Thursday, December 1, 2011

SUPPLEMENTAL EGOT WATCH: For years, there've been efforts to revive or remake Jimmy Stewart classic Harvey either on stage or on screen, but they've fallen apart, with the closest to fruition being a Spielberg-directed version that would star either Tom Hanks or Robert Downey, Jr. We're finally going to get a version next summer, though, with Emmy winner Jim Parsons filling Elwood's shoes. I'm not sold, in part because his performance as Sheldon is so amazing and so utterly different from Elwood P. Dowd, but if he can pull it off, it'll be an impressive display of range.

7 comments:

  1. Loyal Reader11:57 AM

    I have a pet dwarf rabbit named Harvey.  I get asked constantly "why did you name him Harvey?"  Nobody ever knows what the heck I'm talking about when I try to explain it.

    I love this blog.

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  2. christy in nyc12:19 PM

    I've been watching a lot of BBT lately (it is suddenly on CONSTANTLY) and I must say I've become rather smitten with Jim Parsons in the process. It's been a very long time since I've seen Harvey, but I think he would make a lovely Elwood.

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  3. Watts1:50 PM

    I was talking with someone the other day about the BBT boys and their potential post BBT careers.  Our analysis:

    Helberg: Wolowitz has such a distinctive look, which Helberg very much plays down in his offscreen life.  He's also already worked with Whedon, the Coens, Jake Kasdan, Judd Apatow, Aaron Sorkin, to name a few, so he'll be fine in tv or movies.

    Galecki: Has done another big sitcom role and is actually conventionally attractive, if on the short side (hey, who isn't in Hollywood, right?) He also styles himself differently offscren than his character (most notably by usually ditching the glasses.) I've also noticed that he even *sounds* different.  In chat show intereviews his voice lacks a certain whininess that he usually puts into the performance of Leonard. He'll find work in TV for years to come, most likely.

    Nayyar: Raj isn't as big a character as the others and he also keeps his offscreen look very distinct from his character's.  He'll have the usual obstacles faced by non-white actors in Hollywood, but won't have to be Raj forever.

    Parsons: The one we were most worried about - he not only looks and sounds A LOT like Sheldon offscreen, he's arguably the star of the show (Emmys).  Also, those Emmy wins could end up hurting him, as it cements him as Sheldon in the public eye. So, something like "Harvey," if he can pull it off, is a FANtastic career move for Parsons.

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  4. Cuoco has an easy career path as well (if she wants it) playing the sort of romcom roles that of late have been played by Heigl and Anna Faris.  In fact, I'm a little surprised she hasn't done one of that sort already.

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  5. Tosy and Cosh3:29 PM

    I played Dr. Lyman in a high school production of Harvey. Wonderful play, and I think Parsons is an inspired choice.

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  6. Marsha3:42 PM

    Charles Kimbrough and Jessica Hecht filling out this cast might cause me to take a special trip to see it.

    I've just started watching BBT - not really sure how I avoided it, given that I have the same shower curtain that Sheldon and Leonard do. I've whizzed through the first three seasons in less than 4 weeks and should be fully caught up by the time the December lull ends.

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  7. I find the show amusing and largely accurate in its Pasadena references (nice job with the Lucky Baldwins joke). I cannot, however, stand the way that Galecki delivers all of his lines while looking at the ceiling. 

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