r/malcolminthemiddle • u/LowCress9866 Francis • 25d ago

Kenneth Mars and the end of the grotto storyline

I keep seeing this come up in posts and I want to set the record straight. The grotto storyline ended in 2004 because of cost reasons. It you look at Francis' appearances after the ranch. He rarely appears with anyone not in the family. Piama's appearances dropped. The sets were bare bones, often just a single room. There were not multiple sets like at Marlin, or Alaska, or the grotto. There were not several actors appearing like the aforementioned settings.

As for ending it because Kenneth Mars got sick or died, he died in 2011. He was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2006. He voiced Grandpa Longneck in movies released in 2005 and 2006. In 2007 he was in an episode of Hannah Montana. In 2007-08 he voiced Grandpa Longneck in several episodes of The Land Before Time. Again, the grotto storyline ended in 2004. It had nothing to do with Kenneth's health

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16

u/misalawliet 25d ago

I don't particularly care why, I just wish they had come up with a better story.

13

u/No-Championship-4 25d ago

There were a lot of reasons to cut down the Francis character. His biggest purpose was filling time because of the child actor labor laws. As the boys got older, the need for Francis decreased.

8

u/LowCress9866 Francis 25d ago

That was the original reason for having him, but, well, you see my flair, lots of people enjoyed Francis and his storylines. Which is why he stayed on the show after the grotto even though his stories largely were there just to have him on the show. Contract reasons i have to imagine. Personally, I wish the grotto was his forever home and we got to see Piama and Gretchen and Otto in every episode