Pacific Daily News from Agana Heights, Guam • 62

Page THE SUNDAY NEWS February 13 1977 Good vibes for new show McLean Stevenson the highly irregular Army colonel who was literally shot down some seasons back to the voluble consternation of millions of MASH viewers is flying high in his new comedy series think a great series because said the star of The McLean Stevenson Show which airs Wednesdays on NBC comedy grows naturally out of situations that are real the sort of things that could happen to you or to somebody you know" first regular series exposure was on the Doris Day Show in which he played Day's boss for two seasons like the Doris Day Show where the viewer was presented with a widow who never cried or went to the bathroom but ran around in expensive automobiles and a $20000 he pointed out Later Stevenson spent three years as the popular Lt Col Henry Blake on MASH When he opted out of the role agile writers promptly penned a scene in which the plane was shut down in flames a pretty effective way to get rid of a Stevenson said with a grin Since then Stevenson has made something of a series out of guesting and guest-hosting on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson And last season he headlined a one-hour variety special with a now-familiar title The McLean Stevenson Show McLean Steensou In his new series a half-hour family situation comedy McLean plays Mac Ferguson a hardworking hardware store proprietor who is sorely taxed when it looks like all the Fergusons in the world -plus a few casual friends have decided at his house "The series actually deals with four generations of Americans from my mother at one end to my children underfoot and they all live at my Stevenson said quite a strain on the he added The generation span embraces Mac and wife Peggy (Barbara Stuart) Grandma (Madge West) daughter Janet (Ayn Ruymen) son Chris(Steve Nil) and two children David (David Hollander) and Jason (Jason Whitney) "Janet was away for several years living with her husband but then she got divorced and came home with the McLean explained like having her back and all but Mac can't quite get used to being called wife Peggy is open free friendly and bubbly She has some very positive attitudes toward life and is studying law on a part-time basis Grandma is vital and vinegarish with a waspish tongue which finds its target more often than not in the general area of Mac She's been living with her daughter and son-in-law for seven years Son Chris is the free soul of the Ferguson family He's a part-time college student lives in the basement and his numerous girlfriends wear an ever-deepening path across the living room carpeting basement living really gets Stevenson said with a grin all a perfectly good bedroom available upstairs and God knows going on down there in the The continuing cast on the show is as diversified experience-wise as the characters they portray Barbara Stuart has previously starred or costarred in several series playing the role of on Comer Pyle for five years and has guested on more than 100 other comedy and dramatic programs Ayn Ruymen who plays daughter Janet has appeared in many television movies including Pioneer and "Hurricane She has guested on such series as Baretta and Police Story Madge West the waspish Grandma has appeared on numerous television shows Her film credits include Miracle and the Love of The role of son Chris is the first professional television exposure for Steve Nevil He previously studied acting in New York and at LA and worked in repertory theater McLean makes no bones about it: He likes the title of his new seriesr "I never could stand being called he said harking back to his AS role.