The Famous Teddy Z

The Famous Teddy Z, about a young man who works in the mailroom of a HOllywood agency, then punches out a star and becomes the celebrity's agent, was alleged to be based on an actual incident with Marlon Brando. When the actor would show up in later episodes, he would even be similar to Brando. Jane Sibbett would be the agency's secretary, who Teddy (Jon Cryer) was in love with, but she couldn't stand him. Alex Rocco would be an incompetent agent who also worked in the office. Now here is where this show went odd. There was a pilot that had Sibbett as Cryer's main antagonist. She would use him for her own benefit when she learned he was now an agent. Rocco ran through, said his lines a la Ted Baxter of "Mary Tyler Moore" or Herb Tarlek of "WKRP in Cincinnati", then vacated. Then the Marlon Brando actor appeared in an episode, got his laughs. Then the pilot was redone, showing the Marlon Brando actor again, but this time instilling Alex Rocco more in the show's plotline. He would work alongside Teddy Z, the agent of a big client. Hugh Wilson, who made Mary Tyler Moore and WKRP, also made this show. His only show NOT to have the bumbler in it was Frank's PLace, with Tim Reid. Yet the notion that the idiot here had to be center stage, as Ted and Herb eventually became, ruined the show. Al Floss, the agent Rocco portrayed, worked better in the background, such as when he kept getting a good deal for a dead actor. And this show suffered for the need of having Rocco up front. Alex Rocco would win the Emmy for Supporting Actor for this show, obviously because all actors knew an agent like Al Floss. The Al Floss character was superbly spineless and weak, out to please the clients (The Sean Penn character who appears is decked by Teddy's aunt, played by LIz Torres. Teddy gets the actor to behave by threatening to tell the tabloids the tough guy was hit by a woman. "Hey, good going, kid" Al Floss says, then he and another agent tear after the actor like lap dogs to do his bidding. it was all hilarious!)

But there was no need for Al Floss to be pushed up to the front like that. This is the only show I know of with two separate pilots. My brother teases me about the actual pilot all the time.

This show had legs and an interesting plot. Jon Cryer plays Teddy Z, a guy who doesn't want to work in the family business, a Greek bakery. Instead, he would rather work in show business. he gets a job in the mail room and gets the attention of a film star who wants him as his agent. With little or no experience, Teddy Z gets the most unlikely promotion. I remember Alex Rocco as the old time agent without a heart or conscience who is Teddy's mentor. I remember Jane Sibbett as the cold, ruthless woman working to get to where Teddy is. Teddy got there by being himself and not some determined, egotistical college graduate who start by working in the mailroom and hope to be secretaries with a promotion to agents. Too bad, they cancelled it after a year.

Jon Cryer of "Pretty in pink" fame starred in this shortlived sitcom about a 20-something Greek-American working in the mailroom of a Hollywood agency, who accidentally becomes the agent of an eccentric Brando-esque star, much to the annoyance of Al Floss (Alex Rocco), the agency's No1 agent.

I found "The famous Teddy Z" fairly amusing. It was certainly no worse than many other sitcoms which enjoyed longer runs. Rocco was particularly good.