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Quick, Baby Boomers, Do You Remember That Sitcom About Those Goofy Carpenters, Sandwiched Between ‘The Flintstones’ and ’77 Sunset Strip’ on Friday Nights for One Golden Season When We Were Growing Up? Marty Ingels Dies at 79

Oct 22, 2015  •  Post A Comment

Marty Ingels, an actor and comedian best known for a 1960s comedy series about a bunch of carpenters and for his longtime marriage to Oscar-winning actress Shirley Jones, has died.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Ingels, one of the stars of “I’m Dickens, He’s Fenster,” died Wednesday at a medical center in Tarzana, Calif., of complications from a stroke. He was 79.

Jones, who had been married to Ingels since 1977, announced his death. Jones, the matriarch of TV’s “Partridge Family,” won an Oscar for the 1960 movie “Elmer Gantry.”

In a statement, Jones said: “He often drove me crazy, but there’s not a day I won’t miss him and love him to my core.”

“Ingels began his career with TV appearances in the 1960s before landing a co-starring role opposite John Astin on ABC’s ‘I’m Dickens, He’s Fenster,'” THR notes. “He also appeared in two episodes of CBS’s ‘The Dick Van Dyke Show’ as Sol Pomeroy and on an episode of ABC’s ‘Bewitched.'”

The fondly remembered “I’m Dickens, He’s Fenster” lasted just one season on ABC, airing 32 episodes. The show had a time slot between “The Flintstones” and “77 Sunset Strip,” but faced stiff competition, airing opposite “Sing Along With Mitch” on NBC and “Route 66” on CBS.

Along with occasional TV and feature film roles, Ingels later focused on voiceovers and worked as an agent.

Ingels and Jones published an autobiography, “Shirley & Marty: An Unlikely Love Story,” in 1990.

Here’s an appearance by Jones and Ingels on “The View”:

4 Comments

  1. I don’t recall any particular episodes, but I remember “I’m Dickens, He’s Fenster” being very funny and was disappointed when it was cancelled. After that I was always on the lookout for Marty Ingels or John Austin in other shows as I knew they would be funny.

    As a kid I was fascinated by the “Dickens/Fenster” title sequence of the characters installing two knobs on the same door. Their surprised, yet nonchalant reaction when the door opened from either side was priceless.

    I think that sequence helped spark my life long interest in DIY carpentry. I spent some time trying to work out how it was done and eventually figured out a method. I’ve been waiting ever since then for an opportunity (reason) to install one somewhere.

    Thanks, Marty.

  2. I was 7 years old when “I’m Dickens, He’s Fenster” premiered. My parents got our family a dog that year we gave him “Fenster” for a middle name… Duke Fenster. I don’t recall much about the show but, apparently, we enjoyed it!

  3. I can recall all of the “Dickens/Fenster episodes…it was hilarious and particularly John Astin…not to mention Marty Ingels as Corporal Agarn on “F Troop.” A funny guy, and crazy as well. Loved the shows.

    • I don’t know if Ingels may have appeared in an episode of F Troop, but Larry Storch played Corporal Agarn.

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