Leery of the Space Needle’s newfangled glass floor, with Lake Union in the background and the light-blue-roofed Museum of Pop Culture below on July 12, 2024, are “Almost Live!” cast and crew: (back, from left) Hans-Eric Gosch, Darrell Suto, Mike Boydstun, Scott Schaefer, John Keister, Bill Stainton, Bob Nelson, Pat Cashman, and (front, from left) Joe Guppy, Ralph Bevins, Steve Wilson, Nancy Guppy, Tracey Conway, Jim Sharp and Ross Shafer. (Jean Sherrard)
See and hear more about ‘Almost Live!’
By Clay Eals
Below are 4 extra present-day videos and 36 historical and present-day photos, all related to “Almost Live!”
The first two videos are interviews of Pat Cashman, Ross Shafer and John Keister and are courtesy of Tom Layson, managing editor and host of “Northwest Now” at KBTC-TV, Tacoma. Look for the station’s special on “Almost Live!” this fall!
The third video circles the cast and crew as they socialize July 12, 2024, following their group photo session at the Space Needle.
The fourth video, courtesy of Shafer, is of Shafer’s standup routine at Laughs Comedy Club on July 11, 2024, the night before the July 12 group photos at the Space Needle.
And from here on is a smorgasbord of some 36 photos in roughly chronological order. Big thanks to everyone who contributed materials for this “Almost Live!” presentation. Enjoy!
Promoting “Louie Louie” as the state’s official rock song, Ross Shafer, the first “Almost Live!” host, speaks on the state Capitol steps April 12, 1985, before a crowd of 3,000 and several rock bands. (Courtesy Ross Shafer)As Lt. Gov. John Cherberg looks on, “Almost Live!” host Ross Shafer urges Washington legislators on April 12, 1985, to adopt “Louie Louie” as the state’s official rock song. (Courtesy Ross Shafer)“Our show had passion and legs,” says Dana Dwinell, “Almost Live!” producer for its first nearly two years, shown circa 1985. (Courtesy Ross Shafer)John Keister reluctantly vacuums the “Almost Live!” set circa 1986. (Courtesy Ross Shafer)Cast photo after Ross Shafer departed in spring 1988: (from left) Steve Wilson, Bill Nye, John Keister, Mike Boydstun, Pat Cashman and Joe Guppy. (Courtesy John Keister)The 1990 “Almost Live!” writer/performer cast: (back, from left) Pat Cashman, John Keister, Ed Wyatt, (front, from left) Bill Nye, director Steve Wilson, producer Bill Stainton, Tracey Conway and Bob Nelson. (Courtesy KING 5)The Comedy Central logo blended with the “Almost Live!” logo in 1992. (John Keister)An inside page of a 1992 Comedy Central promotional folder for “Almost Live!” showcased John Keister with a rubber duck stuck to his pate. (Courtesy Tracey Conway)The inside of a 1992 Comedy Central promotional folder for “Almost Live!” also included old-fashioned three-way flip photos, featuring Pat Cashman, Tracey Conway and Darrell Suto. (Courtesy Tracey Conway)A 1993 cast photo: (back, from left) Bill Stainton, Bob Nelson, Pat Cashman, Ed Wyatt, and (front, from left) Steve Wilson, Nancy Guppy, John Keister and Tracey Conway. (Courtesy KING 5)Gussied-up Tracey Conway (left) and Nancy Guppy rehearse a sketch circa mid-1990s. (Courtesy Tracey Conway)The ticket, front and back, for entry to “Almost Live!” tapings on Saturday evenings in the KING-TV studios. (Courtesy Steve Wilson)Happily drenched in Green Lake in 1994 are “Almost Live!” cast members (from left) Steve Wilson, Nancy Guppy, Pat Cashman, Bill Stainton, John Keister, Bob Nelson, Tracey Conway and Ed Wyatt. But as they sank deeper … (Courtesy KING 5)None too happy at being up to their necks in Green Lake in 1994 are the “Almost Live!” cast members: (from left) Nancy Guppy, Steve Wilson, Bill Stainton, John Keister, Pat Cashman, Bob Nelson, Tracey Conway and Ed Wyatt. (Courtesy KING 5)In a July 1994 ad for the Bon Marche department store (predecessor of Macy’s), “Almost Live!” was used to sell TVs. The cast: (back, from left) Ed Wyatt, Pat Cashman, Bob Nelson, Bill Stainton, and (front, from left) Tracey Conway, John Keister, Nancy Guppy and Steve Wilson. (Courtesy Steve Wilson)“Almost Live!” cast circa 1995: (back, from left) Pat Cashman, Bill Stainton, Nancy Guppy, Tracey Conway, Steve Wilson, and (front, from left) Bob Nelson, Joel McHale and John Keister. (Courtesy KING 5)A Polaroid of Nancy Guppy, personally inscribed to Hans-Eric Gosch, associate producer, mid-1990s. (Courtesy Hans-Eric Gosch)“Almost Live!” cast circa 1997: (from left) Steve Wilson, Joel McHale, John Keister, Nancy Guppy, Bob Nelson, Tracey Conway, Pat Cashman and Bill Stainton. (Courtesy KING 5)Nancy Guppy delights in the Bavarian décor of Leavenworth while filming an August 1997 sketch in continuing spoof of the TV series “COPS.” (Courtesy Steve Wilson)Nancy Guppy is flanked by Joel McHale (left) and Steve Wilson in Leavenworth during an August 1997 filming in continuous spoof of the TV series “COPS.” (Courtesy Steve Wilson)“Almost Live!” cast and crew soak up the Leavenworth atmosphere during a remote shoot in August 1997: (from left): Bob Nelson, Hans-Eric Gosch, Ralph Bevins, Tracey Conway, Steve Wilson, Nancy Guppy, Bill Stainton, Joel McHale, Pat Cashman and John Keister. (Courtesy Steve Wilson)On the reviewing stand, Magnolia Seafair parade grand marshals Steve Wilson (left) and John Keister from “Almost Live!” flank Bill Nye the Science Guy, dubbed King Neptune for the day, on Aug. 6, 1997.Filming a 1997 “Nature Walk with Chuck” sketch in Wenatchee National Forest, (from left) Matt Smith, Hans-Eric Gosch and Bill Stainton. (Courtesy Hans-Eric Gosch)A cast photo for the October 1997 sketch “Green Riverdance.” (Courtesy Tracey Conway)The 1998 “Almost Live” cast-and-crew photo: (back, from left) Nancy Guppy, John Keister, Chad Syme, and (front, from left) Bob Nelson, Ralph Bevins, Lauren Weedman, Bill Stainton, Tracey Conway, Pat Cashman and Steve Wilson. (Courtesy KING 5)New cast member Lauren Weedman and longtime host John Keister enjoy a party in spring 1998 at El Gaucho. (Courtesy Steve Wilson)Hans-Eric Gosch, playing Ace Frehley of the KISS rock band, points to the “funny meter” in September 1998 as host John Keister considers his own rating. (Courtesy Hans-Eric Gosch)Circling Gov. Gary Locke during taping of the final show of “Almost Live!” in May 1999 are (clockwise from left) Tracey Conway, Bill Stainton, Bill Nye, Nancy Guppy, John Keister and Steve Wilson. (Courtesy Tracey Conway)To celebrate Bob Nelson’s directorial debut with “The Confirmation,” cast members of “Almost Live!” gather in March 2016 at the Varsity Theater: (from left) Ralph Bevins, Bill Stainton, Nelson, John Keister, Nancy Guppy, Matt Smith, Joe Guppy and Hans-Eric Gosch. (Courtesy Ralph Bevins)An online ad showcases a July 11, 2024, performance by John Keister and Ross Shafer, both of whom hosted “Almost Live!”, at Laughs Comedy Club on Roosevelt Avenue.An alternate image of the hosts together again: Ross Shafer (left) introduces John Keister during a July 11, 2024, show at Laughs Comedy Club on Roosevelt Avenue. (Clay Eals)In a copy of the Bryan Johnston oral history of “Almost Live!” owned by Myron Jenkins of West Seattle, the inside front page is signed by a dozen cast members. Jenkins brought the book to Ross Shafer’s and John Keister’s July 11, 2024, performance at Laughs Comedy Club on Roosevelt Avenue. (Clay Eals)(From right) Tracey Conway and Nancy Guppy hug while Darrell Suto and Joe Guppy look on, during the group-photo reunion July 12, 2024, at the Space Needle. (Jean Sherrard)Mike Boydstun shows off his Billy Quan shirt, front and back, while standing with the man who played Quan on the show, Darrell Suto, during the group-photo reunion July 12, 2024, at the Space Needle. (Jean Sherrard)Enjoying a laugh at the July 12, 2024, group-photo reunion are (from left) Bill Stainton, Ross Shafer, Bob Nelson and John Keister. (Clay Eals)Ross Shafer (left) and John Keister, the two hosts of “Almost Live!”, pose July 12, 2024, at the base of the Space Needle. (Jean Sherrard)
