"240-Robert" lasted longer than you might think, running for two seasons on ABC from 1979 to 1981. Aside from Matthew Perry and John Bennett Perry, the drama also boasted a hefty cast of future stars. Working beside the elder Perry as the show's co-lead was Mark Harmon, years before "St. Elsewhere" established him as a star and "NCIS" cemented him as a Hollywood legend.
Also in the supporting cast was Joanna Cassidy, a few years before she portrayed Zhora in "Blade Runner" and Dolores in "Who Framed Roger Rabbit?" Making guest appearances on "240-Robert" were Jenilee Harrison — just before she began playing Cindy Snow on "Three's Company" — and Shelley Morrison after her "Flying Nun" role but before her time on "Will and Grace" as Rosario. The multitalented Dinah Shore even played herself once on the show.
Clearly, "240-Robert" was something special, no matter how long it lasted, as it helped give Matthew Perry a taste of the acting life. If his father hadn't nailed the role of Theodore Applegate, then who knows — the world might not have gotten to see Perry play Chandler Bing.
