77 Sunset Strip / Hawaiian Eye, etc. (2 Viewers)

[criblecoblis]

Episode Re-look
"The Bouncing Chip" (S1E5)

Russ, one of your most enjoyable posts! By an amazing coincidence, we just re-watched this episode last night, so it's fresh in my mind. It is a great episode, with EZ in superb form and a great cast. And Ruta is never lovelier.

As much as I love the character of Stu Bailey, there was a certain breezy, edgy panache to him in these early episodes that mostly got buried later on, and this episode is a good example of this, in the way Stu really throws himself into his two undercover roles in the episode.

In fact, that is the one thing I rue more than any other regarding the show. All the characters lost a bit of their initial sparkle: Jeff's street-wise knowledge of useful sources about town, as seen in "Casualty"; Roscoe's early Runyonesque air, in the same episode; Suzanne's occasional impatience with Stu in "Lovely Lady, Pity Me"; and of course Kookie's edginess.

 

[Gary16]

 

[Mysto]

View attachment 59387

Breakfast please. Stu isn't in yet.

 

[Rustifer]

View attachment 59387

Check out the phone number. I wonder if you dialed it today, who / what would answer? Might be interesting for one you locals to give it a try.

 

[Mysto]

This is who is there now.

I'm assuming this link https://www.lamag.com/citythinkblog/vintage-los-angeles-sunset-stripped/ has been covered.

 

[Flashgear]

I wonder who the perp was who had the nerve to embellish Dino's caricature with a sinister moustache and cigar? Ha, ha...

 

[Mysto]

I wonder who the perp was who had the nerve to embellish Dino's caricature with a sinister moustache and cigar? Ha, ha...
View attachment 59395

It was Russ!

 

[Flashgear]

Another tremendous and hilarious review, Russ! I like Bouncing Chip too...engaging plotline and witty repartee, as we discover 77 Sunset Strip's leading cast members being fleshed out into more fully drawn and rich characters in this early episode...here's some screen caps I took from the episode...


The "Meteor" hotel/casino...a joint, we are told, that is owned by a "combine", a 1958 euphemism for the mob I presume, ha, ha...


The Meteor is infested with these cockroaches, among others..."Frenchy" (Brad Dexter) and "ace" (an uncredited Larry J. Blake)...


Hanging out (inexplicably) with these greaseballs is the radiant Ruta Lee...thank goodness...




A running gag has Stu and Kookie sharing a sandwich, rather aggressively...









Stu enjoying the sweet smoke of victory...


Inside Stu's jacket...it ain't Botany 500, ha, ha...


It's appropriate that Brad Dexter play the heavy in Bouncing Chip...Dexter (one of the Magnificent Seven) was a real Vegas guy, an associate of the Rat Pack, and a close friend of Frank Sinatra...indeed, he was such a close and trusted friend of Sinatra that Dexter witnessed actual Chicago Mob payoffs of money bags between Sinatra, Chicago Mob Boss Sam Giancana and union and political hacks at the 1960 Los Angeles Democratic party convention...and he witnessed earlier mob money drops during the infamous West Virginia primary...Brad Dexter is cited as a principal source repeatedly in author Anthony Summers brilliant biography, Sinatra, The Life...Dexter also had plenty to say about Sinatra and JFK's escapades with various ladies before his death in 2002...talking freely only years after Sinatra's death, of course...and the deaths of Godfather Sam Giancana and Mafia underboss and CIA Castro assassination plotter Johnny Rosselli...those were the days of broad shoulders, big city boss men and made men fat guys calling the shots...

 

[Rustifer]

It was Russ!

Not me. I was in the men's room with Suzanne.

 

[MartinP.]

If you think about it, to a normal person "Breakfast Until 4:00 A.M." is very amusing.

Check out the phone number. I wonder if you dialed it today, who / what would answer? Might be interesting for one of you locals to give it a try.

"You rang?"


(213) OL2-7622 -- "Your call cannot be completed as dialed."

(424) OL2-7622 -- "I'm sorry, your call did not go through..."

(310) OL2-7622 -- "The number you have reached 3-1-0-6-5-2-7-6-2-2 has been disconnected."

(323) OL2-7622 -- A man answered immediately who sounded in a hurry. I tried to get his name,
................................but he just said "You've got the wrong number," and hung up.

 

[Rustifer]

If you think about it, to a normal person "Breakfast Until 4:00 A.M." is very amusing.




"You rang?"


(213) OL2-7622 -- "Your call cannot be completed as dialed."

(424) OL2-7622 -- "I'm sorry, your call did not go through..."

(310) OL2-7622 -- "The number you have reached 3-1-0-6-5-2-7-6-2-2 has been disconnected."

(323) OL2-7622 -- A man answered immediately who sounded in a hurry. I tried to get his name,
................................but he just said "You've got the wrong number," and hung up.

Excellent try, Martin! Thanks for giving it a go.

 

[ponset]

I wonder who the perp was who had the nerve to embellish Dino's caricature with a sinister moustache and cigar? Ha, ha...
View attachment 59395

That Dino caricature sort of looks like like Ernie Kovacs to me.

 

[criblecoblis]

That Dino caricature sort of looks like like Ernie Kovacs to me.

View attachment 59440

Scott, You're undoubtedly correct.

 

[criblecoblis]

It's appropriate that Brad Dexter play the heavy in Bouncing Chip...Dexter (one of the Magnificent Seven) was a real Vegas guy, an associate of the Rat Pack, and a close friend of Frank Sinatra...

Randall, that's some fascinating information about Brad Dexter! Also, Dexter actually saved Sinatra from drowning during the filming of None But The Brave, which I believe is what led to their friendship.

 

[Rustifer]

That Dino caricature sort of looks like like Ernie Kovacs to me.

View attachment 59440

Ah ha! What a fine opportunity to use this as a segue to Edie Adams, to whom Ernie was married (1954-1962).

She most assuredly put the voom in va-va-va-voom.

 

[Gary16]

Randall, that's some fascinating information about Brad Dexter! Also, Dexter actually saved Sinatra from drowning during the filming of None But The Brave, which I believe is what led to their friendship.

That’s true but then years later Dexter advised Sinatra not to marry Mia Farrow which caused Sinatra to end their friendship.

 

[criblecoblis]

That’s true but then years later Dexter advised Sinatra not to marry Mia Farrow which caused Sinatra to end their friendship.

Yes, I have learned from personal experience not to volunteer my opinion in such circumstances. It is never welcomed.

 

[Mysto]

Yes, I have learned from personal experience not to volunteer my opinion in such circumstances. It is never welcomed.

But he was right.
I never got the Mia Farrow thing.

 

[Rustifer]

Yes, I have learned from personal experience not to volunteer my opinion in such circumstances. It is never welcomed.

My dog's opinion of me, I've discovered, is very much influenced on whether I have a treat in my hand.

 

[cadavra]

If you think about it, to a normal person "Breakfast Until 4:00 A.M." is very amusing..

Well, not necessarily. Depending on the project, actors often have to get up extremely early to be at the studio in time for make-up, wardrobe, blocking rehearsals, etc., as well as the crew members who are also involved. Breakfast at 3:30 AM isn't so crazy if you have to go over the hill to Warners, Disney, Universal or one of the many ranches and be there by, say, 5:00.

Mike S.