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

[Rustifer]

OK Russ - You wanted me to post - so you got me riled up.
I'm from the Big D and we did know about cars. I was part of the famous cruisin' Woodward Ave back in the day. Although we were more into hot cars than hot rods. That cruise remains today as the Dream Cruise and brings hundreds of vintage cars to continue up and down the street looking for that string of drive-ins that no longer exist.
The One and Only Dream Cruise

Marv! You finally came out from under your shade tree! If I knew all it took was car talk, I would've broached the subject long ago.

Just one state west of you, some 60's teens actually were hot-rodders, souping up their small block Chevy's.

In my neck of the woods, Anne--"souped up" may well as meant pouring Campbell's Chicken Noodle into the radiator...

 

[Ree]

OK Russ - You wanted me to post - so you got me riled up.
I'm from the Big D and we did know about cars. I was part of the famous cruisin' Woodward Ave back in the day. Although we were more into hot cars than hot rods. That cruise remains today as the Dream Cruise and brings hundreds of vintage cars to continue up and down the street looking for that string of drive-ins that no longer exist.
The One and Only Dream Cruise

After Covid passes, you might consider attending the Route 66 Mother Road Festival in Springfield IL. The Saturday evening cruise is about as good a spectator sport as a boomer could want!

 

[Gary16]

It always stumped me that 77SS never featured Efrem Zimbalist's prodigious musical talents in any of the episodes--except perhaps a very brief piano stint on Reserved For Mr. Bailey. Maybe Efrem just didn't want to show off, or he didn't think it would fit his Private Eye character--although he seemed sophisticated and worldly enough in all other matters. A puzzler, for sure.

I'm sure Warner Bros. had big plans for Dorothy Provine, which probably didn't include her retiring from acting in 1968 after getting married. She was most memorable, to me, in the film Good Neighbor Sam--one of those semi-"sexy" romcoms so prevalent in the 1960's.

I always loved “Good Neighbor Sam” and Miss Provine's role. Took a long time for it to come out on dvd. Still hoping for a bluray release.

 

[Ree]

I always loved “Good Neighbor Sam” and Miss Provine's role. Took a long time for it to come out on dvd. Still hoping for a bluray release.

Wasn't there an embarrassing (to WB) mini-scandal after they released an official bio of her that severely exaggerated her educational background, claiming she made dean's list at prestigious school she'd not even attended? I kind of recall the fan magazines describing the incident as having disillusioned her with the industry and contributing to her early retirement. Anyone?

 

[Tom.W]

Wasn't there an embarrassing (to WB) mini-scandal after they released an official bio of her that severely exaggerated her educational background, claiming she made dean's list at prestigious school she'd not even attended? I kind of recall the fan magazines describing the incident as having disillusioned her with the industry and contributing to her early retirement. Any

I remember hearing something about that somewhere. Maybe it was from you lol. I'm still a fan. Her song and dance routines in Roaring 20's were memorable and fun. Gary, thanks for the reminder about "Good Neighbor Sam." I may revisit that some day. I remember seeing it in the theater.

Russ, you can add Mamie Van Doren to the list of Bo Belinsky's girlfriends.

 

[Rustifer]

Russ, you can add Mamie Van Doren to the list of Bo Belinsky's girlfriends.

Freakishly lucky guy, that Bo Belinsky....

 

[Flashgear]

Hawaiian Eye season 2 episode 38, A Taste For Money (May 31, 1961) D: Richard Bartlett, W: Anthony Eisely. Guest cast: Robert Colbert, Vaughn Taylor, Anne Robinson, Shary Marshall, Thayer Roberts.

With his second script credit in Hawaiian Eye, Anthony Eisely turns in a darker side to his Tracy Steele character... the murder of a beautiful trophy wife (Anne Robinson) of a local rich guy (Vaughn Taylor) in a staged accident triggering an episode of PTSD in mournful remembrance for Tracy's own lost love. Tracy makes bringing the real culprit to justice a personal vendetta driven by falling into the bottle and propelled by an uncharacteristic brutality in solving the crime in place of the Honolulu P.D. As Tracy goes rogue, Tom Lopaka (Robert Conrad) and Cricket Blake (Connie Stevens) become ever more concerned for their friend...my screen caps taken from homemade DVD derived from a somewhat beat-up 16mm film source...

Robert Colbert, having cashed out as 'Brent Maverick', was still getting loads of guest starring roles in the WB universe of westerns and private-eye shows...he was in 7 episodes of this series alone...

As this episode opens, Tom is on the phone with a client and mildly irritated by Kim (ongoing irritation courtesy of Ponce Ponce, ha) giving ukulele lessons to Cricket plunking away on his tormented ukulele...lord knows, the real Robert Conrad would have been tossing someone into the pool by now, ha, ha...

The prospective client, big wheel Harvey Monfreedy (Vaughn Taylor), contemplating yet another pending divorce, is launching darts into a photo of his gold-digging wife...

Monfreedy's chauffer and executive assistant Charles Quinford (Robert Colbert) is one very calculating and duplicitous character...bent on treachery and graft at the expense of his employer...

The lovely lady and current trophy wife Claire Monfreedy (Anne Robinson), is also a mercenary type bent on cashing in to the hilt on hubbie's cash...she is wife number four, all of her predecessors having also cashed in with big divorce settlements...each of whom was introduced to old man Monfreedy by Charles, and each of whom has paid him a fat cut of their divorce settlements along the way! Charles is determined to keep this wild scheme going...Charles has prospective wife number five, Paula, (Shary Marshall) in the wings and urges Claire to get going with her own divorce proceedings so Charles can take his usual deep cut...

Much to his surprise, Claire is not ready to move on just yet, and angry at Charles wanting to replace her with Paula, refuses to initiate divorce proceedings with Monfreedy...not surprisingly, Claire soon goes over a cliff in her car...just after cab driver Kim is injured in a hit and run on the same road just minutes before...

One thing nice from having these sourced on 16mm film are the 'bumpers' going into and out of commercials, with the accompanying voice over "and now, back to Hawaiian Eye!" with the title card displayed...

Tracy, having had his long subdued PTSD triggered by Kim's near fatal "accident", is drinking too much and brooding over his long lost love...who died in a similar hit and run...Tom and Cricket are worried for their friend and partner...

Moneybags Monfreedy (the colorless Vaughn Taylor as the protoypical skirt chasing millionaire), is either a fool for not seeing through these repeated shakedowns...or perhaps not as clueless as we might think...remember the dartboard?

Charles in his chauffer get-up...under pressure and maybe ready to crack under aggressive questioning by Tracy Steele?

Charles doesn't know it yet, but Tracy has already blown a hole in Charle's alibi...his whereabouts on the night of Claire's "accident"...something about the limo's mileage not adding up if Charles was actually where he and his "witness" claims he was...

Tracy checks in with Tom via the car phone...a 12 channel monoplex of the kind I used in the mid seventies...friends of mine were blown away by my car phone (and my briefcase phone-fax)...chicks digged it too...I felt like I was James Bond, ha, ha...

Charle's alibi witness is this brawny slug (Thayer Roberts)...this greaseball will prove to be easily cracked by an increasingly manic Tracy...

Continued next post...

 

[Flashgear]

Hawaiian Eye S2E38 A Taste For Money (May 31, 1961) cont'd...

Ah, the male chauvinist impulse of 1950s/1960s Hollywood...this camera shot opens fully focused on Paula's (Shary Marshall's) posterior...I approve, then and now, of such artistic filmmaking, ha, ha...

Tom Approves too...he's here to question Paula on her questionable relationship with old man Monfreedy, and more importantly, with chauffer Charles...

The handsome bastard seems to have charmed his way into her co-operating in the investigation...

Tracy, Tom and Cricket visit the injured Kim in hospital...Kim has unfortunately emerged from his coma...and thus the world will continue to be blessed by his witticisms and tormented plunking of his demented ukulele after all...

Two of Kim's gorgeous "cousins" are also there...

Tom and Tracy interrogate Charles in a further bid to make him crack...is he just a grifter, or a murderer too?

Having a good sweat, buddy? Yea, you're ready to crack like a wallnut...

Especially after Tracy flips out and applies some "English" to Charle's mug...

After some murky and too dark action scenes involving a car chase and the extraordinary athleticism of Robert Conrad, who goes from nearly being run over by a car to somehow landing in the back seat to get a choke-hold on the murderer...Honolulu P.D. detective Lt. Danny Quon (Mel Prestidge) gets word that his homicide case has been solved for him, completely without his involvement...Lt. Quon is really pissed, as he fears that he'll never get a big league call-up to McGarrett's 5-0 after all...

Tom is delighted...he clearly is unaware of the creepy dog ornament looming over his shoulder...

All's well that ends well back at Kim's hospital room...for the love of god, keep that damn ukulele away from him...

Especially after another three of Kim's "cousins" show up, ha, ha...

In addition to such charming film artifacts as dirt and hair in the gate, sprocket stutter and splice tape, you also get what I assume is end-of-reel grease paint markings...love it all, including the 5-4-3-2-1 countdown on the film leader...and sometimes the original network commercials too...those cool, cool, menthol smokes...I might take up smoking after all, ha, ha...

 

[Rustifer]

my screen caps taken from homemade DVD derived from a somewhat beat-up 16mm film source...

Yep, that's what my copies of the series looks like, too.

h, the male chauvinist impulse of 1950s/1960s Hollywood...this camera shot opens fully focused on Paula's (Shary Marshall's) posterior

Her pants seam there looks like its getting quite nicely nestled into munchkinland...

Another nice review, Randall.

 

[MartinP.]

Russ, you can add Mamie Van Doren to the list of Bo Belinsky's girlfriends.

Freakishly lucky guy, that Bo Belinsky....

Yeah, what is it with that guy? A year after his no hitter the Angels send him back to the minor leagues in Hawaii, so he takes off to Hawaii with Mamie Van Doren! And says he won't go unless he can take his Cadillac with him.

If you want to read these articles they're a hoot. This guy is something else.

May 27, 1963, page 26 - Honolulu Star-Bulletin at Newspapers.com - Newspapers.com

View the digital scanned newspaper from Honolulu Star-Bulletin dated May 27, 1963, page 26.

www.newspapers.com

 

[LouA]

Given that so many "full sets" are available, but with episodes of varying quality, perhaps we should organize a swap circle - each list the episodes of which we have good quality burns and would be wiling to burn copies to trade for episodes of which we have only barely watchable ones.
Meanwhile, I'll try to attach sample pages from the article about the 1922 Bucket-T Kookie car.
FWIW, I can't claim to remember it very well from the series - mostly just recall the neat little vaulting method he used to get into a convertible without opening the door. View attachment 78941 View attachment 78942

COOL car!
Yes, I’ll be looking for all four shows out there in the collectors market!

 

[Ree]

Hawaiian Eye S2E38 A Taste For Money (May 31, 1961) cont'd...

Ah, the male chauvinist impulse of 1950s/1960s Hollywood...this camera shot opens fully focused on Paula's (Shary Marshall's) posterior...I approve, then and now, of such artistic filmmaking, ha, ha...
View attachment 79026

Tom Approves too...he's here to question Paula on her questionable relationship with old man Monfreedy, and more importantly, with chauffer Charles...
View attachment 79027
View attachment 79028

The handsome bastard seems to have charmed his way into her co-operating in the investigation...
View attachment 79029

Tracy, Tom and Cricket visit the injured Kim in hospital...Kim has unfortunately emerged from his coma...and thus the world will continue to be blessed by his witticisms and tormented plunking of his demented ukulele after all...
View attachment 79030

Two of Kim's gorgeous "cousins" are also there...
View attachment 79031

Tom and Tracy interrogate Charles in a further bid to make him crack...is he just a grifter, or a murderer too?
View attachment 79032

Having a good sweat, buddy? Yea, you're ready to crack like a wallnut...
View attachment 79033

Especially after Tracy flips out and applies some "English" to Charle's mug...
View attachment 79034

After some murky and too dark action scenes involving a car chase and the extraordinary athleticism of Robert Conrad, who goes from nearly being run over by a car to somehow landing in the back seat to get a choke-hold on the murderer...Honolulu P.D. detective Lt. Danny Quon (Mel Prestidge) gets word that his homicide case has been solved for him, completely without his involvement...Lt. Quon is really pissed, as he fears that he'll never get a big league call-up to McGarrett's 5-0 after all...
View attachment 79035

Tom is delighted...he clearly is unaware of the creepy dog ornament looming over his shoulder...
View attachment 79036

All's well that ends well back at Kim's hospital room...for the love of god, keep that damn ukulele away from him...
View attachment 79037

Especially after another three of Kim's "cousins" show up, ha, ha...
View attachment 79038
View attachment 79039
View attachment 79040
View attachment 79041

In addition to such charming film artifacts as dirt and hair in the gate, sprocket stutter and splice tape, you also get what I assume is end-of-reel grease paint markings...love it all, including the 5-4-3-2-1 countdown on the film leader...and sometimes the original network commercials too...those cool, cool, menthol smokes...I might take up smoking after all, ha, ha...
View attachment 79042

Another treat! I love your reviews. I rewatched the episode with a Script City copy of Eisley’s script in one hand and your review in the other. You’ve reduced the episode to the bare bones, but funny bones at that!
FWIW, the episode was originally titled “Strangler in Paradise”, as Claire was strangled with the cord instead of just being struck in the phone booth, but Eisley said (in an old interview that I’ve misplaced) that the “suits” didn’t like to show violence, just the sound of it and then the body on the ground.
In that same interview, Eisley said that he felt that fleshing out the lead characters with back stories would only improve the series, but “suits” felt that it would create continuity problems. He managed to sneak this closer look at Steele’s life past them.
I wondered if he was trying to shake up the dynamic between the leads with the kiss he and Cricket shared when she talked him out of drowning his sorrows - more mature than the usual chaste pecks she received. He did mention that fan mail about that was negative (wanted her to be Lopaka’s girl), and WB did want to please the younger viewers (look what Kookie did for 77).
I thought Eisley was a class act and quite under appreciated.
And, speaking of under appreciated, Ponce was, IMHO, a consummate entertainer. Does anyone recall in which episode he does his Elvis impersonation? Or did I just dream it? His pidgin speech and almost juvenile cuteness would probably be called “incorrect’ today, but we were all a bit less serious back then!
Thanks for the review. May I suggest one of my favorites, "The Missile Rogues” for when you have time for another?

 

[Rustifer]

If you want to read these articles they're a hoot. This guy is something else.

Bo wasn't exactly bubbling over with humility...

 

[Rustifer]

Episode Commentary
Bourbon Street Beat
"Wagon Show" (S1E36)

Not one of the more successful of the WB private eye brands, BSB nonetheless attempted to serve up an etouffee of cool cats, slinky dames and murderous plots. If one has a bone to pick, New Orleans was the place to pick it. Unfortunately, the cast ensemble never reached the razzle dazzle status of, say, 77 Sunset Strip. Nor did the series capitalize on the unique aura of the Big Easy due to filming mostly in WBs Burbank studios and lot. But I'm not here to prick holes in the series' balloon, just to rub it a bit and make it squeak.

To accommodate potential clients, Cal Calhoun (Andrew Duggan) invites stunning trapeze artist Anna Cremona (Saundra Edwards) and Napolean Gunther (Walter Burke) to the Absinthe House for a Sazarac or two. Talbot runs a small traveling circus show, and his main attraction--Darwin the chimpanzee--has escaped or was kidnapped and is feared running loose and pooping up the countryside. The chief suspect is the chimp's former owner George Talbot (Horace McMahon). Cal is hired to investigate this monkey business.

Cal makes a visit to the circus grounds, affording him the opportunity to ogle the female performers in skintight costumes, especially Yvonne O'Brien (Patricia Michon). Meanwhile the male performers are busy backbiting one another over who's the bigger star or which females they have their fingers on or in. More tawdry groups can only be found living in refrigerator crates under highway overpasses.
A bunch of bananas go missing from the circus kitchen, alerting the crew that perhaps Darwin has not actually left the building. A search party is hastily organized, which includes flashlights and poking around the underbrush. Suddenly, the circus' costume designer is nearly attacked by the beast and screams bloody murder, which is what Cal finds as happened to Anna Crimona. Dead as a tent stake. Killed by the simian? Aye, there's the mystery. The morning headline reads "KILLER CHIMP RUN AMOK". Slow news day in New Orleans, apparently.

Saundra Edwards, Patricia Michon, Walter Burke. Horace McMahon

Cal returns to his office only to find Darwin and George Talbot lounging about in his guest chairs. While Cal is crapping his dungarees, George explains that Darwin is actually as harmless as a Monarch butterfly. The ape emphasizes this point by kicking Cal in the shin. Talbot vouches that Darwin was with him at the time of Anna's murder.

Did Darwin actually kill Anna, or was it somebody dressed like a chimp--such as a circus acrobat? You can bet with Cal investigating, there'll be no monkeying around*.

Notes:
For some unexplained reason--although the Absinthe House is always packed--no cars are ever parked outside the courtyard. Makes it easier for the detectives to pull off 'Doris Day' parking. Its better than even a Handicap Pass.

To add to the cheesiness of this episode, Darwin is actually an actor in a very bad monkey suit, thus giving the show a campy Murders In The Rue Morgue B-movie vibe.

*Too much?

 

[Flashgear]

Another treat! I love your reviews. I rewatched the episode with a Script City copy of Eisley’s script in one hand and your review in the other. You’ve reduced the episode to the bare bones, but funny bones at that!
FWIW, the episode was originally titled “Strangler in Paradise”, as Claire was strangled with the cord instead of just being struck in the phone booth, but Eisley said (in an old interview that I’ve misplaced) that the “suits” didn’t like to show violence, just the sound of it and then the body on the ground.
In that same interview, Eisley said that he felt that fleshing out the lead characters with back stories would only improve the series, but “suits” felt that it would create continuity problems. He managed to sneak this closer look at Steele’s life past them.
I wondered if he was trying to shake up the dynamic between the leads with the kiss he and Cricket shared when she talked him out of drowning his sorrows - more mature than the usual chaste pecks she received. He did mention that fan mail about that was negative (wanted her to be Lopaka’s girl), and WB did want to please the younger viewers (look what Kookie did for 77).
I thought Eisley was a class act and quite under appreciated.
And, speaking of under appreciated, Ponce was, IMHO, a consummate entertainer. Does anyone recall in which episode he does his Elvis impersonation? Or did I just dream it? His pidgin speech and almost juvenile cuteness would probably be called “incorrect’ today, but we were all a bit less serious back then!
Thanks for the review. May I suggest one of my favorites, "The Missile Rogues” for when you have time for another?

Thank you Anne. You are very knowledgeable about this series. If I may ask, what is a "script city" TV script? Is yours a copy of the actual episode script that Anthony Eisely used? Either way, a very neat insight and desirable collectible. Do you have other Hawaiian Eye keepsakes or collectibles? Thanks for scanning and uploading the new pictures of Kookie's hod rod restoration. Yes, I just boiled things down to the bare bones, and for comedic effect, trying to emulate the great Russ in a lighthearted way. As you noted, I didn't remark upon the lingering poolside kiss between Anthony Eisely and Connie Stevens, but certainly remember it being atypical, apart from the usual playful "pecks" usually exchanged as both Eisely and Conrad playfully called Connie, "lover"...cool speak by the cool cats of this show, and I think fans loved that kind of interplay between them. But it is a fine episode. I don't really hate Ponce Ponce either, as I understand his "schtick" was a necessary establishing element and comic-relief sidekick in convincing us of the exotic and exciting 1959 appeal of the newly minted 50th state. A more dignified Hawaiian presence was certainly contributed by Mel Prestidge and Doug Mossman's characters.

I do have a rather terrible looking copy of The Missile Rogues. I agree, it is a very entertaining episode with the welcome talents of Jesse White (that old lonely Maytag repairman, ha), Terrence de Marney, Joan Marshall and Warren Stevens. If I take any screen caps from that one I might have to format them smaller so as to make them look acceptable. I'll see what I can do with it.

Notes:
For some unexplained reason--although the Absinthe House is always packed--no cars are ever parked outside the courtyard. Makes it easier for the detectives to pull off 'Doris Day' parking. Its better than even a Handicap Pass.

To add to the cheesiness of this episode, Darwin is actually an actor in a very bad monkey suit, thus giving the show a campy Murders In The Rue Morgue B-movie vibe.

Ha, ha, I watched this one not long ago. Russ, I always dread the many gorilla suited (and bear suited) mimicries, especially when so badly done. They didn't always get the master of such mimicry, gymnast Janos Prohaska, to do a more effective job of it. This isn't one of his better outings. Some real honey's to look at though. Saundra Edwards also did a short-lived sojourn as the receptionist in the Hawaiian Eye detective agency. Always nice to see Horace McMahon, the gruff police captain of the Naked City TV series.

I really love the look of the Absinthe House set, and the courtyard set for Calhoun and Randolph's 'Bourbon Street' detective agency...I like the easy going and charming interplay between Andrew Duggan and Richard Long too...amazing that even though it was a single season show, they produced 39 one hour episodes...although, as with this episode, a number of weak ones in the down stretch, with quite a few 'W. Hermanos' writing credits.

 

[Ree]

Thank you Anne. You are very knowledgeable about this series. If I may ask, what is a "script city" TV script? Is yours a copy of the actual episode script that Anthony Eisely used? Either way, a very neat insight and desirable collectible. Do you have other Hawaiian Eye keepsakes or collectibles? Thanks for scanning and uploading the new pictures of Kookie's hod rod restoration. Yes, I just boiled things down to the bare bones, and for comedic effect, trying to emulate the great Russ in a lighthearted way. As you noted, I didn't remark upon the lingering poolside kiss between Anthony Eisely and Connie Stevens, but certainly remember it being atypical, apart from the usual playful "pecks" usually exchanged as both Eisely and Conrad playfully called Connie, "lover"...cool speak by the cool cats of this show, and I think fans loved that kind of interplay between them. But it is a fine episode. I don't really hate Ponce Ponce either, as I understand his "schtick" was a necessary establishing element and comic-relief sidekick in convincing us of the exotic and exciting 1959 appeal of the newly minted 50th state. A more dignified Hawaiian presence was certainly contributed by Mel Prestidge and Doug Mossman's characters.

I do have a rather terrible looking copy of The Missile Rogues. I agree, it is a very entertaining episode with the welcome talents of Jesse White (that old lonely Maytag repairman, ha), Terrence de Marney, Joan Marshall and Warren Stevens. If I take any screen caps from that one I might have to format them smaller so as to make them look acceptable. I'll see what I can do with it.
Ha, ha, I watched this one not long ago. Russ, I always dread the many gorilla suited (and bear suited) mimicries, especially when so badly done. They didn't always get the master of such mimicry, gymnast Janos Prohaska, to do a more effective job of it. This isn't one of his better outings. Some real honey's to look at though. Saundra Edwards also did a short-lived sojourn as the receptionist in the Hawaiian Eye detective agency. Always nice to see Horace McMahon, the gruff police captain of the Naked City TV series.

I really love the look of the Absinthe House set, and the courtyard set for Calhoun and Randolph's 'Bourbon Street' detective agency...I like the easy going and charming interplay between Andrew Duggan and Richard Long too...amazing that even though it was a single season show, they produced 39 one hour episodes...although, as with this episode, a number of weak ones in the down stretch, with quite a few 'W. Hermanos' writing credits.

Now, fellows, you've made me want to have another look at BSB. When it gets too cold to play outside I'll have to go thru the "stacks" in my guest room closet and see if I still have any.
I don't know all that much about WB shows other than HE (hearing those GAS tunes sung by someone under 25 years old was sublime!), and I had a huge crush on James Garner so, of course, loved Maverick. About ten years ago, I became friends with with Peggy King, who did an episode with him in '59, "The Strange Journey of Jenny Hill", and she told me wonderful stories about the celebrities she worked with during her Hollywood years, and "Jimmie"G. was the most esteemed of all.
Back to HE: ScriptCity.com sells copies of the original TV and movie scripts. They're fun to read, but a little goes long way. They have only 5 of HE and one of those was never produced. I have one original script ("It Ain't Cricket") with the WB blue cover page, that I bought in a little rare book store in NJ. It's kind of cool because it includes several stapled-together sets of revisions. I also have the paperback novel and the comic book, but neither are rare or collectable. I wish I'd kept all the old fan club photos they sent out back in the day!

I think "Missile Rogues" was especially fun because, while still a 1-hr. drama, you had the feeling it was being played for laughs, kind of like Garner did with Maverick - cold war spies, secret missile tests, and Joan Marshall, of whom I'd been a fan since Bold Venture. FWIW, my mother allowed me to get my GAS music fix from Cricket because she was a much better role model for a 12-13 year old than Sailor had been. Can't argue with that!

 

[Ree]

Now, fellows, you've made me want to have another look at BSB. When it gets too cold to play outside I'll have to go thru the "stacks" in my guest room closet and see if I still have any.
I don't know all that much about WB shows other than HE (those GAS tunes sung by someone under 25 years old were sublime!), and I had a huge crush on James Garner so, of course, loved Maverick. About ten years ago, I became friends with with Peggy King, who did an episode with him in '59, "The Strange Journey of Jenny Hill", and she told me wonderful stories about the celebrities she worked with during her Hollywood years, and "Jimmie"G. was the most esteemed of all.
Back to HE: ScriptCity.com sells copies of the original TV and movie scripts. They're fun to read, but a little goes long way. They have only 5 of HE and one of those was never produced. I have one original script ("It Ain't Cricket") with the WB blue cover page, that I bought in a little rare book store in NJ. It's kind of cool because it includes several stapled-together sets of revisions. I also have the paperback novel and the comic book, but neither are rare or collectable. I wish I'd kept all the old fan club photos they sent out back in the day!

I think "Missile Rogues" was especially fun because, while still a 1-hr. drama, you had the feeling it was being played for laughs, kind of like Garner did with Maverick - cold war spies, secret missile tests, and Joan Marshall, of whom I'd been a fan since Bold Venture. FWIW, my mother allowed me to get my GAS music fix from Cricket because she was a much better role model for a 12-13 year old than Sailor had been. Can't argue with that!

 

[Rustifer]

Now, fellows, you've made me want to have another look at BSB. When it gets too cold to play outside I'll have to go thru the "stacks" in my guest room closet and see if I still have any.

Anne:
As a long standing participant in this thread, let me say that you are an absolute joyful addition. You have some great background info that makes us hungry for more of your insights. Stay with us--we need you!

 

[Rustifer]

I really love the look of the Absinthe House set, and the courtyard set for Calhoun and Randolph's 'Bourbon Street' detective agency...I like the easy going and charming interplay between Andrew Duggan and Richard Long too...amazing that even though it was a single season show, they produced 39 one hour episodes...although, as with this episode, a number of weak ones in the down stretch, with quite a few 'W. Hermanos' writing credits.

Randall, I agree with you. Andrew Duggan had some great clever lines in the series that he pulled off so effortlessly. Not so much the other cast members--and I can't help but think the series could have lasted longer if the rest of them could keep up with him. I could blame the writers, but a good actor can usually overcome such roadblocks.

 

[Gary16]

Randall, I agree with you. Andrew Duggan had some great clever lines in the series that he pulled off so effortlessly. Not so much the other cast members--and I can't help but think the series could have lasted longer if the rest of them could keep up with him. I could blame the writers, but a good actor can usually overcome such roadblocks.

As I believe was mentioned earlier BSB also faced some tough competition being opposite FATHER KNOWS BEST, PETER GUNN and THE DANNY THOMAS SHOW which were all established shows. And with an 8:30 start compared to 9:00 for 77 and HE, that may have also contributed to the lower ratings.