RIP GAVIN MACLEOD

1931-2021

Although Gavin MacLeod never acted with Lucille Ball, she was responsible for his first role on television, as he recounts in his autobiography This Is Your Captain Speaking. On February 18, 1954, MacLeod had a brush with Lucy and Desi, who were attending the premiere of their film The Long, Long Trailer. 

A few years later…

He remembers his first Desilu audition… 

He appeared on “The Walter Winchell File” in “Act of Folly” (S1;E12) on December 18, 1957.  He played Willy.  He returned to the series for a second episode on February 28, 1958 titled “The Walkout” (S1;E22) that co-starred Marion Ross (”Happy Days”) and Bruce Gordon (”The Untouchables”). 

On November 15, 1958, he did an episode of Desilu’s “U.S. Marshal” titled “The Arraignment” (S1;E6).  That same year he did an episode of Desilu’s helicopter series “Whirlybirds” titled “Baby Face” (S2;E28).  

In December 1959, he did his first of four episodes (one was a two-parter) of Desilu’s hit mobster series “The Untouchables.”

• “The Tri-State Gang” (as Artie McLeod) ~ December 10, 1959
• “The Big Train: Part One” (as Three-Fingered Jack White) ~ January 5, 1961
• “The Big Train: Part Two” (as Three-Fingered Jack White) ~ January 12, 1961
• “Loophole” (as Whitey Metz) ~ November 16, 1961
• “Man in the Middle” (as William ‘Porker’ Davis) ~ April 5, 1962

Nine years before he joined the cast of “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” he acted opposite Moore on an episode of “The Dick Van Dyke Show” filmed by Desilu. He played Maxwell Cooley, cousin of Mel Cooley (Richard Deacon) in “Empress Carlotta’s Necklace” (S1;E12) on December 12, 1961. 

On January 8, 1965, he was back on the Desilu lot to film an episode of “Gomer Pyle USMC” titled “Dance, Marine, Dance” (S1;E16), in which he played a conman posing as a dance instructor named Freddie Fey. 

The Desilu backlot also was home to Mayberry, where MacLeod appeared in two episodes of “The Andy Griffith Show”.  On March 1, 1965 he was in “TV or Not TV” (S5;E23) playing a member of a team of producers looking to make a TV show about a small town sheriff – or are they?  

On November 1, 1965, Andy and family went to Hollywood where they were making a movie of his life – starring Bryan Bender (Gavin MacLeod) as ‘Andy’!  “The Taylors in Hollywood” (S6;E8) also featured “Lucy” alumni Herb Vigran, Hayden Rorke, Eddie Quillan, Ross Elliott, and Sid Melton. 

His last time on the Desilu lot was for an episode of “Hogan’s Heroes” titled “Hello, Zolle” (1;E19) playing the title character.  Although he did three more episodes of the series, Desilu had been sold to Paramount.  

In the fall of 1970 he started playing the first of his signature roles: Murray Slaughter, news writer, on “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” (1970-77) doing all 168 episodes – from first to last.  It wasn’t long before her created his second iconic role, Captain Meryl Stubing on “The Love Boat” (1977-87), doing all 250 episodes of the series, plus subsequent specials. He was forever identified as a ambassador for Princess Cruise Lines. In January 1978, Desi Arnaz Jr. appeared in two-part episode of the series.  At the time of his death, Gavin MacLeod was a resident of Palm Desert, nearby Lucie Arnaz. 

Although he never acted with Lucille Ball, they did appear on several of the same television shows.  

On November 1, 1978, Lucille Ball was co-host on “The Mike Douglas Show” and Gavin MacLeod was one of the guests. 

On March 13, 1982, Lucy and Gavin were both presenters on the “8th Annual People’s Choice Awards.”  

Two years later (1984) they did the same chores for “The 36th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards.”  

In February 1985, Lucille Ball, Lucie Arnaz, and Gavin MacLeod (plus 97 others) were at Radio City Music Hall (where it all started for Lucy and Gavin) for “Night of 100 Stars 2”.