wsutton_49 Reviews

Trackdown (1957–1959)

One of my Favorites

[9/10 · 7 January 2022]

Durring the years when so much of US programming was taken up by Western shows there were many good 'oaters' and this was one of my faves. I was thrilled, then when one year when it was running my Dad took me to the Texas State Prison Rodeo in Huntsville, Texas and the featured entertainment that weekend was Robert Culp appearing as his 'Trackdown' personna. There is not much available on DVD of this show all these years later but I did find one disc with 10 episodes. Video tranfer is so-so but not unwatchable, from ATI Inc Audio Tape Inc).

Frank's Place (1987–1988)

Snag in the DVD Process

[13 July 2017]

Apparently the biggest snag in trying to get this wonderful show to DVD is the music from the show and the cost of securing the rights to the soundtrack music. This has happened to many DVD releases, from "Tour of Duty" to "WKRP in Cincinnati". Those releases were greatly disappointing when they came out and they were poor sellers as a result. In many cases, changing the music selections totally changes the mood and atmosphere, affecting our enjoyment. I'm not sure I would like a release if the jukebox selections were messed with! Shame this happens!

The Mating Game (1959)

Based on British Novel "The Darling Buds of May"

[6/10 · 23 August 2015]

If you watch this movie and then watch the first episode of the much later, and very beloved, British TV series "The Darling Buds of May" starring David Jason and Catherine Zeta-Jones, and which made her a star in the UK, you will be struck with a feeling of having seen this before. That wonderful series is about the Larkin family, as is this movie, taken from stories by British author H.E. Bates. I knew it as soon as I heard the name 'Larkin'. For those whose reviews center on the IRS and whether or not the movie is realistic versus American tax law, be aware it was originally written in relation to British law and may just suffer from poor translation. The author's works were also used for movies such as David Lean's "Summertime", 1955, with Katherine Hepburn; and "The Purple Plain", 1954, with Gregory Peck. At any rate this is still an enjoyable movie, and as it turns out, was Douglas' last movie.

A Gathering of Eagles (1963)

Filmed in part on Beale AFB

[9/10 · 24 January 2009]

I was stationed at Beale AFB near Marysville/Yuba City, Ca in the 1980's and there is an excellent local book about the history of the area, including Beale. When the movie was made and before the SR-71 came along there was a SAC Bomb Wing there, as there was at Travis AFB. At least some of Gathering of Eagles, including the scene of an Officers' Wives Club meeting and scenes inside the wing commander's quarters were shot on Beale. The base received some payment from the makers in the form of a swimming pool built near the Alert Facility (it was later filled in when the bomb wing left Beale and security was tightened due to the SR-71).

Hennesey (1959–1962)

Great show

[10/10 · 21 March 2008]

I loved the show, on air when I was in my middle grade school years. Like some others I don't have any specific scenes or memories I can remember. I can recall most of the cast regulars and their roles, I remember Henessey driving his staff car, a 1960 Plymouth with huge fins, and I remember liking its humor. I have always thought my fondness for Hennesey was partly due to Abby Dalton and partly due to liking Jackie Cooper from "The Peoples Choice" ; but now I think the theme music, as others have mentioned, was a big reason I looked forward to the show each week. I can't exactly remember how it went but I know it was a big favorite of mine. As happy as I am that the Steve Canyon series is coming out on DVD this year (I just got the 4-episode sampler and it's great) I would be even more thrilled to find this available on disc some day. ***I have now gotten a single DVD with 10 episodes, 5 each from seasons 1 and 2, and everything I remembered about the show was not only on the money, but I see this show was ahead of its time and first-rate in every way. So enjoyable, I'm not surprised I remembered it with such fondness. The video transfers are not perfect, but given the subject material it hardly matters.***

The Huckleberry Hound Show (1958–1962)

Huck's Voice

[8/10 · 23 February 2008]

I have to echo the previous comments alluding to Huck's voice, by Daws Butler, being based on Andy Griffith's drawl from his early comedy routines and southern characters, pre-Mayberry. Just listen to his routine called 'What it was Was Football', or his comedic take on explaining 'Romeo and Juliet', or watch his 'No Time for Sergeants'. I came across these old gems on the internet a couple of weeks ago after watching the PBS series about Pioneers of Television. One episode of the series, dealing with late night shows and their hosts, had a little bit of him on the old Steve Allen show telling these stories and I mentioned to my wife then that I thought the voice of Huck had to be based on Andy. I watched Huck's show starting with its debut in 1958 when I was 9 but I don't remember ever noticing the similarity before.

The Ruff & Reddy Show (1957–1962)

I Remember

[23 February 2008]

I remember this show, when it first aired as a Saturday morning show. Never missed it. I was 7 or 8 at the time, have always had the words to the theme in my head, but could have sworn it debuted in 1956, based on where we lived at the time. (My dad was in the AF & I remember shows, music, fads, etc. based on where we lived since we moved every 2 or 3 years.) At any rate, I remember it was about a cat & a dog who were best friends, with the dog looking out for the cat. Episodes were introduced by a live actor/narrator/host. Seems like the host was the same voice heard as the narrator of most HB cartoons after that. Figured out later this was the first TV cartoon series from HB after they left MGM, where they produced/directed the best of all the Tom & Jerry cartoons. They had developed a simpler method to make cartoons quicker & cheaper, almost eliminating the need for large art departments. In that respect this little cartoon series helped bring about the decline and eventual end of large studio cartoon departments at MGM, WB, etc. Soon after this success they followed with the Huckleberry Hound Show on weekday afternoons, followed by Yogi Bear's own show and all their other afternoon and Saturday shows, many of which were almost copies of some of the earlier MGM cartoon series. Of course they also made history with the first prime time cartoon series, The Flintstones, in 1960. While not a copy of an earlier cartoon it was loosely based on 'The Honeymooners'.

Armstrong Circle Theatre: Engineer of Death: The Eichmann Story (1960) Season 11, Episode 1

Remember seeing this after Eichmann's capture

[9/10 · 20 January 2008]

This episode of Armstrong Circle Theatre is one of the few episodes I have any memory of, probably because it came on the heels of the of Eichmann's capture by the Israelis. I was a 6th grader at the time and I was just becoming more interested in events and recent history. My parents had started letting me stay up a little later to watch more serious TV fare. This show had a profound effect on me as it was the first time I can remember hearing about the Holocaust. Up until this time all I knew of WW II and Germany was Hollywood's version of war, even though we had been stationed in Germany from 1951 to 1954. I somehow remember this episode as a 2-parter but I guess I'm wrong about that if this listing is correct. Anyway, it is one of the few things on TV in those days that stayed with me.