Historical dramas like ‘The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel‘ do a fascinating job of lending their characters authenticity. Viewers often take the characters on the show to be real people, for instance, Gordan Ford. He hosts ‘The Gordan Ford Show.‘
Gordan Ford first appeared in season four. With Midge determined to be one of the greatest comics, Ford has a prominent place in Midge’s rise to fame. Like most characters on the show, Ford is not a real person but is based on another talk show host.
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‘The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’: Who Is Gordan Ford?
First introduced in the fourth season, Gordan Ford (played by Reid Scott) is a beloved talk show host of ‘The Gordan Ford Show.’ After Sophie Lennon’s (Jane Lynch) breakdown, Susie (Alex Borstein) manages to get her an interview with Gordan on the condition her client gives a candid interview. Sophie keeps her end of the bargain, much to her and the show’s delight.
From this point onwards, Midge becomes determined to use ‘The Gordan Ford Show‘ as a career stepping stone. At the end of season four, when Midge (Rachel Brosnahan) walks dejected in a blizzard, she sees the poster for ‘The Gordan Ford Show.’ She takes it as a sign of things to come. In season five, Midge impresses Gordan Ford with a stand-up routine. He hires her as a writer on the show.
Initially hesitant, she takes the job to have her foot in the door. Soon, she finds out it’s a boy’s club and finds it hard to get her work noticed. She also gets in a public row with Gordan. Despite crossing the line, Midge isn’t fired. Ford ends up flirting with her, which Midge playfully brushes off.
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Gordan Ford’s Character Is Based On Ernie Ford
Once again, the creators of the show draw from the well of nostalgia. Gordan Ford can easily be seen as the stand-in for many talk show hosts like Johnny Carson. But he’s particularly designed after Ernie Ford and his show ‘The Ford Show.’ Ernie was a singer and performer who hosted the variety show.
‘The Ernie Ford Show‘ was sponsored by its parent company Ford Motor Company. It ran from 1956-1961, fitting right into the time frame of ‘The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel‘ world. Similar to ‘The Gordan Ford Show,’ it also had the honor of being the highest rates variety show in the United States of America.
While ‘The Ernie Ford Show‘ mainly invited musicians, its fictional counterpart brought in celebrity guests from all fields. The latter also differs from the original show, featuring performances from stand-up comics. ‘The Gordan Ford Show‘ is filmed in New York, while Ernie Ford’s show was filmed in California.
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