Chuckles Bites the Dust (25 Oct. 1975)

Mary thinks that the death of Chuckles the Clown is nothing to laugh about--until she attends the funeral.

Director:

Joan Darling

Writers:

James L. Brooks (creator), Allan Burns (creator),

Stars:

Mary Tyler Moore, Edward Asner, Gavin MacLeod

Cast

Episode complete credited cast:
Mary Tyler Moore	...	Mary Richards
Edward Asner	...	Lou Grant
Gavin MacLeod	...	Murray Slaughter
Ted Knight	...	Ted Baxter
Georgia Engel	...	Georgette Franklin
Betty White	...	Sue Ann Nivens
John Harkins	...	Reverend Burns

Storyline

Mary is appalled with everyone's reaction to the death of their station co-workers Chuckles the Clown is killed. He was the Grand Marshall at a circus parade but having appeared as one of his TV characters, in the form of a peanut, is shelled by a rogue elephant. Murray in particular simply can't stop making jokes about it all and Mary thinks it's all inappropriate, despite Lou's claim that it's just a way of dealing with death. They all attend the memorial service but it's Mary who has trouble remaining solemn.

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Plot Keywords:

clown | manic laughter

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Genres:

Comedy

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

25 October 1975 (USA)

Filming Locations:

CBS Studio Center - 4024 Radford Avenue, Studio City, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

MTM Enterprises

Technical Specs

Runtime:

30 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Quotes

Ted Baxter: Nothing can spoil my day now that I'm going to be Grand Marshal of the circus parade.
Lou Grant: Forget it, Ted, you aren't.
Ted Baxter: What?
Lou Grant: I said, forget it. My anchorman isn't marching down the street with a chimp. It tends to give him an undignified image.
Ted Baxter: Oh, Lou... it won't give me an undignified image!
Lou Grant: I was talking about the chimp.

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Connections

Referenced in Countdown w/ Keith Olbermann: Episode #3.153 (2005)

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