 Former Major League Baseball player Wes Parker almost literally walked into his role . He was doing play @-@ by @-@ play reporting for a Los Angeles television station owned by Lear 's partner , Jerry Perenchio . " Lear casually asked if I 'd be interested in the part . I said yes , but knew it was out of the question , because in real life things don 't happen that way . Nobody walks in and gets on a Norman Lear show . I read for the part , got it and didn 't sleep at all that night . " Linda Gray was somewhat non @-@ plussed upon being offered the role of transgender Linda Murkland . " I remember meeting Norman and him saying , ' You 'll be perfect for the role . ' I didn 't know whether to take that as a compliment or what . " To prepare for her role , Linda Gray asked Lear to arrange for her to meet with a transgender woman . Gray met with her for several hours prior to the beginning of filming and on a couple of occasions during production . Lois Nettleton reportedly based her characterization of Christina Stockwood on Clark Gable . Production started in early March 1977 with director Herbert Kenwith . 
