Season 2, Episode 32 "When a Bowling Pin Talks, Listen."
No, I'm not arguing that Larry Matthews deserved an Emmy, even for the above; but he didn't do anything to HURT that hilarious episode, either. And because his screentime is limited, no amount of apoplectic opining on Matthews' acting skills (or the lack thereof) can convert my belief into the "The Dick Van Dyke Show ISN'T the best damn sitcom that ever was" school of thought!
Matthews couldn't keep this from being in the hallowed ranks of any all-time TV greats list even if he were actually a dozen times WORSE than you, yourself, deem him -- because his was a peripheral character and not the focus of the program by any stretch of the imagination.
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God I hated that friggin kid!!
shareNow, do you think that was purposeful because there are a few times Rob makes little comments about how Richie doesn't have his on screen parents talents
no amount of apoplectic opining on Matthews' acting skills (or the lack thereof) can convert my belief into the "The Dick Van Dyke Show ISN'T the best damn sitcom that ever was" school of thought!
If you think Larry Mathews was bad, try watching the original pilot episode for The Dick Van Dyke Show, "Head of the Family."
Gary Morgan's Ritchie is really horrible. I am currently watching the pilot and everyone, including Carl Reiner, are bottom of the barrel bad acting.
Yeah, everything about that pilot for the most part was pretty bad - except for the "seed" idea.
Gary Morgan seemed too old for the part I thought.
Sheldon Leonard took care of that, Carl Reiner asked him what was wrong with the show, SL said "it's you" you don't belong there, enter DVD and the rest is history, it became the best sitcom ever. it blows even today's shows away.
THIS ^
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"I shrink with embarrassment every time Richie does a scene. "
How can you do that? I get so annoyed, I can't even watch any scene where Richie is in, unless he's not speaking.
Bad parenting combined with whiny kid combined with bad acting = rather watch a modern anti-man commercial than that stuff.
The DVD Show from back in the 60's is like his only credit, so yeah, I guess you're probably right, he was not a hot Hollywood commodity.
shareHe actually does a pretty good job. He was about average for kid actors of that time. One of the few things better about movies and tv today is that in general kids in them are better actors than those of decades ago. In the context of sixty years ago, Larry Mathews was okay. He was also very cute, without having the odd features some child actors have.
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