I disagree about Myrna. She was funny;may had even stolen some scenes from Harper.
She was the one on the MTM show who played the inept waitress on season 1 or 2, They should have had her as a reccuring character on MTM
Before that: she was on 'LAUGH-In'.
This is making me wonder: didn't Ruth Gordon and Linda Lavin also steal scenes from Harper on guest spots? I like Harper, but was she right for her own sitcom?
Lavin made the guest appearance on one of the early episodes "Rhoda's Shower". She played her friend 'Linda' from high school, who married a wealthy man after graduation, and was now very rich herself. She was hilarious.
Rumor has it that CBS execs liked her and her character so much when they were at the taping of the show, they wanted to make her a semi-regular on the show. Harper didn't like the attention she got, and nixed the idea. Later on, CBS offered her to star in ALICE.
"I prefer fantasy over reality TV - like Fox News" - B.Streisand
Yes, I'm aware of that episode, but didn't know that Harper was really that threatened.
Ironically, Lavin would face the same thing on ALICE with Polly Holliday. Now, why wasn't Lavin as funny on her own show, due to the character and mild writing? I always thought ALICE was too dorky and witless for Lavin's talent. Yet, there was one particular episode on ALICE where Lavin seemed outside her usual-self and was much funnier. It makes me question if Harper has the range that Lavin does.
Yes, I'm aware of that episode, but didn't know that Harper was really that threatened.