Episode 226: The Making of Moonlighting | Glenn Gordon Caron, Part 1

“They said I could do whatever I want. So I thought, I’ll write a boy-girl detective show that kills this stupid genre.” – Glenn Gordon Caron, creator of Moonlighting
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The Conversation

  • 300 SONGS in 66 episodes – the MANY hurdles of getting the music rights for Moonlighting for the Hulu broadcasts.
  • Glenn’s first pilot turned out to be for a little actor named… James Stewart.
  • Steven Bochco asked Glenn to come work on his new show, then called Hill Street Station: “I said no – this is never gonna go.”
  • On the crazy tone of Moonlighting: “I’m showing the episodes to my youngest child, who’s fourteen. He’s come to believe that I’m mentally ill.”
  • Cybill Shepherd signed on to Moonlighting -- after reading only half the pilot!
  • On casting the role of David Addison: “I brought Bruce Willis in to audition eleven times. They rejected him ten times.”
  • The role of David Addison’s brother was originally written for… David Lee Roth?!
  • GETTING PAST THE CENSORS: ABC censors wouldn’t allow David & Maddie to say “frig”. But “fig”? Um, Okay.
  • On being a maverick: “I was young and arrogant and didn’t care about my reputation. I would live to regret that.”

So, join Susan and Sharon – and Glenn – as they talk Aaron Spelling, Pierce Brosnan, Peter Peter Bogdanovich, 100-page scripts, directing Orson Wells – and getting kicked by nuns!

Our Audio-ography

Watch Moonlighting on Hulu.

Check out the Moonlighting fan website, DavidandMaddie.com 

Susan’s new play Confidence (and the Speech) has just been published! Now available for purchase and licensing at DPS via Broadway Licensing.

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CREDITS

80s TV Ladies™ Episode 226: “The Making of Moonlighting | Glenn Gordon Caron, Part 1” Produced by 134 West and Susan Lambert Hatem. Hosted by Susan Lambert Hatem and Sharon Johnson. Guest: Glen Gordon Caron.  Sound Engineer and Editor: Kevin Ducey. Producer: Melissa Roth. Associate Producer: Sergio Perez. Music by Amy Engelhardt. Copyright 2024 134 West, LLC and Susan Lambert. All Rights Reserved.

Transcription