77 Sunset Strip / Hawaiian Eye, etc. (3 Viewers)

[Bob Gu]

Are you sure the title was not "The Double Identity Caper"?

 

[Flashgear]

Russ, Warners could have really used you as a "Scab" script writer during the industry wide writer's strike of 1960...William T. Orr need not have worked his way to the bottom of the "W. Hermanos" stockpile! Ha, ha...

I imagine you to have been an already talented scriptwriter at the age of 10 or so? Jack Warner would have put you right to work in the sweatshop! At least one script nightly, before your homework was done!

 

[Rustifer]

Are you sure the title was not "The Double Identity Caper"? View attachment 48593

HA! Clever, Bob!

 

[criblecoblis]

Russ, you should have let that "Double Identity" review simmer for at least a day, without the Edit reveal.

I was about to post about how great it is for old TV mystery fans to have short term memory loss, these days. Not only don't I remember "Who done it"?, but I don't even remember if I watched it in the first place!

I'm with you. That would have been fun!

 

[Bob Gu]

Looking over Robert Webber's IMDB credits, I was surprised to see he never was in 77 SUNSET STRIP or any other classic Warner Brothers series. I define classic WB as any WB series on ABC starting in 1955 with WARNER BROTHERS PRESENTS and ending with 77 SUNSET STRIP in 1964.

For my lost episode picture I used a still from the 77SS episode, "Big Boy Blue", S4E7,with Biff Elliot and Maureen Leeds. and an unidentified picture of Robert Webber. I was going for a disintegrating EP VHS look.

 

[Rustifer]

Looking over Robert Webber's IMDB credits, I was surprised to see he never was in 77 SUNSET STRIP or any other classic Warner Brothers series. I define classic WB as any WB series on ABC starting in 1955 with WARNER BROTHERS PRESENTS and ending with 77 SUNSET STRIP in 1964.

For my lost episode picture I used a still from the 77SS episode, "Big Boy Blue", S4E7,with Biff Elliot and Maureen Leeds. and an unidentified picture of Robert Webber. I was going for a disintegrating EP VHS look. View attachment 48620 View attachment 48621

I'm also somewhat surprised that Robert Webber didn't appear in any 77 SS episodes, although he was certainly around at the time. However he was more prolific in the mid 1960's-1980's as a venerable character actor.
Even though he was born in Hollywood's back yard (Santa Ana), his NY Times obit states that he hitchhiked to New York City in 1946 (after a stint in the Marines) to become a stage actor.
One of his last performances was as Cybil Shepherd's dad in Moonlighting, a series where a ton of famous celebrities fought to get a role, however brief.

 

[Dolly8]

Rob: I meant to note in my commentary from "The Bel Air Hermit" that--as you pointed out in your viewer's guide of "Two and Two Make Six"--Jeff once again pronounces Washingon as Warshington.
I had always though this as being lexicon indigenous only to the Midwest, particularly Southern Indiana where folks warsh their clothes, go fishin' in the crick and reshingle the ruff.

 

[criblecoblis]

Looking over Robert Webber's IMDB credits, I was surprised to see he never was in 77 SUNSET STRIP or any other classic Warner Brothers series. I define classic WB as any WB series on ABC starting in 1955 with WARNER BROTHERS PRESENTS and ending with 77 SUNSET STRIP in 1964.

I noticed that too. I thought he might have been under contract elsewhere at the time, but it doesn't seem so.

I wish IMDb would provide an index of an individual's entries chronologically by production company. It would make research easier.

By the way, I loved your still from "Double Identity." I think that was S4E42.

 

[Rustifer]

I noticed that too. I thought he might have been under contract elsewhere at the time, but it doesn't seem so.

I wish IMDb would provide an index of an individual's entries chronologically by production company. It would make research easier.

By the way, I loved your still from "Double Identity." I think that was S4E42.

S4E42--Good one, Rob!

 

[Rustifer]

It's Friday night in the Rustifer household, which means it's time to watch another 77 SS episode. That's not to say that the other family members eagerly gather on the couch with their kettle corn and Nehi oranges to share the experience. I envy you guys who have wives that join your interest of the series. My wifey, bless her nonetheless completely incurious heart, prefers the PBS versions of cozy English mysteries. Okay, I watch them, too. But I'm a lone sole when it comes to tuning in my favorite series of old. A very dry vodka martini quickly dulls any regret of non-familial participation.

"The Court Martial of Johnny Murdo" takes place at the 'Southern Military Institute' which looks suspiciously like the the WB administration building with a couple of cannon props planted in the front yard to help bolster the illusion of a military school facility. Johnny Murdo (Peter Miles) is outside being unceremoniously smacked around by fellow cadets when his mom (Catherine McLeod) drives up to put an end to the fight. He has been accused by his colleagues of stealing a whopping $757 from the cadet fund, which he vehemently denies to Mommy. Johnny's demeanor suggests having grown up just west of Dorkville. Like all good moms, she runs to Bailey & Spencer (with a 'c') for assistance in disputing this claim. Jeff Spencer is conveniently reading a manual on military law when she and Johnny stroll into his office. Johnny is sporting a black eye from his beating, so Jeff sends him to a doctor three doors down to be examined. Johnny returns ten minutes later all patched up. I guess in 1958 doctors could turn over walk-in patients that quickly. (At my doc's office, it requires at least a half hour in the waiting room, followed by a nurse weighing, checking blood pressure, body temp and any suspicious bodily fluids when I'm then installed in an examination room for another half hour or more before anyone resembling a physician shows up).

Peter Miles, Catherine McLeod, Robert Lowery, Bruce Bennett

During this time, Mrs. Murdo explains that Johnny comes from an old venerable California banking heritage of considerable influence, and the idea of him possibly being tossed out of the school makes it imperative that Jeff clears up this outrage. A generous check from mom sends Jeff of to the institute to investigate. A meeting with Major Wilkinson (Robert Lowery) is inexplicably arranged at night at the El Casillo Canyon firing range. Jeff walks right into the line of fire and has to drop to the ground flatter than a McDonald's burger patty to avoid being completely aerated by the fusillade of bullets.

Infuriated, Spencer confronts the Colonel (Bruce Bennett) in charge of the institute who cannot do anything about Johnny's predicament since he's being blackmailed by the Major. "I had forgotten how effective buck-passing can be--it's like watching a tennis match" points out Jeff. The Colonel is sufficiently embarrassed to help poor Johnny out. A big fight in the cadet barracks finally reveals the true thief.

The story isn't that great outside of Jeff's dogged persistence to get at the truth, but there's some super interior shots of WB's set replica of Dino's along with actual location footage of the 8500 block address of the Strip.

A couple NOTES:
One small scene in the Dino's parking breezeway where Kookie introduces Jeff to a stunningly endowed blonde (uncredited, so no pics available darn it) who he claims is interested in the "international intrigue dodge". She explains "I don't know any foreign languages, but it wouldn't be right if I seemed too bright, would it?"

The closing scene has Mrs. Murdo and Johnny driving off in what appears to be either a Pontiac or Oldsmobile--out of character for such a Ford-sponsored show.

 

[Rustifer]

TIDBIT:

Most of this I got from Variety dated August 2002 upon his death:

Peter Miles (Gerald Perreau-Saissine), child actor who later successfully pursued writing, died Aug. 3 of cancer at his Los Angeles home. He was 64.

Tokyo-born and L.A.-reared, he began his multifaceted career when as a boy he acted in such films as “Passage to Marseille” (in which he played Humphrey Bogart’s son), “Hi, Beautiful,” and “San Diego I Love You.” Along with his sister Gigi Perreau (he was also the brother of actress Janine Perreau), he held a personal contract with Samuel Goldwyn, with whom the siblings made “Family Honeymoon,” “Enchantment” and “Roseanna McCoy.”

Other films he appeared in as Peter Miles or Richard Miles included “Quo Vadis,” “California Passage,” “The Red Pony” and many more as well as TV shows such as 1954’s “A Christmas Carol,” “Alcoa Presents,” “The Betty Hutton Show,” “Maverick,” "77 Sunset Strip," “Perry Mason,” “The Blue Angels” and “The Lone Ranger.”

He later turned to writing, eventually penning, as Richard Miles, “They Saved Hitler’s Brain” and “Madmen of Mandoras.” He taught school and served as president of the Burbank Teachers Assn. Besides UCLA, he attended Georgetown U., what is now Cal State Northridge, Fribourg and elsewhere. He additionally curated shows at the Pacific-Asia Museum in Pasadena and the Honolulu Academy of Arts from the 1980s to 2001.

I would say this guy truly had something going for him past his acting career.

 

[Gary16]

It's Friday night in the Rustifer household, which means it's time to watch another 77 SS episode. That's not to say that the other family members eagerly gather on the couch with their kettle corn and Nehi oranges to share the experience. I envy you guys who have wives that join your interest of the series. My wifey, bless her nonetheless completely incurious heart, prefers the PBS versions of cozy English mysteries. Okay, I watch them, too. But I'm a lone sole when it comes to tuning in my favorite series of old. A very dry vodka martini quickly dulls any regret of non-familial participation.

"The Court Martial of Johnny Murdo" takes place at the 'Southern Military Institute' which looks suspiciously like the the WB administration building with a couple of cannon props planted in the front yard to help bolster the illusion of a military school facility. Johnny Murdo (Peter Miles) is outside being unceremoniously smacked around by fellow cadets when his mom (Catherine McLeod) drives up to put an end to the fight. He has been accused by his colleagues of stealing a whopping $757 from the cadet fund, which he vehemently denies to Mommy. Johnny's demeanor suggests having grown up just west of Dorkville. Like all good moms, she runs to Bailey & Spencer (with a 'c') for assistance in disputing this claim. Jeff Spencer is conveniently reading a manual on military law when she and Johnny stroll into his office. Johnny is sporting a black eye from his beating, so Jeff sends him to a doctor three doors down to be examined. Johnny returns ten minutes later all patched up. I guess in 1958 doctors could turn over walk-in patients that quickly. (At my doc's office, it requires at least a half hour in the waiting room, followed by a nurse weighing, checking blood pressure, body temp and any suspicious bodily fluids when I'm then installed in an examination room for another half hour or more before anyone resembling a physician shows up).

View attachment 48689 View attachment 48690 View attachment 48691
Peter Miles, Catherine McLeod, Robert Lowery, Bruce Bennett

During this time, Mrs. Murdo explains that Johnny comes from an old venerable California banking heritage of considerable influence, and the idea of him possibly being tossed out of the school makes it imperative that Jeff clears up this outrage. A generous check from mom sends Jeff of to the institute to investigate. A meeting with Major Wilkinson (Robert Lowery) is inexplicably arranged at night at the El Casillo Canyon firing range. Jeff walks right into the line of fire and has to drop to the ground flatter than a McDonald's burger patty to avoid being completely aerated by the fusillade of bullets.

Infuriated, Spencer confronts the Colonel (Bruce Bennett) in charge of the institute who cannot do anything about Johnny's predicament since he's being blackmailed by the Major. "I had forgotten how effective buck-passing can be--it's like watching a tennis match" points out Jeff. The Colonel is sufficiently embarrassed to help poor Johnny out. A big fight in the cadet barracks finally reveals the true thief.

The story isn't that great outside of Jeff's dogged persistence to get at the truth, but there's some super interior shots of WB's set replica of Dino's along with actual location footage of the 8500 block address of the Strip.

A couple NOTES:
One small scene in the Dino's parking breezeway where Kookie introduces Jeff to a stunningly endowed blonde (uncredited, so no pics available darn it) who he claims is interested in the "international intrigue dodge". She explains "I don't know any foreign languages, but it wouldn't be right if I seemed too bright, would it?"

The closing scene has Mrs. Murdo and Johnny driving off in what appears to be either a Pontiac or Oldsmobile--out of character for such a Ford-sponsored show.

You know I hardly ever nitpick but I will tonight. Just FYI Ford was not a sponsor of 77. They may have supplied cars but they did not run Ford spots. Ford of course did sponsor “The FBI”.

 

[criblecoblis]

The closing scene has Mrs. Murdo and Johnny driving off in what appears to be either a Pontiac or Oldsmobile--out of character for such a Ford-sponsored show.

Russ, from my obsessive trainspotting of "Two And Two Make Six," I can tell you that it's a 1958 Mercury, some sort of Montclair variant--I think a Convertible Cruiser, but I am certainly no expert on Mercs of this vintage.

 

[Flashgear]

Forgive me as I go off on a tangent here, albeit with a solid connection to the WB Detective shows...Russ mentioned Gigi Perreau, sister of Peter Miles ("Johnny Murdo" of 77), I was not aware of her child actor siblings, thank you Russ for that interesting tidbit. I can definitely see the family resemblance between them...Gigi was a real cutie, wasn't she? Here's a publicity photo of her (age 18) from The Rifleman season two ("Heller" Feb. 23, 1960)...she was soon to become part of the regular cast on 77 Sunset Strip's creator Roy Huggins fine single season show, Follow The Sun...

Besides being cast by Roy Huggins for Follow The Sun, though Gigi Perreau wasn't in 77 Sunset Strip, she did make appearances on Roaring 20s, Hawaiian Eye and Surfside 6....and this little gem, Cool And The Crazy (1958), which would make a nice double bill with Anne Margaret's Kitten With a Whip...at least in my fevered imagination, ha, ha...

Cool And The Crazy (about weed crazed kids on the rampage in KC) was written by Richard C. Serafian, who as a director at WB , gave us 3 very good episodes of 77 Sunset Strip..."Our Man in Switzerland", "The Dark Wood", and one of the best from season five, "Terror in a Small Town"...maybe Edd Byrnes most memorable episode of the series(?)...

Oh, and as atonement for her sexy wild child roles, Gigi Perreau also appeared as a nun with Agnes Moorehead and Clint Eastwood in the superb third season episode of Rawhide, "Incident at Poco Tiempo" (Dec. 9, 1960)...one of my favorites from that great series...

Don't blame me, I ask for your forgiveness, but Russ mentioned her, ha, ha, and I just recently devoted a couple entire evenings to watching the lovely Gigi Perreau as a guest on Alfred Hitchock Presents, Donna Reed Show, The Rebel, Perry Mason, Gunsmoke and Gomer Pyle, as well as those shown above...

We now return to 77 Sunst Strip...

 

[criblecoblis]

Peter Miles (Gerald Perreau-Saissine), child actor who later successfully pursued writing, died Aug. 3 of cancer at his Los Angeles home. He was 64.

Fascinating, Russ! Thanks for the illuminating research. I would never have guessed that Peter Miles was Gigi Perreau's brother.

 

[criblecoblis]

Russ mentioned Gigi Perreau, sister of Peter Miles ("Johnny Murdo" of 77), I was not aware of her child actor siblings, thank you Russ for that interesting tidbit. I can definitely see the family resemblance between them...Gigi was a real cutie, wasn't she? Here's a publicity photo of her (age 18) from The Rifleman season two ("Heller" Feb. 23, 1960)...she was soon to become part of the regular cast on 77 Sunset Strip's creator Roy Huggins fine single season show, Follow The Sun...

Funny you should mention it. Follow The Sun is one of the shows that I want to see, because of its pedigree and cast.

You know, every year there are more and more diginets. I keep hoping that eventually we will reach critical mass, and every show we want to watch will be available somewhere.

 

[Rustifer]

You know I hardly ever nitpick but I will tonight. Just FYI Ford was not a sponsor of 77. They may have supplied cars but they did not run Ford spots. Ford of course did sponsor “The FBI”.

Thanks, Gary. I feel somewhat spared by the singularity of this, your only nitpick.
But I was kinda hoping you could dig up the name of the non-credited blonde who appeared in the episode.

 

[Rustifer]

Russ, from my obsessive trainspotting of "Two And Two Make Six," I can tell you that it's a 1958 Mercury, some sort of Montclair variant--I think a Convertible Cruiser, but I am certainly no expert on Mercs of this vintage.

(Smacking myself in the forehead)
A Mercury--of course! I should have known that...

Do ya think this chariot sports enough chrome?

 

[Gary16]

Thanks, Gary. I feel somewhat spared by the singularity of this, your only nitpick.
But I was kinda hoping you could dig up the name of the non-credited blonde who appeared in the episode.

I tried. So far no luck but I’ll have to watch the episode to see if I recognize her.

 

[Rustifer]

I tried. So far no luck but I’ll have to watch the episode to see if I recognize her.

Oh, so you expect to look at her face, then?