MovieChat Forums > Rhoda (1974) Discussion > Who was up for the role of Joe?

Who was up for the role of Joe?

posted 12 years ago by pvd295
11 replies | jump to latest

According to Valerie Harper (in her new memoir "I, Rhoda"), there were a number of actors she tested with for the role of 'Joe' in 1974...

William DeVane (said he was a great kisser)
Michael DeLano (he would later play 'Johnny Venture')
Carmine Caridiri (he would later play Phyllis' boss on her own show)
Richard Schaal (Harper's real life husband, but the producers had a rule about not having spouses act together)
Alex Rocco (who was hot off the success of 'Moe Green' in 'The Godfather')

It looked like it was going to be Rocco, when it was narrowed down between him and Groh, since Groh was a dramatic actor and not a comedic actor (and had trouble doing comedy). But there was a spark between Groh and Harper that the producers couldn't deny, and the writers realized Groh could be the 'foil'
to the other comedic actors cast around him. Groh got the role.

"I prefer fantasy over reality TV - like Fox News" - B.Streisand

[–] gbennett5 12 years ago

That's really odd about Groh "not being a comedic actor." 99 percent
of actors who do drama, can do well-written "acting" comedy even if
they aren't comedians. If you look at the resumes of actors, it will
list Shakespearean tragedies and comedies; romantic fluff and stuff
like "Death of a Salesman." ALL kinds of plays are listed.

Contrary to popular belief, I've always felt it's stand-up comics who cannot
act. Jerry Seinfeld comes to mind (painfully), as does Bob Hope,
Ray Romano, Ellen DeGenerous. Countless others. But good, well-
rounded actors can usually do both.

Now that I think of it, Groh really was humorless on the show. Almost
a jerk. He had a great smile, but I always thought his portrayal wasn't
that of a particularly nice guy. Truly better that the others
surrounding him handled the comedy.

As for Rocco, I can't even imagine him in this role. He wasn't
particularly attractive and I don't see any chemistry.

[–] pvd295 12 years ago

Of all the actors listed, Groh was the sexiest and most handsome (IMO) for the mid 70s. I think that was the bottom lime the producers and the network execs were going for back then (though they probably would never ever admit it back then, and today it sounds sexist), since their core audience was women between the ages of 25-49 (and some young boys hitting puberty ). He was 'eye candy'...nothing more, nothing less.

Groh was not comical or funny by any means - most of the times he came across as 'wooden'. Yet, no one really noticed it because he was playing off of Harper, Kavner, or Walker in most of the scenes he was in...and those strong women stole the scene. So it really didn't matter if he was comical or not, so long as he smiled, laughed at their jokes, and showed us some chest hair (seriously).

"I prefer fantasy over reality TV - like Fox News" - B.Streisand

[–] gbennett5 12 years ago

Good points (rejoice when I agree with you - it don't happen often,
Chum. :) ).

[–] pvd295 12 years ago

it don't happen often,
Chum. :) ).

True, which makes our conversations more spirited, dynamic and energized (not to mention educational). It would be rather boring if we just kept agreeing.

Back to Groh...

Back then, the feminist movement was well under way (let's not forget when Rhoda thanks 'Ms.' Magazine for giving her the gumption to ask Joe out on their first date). PLAYGIRL Magazine had just been launched months earlier, featuring male frontal nudity - and what they thought was the ideal masculine body. If you lok back at the models featured then, they had the full dark hair and hairy body because that is what their own research showed in 1974.

Is it coincidence that the producers would cast Groh who looked like a Playgirl model?

"I prefer fantasy over reality TV - like Fox News" - B.Streisand

[–] gbennett5 12 years ago

Geesh, just when we were starting to agree. Sure, Groh's hair and
clothes were '70's, but if he were around today, he would still be a
hot man. Handsome is handsome (for the record, he didn't do anything
for me personally).

BTW, NOTHING dates worse than the '80's.

[–] pvd295 12 years ago

No doubt he would have probably still looked great today if he were alive today, as have a lot of the models who posed in the 70s for PG. (These men are now in their 70s, believe it or not). He was 'the look' of the 70s, a very similar look to the guys in the magazine.

"I prefer fantasy over reality TV - like Fox News" - B.Streisand

[–] gbennett5 12 years ago

No, what I meant was, if he were in his "Rhoda" YOUTH today (in today's
fashions), he's still look good. His hair would be much different, but
he would still look handsome.

[–] SimplemindedSociety 12 years ago

Groh and Michael DeLano are the only ones who seemed like the same type. Interestingly, Michael DeLano was able to bring a liability to his unlikable character,and was better-looking than his "character". Groh kept reminding me of James Caan.

[–] pvd295 12 years ago

Groh kept reminding me of James Caan.

OMG, you are so 100% correct! That's who he has reminded me of (as does the actor Kevin Dobson who was starting out in the 1970s as well). James Caan, of course, was one of the hottest actors working in movies back then - and women loved him.

"I prefer fantasy over reality TV - like Fox News" - B.Streisand

[–] Ariane1998 11 years ago

I remember at the time that I didn't like David Groh in the role (not as a person but as an actor - I've heard he was a nice guy). I just couldn't warm up to him. I didn't find him that attractive, either, but I was just a kid (although I found Chad Everett in Medical Center very attractive even though I was only about 8 years old).

In the new book Mary and Lou and Rhoda and Ted (mostly about the MTM show) the creators of Rhoda mention that they think they cast the wrong actor as Joe, that they were in too much of a hurry to cast him. That being said, the actors in the list above as the frontrunners for Joe? Oh, no! If those were the alternatives I'll take David Groh any day.

Some people thought it was a mistake for Rhoda to get married. I don't know if her getting married was the mistake, but that they married Rhoda off too quickly. She meets Joe in the first episode, and they rush into marriage, hoping to hit the ratings jackpot. Which they did, but only temporarily. Then when Rhoda and Joe split up, which dismayed America, suddenly Joe is the bad guy. I can't even remember if they give any reasons for their sudden split?

[–] Tashtago 11 years ago

Joe was hot? I always thought he looked like James Caan but mixed with Harpo Marx.