Tributes To Your Favorite Classic TV Stars (3 Viewers)

[The 1960's]

The Twilight Zone (1959-1964)
S01E16 The Hitch-Hiker (Jan.22.1960)​

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The story begins with Nan Adams (Inger Stevens) whose Mercury sedan gets a flat tire in Pennsylvania while on a cross-country road trip from New York City to Los Angeles. A mechanic puts a spare tire on her car however, he directs her to the local repair shop to properly repair it. Just before leaving the repair shop Nan notices a strange looking man (Leonard Strong) staring at her. As she continues on her trip, Nan sees the same man hitchhiking at several other points along the way and becomes increasingly concerned and frightened. Nan then gets stuck on a railroad crossing, nearly getting hit by a train. She then believes that this hitchhiker is trying to kill her. As her trip continues, Nan is becoming more and more paranoid and afraid. She stops only when necessary, however every time she does, the same hitchhiker is there repeating the phrase…“going my way ?” She then meets a sailor on his way back to San Diego, from leave. Eager for protection from the hitchhiker she's been seeing, Nan offers to drive the sailor to San Diego herself as a form of self protection from the mysterious hitchhiker. The sailor exits the car shortly after, scared for his life, after Nan tries to run over the hitchhiker, (which the sailor doesn’t see), in the road. Stopping in Arizona Nan calls her mother, looking for reassurance. However, someone else answers the phone and tells her that her mother has been in the hospital for the last six days with a nervous breakdown after her daughter’s fatal accident, caused by a tire blowout in Pennsylvania. Nan then realizes what really happened and that the hitchhiker is not a man who wants her to die, but rather the angel of death. She returns to the car and sees the hitchhiker in her vanity mirror who calmly states, "I believe you're going...my way ?” (A special thanks goes out to John aka SkyKing for writing this synopsis)

Next to The Farmer's Daughter this is perhaps Miss Stevens most recognized and well known television appearance. One of the very best of The Twilight Zone. Originally posted here at HTF on December 14, 2021.​

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And Now, Mr. Serling:

"Next week we'll drive with Miss Inger Stevens, who starts out on what begins as a vacation and ends as a desperate flight. She begins her trip next week on The Twilight Zone. And you'll be with her when she meets . . . "The Hitch-Hiker." We hope you'll be alongside. Goodnight."

Cast:

Nan Adams: Inger Stevens
Hitch-Hiker: Leonard Strong
Sailor: Adam Williams
Gas Station Owner: George Mitchell
Mechanic: Lew Gallo
Counterman: Russ Bender
Highway Worker: Dwight Townsend

Crew:

Writer: Rod Serling (based on the radio play by Lucille Fletcher)
Director: Alvin Ganzer
Producer: Buck Houghton
Production Manager: Ralph W. Nelson
Director of Photography: George T. Clemens
Art Direction: George W. Davis and William Ferrari
Set Decoration: Rudy Butler and Henry Grace
Assistant Director: Edward Denault
Casting: Mildred Gusse
Editor: Bill Mosher
Sound: Franklin Milton and Jean Valentino
Music: stock

Rod Serling's Opening Narration:

"Her name is Nan Adams. She's twenty-seven years old. Her occupation: buyer at a New York department store. At present on vacation, driving cross-country to Los Angeles, California, from Manhattan. Minor incident on Highway 11 in Pennsylvania, perhaps to be filed away under accidents you walk away from. But from this moment on, Nan Adam's companion on a trip to California will be terror, her route fear, her destination quite unknown.”

Rod Serling's Closing Narration:

"Nan Adams, age twenty-seven. She was driving to California, to Los Angeles. She didn't make it. There was a detour. . . through the Twilight Zone."​

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[The 1960's]

 

[The 1960's]

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Rod Serling's Closing Narration:

"Nan Adams, age twenty-seven. She was driving to California, to Los Angeles. She didn't make it. There was a detour. . . through the Twilight Zone."​

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[The 1960's]

Route 66 (1960-1964)
Stars Martin Milner George Maharis Glenn Corbett

S02E13 Burning for Burning (Dec.29.1961)
Stars Martin Milner George Maharis Inger Stevens Beulah Bondi Pat Hingle Lenka Peterson Ann Dee​

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Tod Stiles (Martin Milner) and Buz Murdock (George Maharis), find themselves working in Boiling Springs, Pennsylvania as handymen at a chicken ranch. They become involved in the family drama between the ranch's matriarch Agnes Brack (Beulah Bondi) and her oldest son Frank (Pat Hingle) versus the visiting widowed wife Julie (Inger Stevens) and child of the youngest Brack, son Mark. The family blamed the Julie for Mark’s death and are suspicious, mean and resentful of her coming, thinking she’s looking to inherit a piece of the family farm. Julie told Agnes she wasn’t there for money or an inheritance. She then told Agnes the true story of how her son died going out in dangerous weather conditions to fish and that he died wanting to prove himself only to his mother. Agnes then realized what she had done, instilling such pressure on Mark to prove himself and costing him his life. She then softened her harsh attitude to a degree, towards Julie, realizing that Julie was being sincere and offered a home for Julie and her grandson with her on the farm.
(A special thanks goes out to John aka SkyKing for writing this comprehensive synopsis)

Originally detailed on Aug 9, 2021. This new photo essay originates from the superior Roxbury Edition DVD.​

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[The 1960's]

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You can stream it here.

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[ScottRE]

The Hitch-Hiker is enhanced by the incredible music score by Bernard Herrmann, which was recorded for the initial radio broadcast. SO, in effect, it was stock music but still written for the story.

The Hitch-Hiker is a radio play written by Lucille Fletcher. It was first presented on the November 17, 1941, broadcast of The Orson Welles Show on CBS Radio, featuring a score written and conducted by Bernard Herrmann, Fletcher's first husband. Welles performed The Hitch-Hiker four times on radio, and the play was adapted for a notable 1960 episode of the television series The Twilight Zone.

Also if interest; Ms. Fletcher was married to Herrmann during that time.

 

[Sky King]

The Farmer’s Daughter
1963-1966 ABC

The Farmer’s Daughter premiered on September 23rd 1963 at 8:30 PM on ABC and was an instant success.
Inger played Katy Holstrum a naïve, but attractive Swedish governess, caring for the two children of widowed Congressman Glen Morley (William Windom).
Also on the show was Cathleen Nesbit as Morley’s mother, Phillip Coolidge as the butler, Mickey Sholdar and Rory O’Brien as the children.
This show proved that Inger was a gifted light comedienne despite the canned laugh track.
Those who worked with her on the show said she was no diva and that she was compassionate, thoughtful and very generous.
Her co-star William Windom, said she was a “woman of many secrets.” He stated he enjoyed working with her and they played practical jokes on each other while filming the series. For example, Inger once had an onion sandwich before they were to film a kissing scene.
Rory O’Brien who played one of Congressman Morley’s sons recalls Inger being so kind to him and taking him for rides in her Jaguar between filming scenes of The Farmer’s Daughter.
She received a Golden Globe for her work in The Farmer’s Daughter as Best TV Star in 1964.
This series was filmed in b/w the first two seasons and switched to color for the final season.
The Farmer’s Daughter was cancelled in 1966 when ratings tanked after Katy and Glen got married.
Of her success, Inger said in an interview: “I have learned to appreciate my free time and I’ve learned to utilize it very well. And you appreciate your friends more when you don’t see them so much, I think.”

 

[The 1960's]

There’s a similarly definitive theme in the next two Inger Stevens appearances. Almost as if it was an imitation of her real life. Do I know this to be true? No. Just conjecture. In the first, an episode of The Eleventh Hour, she portrays a mother suffering from PPD that leads to a nervous breakdown. In the second, an episode of Sam Benedict, she portrays a recovering drug addict trying to regain custody of her son. Interestingly these aired just 17 days apart in 1962, both were produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and released by the WarnerArchive on DVD. There are even certain scenes with Miss Stevens that are almost a mirror image of one another. If you're observant you'll see these similarities in the images. Both reveal what a sterling actress she was.​

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The Eleventh Hour (1962-1964)
Stars Jack Ging Wendell Corey Ralph Bellamy​

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There were only two seasons of this show. Some might be relieved about that. Both featured Jack Ging as Dr. Paul Graham, a passionate and caring young psychologist, working under the ægis of elder psychiatrists - first played by Wendell Corey, and later Ralph Bellamy. While the first year often focused on Dr. Theodore Bassett and court cases, the second season was more concerned with private practice. The series shared a two-part crossover episode with Dr. Kildare' (1961) in 1963 and clearly used the same basic theme of wise teacher and young intern. Some of the most notable writers, actors, and actresses in Hollywood participated on this show. Scripts were thoughtful and intense. Given the focus on guest characters, it felt more like an anthology series than episodic drama.

S01E11 The Blues My Babe Gave to Me (Dec.12.1962)
Stars Wendell Corey Jack Ging Inger Stevens Robert Vaughn John Zaremba Louise Lorimer Dale Hogan Irene Martin Clark Howat Nancy Wylde Connie Davis Margie Liszt​

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A young mother's postpartum depression progresses to a total psychotic breakdown, and Bassett and Graham try to discover the roots of it.​

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[The 1960's]

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[The 1960's]

Sam Benedict (1962-1963)
Stars Edmond O'Brien Richard Rust Joan Tompkins​

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Sam Benedict is an American legal drama that aired on NBC from September 1962 to March 1963. The series was created and executive produced by E. Jack Neuman. The character Sam Benedict is based on real-life lawyer Jake Ehrlich, who served as technical consultant for the series. Trudy has his office running efficiently while Hank keeps things from getting too serious as Benedict's right hand man. (Wikipedia)

S01E16 The Target Over the Hill (Dec.29.1962)
Stars Edmond O'Brien Richard Rust Inger Stevens Everett Sloane Arch Johnson Joan Tompkins Jacques Aubuchon Patrick Hale Edward Mallory Crahan Denton Byron Kane Sidney Clute Clancy Cooper Dolores Sutton Don Ames​

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A mother contests her son's adoption proceeding, claiming that she has conquered her drug problem and can provide a good home environment for the boy.​

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[The 1960's]

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[The 1960's]

Inger Stevens Motion Picture Appearances

The World, the Flesh and the Devil (1959)
Stars Harry Belafonte Inger Stevens Mel Ferrer​

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A miner trapped in a cave-in resurfaces, and upon discovering mankind has been wiped out in a nuclear holocaust, sets out to find other survivors. Harry Belafonte turned 95 years of age in March 2022 and lives in New York.​

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[The 1960's]

Inger Stevens Motion Picture Appearances

Hang 'Em High (1968)
Stars Clint Eastwood Inger Stevens Pat Hingle​

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When an innocent man barely survives a lynching, he returns as a lawman determined to bring the vigilantes to justice.​

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[The 1960's]

Inger Stevens Motion Picture Appearances

A Guide for the Married Man (1976)
Stars Walter Matthau Inger Stevens Sue Ane Langdon​

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A man gives his friend a series of lessons on how to cheat on his wife without being caught.
This film is a must watch and it is hysterical!​

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This concludes our Tribute to the memory of Inger Stevens.
May this beautiful and tragic woman never be forgotten.

I'd like to thank John, Jeff and Scott for their wonderful Photo Commentaries.
John your suggestion to do this was a good one. It was a pleasure working with all three of you!​

 

[Sky King]

Neal,

The pleasure was all mine.

John

 

[The 1960's]

Efrem Zimbalist Jr. (November 30, 1918 - May 2, 2014) Birthday Remembrance

Today November 30, 2022 is the birthdate of Efrem Zimbalist Jr.. We remember him through some of his most well known roles. Please feel free to add to this celebration of his life.

Efrem Zimbalist Jr. (November 30, 1918 – May 2, 2014) was an American actor known for his starring roles in the television series 77 Sunset Strip and The F.B.I. He is also known as recurring character "Dandy Jim Buckley" in the series Maverick. His was a career that spanned over six decades! … Read all (Wikipedia)​

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77 Sunset Strip (1958-1964)
Stars Efrem Zimbalist Jr. Edd Byrnes Roger Smith Jacqueline Beer Louis Quinn Byron Keith Robert Logan Richard Long The Frankie Ortega Trio Joan Staley​

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Stu Bailey and Jeff Spencer were the wisecracking, womanizing private detective heroes of this Warner Brothers drama.​

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S04E10 The Turning Point (Nov.24.1961)
Stars Efrem Zimbalist Jr. Edd Byrnes Louis Quinn Jacqueline Beer Robert Logan David Winters Kathie Browne Ken Mayer Don Kelly Billy Curtis The Frankie Ortega Trio Frankie Ortega​

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An army buddy asks Stu to be responsible for delinquent Speed Minton. Stu Kookie and J.R. begin to make some progress straightening out the troubled youth but his ex-con brother Nate shows up and tries to draw him back into a criminal life. However the job is not quite as difficult once Stu meets Speed’s gorgeous older sister, (played by the stunning Kathie Browne.) I have always had a fascination with juvenile delinqent stories and this fun episode is no exception! Nice cameo appearance by little person Billy Curtis [Adventures of Superman Mr. Zero (1957), Superman and the Mole-Men (1951) and The Wizard of Oz (1939) Munchkin Father, all uncredited roles], along with many many others. Note: Images have been considerably modified.​

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[The 1960's]

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[The 1960's]

The F.B.I. 1965–1974
Stars Efrem Zimbalist Jr. Philip Abbott William Reynolds​

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The cases of the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation.​

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S03E15 Act of Violence (Jan.21.1968)
Stars Efrem Zimbalist Jr. Philip Abbott William Reynolds Burt Reynolds Michael Strong Frank Aletter Diana Muldaur Johnny Seven Jimmy Lydon Hank Brandt Paul Comi Hal Baylor Roy Engel Claudia Bryar Michael Harris Geoffrey Deuel Paul Bradford Michael Barbera Lee Faulkner Marvin Miller​

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Two deaths, 3,000 miles apart, put Erskine (Efrem Zimbalist Jr.) and Colby (William Reynolds) on the trail of Cosa Nostra boss John Duquesne (Burt Reynolds) in his second F.B.I. appearance. The first fatality occurred a decade earlier and the body was discovered during a routine military exercise near San Jose. The other is the killing of a retired hitman on the other side of the U.S. The Cosa Nostra decides that Duquesne needs to get rid of his ex-wife, who could implicate him in the earlier killing. The FBI tries to connect the two murders and prevent a third.​

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[The 1960's]

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[The 1960's]

Additional Efrem Zimbalist Jr. television and motion picture appearances

Rawhide (1959-1965)
Stars Clint Eastwood Eric Fleming Paul Brinegar Steve Raines Sheb Wooley​

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Gil Favor is trail boss of a continuous cattle drive. He is assisted by Rowdy Yates. The crew runs into characters and adventures along the way.

S07E25 The Last Order (Apr.09.1965)​

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Stars Eric Fleming Clint Eastwood Paul Brinegar Efrem Zimbalist Jr. Sheb Wooley James Murdock Steve Raines Rocky Shahan Robert Cabal Lawrence Dobkin Harry Lauter Kelton Garwood Rex Holman Bruce Mars Kenneth Konopka Archie Butler​

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A wounded man wanders into camp with the strong box from a stagecoach robbery. Favor decides to hold the money till the next town but when two of the robbers enter camp and one gets away, the drive is hit with dangers from the robbers.​

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The Alfred Hitchcock Hour (1962-1965)
Stars Alfred Hitchcock Hinton Pope Jimmy Joyce​

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A continuation of the dramatic anthology series Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955) hosted by the Master of Suspense and Mystery.

S03E05 See The Monkey Dance (Nov.09.1965)
Stars Alfred Hitchcock Efrem Zimbalist Jr. Roddy McDowall Patricia Medina George Pelling Shari Lee Bernath​

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During a brief train stop, George takes the opportunity to telephone another man's wife and arrange a two-day rendezvous. When he returns to his compartment, there's now a stranger there who provokes him into conversation. George reveals the location of his caravan in the country, but the stranger claims to reside at the same location. After George arrives, the stranger shows up and begins to dig a grave.​

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By Love Possessed (1961)
Stars Lana Turner Jason Robards Efrem Zimbalist Jr. Jason Robards George Hamilton Susan Kohner Thomas Mitchell Everett Sloane Yvonne Craig Gilbert Green Frank Maxwell Carroll O'Connor Jean Willes Barbara Bel Geddes Claire Carleton Harry Holcombe George Holmes Mari Lynn Robert Malcolm Lester Matthews Murray Pollack​

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Neurotic woman engages in an affair with the law partner of her impotent husband.​

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Violent Road (1958)
Stars Brian Keith Dick Foran Efrem Zimbalist Jr. Merry Anders Sean Garrison Joanna Barnes Perry Lopez Arthur Batanides Ed Prentiss Ann Doran John Dennis Susan Adams Robert Alderette Peter Brown John Caler Bud Cokes Joe Connors Charmienne Harker Dennis Holmes Pat Lawless Jack Lomas Asa Maynor Gil Perkins Joel Smith Venetia Stevenson John Veitch Robert B. Williams​

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Truck drivers take cargo of explosives over bumpy mountain road.​

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Band of Angels (1957)
Stars Clark Gable Yvonne De Carlo Sidney Poitier Efrem Zimbalist Jr. Rex Reason Patric Knowles Torin Thatcher Andrea King Ray Teal Russell Evans Carolle Drake Raymond Bailey Tommie Moore Roy Barcroft​

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In this motion picture Efrem Zimbalist Jr. received 4th billing in a major supporting role as Lt. Ethan Sears.​

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