Love Boat (and companion Fantasy Island) were basically employment agencies for second rate stars who needed some quick work by making a guest appearance on the show, and both of these had just about every washed-up nearly-forgotten star still walking. Jo Ann Pflug, Martha Raye, Charo, Jamie Farr, both Darrens from Bewitched, Ruth Buzzi... the scary list goes on and on.
It was Saturday night mind candy, designed to help you forget you had no date that night and were stuck at home with ABC (because after shows like Carol Burnett were off CBS - Saturday night was a dumping ground for the other networks).
Murder, She Wrote (which I personally loved, what can I say) seemed to take on the role of being the catch-all for guest stars after the Love Boat era was over. Martin Milner, Larry Hagman, Bernard Fox, Tom Wopat... oooh, it just makes you cringe.
