Odd two young thin men die of heart attacks at a young age. I loved both of these lost talents. I don't know about Walley but heard Joe Flynn was a riot. He couldn't keep a straight face doing MN. and had to do a lot of takes to get that mean grump look. I guess him and Conway could never get a line out without the other breaking up. As the seasons went on the writers kept them apart as much as they could so they could get the show shot. Back when actors were just people with a job.
I don't think Joe was really that thin, a little pudgy actually. I'm not sure they ever came up with a good explaination for his drowning. Some say heart attack, some say other things.
Wally probably went as the result of extreme stress being Marlon Brando's best friend.
Renowned Death Hag
Funny, but whenever I hear that Right Wing a**hole MARK LEVIN on the air I think of WALLY COX. I think that their voices have similiar inflections.
You know that WALLY COX & MARLON BRANDO were great friends from childhood on. BRANDO was devastated when COX dropped dead of a heart attack at 48.
Now JOE FLYNN on the other hand, well he actually died from drowning; he'd gone into his pool to get in some laps, had a heart attack and because he had a heavy cast on his leg, he couldn't pull himself out. I think that his maid found his body on the bottom of the pool.
Two others that dropped dead from heart attacks in the mid-1970s like the above : RICHARD LONG & STEPHEN BOYD. BOYD I think dropped over while playing golf.
WTF
Now JOE FLYNN on the other hand, well he actually died from drowning; he'd gone into his pool to get in some laps, had a heart attack and because he had a heavy cast on his leg, he couldn't pull himself out. I think that his maid found his body on the bottom of the pool.
My God, .........I can't find words...a heavy cast and a pool????????
What's up with Brando and Cox? I heard they were more than childhood friends.
Renowned Death Hag
They were very close.Originally Posted by Jaxxx
Probably best remembered as a regular on Hollywood Squares, Wally Cox was quite the character and voice-over actor. He was the voice of the original Underdog--"When Polly's in trouble I am not slow..." He always played a milquetoast sort--and guest starred on many shows, including Beverly Hillbillies as the Bird Watcher guy.
Cox appeared in Broadway musical reviews, night clubs, and early TV comedy-variety programs in the period 1949â??1951, creating a huge impact with a starring role as a well-meaning but ineffective policeman on Philco Television Playhouse in 1951. Producer Fred Coe approached Cox about a starring role in a proposed live TV sitcom, Mr. Peepers, which he accepted. Peepers ran on NBC for three years and made Cox a household name in the United States. He was a regular occupant of the upper left square on the television game show Hollywood Squares (1966-1973); and the voice of the animated cartoon character Underdog, (1964-1973). He also guested on the game show What's My Line and on the pilot of Mission: Impossible (1966). He also made several appearances on Here's Lucy as well as The Beverly Hillbillies and evening talk shows.
On 15 February 1973, at the age of 48 in Los Angeles, Cox died of a heart attack rumored (but not proven) to have been brought on by an overdose of sleeping pills. Eventually his ashes were mingled with those of Brando and another friend and scattered in Death Valley, California
And from the "Get This" department.
Cox and Brando remained very close friends for the rest of Cox's life, and Brando is reported to have kept Cox's ashes in his bedroom and conversed with them nightly.
YIKES!
He was great!
Loved him in the twilight zone "From Agnes-with love"
Funny..funny man!
-Morbid1
Renowned Death Hag
I think that Brando and Cox were childhood friends.
Renowned Death Hag
They were indeed.
KELT' HOME FOR WAYWARD YOUTH-
Helping Young Men To Turn Around For Over Twenty Years !
That's kind of sweet. How about a movie about their friendship: "Bud and Wally"?
What was Wally really like?
I didnt realize how young he was when he died. Too bad. He was hillarious in the Beverly Hillbillies as founder of the Biddle Birdwatchers. When he was talking to the Clampetts about "saving the condors" up in the hills, Jed thought he was talking about real people--the Condors from the hills. Great stuff!
Wally was wonderful at delivering his lines,he could say something so funny and still keep a straight face,terrific on Hollywood Squares!
I also loved him in Spencers Mountain with Henry Fonda and Maureen O'Hara
(The Waltons was based off this movie) He played the new preacher in town, and Henry Fonda does not realize it, and gets him drunk while fishing, and he looses his whole congregation.
Renowned Death Hag
WALLY COX was also cast as the shoe salesman that Ellen Arden (MONROE) was going to try to pass off as having been Adam, the man she was stranded on an island with in the unfinished
SOMETHING'S GOT TO GIVE. When the project was resumed a year after MONROE' death, the part was played by DON KNOTTS with DORIS DAY in the role of Ellen. As much as I enjoy MONROE movies, I think that DAY was better casting.
KELT' HOME FOR WAYWARD YOUTH-
Helping Young Men To Turn Around For Over Twenty Years !
Wally Cox also did several Lucy episodes in the 1960's.
Interesting fact about Cox, according to Peter Marshall's book that came out several years ago, his mother was a lesbian.
I love that episode. Or the one where Granny makes her spring tonic and he drinks some and makes him fall for Miss Jane...lol
brando?? as in marlon brando????
Yeah he and Mrlon Brando were childhood friends and when Wally died Brando kept his ashes. Wally was one of the few people Marlon ever got close to
Renowned Death Hag
I'm not trying to be sordid, but frank. I think that their relationship went pretty deep. I wouldn't be surprised to find that they had been sexually involved at one point. BRANDO supposedly cried buckets when COX died and then that keeping the ashes stuff. Uh huh.
KELT' HOME FOR WAYWARD YOUTH-
Helping Young Men To Turn Around For Over Twenty Years !
Yeah I thought that as well. I got a vibe from Cox cuz of my gaydar lol
Renowned Death Hag
in marlon's book, wally, was basically the love of his life, throughout his life. hard to believe isn't it.
pull the string!
can't tell the heart who to love
Renowned Death Hag
Marlon and Wally were nine years old when their parents introduced them - Marlon's mother and Wally's stepfather were friends in Chicago, where the stepfather worked for NBC. The boys became fast, albeit unlikely, friends.
Last edited by Serendipity09; 07-23-2009 at 01:17 AM.
That's what I thought... very close and, as you say, not sordid...I loved Wally Cox....
He was a classic actor in every sense
Renowned Death Hag
Every time that I hear angry right wing radio ahole MARK LEVIN on the air I think of WALLY COX; both have very similiar voices.
KELT' HOME FOR WAYWARD YOUTH-
Helping Young Men To Turn Around For Over Twenty Years !
Renowned Death Hag
This is from wikipedia.
I remember there was some poltical incorrectness to this cartoon.
The "Underdog Super Energy Pill" was first introduced in Episode 10.
He keeps one of these pills inside a special ring he wears at all times. (Before taking one, he would often utter the words: "The secret compartment of my ring I fill / with an Underdog Super Energy Pill".)
Several episodes show Underdog losing the ring and being powerless, since he must take another pill as his super powers begin to fail ("Without my Super Energy Pill / I grow weaker and weaker and weaker still").
When the series was syndicated in the 1980s and 1990s, the scenes of him taking his energy pill were edited out.
Animation fans lambast this as a form of political correctness, as they believe the scenes were removed in an attempt to prevent any glorification of drug use.
Thinking back on the characters in Under Dog as a young kid there was Simon Barsinister and his loyal flunky Cad.Then Riff Raff the mafia boss who else?
Ya know...He is one of those guys that play characters and really NEVER got famous...He is awesome...Now that I see his face I remember every time I saw him on T.V...
Polly Purebred
does anyone have a picture of wally cox?
Yeah, at 5'6" he was REAL sexy!
When you watch the bloopers from "McHale's Navy" (and you can see some of them here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HWa2fQJOazU) it's obvious that Joe Flynn was the complete opposite of the character he played!
YOu know, MArlon kept Wally's ashes.
Death Hag
Wally Cox was great as Mister Peepers. The DVD collection is worth searching out if you're a fan of 1950's sitcoms. The whole show is just so innocent, it's brilliant!
Renowned Death Hag
I recall my dad being sad the day Wally passed away.
Joe Flynn was just something special. That great voice and manner. Yes those McHale blooper reels show how funny he was. I'll bet Bob Hastings has some stories!
Delusion. Life's Best Coping Mechanism
Check out Floyd's new Band:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YHYA5iAAJg8
Why in the hell would someone go swimming with a cast on their leg??
And the Darwin Award goes to.....
Loved Wally Cox! I always went for the little professor types when I was in college!
Somewhere, I heard that Joe Flynn and Merv Griffin were great pals. If so, Mr. Flynn must have been full of life, because I can't imagine Merv with a Captain Binghamton type!
Renowned Death Hag
I also heard that Wally Cox's death was attributed to an overdose. In real live Wally was an avid exerciser, and was nothing like his meek & mild persona, apparently he had pretty big biceps. I can't imagine what would have caused him to take his own life if the suicide is true...
By my troth, I care not; a man can die but once; we owe God a death.... He that dies this year is quit for the next.
--William Shakespeare!
Renowned Death Hag
This is the first time I'm hearing about the overdose rumor. Looking on the internet, I guess that story has been around since he died. I read Brando stated in his book that it was a heart attack and not an overdose. Brando's son Miko, stated that when Brando died, the family scattered both Cox's and Brando's ashes together in Death Valley.
One of my favorite shows back in 1970 was the original "The Bill Cosby Show". Wally appeared in an episode as a depressed guy looking to kill himself. In spite of the theme, it was hilarious. I really miss Wally.
Last edited by Buttercup; 09-30-2012 at 01:54 PM.
Cindy
Let's not overlook the fact that the "Underdog" theme is one of the best ever.
Death Hag
Is that true? I have never been able to find a single contemporary account of his death mentioning a cast or a broken leg. I did find references to a broken leg from 1972, and he was attacked in a motel room in South Carolina some months before his death, but the broken leg stories don't start showing up until several years after his death. At least that I've been able to find.
ETAnews article) http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ERNGAAAAIBAJ&sjid=H9EMAAAAIBAJ&pg=7354,2198328&dq
Son found him at 5:30 AM. All contemporary accounts say that he had had a heart attack. So, technically, he might have drowned, but I'd supposed it was due to having been rendered unconsious from the heart attack.
Last edited by Slick SKillet Mayhand; 10-01-2012 at 06:17 PM. Reason: Addiitonal info.
Renowned Death Hag
I've always heard that Joe died from drowning, but never heard he had a cast on his leg. I wouldn't think ANYONE would go swimming with a cast, but I could be wrong...
By my troth, I care not; a man can die but once; we owe God a death.... He that dies this year is quit for the next.
--William Shakespeare!
Renowned Death Hag
If you go onto youtube and watch the very first episode of "Mission Impossible," you will see Wally crack open a safe wearing just a T-shirt. Wally most certainly kept in shape.
The reason a dog has so many friends is because he wags his tail instead of his tongue.
Renowned Death Hag
There is just something about Joe Flynn that makes me laugh anytime he said anything. He could do it with such a straight face. What great comedic timing. Oh boy, mix him up with Tim Conway and that must have been hilarious.
The reason a dog has so many friends is because he wags his tail instead of his tongue.
Joe Flynn also played Mr. Kelley (1960-63) on Ozzie & Harriet, the lawyer who David Nelson worked for at Dobson & Kelly. Later David became a partner in the firm.
Joe also co-starred in the Disney film The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes (1969) wih Kurt Russell. He also appeared in all the follow up sequels in the 70's.
Renowned Death Hag
Joe Flynn was a big loss, I can only imagine how much more he had to contribute to entertainment. Would have loved to see him and Tim Conway on the Carol Burnett show...
By my troth, I care not; a man can die but once; we owe God a death.... He that dies this year is quit for the next.
--William Shakespeare!
Death Hag
Can this thread be separated for each guy?
Anyway, I think Tobey Maguire looks like Wally Cox. I'm not the only one because I found this:
Here's a 2004 Los Angeles Times article about Wally and Marlon's friendship, and how Marlon managed to acquire Wally's ashes:
http://articles.latimes.com/2004/oct...nt/ca-brando17
Wally was a hunk:
This guy's blog has some great pics of Wally (some with Marlon) and info about him:
http://cscottrollins.blogspot.com/20...x-is-here.html
Renowned Death Hag
I know that Wally always had a "wimpy" look, but I understand he was actually quite buff, hard to imagine. I also heard it is suspected he committed suicide, guess we'll never know...
By my troth, I care not; a man can die but once; we owe God a death.... He that dies this year is quit for the next.
--William Shakespeare!
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