"Adventures in Paradise" was perhaps one of the most attractive and breathtaking action-adventure series of the late 1950's and early 1960's. The series itself was swift-paced combined with high adventure and excitement each week along with the mystery/crime/romance and suspense and peril that came with it in most of the episodes. During its three seasons on the air,"Adventures in Paradise" became very popular and very successful in its own right. Each week audiences,myself among them, were taking to exotic locations in the South Pacific along with seeing unchartered islands and meeting interesting people along the way.
"Adventures in Paradise" was produced by Martin Manulis along with Gene Levitt and William Self,who was the executive in charge of production in association with 20th Century-Fox Television for ABC-TV. Created by James A. Michener,the series produced an astounding 92 episodes,all in classic black and white from the premiere episode on October 5,1959 until the final episode of the series on April 1, 1962. The series centered around Captain Adam Troy(attractive Gardner McKay)who each week found trouble,danger,and romance aboard his schooner "The Tiki". "Adventures in Paradise" was also 20th Century Fox's first foray into the action-adventure genre,and it became very successful,especially among women who were watching the show and became instant fans of Gardner McKay,along with the men who basically tuned in for the action.
Nearly thirty directors ranging from movie veterans Roy Del Ruth, Jacques Tourneur,Mitchell Leisen,James B. Clark, Robert Aldrich to Tom Gries,Richard E. Bare,Paul Stanley,Sutton Roley to Justus Addiss did outstanding work for this series along with some of the writers principally Fred Freiberger, George and Judy George, Edward J. Lasko, Richard Landau,Alvin Sapinsley and Carey Wilbur contributed to some of its fascinating stories. There were minor changes during the series through its first three seasons. Regulars during season one(1959-60)in addition to Gardner McKay were Weaver Levy as Oliver Lee and George Tobias as Trader Penrose. During its second season(1960-61),Linda Lawson joined the cast along with Henry Slate,Sondi Sonsai,and Lani Kai. Its final season(1961-62)Guy Stockwell joined the cast along with Chris Parker and talented Frenchman Marcel Hilaire.
The guest star roster of Hollywood's Best with included: Hazel Court, Kurt Kasznar, Claude Akins, Robert Middleton,Ricardo Montalban,Gail Kobe,Barbara Bain, Brock Peters, Elsa Lanchester, Susan Hampshire,Martin Landau, Bruce Gordon, Pippa Scott, Constance Towers, Vincent Price,Virginia Gregg, Raymond Massey, Ray Walston,Carroll O'Connor, Edward Asner, Buddy Ebsen, Yvonne De Carlo,Bert Freed,Cecil Kellaway, Edgar Barrier, Dick York,with Kent Smith,Lizbeth Scott,and Jack Lord. The Best Episodes from this series included its pilot episode "The Pit of Silence",along with "The Reluctant Hero","The Amazon","Walk Through The Night","The Appointment at Tara-Bi".
Many intelligent producers carried out assignments for other personnel in this series,which remained for three seasons as one of the highest-quality series in the history of television. The series concept with Captain Adam Troy as a Korean War veteran who sails the seas of the South Pacific in search of adventure was one of the best of the golden age of late 50's television. If "Adventures in Paradise" have stay on for a fourth season,audiences would have gotten the chance to see this series and its exotic locates in full color,which would have been brilliant. It was cancelled anyway in the Spring of 1962 after 92 episodes.
"Adventures in Paradise" was produced by Martin Manulis along with Gene Levitt and William Self,who was the executive in charge of production in association with 20th Century-Fox Television for ABC-TV. Created by James A. Michener,the series produced an astounding 92 episodes,all in classic black and white from the premiere episode on October 5,1959 until the final episode of the series on April 1, 1962. The series centered around Captain Adam Troy(attractive Gardner McKay)who each week found trouble,danger,and romance aboard his schooner "The Tiki". "Adventures in Paradise" was also 20th Century Fox's first foray into the action-adventure genre,and it became very successful,especially among women who were watching the show and became instant fans of Gardner McKay,along with the men who basically tuned in for the action.
Nearly thirty directors ranging from movie veterans Roy Del Ruth, Jacques Tourneur,Mitchell Leisen,James B. Clark, Robert Aldrich to Tom Gries,Richard E. Bare,Paul Stanley,Sutton Roley to Justus Addiss did outstanding work for this series along with some of the writers principally Fred Freiberger, George and Judy George, Edward J. Lasko, Richard Landau,Alvin Sapinsley and Carey Wilbur contributed to some of its fascinating stories. There were minor changes during the series through its first three seasons. Regulars during season one(1959-60)in addition to Gardner McKay were Weaver Levy as Oliver Lee and George Tobias as Trader Penrose. During its second season(1960-61),Linda Lawson joined the cast along with Henry Slate,Sondi Sonsai,and Lani Kai. Its final season(1961-62)Guy Stockwell joined the cast along with Chris Parker and talented Frenchman Marcel Hilaire.
The guest star roster of Hollywood's Best with included: Hazel Court, Kurt Kasznar, Claude Akins, Robert Middleton,Ricardo Montalban,Gail Kobe,Barbara Bain, Brock Peters, Elsa Lanchester, Susan Hampshire,Martin Landau, Bruce Gordon, Pippa Scott, Constance Towers, Vincent Price,Virginia Gregg, Raymond Massey, Ray Walston,Carroll O'Connor, Edward Asner, Buddy Ebsen, Yvonne De Carlo,Bert Freed,Cecil Kellaway, Edgar Barrier, Dick York,with Kent Smith,Lizbeth Scott,and Jack Lord. The Best Episodes from this series included its pilot episode "The Pit of Silence",along with "The Reluctant Hero","The Amazon","Walk Through The Night","The Appointment at Tara-Bi".
Many intelligent producers carried out assignments for other personnel in this series,which remained for three seasons as one of the highest-quality series in the history of television. The series concept with Captain Adam Troy as a Korean War veteran who sails the seas of the South Pacific in search of adventure was one of the best of the golden age of late 50's television. If "Adventures in Paradise" have stay on for a fourth season,audiences would have gotten the chance to see this series and its exotic locates in full color,which would have been brilliant. It was cancelled anyway in the Spring of 1962 after 92 episodes.