RIP - John Spencer

[SharonRB]

He was such a great actor -- I loved him in both LA Law and West Wing.

What do people think they may do with the plot of West Wing now? It won't be on again until after the holidays, as far as I know, so I guess they'd be able to do some retaping if they wanted to. Or they could run whatever they've taped so far and then revise the rest of the season by having Leo have another heart attack. Assuming Santos wins the election, they'd then have to replace the VP. I'm also assuming they will not just hire another actor to play Leo and keep doing whatever they had already planned to do with the rest of the season.

John Spencer will be sorely missed. I loved that KO dedicated his show to him on Friday.

[Longhorn]

1. NBC: No 'West Wing' plan or Spencer's death yet

http://www.usatoday.com/life/television/news/2005-12-19-nbc-spencer-plan_x.htm

NEW YORK (AP) — Writers on The West Wing aren't expected to begin grappling with how to deal with actor John Spencer's death until after the holidays — and the production and program schedule affords them extra time to do so.

<snip>

Because there are five episodes of the Emmy-winning drama already filmed, staff members need not begin discussing how Spencer's death will be addressed on the show until production meetings start again in two weeks, said a spokeswoman for Warner Bros. Television. A phone call to Lawrence O'Donnell, one of the show's executive producers, was not immediately returned on Monday.

Also, the show airs no new episodes until Jan. 8, with the last of the completed episodes not scheduled to air until March 19, due to the Winter Olympics and other specials, NBC said.

Spencer is featured in two of the unaired episodes. The show scheduled for Jan. 8 includes a debate between vice presidential candidates, including Spencer.

[SharonRB]

5. Just the thought of watching the VP debate

is bringing a tear to my eye.

[Lisa]

2. a moving post by Aaron Sorkin at another discussion group ...

I have to confess that the part about John Spencer dying during the show's hiatus -- almost as if he were trying to be considerate of his colleagues -- made me smile. Apparently he was like that in real life!

While I'm glad that they will be airing the already-made episodes (one of which focuses on Leo), I will probably be crying 5 minutes in.




"Dear Posters,

Tommy Schlamme, John Wells and I wanted to thank you for all your many expressions of sympathy and sadness at the death of our friend, John. He never took those who appreciated his work for granted--always happy to read and respond to a letter from a stranger--and somewhere in Heaven he's baffled and delighted by an outpouring of affection from people who who had never met him but felt like they had. You've also provided a great source of comfort to the people he left behind, including the cast and crew of The West Wing. Several of your posts will be read out loud at his memorial service.

John was the ultimate team player. He was mortified at the notion of doing anything that might detract from the collective goal or disturb another member of the company. The other night, Tommy said, "Leave it to John to die at the beginning of the Christmas break so as not to disrupt production." After a table read of an episode called "Bartlet for America", John stepped over to me and said, "I want to serve this script. Stop me in the middle of a take if it seems like I'm trying to win an Emmy." Of course he went and did both.

All he ever wanted to be was a working actor, and he was a working actor until the day he died. He was beloved and revered by everyone who ever worked on our show, and he will be missed and remembered every day.

Thank you again.

Aaron Sorkin"

http://forums.televisionwithoutpity.com/index.php?showtopic=3133909&st=630

[MaineDem]

3. Was Leo with them in the first episode this season?

When they were waiting for the new President?

I can't remember.

[dr.strangelove]

4. Yes

Leo has been seen in the flash forward moments. I don;t think this matters and they will probably have him die in the series to pay homage to both the great character and the greater actor.