Assignment Earth vs Irwin Allen Question

[ZapBrannigan]

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Former BBS member Metryq pointed me to an unsold Irwin Allen pilot, The Man from the 25th Century. Look close and you can spot some re-uses of things from prior Allen productions. I think this film was made without much financial support from Fox, and was never meant to be seen by the public.

It strikes me that this is the nearly the exact same premise as "Assignment: Earth." The main difference is that Roddenberry's "good-guy aliens versus wrongheaded U.S. government" has been reversed. Also the lack of a girl assistant, and the welcome addition of Irwin Allen's fine artistic approach and literate, sensitive script.

Question:
- Was the similarity to "AE" a wild coincidence?
- Was Allen copying Roddenberry?
- Was Roddenberry copying Allen?
- Or were they both just copying a prior story that was abroad in the culture?

It would help a lot to know when this stirring and deeply moving Irwin Allen pilot was shot. All input welcome!

 

[Harvey]

Roddenberry was trying to cash in on the 1960s spy craze with his pilot, which he had been writing for a few years before it was finally made. I doubt he ever saw this, since it wasn’t even broadcast.

Likewise, I doubt a one-off, failed backdoor pilot that aired late in the 1967-68 broadcast season was much of an influence on an Allen pilot produced in 1968 (can anyone confirm when this was shot?).

EDIT: Allen’s pilot appears to have been written by early 1968, and was probably shot around then, too: http://www.uncleodiescollectibles.com/bruce/man_from_25th/

Probably a case of two writers trying to cash in on the same cultural moment, and both ultimately failing.

 

[ZapBrannigan]

Roddenberry was trying to cash in on the 1960s spy craze with his pilot, which he had been writing for a few years before it was finally made. I doubt he ever saw this, since it wasn’t even broadcast.

Likewise, I doubt a one-off, failed backdoor pilot that aired late in the 1967-68 broadcast season was much of an influence on an Allen pilot produced in 1968 (can anyone confirm when this was shot?).

EDIT: Allen’s pilot appears to have been written by early 1968, and was probably shot around then, too: http://www.uncleodiescollectibles.com/bruce/man_from_25th/

Probably a case of two writers trying to cash in on the same cultural moment, and both ultimately failing.

Yeah, the "total coincidence" theory is probably the most plausible. Thanks for finding that article.

I just thought that word might have gotten around, people talk in Hollywood, and thus one of them might have heard about the other's idea. Rocketship X-M was made fast and cheap to take George Pal's basic idea and beat Destination: Moon to the punch. I Dream of Jeannie was openly inspired by the existence of Bewitched. But in this case, I'm inclined to agree that there was no connection.

 

[scotpens]

. . . I Dream of Jeannie was openly inspired by the existence of Bewitched.

American network television was neck-deep in fantasy sitcoms in the 1960s. Sidney Sheldon wanted to do something like Bewitched, but he was also inspired by the 1964 movie The Brass Bottle, starring Tony Randall and Burl Ives. Barbara Eden was in that picture, but not as the genie (she played Tony Randall's fiancee).

 

[Greg Cox]

And, of course, BEWITCHED probably owes a debt to I MARRIED A WITCH with Veronica Lake and, possibly, BELL, BOOK, AND CANDLE with Kim Novak . . . .

 

[Maurice]

If they were trying to cash in on the spy craze they were late to the party since it was waning by the time both were made. And, man, that Man From the 25th Century promo was a dog, but at least we finally got to see the never-used on Lost In Space Chariot ramp.

 

[johnnybear]

I think scenes that were shot for this pilot are available as extras on The Fantasy Worlds of Irwin Allen DVD!
JB

 

[Phaser Two]

And, of course, BEWITCHED probably owes a debt to I MARRIED A WITCH with Veronica Lake and, possibly, BELL, BOOK, AND CANDLE with Kim Novak . . . .

Nice references and connections, Greg. I love Bell, Book and Candle, and Kim Novak for that matter.

 

[Greg Cox]

FYI: I Married a Witch is airing on TCM on Sunday, May 6th.

I confess I've never actually seen Bell, Book, and Candle. I keep meaning to.

 

[Phaser Two]

FYI: I Married a Witch is airing on TCM on Sunday, May 6th.

I confess I've never actually seen Bell, Book, and Candle. I keep meaning to.

Yeah, check it out sometime. It's fun to see KN and Jimmy Stewart together in different roles in the same year they made Vertigo (same release years, anyway). That sort of thing doesn't happen much these days. Thanks for the note on I Married a Witch. I have never seen that one. DVR time!

 

[Lee]

Bell, Book and Candle is one of my favorites. Not totally successful (Jack Lemmon and Ernie Kovacs don't really live up to their potential), but directed with real flair. The notion of a tribe of witches hiding in plain sight in Greenwich Village is very intriguing. One of the best things about the movie is the musical score by George Duning.

 

[ZapBrannigan]

FYI: I Married a Witch is airing on TCM on Sunday, May 6th.

Thanks! I set my DVR for it. That's not a bad day on TCM:

Grand Hotel (Greta Garbo, 1932)
It Happened One Night (Claudette Colbert, 1934)
The Narrow Margin (1952)
I Married a Witch (Veronica Lake, 1942)
A Star is Born (Judy Garland, 1954)
The Three Faces of Eve (Joanne Woodward, 1957)
Sunday in New York (Jane Fonda, 1963, with superb music by Peter Nero)
Let's Make Love (Marilyn Monroe, 1960)
Some Like it Hot (Marilyn Monroe, 1959)

 

[Phaser Two]

Thanks! I set my DVR for it. That's not a bad day on TCM:

Grand Hotel (Greta Garbo, 1932)
It Happened One Night (Claudette Colbert, 1934)
The Narrow Margin (1952)
I Married a Witch (Veronica Lake, 1942)
A Star is Born (Judy Garland, 1954)
The Three Faces of Eve (Joanne Woodward, 1957)
Sunday in New York (Jane Fonda, 1963, with superb music by Peter Nero)
Let's Make Love (Marilyn Monroe, 1960)
Some Like it Hot (Marilyn Monroe, 1959)

Wow!! I'll say!