_______
Kitchen Sink Review Business
_______
Selections from Billboard's Hot 100 for 55 years ago this week:
12 O'Clock High
"The Loneliest Place in the World"
Originally aired September 13, 1965
The Season 2 opener is dedicated to introducing our newcomers to the main credits:
The teaser is dedicated to killing off General Savage in the most awkward way possible...without ever seeing Robert Lansing's face or hearing his voice. Most of the incident is told from the POV of Gallagher's bomber, and Savage's radio is said to be out (which also covers why it's left to Gallagher to approve of the stray B-17, secretly manned by Germans, entering formation with Savage's squadron). After Savage's bomber is shot up, we cut into his cockpit, to find its crew (including Sgt. Komansky) reacting to Savage having been killed while the general's body remains just out of the shot. (We see what's supposed to be his shoulder, but it's not even clear if there's an actual actor in the pilot's seat or if it's just a dummy.) Later at the base, when General Britt dramatically removes Savage's photo from a board showing the 918th's chain of command, his hand completely covers it the entire time.
Lt. Col. Gallagher is temporarily serving as Savage's deputy commander when the incident happens. Gallagher's briefing with General Britt doesn't sugar coat Gallagher's contentious relationship with Savage, which is good continuity. Paul Carr appears as Lt. Col. Heindorf, a candidate for taking over command of the squadron. But he and Robert Colbert's Lt. Col. Bailey get on Britt's bad side when he walks in on them plotting a revenge mission against the German ambushers. Gallagher is the only on-camera contender who doesn't want Savage's job, but he nevertheless delves into his responsibilities as acting commander. Britt clearly feels that Gallagher is the man for the job, but he has to prove that to Gallagher.
Meanwhile, Sgt. Komansky, the only survivor from Savage's bomber, clearly blames Gallagher for the incident. Apparently Komansky has a bad reputation in the group for having a chip on his shoulder when it comes to officers, which includes having evaded a promotion opportunity himself. Bailey doesn't want Komansky assigned to his bomber because he's a "sour apple."
Gallagher is put to the test when he gives an order (following a new directive from higher up) to shoot down another suspicious B-17 on his next mission...but it turns out that despite the straggler's complete failure to use any method of communication, it was in fact manned by an American crew. Nobody in charge holds Gallagher responsible, but Gallagher blames himself.
Komansky and Gallagher find themselves as rivals for Claudine Longet's character, a Free French operative in England. (Fortunately, she's not armed.) During a confrontation at her place, where a drunk Gallagher goes looking for companionship following the incident in the latest mission, Komansky goads Gallagher into laying hands on him for the opportunity to report the incident.
On the next mission, Gallagher needs a flight engineer and Komansky is available, so he recruits the sergeant in spite of the charges. There's another straggler incident...only this time it is the German impostor crew, which Heindorf lets into the formation. Heindorf's plane is shot up (yet he isn't killed, which is surprising considering that he's being played by Paul Carr), and Gallagher risks his own bomber to give Komansky the opportunity to shoot the Germans down.
Back at base, General Britt bawls Gallagher out over his actions and, when Gallagher refuses to back down, Britt immediately orders Gallagher's permanant assignment as group commander and promotion to full colonel. Komansky withdraws his charge, admitting to having provoked Gallagher, and is formally assigned to Gallagher's crew. And so all of our regular players are in place for the new season.
This was a pretty meaty episode...lots of stuff going on, and a thorough exhibit of Burke's dramatic chops.
_______
Apparently Claudine Longet, who was married to Andy Williams at the time, had a recording career a bit later in the decade, with three singles that made the Hot 100 (including a cover of "Good Day Sunshine" in 1967) and two that bubbled under (including a cover of "Here, There and Everywhere" in 1967). Her highest charter was:
"Love Is Blue (l'amour est bleu)"
(Charted Feb. 24, 1968; #71 US; #28 AC; the original/definitive version of this will be popping up as 50th anniversary business in the first chart for the coming year)
_______
The Monkees
"The Card Carrying Red Shoes"
Originally aired November 6, 1967
An episode full of characters doing Boris & Natasha accents isn't helped by the main guest character being named Natasha. The episode does have the novelty of the climactic music sequence not being set to a Monkees song...
Mike's only appearance in the episode:
"She Hangs Out"
(B-side of "A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You")
"The Wild Monkees"
Originally aired November 13, 1967
This time, the story-disconnected song sequence is the episode's teaser:
"Goin' Down"
(B-side of "Daydream Believer")
That was different...Micky stretching his musical legs. I like the vaguely psychedelic touches in the video.
It's not knee-slappingly hilarious, but I'm starting to find the Monkees' style of staying in situation-assumed character(s) to be kind of endearing...e.g., their "club meeting," held in private. The biker ladies, OTOH, weren't strong on staying in character, taking the first opportunity to get glammed up and wear nice clothes, which made them a bit unconvincing in their roles.
"Star Collector"
Trivia point that I didn't catch, but read on IMDb: This is the first episode to feature Mike without his wool hat.
_______
So maybe there might be some interest in a Rudy Vallée post. (He's appearing as guest villain Lord Ffogg in Batman's Londinium 3-parter.) I don't have any first-hand experience other than vaguely recalling his name as being that of a singer (perhaps due to some sort of childhood exposure in the '70s), but apparently he was a big deal in the music world of the '20s and '30s, one of the first crooners, predating even Bing.
Kitchen Sink Review Business
_______
Selections from Billboard's Hot 100 for 55 years ago this week:
_______
12 O'Clock High
"The Loneliest Place in the World"
Originally aired September 13, 1965
Xfinity said:
The Season 2 opener is dedicated to introducing our newcomers to the main credits:
- Paul Burke as Lt. Col. Joe Gallagher (star billing)
- Chris Robinson as Sgt. Sandy Komansky ("also starring" billing)
- Andrew Duggan as Brig. Gen. Ed Britt (guest star billing, but recurring for the remainder of the series)
- Frank Overton as Maj. Harvey Stovall
The teaser is dedicated to killing off General Savage in the most awkward way possible...without ever seeing Robert Lansing's face or hearing his voice. Most of the incident is told from the POV of Gallagher's bomber, and Savage's radio is said to be out (which also covers why it's left to Gallagher to approve of the stray B-17, secretly manned by Germans, entering formation with Savage's squadron). After Savage's bomber is shot up, we cut into his cockpit, to find its crew (including Sgt. Komansky) reacting to Savage having been killed while the general's body remains just out of the shot. (We see what's supposed to be his shoulder, but it's not even clear if there's an actual actor in the pilot's seat or if it's just a dummy.) Later at the base, when General Britt dramatically removes Savage's photo from a board showing the 918th's chain of command, his hand completely covers it the entire time.
Lt. Col. Gallagher is temporarily serving as Savage's deputy commander when the incident happens. Gallagher's briefing with General Britt doesn't sugar coat Gallagher's contentious relationship with Savage, which is good continuity. Paul Carr appears as Lt. Col. Heindorf, a candidate for taking over command of the squadron. But he and Robert Colbert's Lt. Col. Bailey get on Britt's bad side when he walks in on them plotting a revenge mission against the German ambushers. Gallagher is the only on-camera contender who doesn't want Savage's job, but he nevertheless delves into his responsibilities as acting commander. Britt clearly feels that Gallagher is the man for the job, but he has to prove that to Gallagher.
Meanwhile, Sgt. Komansky, the only survivor from Savage's bomber, clearly blames Gallagher for the incident. Apparently Komansky has a bad reputation in the group for having a chip on his shoulder when it comes to officers, which includes having evaded a promotion opportunity himself. Bailey doesn't want Komansky assigned to his bomber because he's a "sour apple."
Gallagher is put to the test when he gives an order (following a new directive from higher up) to shoot down another suspicious B-17 on his next mission...but it turns out that despite the straggler's complete failure to use any method of communication, it was in fact manned by an American crew. Nobody in charge holds Gallagher responsible, but Gallagher blames himself.
Komansky and Gallagher find themselves as rivals for Claudine Longet's character, a Free French operative in England. (Fortunately, she's not armed.) During a confrontation at her place, where a drunk Gallagher goes looking for companionship following the incident in the latest mission, Komansky goads Gallagher into laying hands on him for the opportunity to report the incident.
On the next mission, Gallagher needs a flight engineer and Komansky is available, so he recruits the sergeant in spite of the charges. There's another straggler incident...only this time it is the German impostor crew, which Heindorf lets into the formation. Heindorf's plane is shot up (yet he isn't killed, which is surprising considering that he's being played by Paul Carr), and Gallagher risks his own bomber to give Komansky the opportunity to shoot the Germans down.
Back at base, General Britt bawls Gallagher out over his actions and, when Gallagher refuses to back down, Britt immediately orders Gallagher's permanant assignment as group commander and promotion to full colonel. Komansky withdraws his charge, admitting to having provoked Gallagher, and is formally assigned to Gallagher's crew. And so all of our regular players are in place for the new season.
This was a pretty meaty episode...lots of stuff going on, and a thorough exhibit of Burke's dramatic chops.
_______
Apparently Claudine Longet, who was married to Andy Williams at the time, had a recording career a bit later in the decade, with three singles that made the Hot 100 (including a cover of "Good Day Sunshine" in 1967) and two that bubbled under (including a cover of "Here, There and Everywhere" in 1967). Her highest charter was:
"Love Is Blue (l'amour est bleu)"
(Charted Feb. 24, 1968; #71 US; #28 AC; the original/definitive version of this will be popping up as 50th anniversary business in the first chart for the coming year)
_______
The Monkees
"The Card Carrying Red Shoes"
Originally aired November 6, 1967
Wiki said:
An episode full of characters doing Boris & Natasha accents isn't helped by the main guest character being named Natasha. The episode does have the novelty of the climactic music sequence not being set to a Monkees song...
Mike's only appearance in the episode:
"She Hangs Out"
(B-side of "A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You")
"The Wild Monkees"
Originally aired November 13, 1967
Wiki said:
This time, the story-disconnected song sequence is the episode's teaser:
"Goin' Down"
(B-side of "Daydream Believer")
That was different...Micky stretching his musical legs. I like the vaguely psychedelic touches in the video.
It's not knee-slappingly hilarious, but I'm starting to find the Monkees' style of staying in situation-assumed character(s) to be kind of endearing...e.g., their "club meeting," held in private. The biker ladies, OTOH, weren't strong on staying in character, taking the first opportunity to get glammed up and wear nice clothes, which made them a bit unconvincing in their roles.
"Star Collector"
Trivia point that I didn't catch, but read on IMDb: This is the first episode to feature Mike without his wool hat.
_______
At least when the Bradys went on vacation, they actually went somewhere!
I was going for a Casey Kadence, but I'm not sure if it came through in the writing.
Interesting. I've dabbled a bit in that era for my collection...I have a 2-hour playlist covering the '20 and '30s, and another 2 hours covering the '40s. Compare and contrast to 11 hours for 1967 alone.Nice.This is why I love the 20s/30s....
So maybe there might be some interest in a Rudy Vallée post. (He's appearing as guest villain Lord Ffogg in Batman's Londinium 3-parter.) I don't have any first-hand experience other than vaguely recalling his name as being that of a singer (perhaps due to some sort of childhood exposure in the '70s), but apparently he was a big deal in the music world of the '20s and '30s, one of the first crooners, predating even Bing.
Last edited:
