# Pre-Poll Nominations -- TV Legends you miss the most **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 19, 2015, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pre-poll-nominations-tv-legends-you-miss-the-most/722979 "2015-06-19T22:28:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2015, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pre-poll-nominations-tv-legends-you-miss-the-most/722979/1 "2015-06-19T22:28:56Z")
Title says it all. Add to the list. David Letterman Johnny Carson Steve Allen Lucille Ball Smothers Brothers ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2015, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pre-poll-nominations-tv-legends-you-miss-the-most/722979/2 "2015-06-19T22:31:25Z")
In addition to all the above, I add Ross Martin. I loved him on _ **Wild, Wild West** _, and remember sadly the day I found a newspaper with his obituary on the bus riding home from work in 1981. Probably also Jack Lord as the\* real \*Steve McGarret on the original _ **Hawaii Five-O** _. And of course, Leonard Nimoy, James Doohan, and now Grace Lee Whitney. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2015, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pre-poll-nominations-tv-legends-you-miss-the-most/722979/3 "2015-06-19T22:32:32Z")
Peter Falk. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2015, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pre-poll-nominations-tv-legends-you-miss-the-most/722979/4 "2015-06-19T22:35:20Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > Peter Falk. Oh, yeah! :smack: ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2015, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pre-poll-nominations-tv-legends-you-miss-the-most/722979/5 "2015-06-19T22:36:22Z")
James Garner, as both Maverick and Jim Rockford! ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2015, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pre-poll-nominations-tv-legends-you-miss-the-most/722979/6 "2015-06-19T22:37:27Z")
Elizabeth Montgomery as Samantha Stevens. Dick York as Darrin Stevens. Robert Stack as Eliot Ness. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2015, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pre-poll-nominations-tv-legends-you-miss-the-most/722979/7 "2015-06-19T22:39:05Z")
Jim Henson Bob Hope Phil Hartman > [@terentii](#): > > And of course, Leonard Nimoy, James Doohan, and now Grace Lee Whitney. But not DeForest Kelley? ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2015, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pre-poll-nominations-tv-legends-you-miss-the-most/722979/8 "2015-06-19T22:41:03Z")
David Brinkley Walter Cronkite Frank McGee ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2015, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pre-poll-nominations-tv-legends-you-miss-the-most/722979/9 "2015-06-19T22:41:26Z")
Ernest Borgnine as Lt Cdr Quentin McHale. Tim Conway as Ensign Charles Parker. (Oops; I see Tim is still alive, praise the Lord!) Vic Morrow as Sgt Orville “Chip” Saunders. Rick Jason as Lt Gil Hanley. Dick Peabody as PFC Littlejohn. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2015, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pre-poll-nominations-tv-legends-you-miss-the-most/722979/10 "2015-06-19T22:42:26Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > Jim Henson > Bob Hope > Phil Hartman > > But not DeForest Kelley? Duh! Of course Dee Kelley! :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2015, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pre-poll-nominations-tv-legends-you-miss-the-most/722979/11 "2015-06-19T22:43:41Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > (Oops; I see Tim is still alive, praise the Lord!) I assume the OP didn’t mean to exclude people who were still alive but no longer on TV, given that its first example was David Letterman (and also included the Smothers Brothers). ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2015, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pre-poll-nominations-tv-legends-you-miss-the-most/722979/12 "2015-06-19T22:45:55Z")
Pretty much the entire cast of _ **Hogan’s Heroes** _, except for Robert Clary. Whit Bissel of \*\*\*Star Trek \*\*\*and \*\*\*Time Tunnel \*\*\*fame. Ted Bessell as Don Hollinger on _ **That Girl** _. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2015, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pre-poll-nominations-tv-legends-you-miss-the-most/722979/13 "2015-06-19T22:46:00Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > I assume the OP didn’t mean to exclude people who were still alive but no longer on TV, given that its first example was David Letterman (and also included the Smothers Brothers). Very true! Missing them is the main thing, living or dead. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2015, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pre-poll-nominations-tv-legends-you-miss-the-most/722979/14 "2015-06-19T22:47:04Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > I assume the OP didn’t mean to exclude people who were still alive but no longer on TV, given that its first example was David Letterman (and also included the Smothers Brothers). Good point! Tim Conway, then! 🙂 Most of the cast of _ **Gilligan’s Island** _. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2015, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pre-poll-nominations-tv-legends-you-miss-the-most/722979/15 "2015-06-19T22:49:17Z")
Ray Zaremba and Lee Meriwether, also of _ **Time Tunnel** _ fame. Lee was also Catwoman, as was Julie Newmar! ---
**Author:** ![LH75](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lh75/32/4438_2.png) [@LH75](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LH75)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2015, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pre-poll-nominations-tv-legends-you-miss-the-most/722979/16 "2015-06-19T22:49:34Z")
John Belushi ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2015, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pre-poll-nominations-tv-legends-you-miss-the-most/722979/17 "2015-06-19T22:51:30Z")
James Darren and Robert Colbert, also of _ **Time Tunnel** _ fame. My favorite show in sixth grade, along with _ **Rat Patrol** _ with Christopher George and Gary Raymond. Patrick MacNee and Diana Rigg on _ **The Avengers** _. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2015, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pre-poll-nominations-tv-legends-you-miss-the-most/722979/18 "2015-06-19T22:52:49Z")
Howard Cosell Dandy Don Meredith Jim McKay ---
**Author:** ![It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/it_s_not_rocket_surgery/32/312_2.png) [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2015, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pre-poll-nominations-tv-legends-you-miss-the-most/722979/19 "2015-06-19T22:54:46Z")
Dick Clark Ed Sullivan Art Fleming Richard Dawson Gene Rayburn ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2015, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pre-poll-nominations-tv-legends-you-miss-the-most/722979/20 "2015-06-19T22:57:04Z")
For a good memory jogger – and some great fun interviews – check out > **[All Interviews](https://interviews.televisionacademy.com/interviews)** > > Our oral histories chronicle the evolution of television by recording the stories of people who have impacted the television landscape. We interview television professionals, both in front of and behind the camera, in order to document all facets of... Archive of American Television [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pre-poll-nominations-tv-legends-you-miss-the-most/722979.md?page=2)