I always figured The Harry Mudd character from the
Star Trek episodes might be Rob Reiner, the Meathead
Michael Stivic from the All in the Family sitcom. It
turned out that he was played by a character actor
named Robert Carmel. It was Sep. at Birth #18
w/Shatner that got me into this Star Trek mode. No
sooner did I finish that one then this one just popped
back up into my head. Never liked how they explained
away Meathead's whereabouts in the Sally Struthers
spinoff 'Gloria'. If I remember correctly, they said
he just split on her and the baby and joined some
religious cult. Ridiculous. He was a very devoted guy.
So some lazy sitcom writer offers us some convenient
yet implausible explanation for Mike not being on the
new show and in one stupid swoop of the pen, shatters
all the respect and trust we had for the guy in spite
of Archie's bigoted opinion. So it's like Archie was
right all those years and he WAS a meathead after all
and we got duped? Bull! That 'Gloria' was an early
80's spinoff that hardly anyone remembers but I'm
still pissed about it. An insulting slap in the face
to all the viewers who grew to like Mike.