MistyMountainHop

Kurtwood Smith says strangers often approach him on the street, pleading to be called a dumb-ass as only Smith can utter the insult. "Dumb-ass" became his catch phrase in eight seasons as the paternally gruff Reginald "Red" Forman on That '70s Show. He was offered the role because the producers wanted a no-nonsense, Chuck Norris type, and Norris himself turned it down. He says his performance was inspired by his own stepfather, who died just as That '70s Show first went into production.

Smith was an infant when his real father, a fighter pilot in World War II, died after being shot down on a bombing run over Germany. His mother wanted to name him Kurt, but she added the extra 'wood' because she thought the name 'Kurt Smith' sounded too curt and insignificant. Smith suspects he is the world's only Kurtwood.

He was a longtime character actor before his sitcom success, usually playing cops, crooks, and other tough guys. On TV, he played the coldhearted Capt Joseph Scanlon on the mid-1980s undercover cop show Renegades with Patrick Swayze and Tracy Scoggins. In the late-80s New Adventures of Beans Baxter, Smith played the sinister mastermind who perpetually threatened the teenage spy Beans. In a funny but short-lived 1993 sitcom about a Hawaiian surf shop, Big Wave Dave's with David Morse and Jane Kaczmarek, Smith played a wacky freeloader who improbably claimed to be Hawaii Five-O's Jack Lord. He also provides the voice of Andy's father on Squirrel Boy. Fans of Star Trek know Smith as the Cardassian Thrax on Deep Space Nine, the time traveler Annorax on Voyager, and the President of the Federation in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country.

In his best-remembered movie roles, he played John Travolta's choreographer in Staying Alive, the sadistic second-string bad-guy who worked for Ronny Cox in RoboCop, Robert Sean Leonard's domineering father in Dead Poets Society, Nicole Kidman's clueless father in To Die For, the Secretary of Defense in Travolta's Broken Arrow, and one of Winona Ryder's several psychiatrists in Girl, Interrupted. In his quintessential film performance, he played the cruel warden of a privatized prison in Fortress with Christopher Lambert, and he took a rare leading role in Hard Scrambled, an independent drama where his thuggish character wants control of a run-down diner.

Smith's wife is actress Joan Pirkle. They both worked on Robocop, where she played Cox's secretary, and Smith's character made a pass at her. Off-camera, Smith and Pirkle are longtime activists for single-payer universal health care.

MistyMountainHop

That would've been great, Prissy! I that alternate ending.

The play-fighting story is the only part of the episode I really like... Well, that and the fact that a girl chose Fez over Kelso. It was time for Kelso's ego to get knocked down a peg.

msstock87

I would have loved that alternate ending too for Red/Kitty, it would have been sweet and more in character.

Lisa I agree, Kelso needed to be taken down a few pegs.

nannygirl704

WOW! What pretty artwork! And I really like the new thread title!

Right the rest of the episode was good but because I think the bigger one was the RK one i skipped over it. Always forget about those Kelso and Fez moments lol

And if you both like that alternate ending...should I try it as a Oneshots?

msstock87

I would read it.

MistyMountainHop

Can't take credit for that. It was made years ago.

And that you can take credit for since I was influenced by your posts.

I'd read it, for sure. You could even do a series of short one-shots that fix all of R/K OOC moments post-S5... like all that Red/Pam mess.

SpunkiiMonkii7078

Thanks for the new thread!

msstock87

I would read a series of Red and Kitty one shots post season 5. If anybody can write them, you can.

MistyMountainHop

No problem.

Seriously, man, if I got to head a bunch of T7S fanfic writers to write a T7S movie... that would kick ass. Prissy would be the head writer on Red and Kitty's storyline.

I could see Kitty convincing Red to let them to foster a child if she was too miserable without Eric in the house. That would be an interesting story.

msstock87

That would be an interesting twist, to see them fostering a child. I would like to see how Red would treat that child.

MistyMountainHop

It all depends on the personality of the kid. If the kid was innocent like Charlie, Red would probably treat him (or her) pretty nicely. If s/he had an attitude/talked back, Red would definitely rectify that situation swiftly.

msstock87

Oh yeah, Red is not afraid to even tell a little kid he will stick his foot in their ass!

nannygirl704

Thanks to both of you for your opinions and thoughts on wanting to read a alternate ending to that episode. I think I may just do that!

Lisa, you always say that about me being your choice for RK storyline but it still means so much to hear you say that! Only hope that I won’t write a story that’ll ned up change your mind! lol

Colleen, thanks for your kind words too! I mean you’ve only read my first RK story—the one that started it all! lol—and already you feel that I do a good job at writing the pair really means a great deal.

The idea of rewriting some of those scene or endings as a collection! Now there’s an idea! I’ll have to think about that one! That is if you don’t mind Lisa.

I could see Kitty wanting to foster another child but I don’t think I’d want to actually see it in the show. Might start feeling too much like Happy Day’s later seasons when the different cousins started living with the Cunningham’s. Maybe in fanfic but even then it’s kind a like we already know how Red and Kitty would treat a child who wasn’t their own but living in their home, they’d love them like their own. And it might be fun to see how the gang would react too but again we kinda saw that in The Good Son.

Red and Kitty fostering another kid is a nice idea but for me I think that once all the kids were grown and out of the house they enjoyed their time alone. Kitty would take awhile to get used to it but eventually would remember how much she had loved the days of it just being her and Red. And besides it’s The Forman House I doubt that place was ever empty for too long.

msstock87

Prissy, the rest of your stories are on my list to read, I have been really busy with school lately, I just started going back and I have had a lot of tests and papers lately!

You're right about the Forman house, it would never be empty for long.

nannygirl704

The Forman House being empty would be sad. Think it might even depress Red and some point…maybe…very little but still! Lol

Any songs that remind you all of Red and Kitty? Listening to the radio today and heard one that I’ve always thought fit with Red and Kitty.

Merle Haggard (bout as country as you can get )Let’s Chase Each Other Around The Room Tonight. Give it a listen if you get the chance, if not I think the title alone explains my reasons!