05/15/2026
The director of our upcoming Noon Miracle table read Andy & Me was one of our Executive Producer/Director/Writers on The Famous Teddy Z. What JOY to be spending time with a man who, with Hugh Wilson and Jon Cryer, shaped my career so profoundly. Thank you, Richie Dubin for helping an old friend, our dear writer Julia Pearlstein, and a whole lot of other dear souls via Zoom and in NYC via Encore. I am so grateful for YOU! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟✍🏼📑🎬🌟
36 years ago today, May 12, 1990, the final episode of The Famous Teddy Z aired on CBS after a single season run.
The series premiered on September 18, 1989, and was created by Hugh Wilson. It was loosely inspired by the real-life story of Jay Kantor, a former mailroom clerk at MCA who went on to become an agent for Marlon Brando.
The show starred Jon Cryer as Theodore “Teddy” Zakalokis, a shy, good-hearted young man who lands a job at a Hollywood talent agency to avoid working in his family’s Greek-American bakery. When reclusive superstar Harland Keyvo (a fictional version of Brando) is impressed by Teddy’s honesty, he makes him his personal agent. The series’ comedy came from Teddy’s sincerity clashing with the cynical world of Hollywood dealmaking. The cast also included Jane Sibbett, Alex Rocco, Milton Selzer, Josh Blake, and Erica Yohn.
Although critically praised and the recipient of an Emmy Award for Alex Rocco as Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series, the show struggled in the ratings and was canceled by CBS, leaving several episodes unaired. It later developed a cult following in reruns, including airings on Comedy Central and inclusion in Trio’s “Brilliant But Canceled” showcase.
