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

[RBailey]

Can't recall if this has ever been posted. My favorite cut from Edd's WB album … "Kookie's Mad Pad"

 

[Rustifer]

Bob, thanks for that link! I thought I'd jump in and import those images.

Thanks Randy!

 

[criblecoblis]

Bob, thanks for that link! I thought I'd jump in and import those images.

Like, nervous, man! It's interesting how many of these phrases have since entered the lexicon and need no explanation.

 

[Rustifer]

Like, nervous, man! It's interesting how many of these phrases have since entered the lexicon and need no explanation.

Page 36, post #708 has some additional Kookie-isms. I catch a new one in almost every episode in which he appears. My favorite has always been "A dark seven", e.g. a bad week.

 

[Rustifer]

In "The Night Was Six Years Long", we begin in Kookie's broom-sized office where he has constructed a full forensic lab--which is being employed at the moment in brewing coffee. Suddenly, in front of the astonished B&S staff, Janie Malone (Myrna Fahey) strolls into the office and assumes her station at the switchboard. Janie has been AWOL for six years, but acts as if it's just another day at work. This sets up a great premise for the episode. Where has she been all this time? What caused her to suddenly return?
Seems Janie lost her memory so long ago after assuming she killed her boyfriend. She was only 18 when she disappeared from the firm.

Myrna Fahey and Philip Carey--the husband she doesn't remember. The always fantastic George Kennedy

We learn that Janie had a crush on Stu, but in order to forget that impossible union, she began dating another man that resulted in his death.
Did she really kill him? Stu is determined to get to the bottom of this mystery. We meet the manager of the dead guy's apartment building, played by a wonderfully sneering, giggly George Kennedy. George has a nasty habit of drilling holes in his residents' apartments to peep on them--and to blackmail when possible. Enter Janie's husband (Philip Carey) who she not only doesn't know from Adam, but also has an infant her daughter.
Stu does some nifty detective work to unravel who actually killed who and why. Janie's memory eventually returns and, we assume, lives happily ever after.
This episode could have had a bit more "thud" value had the plot encompassed some more history of Janie and B&S--giving us a glimpse of the firm six years ago (heretofore only seen in "Once Upon A Caper"). In fact, perhaps Janie could have given up the true story on the origins of Jeff Spenser and Stu Bailey's initial meeting. Lost opportunity, unfortunately.

 

[Gary16]

In "The Night Was Six Years Long", we begin in Kookie's broom-sized office where he has constructed a full forensic lab--which is being employed at the moment in brewing coffee. Suddenly, in front of the astonished B&S staff, Janie Malone (Myrna Fahey) strolls into the office and assumes her station at the switchboard. Janie has been AWOL for six years, but acts as if it's just another day at work. This sets up a great premise for the episode. Where has she been all this time? What caused her to suddenly return?
Seems Janie lost her memory so long ago after assuming she killed her boyfriend. She was only 18 when she disappeared from the firm.

View attachment 46879 View attachment 46880

Myrna Fahey and Philip Carey--the husband she doesn't remember. The always fantastic George Kennedy

We learn that Janie had a crush on Stu, but in order to forget that impossible union, she began dating another man that resulted in his death.
Did she really kill him? Stu is determined to get to the bottom of this mystery. We meet the manager of the dead guy's apartment building, played by a wonderfully sneering, giggly George Kennedy. George has a nasty habit of drilling holes in his residents' apartments to peep on them--and to blackmail when possible. Enter Janie's husband (Philip Carey) who she not only doesn't know from Adam, but also has an infant her daughter.
Stu does some nifty detective work to unravel who actually killed who and why. Janie's memory eventually returns and, we assume, lives happily ever after.
This episode could have had a bit more "thud" value had the plot encompassed a bit more history of Janie and B&S--giving us a glimpse of the firm six years ago (heretofore only seen in "Once Upon A Caper"). In fact, perhaps Janie could have given up the true story on the origins of Jeff Spenser and Stu Bailey's initial meeting. Lost opportunity, unfortunately.

Always been a big fan of Myrna Fahey. Too bad she died so young.

 

[criblecoblis]

Page 36, post #708 has some additional Kookie-isms. I catch a new one in almost every episode in which he appears. My favorite has always been "A dark seven", e.g. a bad week.

That is worth putting into use! Someday, in my retirement, I'm going to go through every episode and compile a complete list of Kookieisms. At least, I hope I do that.

 

[criblecoblis]

In "The Night Was Six Years Long", we begin in Kookie's broom-sized office where he has constructed a full forensic lab--which is being employed at the moment in brewing coffee.

And this is the very same office that was plenty commodious when Rex occupied it during the previous season. The world of 77 Sunset Strip was decidedly non-Euclidean. Also consider that the inside of Stu's office's side door, the one that opened directly onto the Dino's breezeway, had a vent, but the outside didn't.

Oh, and Efrem Zimbalist, Jr., in his autobiography, comments specifically upon this episode, and it is not favorable. When I have the time in the coming week, I'll post about it.

 

[Rustifer]

And this is the very same office that was plenty commodious when Rex occupied it during the previous season. The world of 77 Sunset Strip was decidedly non-Euclidean. Also consider that the inside of Stu's office's side door, the one that opened directly onto the Dino's breezeway, had a vent, but the outside didn't.

Oh, and Efrem Zimbalist, Jr., in his autobiography, comments specifically upon this episode, and it is not favorable. When I have the time in the coming week, I'll post about it.

Great observations, Rob!

 

[Rustifer]

Always been a big fan of Myrna Fahey. Too bad she died so young.

Yep...she died at age 40 of cancer. Probably best known for having dated Joe DiMaggio.

 

[Rustifer]

Even though I DVR'd it on MeTV, I've avoided watching "Escape to Freedom" for the simple reason that I just don't like the 77 SS "international" episodes for the most part. Especially the spy vs. spy vs. Communism ones. ZZZzzzzzzzzzzzz. But I had some time on my hands and promised myself I wouldn't focus too intently on the story but rather just sit back and let it roll along.
I did not take my usual notes, but I did make some observations that may or may not be worth any interest. If you're not familiar with the episode, trust me--you won't learn much from this.

• Taking place in Berlin, this was entirely set in WB's backlot. I recognized many of the buildings, especially the same street in which Hank's Burgerville deli resided in "Pattern For A Bomb".
• The palace in Berlin is the same one used in all the Latin America capers.
• I do give credit to WB's art department for their signage capabilities and making the backlot look like any country necessary for the script
• I swear the bandstand is the same one from which Don Knotts gave his hilarious wavering speech in "The Ghost and Mr. Chicken". ATTABOY, LUTHER!
• The underground counterintelligence story is so simplistic and unrealistic, especially when compared to the modern day Homeland series.
• This must have been the episode that sparked the idea in Jack Webb's mind for Stu Bailey morphing more into an international spy versus a local detective in Season 6.
• The female guests were certainly pretty enough:

Erika Peters, Ursula Thiess

• There was a rather nifty escape through underground tunnels at the end of the story. Once again, kudos to the set decorators.
• There seemed to be an even number of actual German actors along with Americans affecting a German accent. (Of course, Werner Klemperer was a main player)
• Efrem Zimbalist as an actor was a master of affecting different foreign accents--especially German.

The episode ended rather abruptly once Stu reunited the mother and son. It may have been a happenstance of editing. I didn't follow the story that closely, but I know that I probably won't watch it again.

 

[Rustifer]

So, here's an episode I did watch and take notes (as opposed to my post above) so as to impart my dubious accuracy on the story. The "Snow Job Caper" begins with Jeff Spencer and an Insurance agent Steve Moran (Bill Williams) smoking L&Ms outside a prison awaiting the release of Chuck Lynch (Adam Williams). Chuck had taken part in a robbery of an armored truck and got away with $250,000--which equates to about $4 billion in today's exchange. The money was never recovered, but Chuck was--and spent the last 2 years in the hoosegow. Jeff and the insurance guy Steve are willing to make a deal with Chuck if he reveals / returns the stolen loot. Nothin' doin' says Chuck and heads off to join the land of the free.
Roscoe and JR Hale are employed to follow Chuck around to see if he's actually dumb enough to lead them to the cash. Usually the introduction of JR and Roscoe on assignment signals a more comedic approach to the story. Unfortunately, this never really develops.

We're suddenly confronted with the surprising fact that Steve (the Insurance guy) and Chuck are in cahoots together and intend to split the loot. Too late, Steve's lovely wife Katie (Ruta Lee) has already absconded with it and is presently buying some red ski pants for a planned trip somehwere. From here the story takes an entire left turn, both in plot and location. Jeff and Lt. Gilmore put their heads together to deduce where she might be going. Let's see---red ski pants--Maybe San Diego? No. No snow there. Palm Springs? nope--same problem. How about the Snow Bird train to Aspen? Why, that's it! She's going skiing!!

Young Ruta Lee was a stunner. Adam Williams, Bill Williams*

Yep, Katie has a thing for the ski instructor Tony (Fabrizio Mioni) at the lodge in Aspen where they get together on occasion to...uh...wax their skis. Tony earns about 29 cents an hour, so Katie wants to use the stolen cash for them to whisk off to Switzerland in order to enjoy chocolate, cheese and wrist watches the rest of their lives.

The lodge setting is obviously in-studio, where WB must've used about 40,000 bags of sugar to duplicate snow. Additionally, I'm always amused when the actors shadows are cast on the backgrounds that supposedly represent scenery miles away.
Lynch shows up at the lodge and confronts Katie, who's wearing only a small bath towel. Ruta Lee in a bath towel--let that sink in a moment.
Add to the fiasco Hubby Steve also showing up to get back the money and kill his wife. A chase through the ski slopes ensues (travelogue footage, you bet) and Lynch is the one turning up dead. Katie and Steve are captured and it's fair to assume that even avid marriage counseling probably isn't going to save this one.
This would have been a fairly good episode if not for such obviously cheap shortcuts in establishing a snowy Aspen location. It fooled me just fine when I was 12 years old watching it for the first time, but now it's kinda laughable.

*NOTE: Bill Williams real name was William Herman Katt. He married Barbara Hale (Della Street in Perry Mason) in 1946 which produced son William Katt. Yep, that William Katt-- aka The Greatest American Hero.

 

[Rustifer]

TINY TIDBIT:

In 1959, Ruta Lee started a long run as the most popular non-staffed performer in Warner Brothers television history by making scads of appearances on every one of Warner's popular weekly Westerns and detective shows. She even beat out blonde rival Merry Anders by just one show to become queen of the Warner Brothers lot, with 33 guest shots to her credit by 1964.
In 1960, she turned down Jack Warner's offer to put her under a movie contract at $300 dollars a week because she was already earning $700 dollars guest-starring on various network shows.
Ruta later regretted this decision when television work dried up and her movie opportunities had largely passed her by.

Ruta just turned 83 last month.

 

[Gary16]

TINY TIDBIT:

In 1959, Ruta Lee started a long run as the most popular non-staffed performer in Warner Brothers television history by making scads of appearances on every one of Warner's popular weekly Westerns and detective shows. She even beat out blonde rival Merry Anders by just one show to become queen of the Warner Brothers lot, with 33 guest shots to her credit by 1964.
In 1960, she turned down Jack Warner's offer to put her under a movie contract at $300 dollars a week because she was already earning $700 dollars guest-starring on various network shows.
Ruta later regretted this decision when television work dried up and her movie opportunities has passed her by.

Ruta just turned 83 last month.

She did appear in some high profile feature films early on. She was one of the brides in “7 Brides for 7 Brothers” (billed under her real name of Ruta Kilmonis), “Funny Face” with Fred Astaire, and as Tyrone Power’s extramarital girlfriend in “Witness for the Prosecution”.

 

[actionsub]

*NOTE: Bill Williams real name was William Herman Katt. He married Barbara Hale (Della Street in Perry Mason) in 1946 which produced son William Katt. Yep, that William Katt-- aka The Greatest American Hero.

You mean to tell me that Kit Carson and Della Street gave birth to The Greatest American Hero? Wow.

 

[John Sparks]

Just watch Season 5, Episode 8 titled "THE DARK WOOD." I enjoyed it but I was caught off guard at one scene. At about the 33 minute mark, when Efrem and Diane Brewster,with an ice crème cone get into the vert TBird. She then asks everyone if they want a lick, except JR. He jumps in to drive, turns to his left and elbows the little girl to the front of her head, knocking the cone into her face and then they drive off. That was really an odd scene and I had to watch it again...very strange. Does anyone remember that scene?

 

[Rustifer]

Just watch Season 5, Episode 8 titled "THE DARK WOOD." I enjoyed it but I was caught off guard at one scene. At about the 33 minute mark, when Efrem and Diane Brewster,with an ice crème cone get into the vert TBird. She then asks everyone if they want a lick, except JR. He jumps in to drive, turns to his left and elbows the little girl to the front of her head, knocking the cone into her face and then they drive off. That was really an odd scene and I had to watch it again...very strange. Does anyone remember that scene?

John-- I did notice JR's inelegant elbow jab when I watched the episode a couple of weeks ago. I made a note of it and meant to include it in my review. I'd like to think as soon as the scene ended, the little girl (Susan Gordon) shouted, HEY! WTF you clumsy oaf!
I'm surprised the scene wasn't reshot. But then with a budget of about $58 per episode, maybe it was decided to just let it pass, hoping nobody would notice. Remember, this was before the days of pause, slo-mo and rewind.

 

[Rustifer]

REALLY OFF THE BEATEN PATH...

I wonder if Dino's ever had hamburgers on their luncheon menu? Probably not. Whenever any of the cast has a hamburger in an episode, it's usually in a malt shop or diner.

Most of us in this forum are of the age where our first commercial burgers were probably a product of McDonald's or Jack-in-the Box, or Carl's, depending what part of the country in which you resided. Of course, your Dad may have concocted his "special" burgers on the outdoor grill on weekends. My dad's secret ingredient was mixing in a bottle of beer into the ground meat--which, by the way, in those days nobody cared if the ratio of lean to fat in meat was 80/20 or 90/10 or 50/50 or contained portions of pig snout and sawdust.

When the first McDonald's opened in our city (around 1961 or so), we'd get a bag of cheeseburgers at 15 cents apiece. They were as flat as cocktail coasters, but a treat beyond measure.

I bring this subject up because, as a food TV groupie, I see the trend for burgers seemingly to be styled as massive mountains of glop. Gone are the days of an easily hand held sandwich with a simple patty, shredded iceberg lettuce, tomato, pickle and maybe some diced onions. Chefs unreasonably take pride in piling on such exotics as foie gras, smoked bacon, carmelized onions, avocados, fiddlehead mushrooms, small Fiat sedans---If you have to stick a steak knife into the middle of thing to hold it together, you've gone overboard.

Is this what burgers have devolved into...?

I have three simple rules for (my choice of) burgers:
1. The bun must NOT disintegrate into mush after only two bites
2. The condiments should NOT be so plentiful as to completely evacuate the confines of the bun upon picking it up
3. One should NOT be so engorged afterwards as to not be able to eat again until 2 days later

Give me a 5 ounce medium-rare patty with a slice of American cheese, some pickle relish or lettuce, mayo on a soft brioche bun, and I'm good to go. Call me a burger snob if you want.

Now this makes sense...

Some disclaimers:

• When the Big Boy chain came out with their famous double decker, I was first in line to get my hands on one which completely defies my burger rules. To this day, I will pull off the road if I see one of those franchises just to order one--no matter what time of day. Drives my wife nuts.
• Note that I started out this post with a reference to Dino's in a vague attempt to tie this rambling missive into the subject matter of the thread.
• The opinions of this author are not necessarily endorsed by the management of this Forum

My humble apologies for veering way off subject. I promise to return shortly with more relevant posts.

 

[Mysto]

REALLY OFF THE BEATEN PATH...

I wonder if Dino's ever had hamburgers on their luncheon menu? Probably not. Whenever any of the cast has a hamburger in an episode, it's usually in a malt shop or diner.

Most of us in this forum are of the age where our first commercial burgers were probably a product of McDonald's or Jack-in-the Box, or Carl's, depending what part of the country in which you resided. Of course, your Dad may have concocted his "special" burgers on the outdoor grill on weekends. My dad's secret ingredient was mixing in a bottle of beer into the ground meat--which, by the way, in those days nobody cared if the ratio of lean to fat in meat was 80/20 or 90/10 or 50/50 or contained portions of pig snout and sawdust.

When the first McDonald's opened in our city (around 1961 or so), we'd get a bag of cheeseburgers at 15 cents apiece. They were as flat as cocktail coasters, but a treat beyond measure.

.

I hate to correct one with so much knowledge on 77SS but Mickey D's Cheeseburgers were 20 cents - hamburgers were 15 cents fries were 10 cents but went up to 12 around 1962. Yes - I sold the darn things while going to school. For you younger people - the ad was "change back from your dollar - the all American meal".
I'd love to know if Dino's had burgers - wonder if a menu exists?

 

[Rustifer]

I hate to correct one with so much knowledge on 77SS but Mickey D's Cheeseburgers were 20 cents - hamburgers were 15 cents fries were 10 cents but went up to 12 around 1962. Yes - I sold the darn things while going to school. For you younger people - the ad was "change back from your dollar - the all American meal".
I'd love to know if Dino's had burgers - wonder if a menu exists?

My memory as to cost of McD's burgers may well be a bit fuzzy, for sure.
I did post a copy of Dino's dinner menu many pages back. No burgers. I'm not sure if a separate lunch menu existed that might have featured a burger.