Blast From The Past: Grant Goodeve

I was a bit young to really remember Eight Is Enough. I sort of remember watching a few repeats in the mid eighties, but what I really remember is my aunt. My aunt loved the show and taped many episodes onto VHS. I remember asking her for her copy of the show's Christmas episode, Yes, Nicholas. There Is A Santa Claus. She reluctantly loaned it to me, but never asked, nor ever got it back.

I shared this story years ago on FH when I did a tribute to the guys from the show. I was reminded of it again this Christmas when I re-watched part of the episode from my Classic TV Christmas DVD. I say partly, as the episode, and the show itself, doesn't really hold up that well for re-watching 30 plus years later.

I tried watching the first season on DVD, but didn't get past the second episode. Although there were some interesting guest spots, including future Star Wars actor Mark Hamill as the original David Bradford. I might give it a try again, but for now, will stick to what did hold up, to my memories of actor Grant Goodeve.

Even as a young kid I could appreciate the actors many attributes. I love his thick flowing head of hair, his beautifully non manscaped 80's body and his killer smile. I continued to watch Goodeve on television shows through my teens including Northern Exposure, 7th Heaven and Army Wives. Goodeve has not lost his charm, nor his sex appeal. Seeing Grant again this holiday season had me wanting to revisit his work. The post I did back in 2007 required an update, and some new images of the talented and incredibly sexy actor.

Eight Is Enough

Check out more of the 'skin' portion in the post below (HERE:)

Television star sports competitions provide so many great images from actors of the time.

ABC wisely supported the producers decision to have Grants character David honeymoon in Hawaii.

The Eighth Battle May 1980

Battle VIII

Hosts:

Howard Cosell 

Joyce DeWitt

ABC: (Winner)

Cathy Lee Crosby, (captain) Scott Baio, Robyn Douglass, Grant Goodeve, Robert Hays. Kent McCord Caroline McWilliams and Joan Prather

CBS:

Chad Everett, (captain) Jonelle Allen, Catherine Bach, Gregory Harrison, Sherman Hemsley, Gary Sandy, Charlene Tilton and Joan Van Ark

NBC:

William Devane, (captain) Gil Gerard, Karen Grassle, Pamela Hensley, Brian Kerwin, Randi Oakes, Sarah Purcell and Larry Wilcox

It's always interesting seeing who is making their Battle (ie speedo) debut in an episode of Battle of the Network Stars.   It seemed to be mandatory, that if you were in the swimming comp, you wore a speedo.  I think the stars may have had a choice for other events, but if you're swimming, you're wearing your budgie smugglers.  Some of the male celebrities tried to cover their packages as much as possible, and wrapping themselves in a towel when not in action. Others however, let it all hang out.

Harrison gets dunked

It's also interesting, looking back, how many celebrities switched teams.  William Devane, who I think is making his Battle debut, is the captain for the NBC team.  Devane was starring in the short-lived 1980 series of From Here To Eternity.  A few years later, Devane would return on the CBS team, this time co-starring on Knots Landing.  Devane was never considered a 'hunk', but looked hotter than usual when shirtless.

For this installment, the director again decided not to do the 'speedo parade' at the beginning of the swimming competition.  They did however, introduce all of the stars, and many were in their suits, preparing to dive in.  Sadly, they didn't do the long body shots they often did in previous shots.  I would have loved to have seen a longer shot of man, especially WKRP's Gary Sandy.

Scott Baio

Gregory Harrison 

Grant Goodeve

Gil Gerard

Chad Everett 

Gary Sandy

Blast From The Past: Wilie Aames

To be honest with you, I've really seen a lot of Willie Aames on tv or on film.  I mostly know Aames from seeing images in old magazines and on the net, and from clips from his nude scene in Paradise. (1982) I always thought there was something incredibly sexy about him, his great face, curly hair and his beautiful eyes.  When I was working on my Battle of the Network Stars however, I appreciated many other of the actor's additional attributes.

Aames is best known to many for his roles in Eight is Enough and  Charles In Charge. Although I don't think I've ever seen even a second of Charles In Charge, I did buy the DVD''s of the first season of Eight Is Enough many years ago, thinking I'd really love the show.  I didn't.  There were certainly things I liked, like Aames and co-star Grant Goodeve, who I featured HERE:

Eight Is Enough

The show was however so dated to me, that I found it hard to get into.  I gave up after a couple of episodes, although did enjoy the Christmas Episode I saw on on an old VHS tape from my aunt and later on a Christmas compilation DVD set.

Speedo Season

Aames was a staple of television during the early seventies, and worked regularly on shows like Family, Adam-12, Rich Man Poor Man, Gunsmoke and The Waltons until he was cast as Tommy Bradford on Eight is Enough in 1977.  After his turn in Charles in Charge in 80's, Aames career began to slow down and left the business for awhile, returning to acting in a few Hallmark television movies starting in 2015.

Aames with Grant Goodeve

For many of us, Aames is also famous for his nude scenes in 1982's Paradise with Phoebe Cates.  Check out my caps from the film in the piece just below.

Lovers and Other Killers

I discovered a year or so ago that one of my retro channels was airing Murder She Wrote.  I never really watched the show when it first aired, but it was a favorite of my parents.  I started watching a few episodes awhile ago, and got hooked for a short while.  Although I'm not watching regularly now, I always take a peek when the 1984 episode, Lovers and other Killers airs.

The episode itself isn't anything outstanding, but it's guest stars that week did include hotties Andrew Stevens and Grant Goodeve.  It also stands out as Goodeve wears a speedo in one scene, something that was, and continues to be, rare in Prime-Time. 

I featured caps from the scene before, in fact I've featured caps and clips of Grant's beautifully beefy bare ass as well, from the 1998 softcore flick, Take Two. (HERE:)  Still, when the episode aired again recently, I bemoaned there wasn't an HD quality version of the scene.

Turns out there are, thanks to one of my favorite sites to visit, Casperfan.   The video below comes from Standard recording, but the caps are HD fro Casperfan's site.  By the way, when I posted images of Willie's wood earlier this year, (HERE:) shots of Willie Aames with speedo wood, I heard from a viewer that Eight Is Enough currently airs on Roku.  I don't have Roku, but am thinking of investing in a stick this summer as I've only seen a handful of episodes from the DVD release of the first season.