77 Sunset Strip / Hawaiian Eye, etc. (7 Viewers)

[Rustifer]

Yes! More season 6 please. I nominate “88 Bars” and “The Toy Jungle” as worth a second look among others.

Will try, Gary. This thread's search capability is about as advanced as a sundial--it's damn hard to find specific Season 6 stuff I've posted in the past.
Maybe I should re-watch and write a fresh commentary for once.

 

[criblecoblis]

Ladies and gents, we have reached page 200, and it is fitting that Russ has taken us here. I do plan to start contributing here again, but I have things beyond my control with which to deal first.

 

[Mysto]

I don't remember if this has been discussed. Roger Smith's other series.

 

[MartinP.]

^^^

I was about ten when this first aired and I watched it every week, every episode. I didn't know it was in color, LOL! I'll have to watch this. "About" ten? I just looked at the airdate for that episode above, that was my birthday! So I was eleven. Of course, I had no idea at the time of the original novel, play or the feature film.

I looked up and see it was on Fridays at 9:30 pm. I don't remember it being on that late. Back then us youngins had bed times. Of course, we did have one local TV station that aired programs from both NBC and ABC and they were often at different times than their normal schedule. Maybe that was the case with this one. I recall The Monkees was aired on Fridays (so I could watch GIlligan's Island, LOL!), and Time Tunnel on Sundays (so I could watch it twice, heh!), for instance.

 

[Rustifer]

Ladies and gents, we have reached page 200, and it is fitting that Russ has taken us here. I do plan to start contributing here again, but I have things beyond my control with which to deal first.

Thanks, Rob--it's just dumb luck that the thread turned to page 200 on my post. We look forward to you continuing your great contributions here when you're up to it. I, too, need to re-apply myself. I've got plenty of Hawaiian Eye and Bourbon Street Beat episodes on which to comment.

 

[Rustifer]

I was about ten when this first aired and I watched it every week, every episode. I didn't know it was in color, LOL! I'll have to watch this.

It was a fairly unmemorable, not to mention short-lived, series.

 

[Mysto]

It was a fairly unmemorable, not to mention short-lived, series.

Yea - but it got the thread moving again
Cheers!

 

[MartinP.]

It was a fairly unmemorable, not to mention short-lived, series.

Hmmm...I remember it.

Who knows exactly why one remembers things, but I still remember one episode they think one of the new crew is an excellent boxer and train him to fight against another ship's top boxer. When it comes time for the match he's knocked out in the first punch. The captain comisserates with the ship's doctor, "Who knew he had a glass jaw?" The doctor replies, "It's not a glass jaw, it's cellophane."
___

I do get your point, but I was just thinking...they did 30 episodes. For some streaming and cable networks, that's three seasons now!

 

[RBailey]

Anyone here follow the Twitter feed of Alison Martino, "Vintage Los Angeles"? Some great info, pictures and video here. Yesterday, a video was posted showing footage of the Sunset Strip in the 1930's. Scroll down for the video.
https://twitter.com/alisonmartino

 

[Flashgear]

 

[Rustifer]

Episode Commentary
Hawaiian Eye
"Four-Corned Triangle" (S3E21)

You may think I have some sort of methodology as to how I select episodes on which to comment. I do not. Some may turn out to be my favorites, others I will consider to be listless dogs. There are episodes I vaguely remember seeing and liking as a kid, but the majority have gone unremembered until I review them here. This episode is one of those. I have no idea as to where it will take me, so buckle up.

Greg MacKenzie (Grant Williams) is left on his own at the agency while the partners are away--and therefore has to handle all the on-going case loads. As the newest partner, crap rolls downhill right onto his shoes. His assignment is to investigate Larry Brand (Chad Everett), an out-of-work actor who's married to older rich woman Julia Tyler (Peggy McKay). Larry saves Greg any effort by showing up at the office to explain the reason for being investigated. The short of it, he and his wife are having trouble gaining membership to the exclusive Rona Kai apartment complex. As if that should top anyone's bucket list.

Membership Chairman Victor Haswell (Berry Kroeger) and the apartment manager Kathy Marsh (Leslie Parrish)--who actually hired Greg to investigate Larry--hope to uncover dirt on him to help cement his exclusion. Victor is a snobbish churl and Kathy is a man-eating vixen with a dewy moistness for Larry. Julia hopes her good name, fortune and cleavage will get her and Larry past the voting committee. Victor, however, has other ideas and exposes Larry's sketchy past to all who will listen. There's more toxicity here than a Monsanto chemical dump.

You'll pay your rent on time to her, by golly; Classy; Snobby; Grant waits for someone with keys to open the studio

As predicted, the couple's application is rejected. Meanwhile, Kathy is grinding every squeezable part of herself against both Larry and Greg. Jealous Julia learns of Larry's affair with Kathy. Somebody's gonna get killed. We assume it will be Larry but unfortunately Julia accidently shoots and kills Victor--who has also been on the receiving end of Kathy's limitless lust. Kathy truly missed her calling as a high end Manhattan hooker and Victor now functions as Membership Chairman for entrance into the Dark Side.
In a short burst of diversion, Cricket (Connie Stevens) breathily sings "Jade Song" accompanied by Arthur Lyman's "exotic sounds" which seem to consist mainly of a xylophone, a gong, and some coconuts. There's no discernible reason for this scene other than to showcase Connie.

I guess if you think there can be a meaty story line about a couple trying to gain a lease into an apartment complex, then you might enjoy this episode.

 

[Flashgear]

Doug Mossman, a genuine Hawaiian who played Hilton Hawaiian Village security guard 'Moke' on all four seasons of Hawaiian Eye, has recently passed away at the age of 88...here's how his hometown Honolulu TV station reported it...




He apparently was in possession of this original prop sign from the series...

Doug Mossman, who was appearing as a regular on Hawaii Five-0 at the time, in a humorous 1977 TV commercial for the Honolulu Datsun dealership...

 

[Rustifer]

Episode Commentary
Bourbon Street Beat
"The House of Lezedan" (S1E21)

"I don't understand this abrupt decline in homicidal murders", complains Cal Calhoun (Andrew Duggan) over drinks with partner Rex Randolph (Richard Long). "Don't people like to have fun anymore?" So begins this episode, leaving one to wonder if Cal's careless approach to murder also signals that he secretly beats his girlfriend and enjoys kicking puppies.

Rex is hired to attend the will reading of John Ledezan, a somewhat unscrupulous tycoon with which Rex once crossed. Apparently, the will contains a codicil specific to Rex. Also in attendance is Ledezan's daughter Sonia (Paula Raymond), once described as "one who devours men, shoelaces and all", along with her spoiled brother Gregory (John Carlyle)--who's about as clever as the lyrics to a Lou Christie song. The codicil stipulates that the Lezedan inheritance of $5 million will only be distributed to the son and daughter if Rex can confirm neither of the children killed their father. Rex will receive $50,000 for his efforts--a pittance considering he now has a bright neon target painted on his back. Rex or Cal almost never accept a case when first offered, but since Rex has his eye on a new Subaru, he jumps at the opportunity regardless.

"Man-eater" Paula Raymond; "Spoiled brat" John Carlyle; the principals of Randolph-Calhoun; Ted Knight as a cop

Sonia wastes no time nibbling on Rex's shoelaces with the intent of finding more suitable parts to chew. But Rex is on his guard and retreats to the office to cook chicken stuffed with onions and slivered bamboo shoots. This, I guess, is preferable to a bit of grunty-sweat dalliance with the desirable and willing Miss Sonia. When Rex eventually dies, he will be buried in a piano case due to severe weight gain from too many bamboo-stuffed chickens.

Rex essentially spends the rest of the story avoiding attempts to disengage him from his investigation. Who wants Rex dead more--Sonia or Gregory? Or is old man Lezedan really deceased? It's going to take a bucketful of absinthe to solve this one.
Some clever dialogue and a nice, twisty ending makes this episode as palatable as bamboo and onion-stuffed poultry.

Note:
A small scene entails Rex interacting with a serious police captain played by none other than Ted Knight, who desperately tries to affect a N'awleens accent.

 

[Rustifer]

Ponder This
As we are on the precipice of the Memorial Day weekend, the big story here in Indianapolis is, as always, the Race.
I like to think if this "greatest spectacle in racing" was produced by Roy Huggins, it would look more like this:

Vroom.

 

[Rustifer]

Episode Commentary
Bourbon Street Beat
"Target of Hate" (S1E22)

This is a good 'un. You're bound to get something pretty satisfying when you stuff guest stars James Coburn, Richard Chamberlain and John Marley into the offices of Randolph and Calhoun with the intention of assassinating local politician Leonard Kroeger from across the courtyard.

Dale Wellington (Chamberlain) has a bone to pick with Kroeger. He's convinced the politician had something to do with his father's suicide. Details are sketchy, but there's enough meat there for Dale to hire syndicate baddies Buzz (Colburn) and Artie (Marley) to help him aerate Mr. Kroeger (who we only hear, but not see). The trio breaks into Rex and Cal's empty office as it provides the best vantage point to take aim while Kroeger bloviates to a crowd nearby.

Richard Chamberlain; James Coburn; John Marley; Rex's girlfriend Saundra Edwards

Eventually, Cal--then Rex (along with his girlfriend)--then Kenny (Van Williams) unwittingly wander into the assassination attempt, and a grim party ensues. Buzz, who's smitten with Rex's girl, proceeds to overindulge in Rex's cooking brandy and coughs up some ugly truths about Dale's father. Meanwhile Kroeger is wrapping up his speech, at which point Dale plans to pull the trigger. However, Cal and Rex have effectively driven a psychological wedge in the partnership between Dale and Buzz and a free-for-all erupts. The assassins are quickly subdued and hauled to jail. Kroeger lives to bore more crowds in the future.

In celebration, Rex whips up calorie-ridden concoction of boudan in cream sauce, which will no doubt promote severe indigestion to all, and to all a bad night.

 

[Rustifer]

Episode Revisit*
77 Sunset Strip

I always thought the title "The Positive Negative" (the last episode in Season 3) was intriguing. The episode, not so much. However, it did have some very pretty guest stars that gives me the opportunity to post some titillating pics.

Rex and Kookie are headed to Monaco (a gussied up section of WB's back lot) at the request of an unknown client for an unknown reason--because smart detectives always do that. After checking in to a ritzy hotel, Rex and Kookie are finally summoned to meet their employer Gunnar Isis (John Conte), a rich, snobby gent who is marrying ballerina Amanda Sant (Leslie Parrish). In anticipation of the blessed union, he is about to plop a $500K tiara on her noggin. Rex's job is to guard the tiara, because detectives always do that.
While at the ballet to see Amanda perform (some archived WB movie footage), Rex meets beautiful Countess Van Hohenstein (Marie Blanchard) who seems to be sweating jewels from every pore. Kookie, no slouch himself, hooks up with Miss Eiffel Tower (Karen Parker), whose dim brain rattles about in her skull like a pebble in a pie pan.

Marie Blanchard and Leslie Parrish

High society is invited to Gunnar's enormous villa for a soiree, so there you have all the suspects gathered for what is about to happen next. It's decided that the guests change into bathing suits and hit the swimming pool as a fitting end to the party (a weak but happy excuse to get the women into bikinis and clop around in high heels). I must say, for a villa that has 22 rooms in just one wing alone, the size of the swimming pool looks like something I used to inflate in the back yard for my kids. One good dive off the springboard puts you in the kiddies' end of the pool with a serious head injury. However, we get a good look at Miss Eiffel tower in a skimpy suit and all negative impressions about the volume of her brain suddenly vanish. You might call it a Positive Negative.

Rex misses all the fun at poolside by having the onerous duty to watch over the tiara that Amanda leaves in her room, which he does by sitting outside the room-- because Detectives always do that. Of course the tiara is stolen and replaced with a fake. By who? Rex is given a terse 24 hours by snarky Gunnar to FIND THE TIARA. Kookie's job is to interrogate the house staff but learns less than nothing since most of the servants don't spicka da Engleesh. In the meantime, a murder occurs to one of the hapless guests.

Finally, it's revealed that the lovely Countess' family used to own the tiara before it was stolen by the Nazis during the war. Guess what Gunnar's political leanings used to be? The real tiara is recovered and the murder solved. Rex and Kookie decide to extend their stay in Monaco to cavort with the countess and Miss Eiffel, because Detectives always do that.
Not exactly one of the series' best efforts.

(NOTE: Much as I tried to find a pic of Karen Parker (Miss Eiffel Tower), none apparently exist as her film career lasted about as long as a gnat's leg.)

*Apologies for doing a revisit of a revisit. I'm just trying to keep this thread rolling while new posts will hopefully be developing soon.

 

[criblecoblis]

I don't remember if this has been discussed. Roger Smith's other series.

Thanks for this, Mysto. I've seen the first episode somewhere on the Internet, but not this one. Will watch and comment later.

 

[criblecoblis]

Regarding the Mr. Roberts episode, this is the episode I've seen. My general feeling about this show, based upon this one episode, is that playing Mr. Roberts in a sitcom is a thankless task, because the natural focus of the comedic action pretty much has to be Ensign Pulver.

I am surprised that my Dad did not watch this series, because not only was he a big fan of 77 Sunset Strip and a naval officer in WW II, he in fact pretty much was Mr. Roberts, a first officer on a supply ship with a terribly difficult Captain to deal with. The only difference, ironically, is that his ship was attached to a Seabee unit, so Dad was not wanting for action.

My Dad used to speak with great affection of his service, and told a number of hilarious stories about it. He however emphatically refused to discuss the wartime action he saw. One time one of my older brothers pushed him hard about that, and finally my Dad exploded at him like John Wayne did at Harry Carey, Jr. in The Searchers: "NEVER ASK ME ABOUT THIS AGAIN!!"

 

[MartinP.]

I happened by the retro game show channel BUZZR last night and they were airing The Match Game/Hollywood Squares Hour and had some interesting "retro" guests:

Celebrity Guests: (number in parentheses is their age at the time, May, 1984.)

Edd Byrnes (51) (77 Sunset Strip)
Troy Donahue (48) (77 Sunset Strip, Hawaiian Eye, Surfside-6)
Angela Cartwright (31) (Make Room for Daddy/Lost in Space)
Elinor Donahue (47) (Father Knows Best)
Fabian (41) (singer)
Jay Leno (34) (comedian)
David Nelson (48) (Ozzie and Harriet)
Bob Denver (48) (Dobie Gillis/Gilligan's Island)

FYI: Those here probably know Elinor and Troy were not related. Elinor was actually born Mary Eleanor Donahue, however. Troy was born Merle Johnson. His notorious agent, Henry Willson, had tried using the name on a few clients before him, who either didn't want the name, or who didn't fare well. It finally stuck with Merle. And if you didn't know, Troy Donahue's character name in the film The Godfather: Part II, is his real name, Merle Johnson.

I want to see the other 4 episodes! The BUZZR website has the shows listed in their schedules, but not always the guests who are on them. They also have over a dozen ways you can watch the channel, including right on the site; what is airing now.

BUZZR

Welcome to the time capsule….A blast from the past, bringing laugh out loud, vintage game shows to a multi-generational audience. BUZZR shows the most outrageous and unpredictable programming that engages loyal game and competition show viewers. BUZZR. Let’s Play!

buzzrtv.com

 

[criblecoblis]

Bob Denver (48) (Dobie Gillis/Gilligan's Island)

And there was also The Good Guys, also starring Herb Edelman. I remember liking that show a lot.

Troy was born Merle Johnson. His notorious agent, Henry Willson, had tried using the name on a few clients before him, who either didn't want the name, or who didn't fare well. It finally stuck with Merle.

I wonder whether this is why his character in "Condor's Lair" had been given the stage name "Star Bright" by his agent.