Camilla Ashland (HODS Mrs. Pettibone + others) and Kaye Ballard

[Brian]

Our dear Ms. Ashland, whose appearances in DS were few but memorable, is mentioned in the recent Kaye Ballard autobiography ("How I Lost 10 Pounds in 53 Years") as a dear friend of Ms. Ballard.  It's a fun book, and for those of us old enough to have watched DS when it originally aired in the 60s-70s, a nice trip through time with Kaye Ballard (remember "The Mothers-In-Law?).

[Gothick]

Thanks for letting us know, Brian.  I did love Camilla's appearances on DS; very memorable.  Oddly enough, her one line of dialogue is one of the few that stands out for me from my viewings of hoDS (apart from anything in the trailer, of course " Vampirism is NOT a disease, Julia!").

Funny, too, that you should mention "The Mothers-in-law."  A week or two ago I watched a very grainy clip (from an episode guest starring Desi Arnaz Sr.) on YouTube.  What a hoot!

Best, Steve

[rosebud cottage]

I always wondered why Camilla Ashland wasn't listed in the cast of characters during HODS' closing credits, especially since she had a line...

[Brian]

Camilla's. . .one line of dialogue is one of the few that stands out for me from my viewings of hoDS (apart from anything in the trailer, of course " Vampirism is NOT a disease, Julia!").

Steve, I always thought that line was by Thayer David, not Camilla Ashland.  I thought her line was to Roger:  ". . .Only a party at Collinwood would have gotten me out of my house tonight...all those dreadful attacks."  (Her inflection rising on attacks always caught my ear.)  Or did I misinterpret your post (quite possible in my advancing years--AARP finally got me as a member.  LOL.

Brian

[joe integlia]

i watched that same "mothers in law" clip on youtube. i wish the series was more available. it never shows up in syndication or on tv land or on dvd.

[Gothick]

Hi Brian, no, I was quoting that line of Thayer's because, unless *I'm* hallucinating now, it's in one of the trailers and I always remember it (although that whole little scene between Stokes and Julia is one of the few bits of the film that I think comes anywhere near capturing the atmosphere and quality of the show itself).  Camilla's line, the one you quoted, is one of the few I always recall even though it WASN'T in the trailer.  I'm afraid my own advancing age is making me even more terse and crotchety than I was before--frightening, isn't it?

And to Joe, I agree about the Mothers-in-law.  There are bootleg copies of some of the episodes circulating, I believe.  I haven't had cable in years and have never been aware of this show being syndicated, which seems odd.  Maybe somebody out there doesn't like it?  I have worshipped at the altar of Eve Arden since I was a child and Kaye Ballard is a hoot doing ANYTHING, so I also wish it would be released on disc so we could all enjoy it...

G.

[Mysterious Benefactor]

I always wondered why Camilla Ashland wasn't listed in the cast of characters during HODS' closing credits, especially since she had a line...

More than likely that was because whatever sort of contract she had didn't require her to be credited.  :-   There are all sorts of rules when it comes to who is and who isn't credited in a film. And I think we all probably know that DC wasn't going to credit someone simply out of the goodness of his heart...

[joe integlia]

i think 1 of the rules is if the actor has less than 5 lines of dialogue they do not have to be listed in the credits.

[Brian]

... that whole little scene between Stokes and Julia is one of the few bits of the film that I think comes anywhere near capturing the atmosphere and quality of the show itself.   I haven't had cable in years and have never been aware of this show being syndicated, which seems odd.G.

I think that scene in HODS between Elliot and Julia is my favorite in the entire film.  So concisely well-written.   The revival series tried to lift it, but made enough changes to Julia's lines to make it a new, although not better, scene.

Kaye Ballard comments in her book that she wishes THE MOTHERS-IN-LAW had run one more season so it could have entered syndication, and she might have made some more money.  I think the general rule of thumb, based on all I've read, is that a series needs to run 100 episodes before syndication (as we used to know it way back when) becomes practical or profitable.

Brian

[joe integlia]

i know about the 100 episode rule but tv land has been known to air short lived sitcoms in the past and many short lived series still get a dvd release.