Jackson and Son

[shimp scrampi]

I know the idea was kicked around in the early '70s for Jack to star in an American TV adaptation of the UK "Steptoe and Son". Of course, this was eventually done with Redd Foxx as SANFORD AND SON.

Does anyone know what the story was behind the proposed series, and how far along the idea got?

Since I love SANFORD AND SON, I occasionally wonder what the alternate-universe world would be starring Jack. Mary as Aunt Esther? Dennis as Rollo? I'm sure it would've been a much different structure with Jack starring. I have a hard time thinking of Jack offering someone "five 'cross yo' lip!"

What early-'70s actors would have been a good foil for Jack playing his son?

[Gerry O.]

Whenever I've heard or read about Jack being considered for the U.S. version of "Steptoe and Son", I've never been able to picture Jack working in a junk yard.

[shimp scrampi]

Yes, it would've required some retooling of Jack's character from a wealthy miser to a poor miser/crank, but not out of the realm of possibility. I'm sure in any number of obvious and not obvious ways, the Jack STEPTOE AND SON would've been a lot different from SANFORD AND SON.

I recently picked up the complete SANFORD AND SON on DVD for a ridiculously cheap price an have been watching a lot of it lately. I have to tell you there are some spooky Jack Benny moments, including Frank Nelson appearing frequently as his "Yeeeessss?" character (including the "Yeeeessss?", by the way), and seeing him do his same schtick to Redd Foxx as he always did to Jack is interesting. Also caught Eddie Carroll as a bartender in one episode too!

[Gerry O.]

This is a little off-topic (but not really, since we're discussing putting Jack into the TV sitcom world of the 1970's), but I would have loved to have seen Jack cross swords with Bea Arthur. Could you just imagine Bea throwing verbal zingers at Jack, and Jack doing his long, silent "stare" takes?

Come to think of it, Bea was pretty good at doing those long, silent "stare" takes herself!

[Yhtapmys]

I would have loved to have seen Jack cross swords with Bea Arthur.

She could say that he walks like a woman, he could say she talks like a man, and then she could go "Well!"

And Mary would say "She didn't sound like a man that time."

Yhtapmys

[shimp scrampi]

Verna Felton as Aunt Esther???