77 Sunset Strip / Hawaiian Eye, etc. (1 Viewer)

[cadavra]

I agree on the cutting off of parts of the frame. Those close-ups are a Jack Webb trademark so no doubt William Conrad would have picked up on that.

I wrote to them about this sometime back. They said they were transmitting it 4x3, and if it's being cropped, the cable company is doing it. (This was confirmed to me by dish owner friends who say they still get it 4x3.) I asked Spectrum about it and they said they're just transmitting what they receive. So both sides are denying it. Sheesh.

Mike S.

 

[Gary16]

I watch it over-the-air and it's a 16x9 signal with the older programs cropped. The commercials run normal 16x9. MeTV was 4x3 until a year or so ago so maybe you were given old info.

 

[Gary16]

Last night's episode, "The Toy Jungle" was the first to introduce Joan Staley to turn Hannah into a real person and also soften Stu's character.

 

[cadavra]

I watch it over-the-air and it's a 16x9 signal with the older programs cropped. The commercials run normal 16x9. MeTV was 4x3 until a year or so ago so maybe you were given old info.

Interesting, thanks. Though it doesn't explain why they would do this when virtually all of their programming remains 4x3. You'd think they'd at least pillarbox the shows themselves, as TCM does.

 

[mark-edk]

William Conrad shows up in a few S06 episodes where he's not officially credited...as a voiceover. In one he's doing play-by-play for a baseball broadcast. In another he dubs the voice for a smallish fellow with a peg-leg. The latter sounds weird because today we know that voice so well, but this aired in the pre-Cannon days.

 

[criblecoblis]

William Conrad shows up in a few S06 episodes where he's not officially credited...as a voiceover. In one he's doing play-by-play for a baseball broadcast. In another he dubs the voice for a smallish fellow with a peg-leg. The latter sounds weird because today we know that voice so well, but this aired in the pre-Cannon days.

Conrad's voice should have been quite familiar even then, because among other things he was Marshall Dillon in the radio version of Gunsmoke, and did all the announcements and narration for the various "Rocky and Bullwinkle" shows.

 

[criblecoblis]

Regarding MeTV's cropping, I only get the channel over the air (Charter Spectrum does not carry it in our area), and I can confirm that MeTV is doing it. It's not full-screen 16x9; it's more like 16x10.5.

 

[cadavra]

Regarding MeTV's cropping, I only get the channel over the air (Charter Spectrum does not carry it in our area), and I can confirm that MeTV is doing it. It's not full-screen 16x9; it's more like 16x10.5.

All righty, then, thanks.

P.S.: Still Grrrrr....

 

[LouA]

Amazingly . this thread goes back 6+ years. I think that most of really thought something would be worked out to get these shows out on DVD via the Warner Brothers Archives. We all know it's music clearance issues that are holding up release. I'm sure WBA would love to release these shows like they've done with many other "less popular" shows. But at this stage it seems less likely all the time . And when the shows are shown on television , it's in the wrong ratio.

 

[mark-edk]

And when the shows are shown on television , it's in the wrong ratio.

And time-compressed, with several minutes edited out. An amusing scene between Stu and his secretary Hannah was completely excised from 'Paper Chase' Wednesday night. That's a fairly good ep by season six standards, when key scenes aren't cut.

 

[mark-edk]

Last night's 'Alimony League' is one of the best of an uneven season. All the clichés I love: stranded on an island, thunderstorms, power failure, mysterious deaths, a vanishing corpse, howling dog, even a secret passage. The central figure is Lloyd Corrigan (Boston Blackie's millionaire pal from the old movie series), with a supporting cast that includes four ex-wives (all beautiful and charming), a new one (ditto), plus a suspicious servant and his mysterious Indian wife. As you might imagine, murders ensue. As a bonus, the by-play between Stu and Hannah, though brief, is some of the best yet.

It was at this point that the credits changed. Instead of the terrific Bradbury Bldg sequence with Stu in the elevator, now it's just Stu walking down an L.A. street at night. Same thing for the end credits. I totally don't remember this at all, and like the original better. Also, for the first time MEtv included the Warner fanfare at the end.

 

[Gary16]

Last night’s episode “The Target” was unique in that producer William Conrad, associate producer Jimmy Lydon, episode writer Tony Barrett, and episode director Lawrence Dobkin all also appeared in acting roles in the episode. Very good episode too. Great Hannah-Stu moments.

 

[Bob Gu]

So next up is the last episode.

Dropping the Bradbury from the opening was probably a deliberate decision to fuzz over that Stu was not at 77 Sunset Strip anymore. When someone was looking at Stu's I.D. in a previous S-6 episode, it said his address was 77 Sunset Strip. I forget which episode it was and will be on the look out for that scene when I watch S-6 again. I didn't notice if the I.D. card said Bailey and Spencer too. (stock shot)

 

[Gary16]

Even though Roger Smith and Edd Byrnes wouldn’t be available, I can’t help but think that if season 6 had run the full year, Roscoe would have popped in at some point.

 

[mark-edk]

After a run of episodes with no ongoing voice-over narration it was back in 'Dead as in Dude'.

With only one chance left, I sure hope Stu gets that date with Hannah.

 

[mark-edk]

So next up is the last episode.

Dropping the Bradbury from the opening was probably a deliberate decision to fuzz over that Stu was not at 77 Sunset Strip anymore

There was definitely some other motivation for the change other than just trying a new title sequence. In the last episode when the door to Stu's office opens, instead of the Bradbury building backdrop seen in earlier episodes, there's a brick wall. If they went through the expense to make a new backdrop there has to be a reason for it beyond a producer's whim.

So my imagined finale for the show, with Stu and Hannah going down the elevator for their romantic evening, didn't materialize. Not only she not go out with him, but Stu was apparently evicted!

 

[cadavra]

Last night's 'Alimony League' is one of the best of an uneven season. All the clichés I love: stranded on an island, thunderstorms, power failure, mysterious deaths, a vanishing corpse, howling dog, even a secret passage. The central figure is Lloyd Corrigan (Boston Blackie's millionaire pal from the old movie series), with a supporting cast that includes four ex-wives (all beautiful and charming), a new one (ditto), plus a suspicious servant and his mysterious Indian wife. As you might imagine, murders ensue. As a bonus, the by-play between Stu and Hannah, though brief, is some of the best yet.

It was at this point that the credits changed. Instead of the terrific Bradbury Bldg sequence with Stu in the elevator, now it's just Stu walking down an L.A. street at night. Same thing for the end credits. I totally don't remember this at all, and like the original better. Also, for the first time MEtv included the Warner fanfare at the end.

I remember enjoying "Alimony League" when it first aired and still dug it all these decades later. (I think my crush on Kathie Browne began there.) My supposition--and this is nothing more than that--is that Webb and Conrad saw the sinking ratings, realized they had made a mistake, and decided to try a "throwback" episode to see if that helped any. But since there were only four more episodes shot, I'm guessing it was too late--that either the axe had fallen or was about to. Nonetheless, it was nice to see they could still deliver the goods when they were so inclined.

Mike S.

 

[Richard V]

I remember enjoying "Alimony League" when it first aired and still dug it all these decades later. (I think my crush on Kathie Browne began there.) My supposition--and this is nothing more than that--is that Webb and Conrad saw the sinking ratings, realized they had made a mistake, and decided to try a "throwback" episode to see if that helped any. But since there were only four more episodes shot, I'm guessing it was too late--that either the axe had fallen or was about to. Nonetheless, it was nice to see they could still deliver the goods when they were so inclined.

Mike S.

Mine was on Natalie Trundy from that same episode, and who also appeared in a memorable Thriller episode and the original Planet of the Apes movies.

 

[Rustifer]

A reminder to all who are following this series that "The Silent Caper" is coming up this Thursday morning. I remember watching this episode when it originally aired. I was 10 years old and thought it was the greatest thing ever.

Yep, I agree. In fact, all of the episodes written by Roger Smith were top notch. Another favorite was "The Attic" where Jeff Spenser is tied up in the attic of a ramshackle farmhouse and has to contend with a frisky snake. Riveting.

 

[Rustifer]