What did you watch this week in classic TV on DVD(or Blu)? (3 Viewers)

[Flashgear]

Speaking of gorgeous girls as I just did, one that I've fallen in love with lately is Anna Capri (brown eyed blondes having a mighty effect on my misbegotten life). Among other places, I first spied her in a season six Leave it to Beaver, where being only 18 and playing a wholesome high school student, she first appears as the girlfriend of Lumpy, and then coming back again as Eddie's flame. Continuity be damned! My screen caps from Shout! DVD set...

In the next 2 years, Anna Capri transformed into this Goddess...as seen in The Man from U.N.C.L.E. season two's The Birds and the Bees Affair...my screen caps from the Warner DVDs...

John McGiver as the evil THRUSH agent willing to use this young lovely as a human shield...

And in Adam-12's season one Log 172...where officer Pete Malloy (Martin Milner) proves himself clinically, if not criminally, insane by resisting Anna Capri's pleading to date him...behold!

 

[Bert Greene]

I was rather saddened upon the news of Ahna Capri's perishing in a car accident a few years back. Seemed like one of those awfully senseless tragedies. Ditto what similarly happened to Zina Bethune around the same time.

 

[Flashgear]

I was rather saddened upon the news of Ahna Capri's perishing in a car accident a few years back. Seemed like one of those awfully senseless tragedies. Ditto what similarly happened to Zina Bethune around the same time.

Sad, indeed Bert. It's a subtle, subdued and melancholy feeling you sometimes have while viewing these stars of yesterday in their beautiful, talented and vital prime. Knowing that their mortality can be so fleeting in life, but lasting in film. A reminder for us all to savor life as best we can.

 

[Bert Greene]

Those "Hitchcock" intros are always a lot of fun. I still enjoy them, although the AHP series itself can be pretty hit-or-miss with me. On the 'miss' side of things, I saw an episode on Me-TV a couple of months back that I found rather aggravating. It was entirely engaging and entertaining for the most part, but became completely undone by the tendency of the series to deliver its traditional 'O.Henry' ending. Henry Jones and Virginia Gregg played an endearingly likeable schlub of a married couple who get innocently ensnared in a murder in their apartment building. Then in a completely out-of-the-blue finale, and contrary to all the script had telegraphed to the viewer beforehand, we get a ridiculously contrived denouement that our likeably mundane, middle-aged married couple were directly involved in not only adultery but the murder it led to. Instead of being an amusingly ironic twist, it just came across as gratuitously mean-spirited and distastefully misanthropic.

I'm certainly not knocking twist endings, but they still need a sense of emanating organically and comporting to the characterizations at hand, so to speak. A lot of AHP episodes did indeed succeed in this, and I'm usually quite partial to them. But every now and then, the series served up one of these little rotten apples, leaving a bad taste in my mouth.

I guess it's one of the reasons I demurred from purchasing the dvd's. Although, the "Hitchcock" tv-dvd releases started off on a very bad footing with me to begin with. Back when Universal put out that 1st-season set, we were locally hit by a rather nasty hurricane. I stayed home throughout it, and lived without water and electricity for about five weeks. Exhausted myself fixing the roof, the fences, and chain-sawing up the many fallen trees, all while eating cold stuff out of cans. I felt so beat down, after all this. When I was finally able to get out in my car and drive the cleared roads, my first destination was the re-opened Best Buy store, where I went to go purchase that 1st-season "Hitchcock" set, which had just been released. It was going to be such a glorious treat, to just finally be able to sit back and relax with some fun, vintage fare. But nope, those stupid discs kept repeatedly freezing up on me. My gosh, but it was so incredibly dispiriting to me. I watched about a dozen episodes, but after the fourth or fifth freeze-up, I just grabbed the set and disgustedly tossed it in the garbage. Never could quite gin up the enthusiasm for purchasing the following season-sets, even though I heard they were problem-free.

 

[Flashgear]

I guess it's one of the reasons I demurred from purchasing the dvd's. Although, the "Hitchcock" tv-dvd releases started off on a very bad footing with me to begin with. Back when Universal put out that 1st-season set, we were locally hit by a rather nasty hurricane. I stayed home throughout it, and lived without water and electricity for about five weeks. Exhausted myself fixing the roof, the fences, and chain-sawing up the many fallen trees, all while eating cold stuff out of cans. I felt so beat down, after all this. When I was finally able to get out in my car and drive the cleared roads, my first destination was the re-opened Best Buy store, where I went to go purchase that 1st-season "Hitchcock" set, which had just been released. It was going to be such a glorious treat, to just finally be able to sit back and relax with some fun, vintage fare. But nope, those stupid discs kept repeatedly freezing up on me. My gosh, but it was so incredibly dispiriting to me. I watched about a dozen episodes, but after the fourth or fifth freeze-up, I just grabbed the set and disgustedly tossed it in the garbage. Never could quite gin up the enthusiasm for purchasing the following season-sets, even though I heard they were problem-free.

Very sorry to hear of your past Hurricane related trials, Bert. You are made of stern stuff. I doubt if I would have fared as well in the face of 5 weeks without power, eating out of a can and going about rebuilding your house and clearing all those fallen trees. God bless the good people of Hurricane alley!

Universal has sure tried our patience with their faulty, delayed and never-to-be DVD releases of Alfred Hitchcock Presents/Hour. I don't blame you at all, Bert, for not continuing to acquire this series on DVD, especially after the DVD-18 imbroglio of 2005 with the initial and bedeviled season one release. Garbage it was! And I had the same problems with their first Rockford Files release. It might be the stubborn masochist in me, but I persevered and purchased the whole series on DVD, relying on the UK Fabulous Films releases to complete AHP with season 7, and getting all three seasons of AHH too. And I went back and purchased the 6 disc re-release of season one that Universal put out a couple of years ago. This DVD thing can be a madness!

I'm certainly not knocking twist endings, but they still need a sense of emanating organically and comporting to the characterizations at hand, so to speak. A lot of AHP episodes did indeed succeed in this, and I'm usually quite partial to them. But every now and then, the series served up one of these little rotten apples, leaving a bad taste in my mouth.

Ah, yes, Nightmare in 4-D...I think I agree with you Bert, as the alternate ending we would both imagine would be more sensible, realistic and satisfying. Although it's already overly convoluted in it's story, the cynical, contrived reveal strains credibility farther and seems needless. In doing that, the last shred of sympathy for the central characters was lost. A character can still be detestable, but more satisfying when they're credibly detestable.

 

[Jeff Flugel]

Speaking of gorgeous girls as I just did, one that I've fallen in love with lately is Anna Capri (brown eyed blondes having a mighty effect on my misbegotten life).

Ah, Ahna Capri, what a stunning gal! I first noticed her in Enter the Dragon, cavorting topless with John Saxon. Nice to see that she had lots of TV appearances - some of which I have in my collection.

I enjoyed your Adam-12 pics so much, Randall, that I watched that episode tonight (Season 1's "Log 127 - Boy, the Things You Do for the Job"). It was a different kind of episode than the norm for this show, I thought. The usual Adam-12 episode bounces around from case to case, usually three or more incidents per story, one incident done - boom, on to the next. In contrast, this one focused only on Ms. Capri's oil heiress character, and her relentless stalking of Pete Malloy (Martin Milner). Malloy doesn't like her "rich girl who always gets what she wants" act, but eventually capitulates and, ahem...takes one for the team. (At least, that's how I interpreted the final line of dialogue. ) A fun, lighthearted entry, and Ahna Capri certainly brings the sex appeal.

Sad, indeed Bert. It's a subtle, subdued and melancholy feeling you sometimes have while viewing these stars of yesterday in their beautiful, talented and vital prime. Knowing that their mortality can be so fleeting in life, but lasting in film. A reminder for us all to savor life as best we can.

Very poetically put, Randall! I was not aware of Ms. Capri's premature death until I read Bert's post above...that is indeed a sad end for a beautiful and talented lady.

 

[The Obsolete Man]

Ah, Ahna Capri, what a stunning gal! I first noticed her in Enter the Dragon, cavorting topless with John Saxon. Nice to see that she had lots of TV appearances - some of which I have in my collection.

I enjoyed your Adam-12 pics so much, Randall, that I watched that episode tonight (S1.24 "Log 127 - Boy, the Things You Do for the Job"). It was a different kind of episode than the norm for this show, I thought. The usual Adam-12 episode bounces around from case to case, usually three or more incidents per story, one incident done - boom, on to the next. In contrast, this one focused only on Ms. Capri's oil heiress character, and her relentless stalking of Pete Malloy (Martin Milner). Malloy doesn't like her "rich girl who always gets what she wants" act, but eventually capitulates and, ahem...takes one for the team. (At least, that's how I interpreted the final line of dialogue. ) A fun, lighthearted entry, and Ahna Capri certainly brings the sex appeal.



Very poetically put, Randall! I was not aware of Ms. Capri's premature death until I read Bert's post above...that is indeed a sad end for a beautiful and talented lady.

Having just rewatched Adam-12 recently, the episode with this actress was where the corner turned on Adam-12 from being slices of life vignettes to a show with a single overarching story arc each episode holding things together.

One of my favorite episodes is the one after... S1E25, the one where the neighbors co-own a boat and sitcom hijinks ensue, until they stop being funny.

 

[JohnHopper]

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I'm currently riding through the third disc of Gunsmoke season 18!
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[Jeff Flugel]

Having just rewatched Adam-12 recently, the episode with this actress was where the corner turned on Adam-12 from being slices of life vignettes to a show with a single overarching story arc each episode holding things together.

One of my favorite episodes is the one after... S1E25, the one where the neighbors co-own a boat and sitcom hijinks ensue, until they stop being funny.

Thanks for the clarification, Robert...that all makes sense, as I've only got Season 1 in my collection and have mostly watched episodes earlier in the set, which followed the "vignette" approach. Will have to check out the next episode (1.25) soon, based on your recommendation. Am really enjoying this show, which was kind of TV wallpaper for me back when I caught it in reruns growing up, but is much more my speed these days. Need to pick up some more season sets...

 

[JohnHopper]

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Ahna Capri-wise, I always remember her in the season 3 episode of The Wild Wild West:
“The Night of the Hangman” (1967) as crooked Abigail Moss.

 

[Jeff Flugel]

Ahna Capri-wise, I always remember her in the season 3 episode of The Wild Wild West:“The Night of the Hangman” (1967) as crooked Abigail Moss.

View attachment 70737​

Yep, that one's on my watch list, John, along with her appearances The Invaders S2 ("Counter Attack") and I Spy S2 ("Will the Real Good Guys Please Stand Up?")

 

[JohnHopper]

_____________________________________________________
Ahna Capri-wise, I always remember her in the season 3 episode of The Wild Wild West:
“The Night of the Hangman” (1967) as crooked Abigail Moss.

View attachment 70737​

Don't miss the tag scene in which we learn the real identity of Abigail Moss:
wanted criminal Jennifer Colt alias Prudence Mallery alias Abigail Moss.
“The Night of the Hangman” is on my season 3 top list.

Oddly enough, the series offers two Abigail and each time, she's dead gorgeous:
“The Night of the Deadly Bubble” (season 2)
“The Night of the Hangman” (season 3)​

 

[John*Wells]

Pacific Blue. Season 1.

1. Pilot
2. First Shoot
3. No Man’s Land
4. Over the Edge
5. Out of the post
6. Takedown
7. Heatwear
8. Burnout

Law & Order Season 2

1. confession
2. The wages of Love
3. Aria
4. Asylum
5. God Bless the Child

 

[Jeff Flugel]

To commemorate the passing of the lovely and talented Honor Blackman, today I watched her in the half-hour Danger Man episode, "Colonel Rodriguez." She has a small but crucial role, as a woman whose reporter husband is imprisoned on false espionage charges by an island nation's corrupt chief of police, Col. Rodriguez (Noel Willman). Rodriguez is a devious foe, but ultimately no match for the ever-resourceful John Drake (Patrick McGoohan). Cyril Shaps and Ronald Allen co-star.

Ms. Blackman is most famous for being the first badass beauty in leather, Cathy Gale, on The Avengers...and of course, for her role immediately after leaving that series, as Pussy Galore in Goldfinger. Aside from her other notable TV work, she has some definite ITC connections. She sparkles as Dan Dailey's secretary / girlfriend in 10 episodes of The Four Just Men, and also appeared The New Adventures of Charlie Chan, H.G. Wells' The Invisible Man, Ghost Squad, and an early black-and-white episode of The Saint ("The Arrow of God.") She played the killer (alongside Richard Baseheart) in one of the weaker '70s Columbos, "Dagger of the Mind," as well as guest starring in Doctor Who and several other British TV productions.

R.I.P. to one classy lady.

 

[Flashgear]

R.I.P. to one classy lady.

Very sad to hear of Honor Blackman's passing. Thank you Jeff for those great screen caps, and a fine tribute. She could conjure up some feverish wonderment in the mind of a young boy trying to process her big screen signature role in Goldfinger, let me tell you.

And no sooner do we hear of this, then we are told of James Drury's passing. He made the iconic Western character, played by so many great actors on film, his own during the 9 years of The Virginian...

 

[Bryan^H]

The Virginian season 8 --"A Touch of Hands" (December 3, 1969)

One of the best classic TV on DVD viewings I have ever had. Fantastic episode. 77 minutes of pure greatness.

 

[John*Wells]

Pacific Blue Season 1

9. Moving Target
10. Captive Audience
11. The Phoenix
12. The Big Spin
13. All Jammed Up

 

[Jeff Flugel]

Rawhide - 1.13 "Incident of the Curious Street"
Gil and Rowdy go looking for some missing cattle and wander into a ghost town where a mother and daughter, played by Mercedes McCambridge and Whitney Blake (rowr!) are being held for ransom by a father-and-son pair of outlaws. Manages to stay interesting and tense despite the limited setting. I always like the authentic feel to this show; for instance, this episode starts off with an argument between Rowdy and Wishbone about weevils in the biscuit flour. You just don't see that kind of true-to-life historical detail in most western TV shows!

The Gold Robbers - 1.4 "The Big Spender"
This is a very fine London Weekend Television crime drama series from 1969, with an unusual structure: in each of the 13 episodes, DCS Craddock (Peter Vaughn) tracks down various members of a gang who pulled off a daring gold bullion robbery, slowly yet doggedly working his way up to the big kahuna who planned the whole thing. This time the focus is on small-time con man, Barry Porter (George Cole, later of Minder), who can't help living it up with his ill-gotten gains, eventually arousing the suspicions of the police.

Warship
1.3 "Caps Off"
1.4 "Funny, They All Say That"
Another excellent 1970s drama series, this time from the BBC, centering around the naval frigate HMS Hero and her crew. "Caps Off" spends more time with "lower decks" crewmen (particularly engineering), as tempers flare when the ship is put on last-minute maneuvers which delay shore leave. "Funny, They All Say That" is equally well-acted but suffers somewhat for taking place mostly off ship, which is a much more unique and therefore interesting setting (the production received unprecedented cooperation from the British Navy, with access to all manner of ships, helicopters and materiel.) Tony Selby guest stars in "Funny...," as an officer on board Hero with access to military secrets. His spendthrift wife has put him near bankruptcy, leaving him open to blackmail by foreign powers.

The Invaders - 2.18 "Counter Attack"
Typically solid episode sees David Vincent working with a small group, led by millionaire Edgar Scoville (Kent Smith), on a transmitter device that will jam the signals of the aliens' spacecraft, causing them to crash. Exotic stunner Ahna Capri, profiled above by Randall, plays Scoville's niece, who seems to have a thing for David, and can't believe it when he seems willing to sell out to the Invaders. Of course, the viewer knows that dogged crusader Vincent would never betray mankind...it's all part of a plan to capture evidence of the alien threat and gain official U.S. military support. Kent Smith spent so much of his career playing slimy, corrupt types that it's hard to accept him as a good guy...which happens to work in the context of this story. Ms. Capri's character appears to be designed as a serious love interest for Vincent, yet, as per the norm in '60s episodic television, she never returns to the show.

I Spy - 2.8 "Will the Real Good Guys Please Stand Up"
More Ahna (billed here as "Anna") Capri, who spends the entire episode in a miniskirted tennis dress (yay!) This one is a fun riff on the old "bad guys impersonate our heroes" tale, but avoids the frequently-used and silly device of having the stars play exact doubles of themselves. Instead, two Russian agents (Lee Phillips and Hari Rhoades) who look just similar enough, undergo intense training to impersonate Robinson and Scott, who have been assigned to watch over a foreign rocket scientist (Henry Wilcoxon) and his daughter (Capri). The real Robinson and Scott spend most of the episode as captives, and Robert Culp and Bill Cosby have a ball ad-libbing and playing off each other with their effortless chemistry, as the two try various attempts to free themselves and stop the bad guys. Also with Val Avery and Leon Askin (General Burkhalter on Hogan's Heroes). Image's DVD transfers look OK, far from CBS/Paramount level pristine but perfectly watchable. I'm just so happy to have this gem of a spy series - which I had never had a chance to see before its release on disc - complete in my collection.

Daniel Boone - 1.2 "Tekawitha McLeod"
I enjoyed this second episode more than the first, thanks mostly to the folksy charisma of Fess Parker, and feel like I'm gradually getting in tune with the sort of early-America, family-friendly pioneer vibe the producers were aiming for. Halfbreed slave trader Flathead Joseph (Chris Alcaide, memorable in a small part) captures Tekawitha (Lynn Loring, her big eyes and elfin features rendering her instantly recognizable), a white girl who is the adopted daughter of Cherokee chief Menewa, and takes her to Fort Boonesborough. Daniel and his family welcome the initially-hostile young woman into their home, and soon realize that she is the child of a sweetheart from Daniel's youth. Daniel convinces the other settlers that Tekawitha belongs with "her people," meaning the whites...but the Cherokees disagree, and are willing to wage war to get her back. Will the fragile peace between the two groups end in bloodshed? Diminutive beauty Loring looks like a tiny China doll next to the towering Parker. And you guys are right about the catchiness of the show's theme tune...I've been humming it for a whole day after watching this episode.

 

[Jeff Flugel]

And no sooner do we hear of this, then we are told of James Drury's passing. He made the iconic Western character, played by so many great actors on film, his own during the 9 years of The Virginian...

Yes, very sad news about James Drury's death. I don't have any episodes of The Virginian to hand, but Drury did appear in many classic western TV series, including three times on Rawhide, four on Gunsmoke, twice each on The Rifleman and The Rebel (and was the lead in the failed but excellent pilot of Rebel creator Andrew J. Fenady's planned sister series, The Yank), as well as many others. I will try to check out one of those to celebrate his work.

 

[JohnHopper]

Yes, very sad news about James Drury's death. I don't have any episodes of The Virginian to hand, but Drury did appear in many classic western TV series, including three times on Rawhide, four on Gunsmoke, twice each on The Rifleman and The Rebel (and was the lead in the failed but excellent pilot of Rebel creator Andrew J. Fenady's planned sister series, The Yank), as well as many others. I will try to check out one of those to celebrate his work.

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The episodes from Rawhide with James Drury are very good on the whole:
“Incident of the Night on the Town” (1961) (season 3)
“Incident of the Boomerang” (1961) (season 3)
“Incident with an Executioner” (1959) (season 1)
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