12 Beloved Classic TV Stars the People Behind the Camera Couldn't Stand

On screen, they were the stars America couldn't wait to see every week. Off screen, the writers, directors and crews who made them look good were counting the days until it was over. Using their memoirs and their own words, we look at twelve beloved classic TV stars the people behind the camera couldn't stand — from the comedian who went through so many writers he "quit counting at 87," to the Saturday Night Live legend who wanted the women in the writers' room fired. Which of these surprised you most? Tell us in the comments. CHAPTERS 0:00 Intro 0:28 Peter Falk (Columbo) 3:33 Craig T. Nelson (Coach) 5:33 Fred Dryer (Hunter) 7:56 Steven Hill (Mission: Impossible) 10:00 Vince Edwards (Ben Casey) 12:02 Darren McGavin (Kolchak: The Night Stalker) 14:21 Tom Arnold (Roseanne) 16:23 Gates McFadden (Star Trek: The Next Generation) 18:44 Jeff Conaway (Taxi) 20:39 Tony Franciosa (The Name of the Game) 22:44 Red Buttons (The Red Buttons Show) 24:54 John Belushi (Saturday Night Live) 27:16 Bonus: Danny Kaye (The Danny Kaye Show) SOURCES David Koenig, "Shooting Columbo" (2021) · Alan Rafkin, "Cue the Bunny on the Rainbow" (1998) · Patrick J. White, "The Complete Mission: Impossible Dossier" (1991) · Bill Davidson, "TV's Surly Medico," The Saturday Evening Post (1962) · Los Angeles Times (1996) · The Daily Advertiser / MeTV (2024) · Chuck Lorre, "Sitcom: A Memoir" (2026) · Entertainment Weekly · TheWrap (2026) · Variety (2026) · TrekMovie oral history (2009) · Inside of You podcast (2023) · The Howard Stern Show (2008) · The Hollywood Reporter, "The Name of the Game" oral history · TV Guide · Dorothy Kilgallen, Screenland (1953) · NBC press release (1955) · Mark Evanier, News From ME · Television Academy Foundation interview with Anne Beatts · Vulture · TheWrap SNL50 (Rosie Shuster) #ClassicTV #OldHollywood #HollywoodSecrets