"The Good Guys" was the series Bob did right after "Gilligan's Island". The show was even filmed on the Gilligan soundstage, which had been converted to a three camera live
stage to accommodate
the cameras and a
studio audience.
(Even if Bob hadn't known it was the same stage, the sand in every nook and cranny would have been a dead giveaway.)

 Seen by few, the show lasted only two seasons. During the filming of the Gilligan movies, Bob found out one of the reasons for its early demise - it had been up against Sherwood's second extremely successful show, "The Brady Bunch" ! No wonder the ratings weren't as good as they could have been - the Bradys were America's favorite family and had the ratings to prove it.

In "The Good Guys" Bob played Rufus T. Butterworth, a cabbie whose best friend Bert (Herb Edelman) ran a diner with his wife (Joyce Van Patten). Just
as he had in his first two series, Bob lucked out again with his co-stars. Joyce and Herb
were wonderful.

In case you're keeping track, Herb went on to star as Bea Arthur's ex in "The Golden Girls" and Joyce
is the sister of Dick Van Patten of "Eight is Enough" fame.

After 11 straight years of doing TV series, Bob was tired and ready to leave the work and Hollywood behind. The irony was that after his first two series, Bob had finally realized how to negotiate a good deal and was to receive points in "The Good Guys" everytime the show reran. Wouldn't you know
 that hasn't happened yet? We ask you, have you seen reruns of this show anywhere? Maybe in
South America, but not here in the US of A.

One good thing did come out of the failure of
"The Good Guys", though. Bob was asked to replace Woody Allen on Broadway in the show
"Play It Again, Sam". He met Woody briefly on Woody's closing night and then began his
own run on the Great White Way!

Flag down Rufus' cab to hitch a ride
over to Dusty's Trail or to take flight with the Far Out Space Nuts.