Irwin Allen

Before he became known as the “Master of Disaster,” producer Irwin Allen was known for his ’60s TV sci-fi series. I am very excited that I was able to purchase the two season boxed set of his last series Land of the Giants (marked down from $200 to $100 on Amazon for one day only) that comes with a host of extras including a cool case, bubblegum cards, comic books, etc.

In conjunction with that I wish to give kudos to author Jon Abbott for his fabulous book Irwin Allen Television Productions, 1964-1970. This meticulously produced publication chronicles Allen’s 4 popular series Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, Lost in Space, Time Tunnel, and Land of the Giants. Each chapter includes a richly detailed production history, a complete episode guide with synopsis, guest stars, and comments from actors or crew members. Though more of a critical study, it is easy and enjoyable to read and features a fair number of photographs. Highly recommended. Click here to purchase a copy.

I always preferred Allen’s series, especially Land of the Giants (my favorite show as a youngun) and the wacky mod 3rd season of Lost in Space (I am a sucker for a starlet in a mini-dress and none looked finer than Marta Kristen as Judy Robinson), over Star Trek. And Abbott’s book makes a great companion piece to the recent DVD releases of all 4 TV shows.

ALL ABOUT EVE

In September 1968, with much fanfare, Carol Lynley headlined the debut of the spooky (albeit short-lived) anthology series Journey to the Unknown, produced by Hammer Films, on ABC. She played “Eve” a department store mannequin who comes alive in swinging London and leads unassuming boutique assistant Dennis Waterman into danger when she is marked for destruction and he tries to save her. Check out this tribute promo on YouTube. (Ignore Karen Carpenter singing the grating song “Eve” and enjoy the clips from the TV show.)

Trivia note: Carol Lynley, living in London, had her beautiful blonde locks sheared off into the very short fashionable Vidal Sassoon cut (think Mia Farrow in Rosemary’s Baby). It is one of her few appearances at this time where Carol was required to wear a “fall” keeping her hair long.

TRAGEDY TOMORROW! COMEDY TONIGHT!

TCM is airing the amusing musical comedy A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1966) featuring stunning Glamazon Inga Neilsen on Sept. 10 at 10:30pm. Neilsen’s years of dance training helped her to win the role of Gymnasia, the romantic interest for conniving slave Zero Mostel. Trying to find his young master’s true love among Phil Silvers’ courtesans, enterprising slave Mostel flips for Inga who is simply charming as the towering, voluptuous mute. The feeling is mutual and the mid-riff clad beauty joins him in his zany plot to unite his master with the slave girl he covets who was sold to a Roman general.

You can read more about the stupdifying Inga Neilsen in my book Glamour Girls of Sixties Hollywood.

R.I.P.

Japanese actress Miyoshi Umeki sadly passed away last week from cancer. She specialized in playing sweet, gentle, subserviant women, which is why she was never a favorite of mine. Miyoshi was the first Asian actress to win an Academy Award, which she received for playing a war bride who marries an American flyer in the WWII drama Sayonara (1957) and then played the Chinese waif newly arrived in San Francisco who suffers culture shock in the hit musical Flower Drum Song (1961) though for me the film is stolen by the more animated Nancy Kwan as the hot-blooded showgirl Linda Low.

Most fans though will fondly remember Miyoshi as Mrs. Livingston on the late 1960s/early 1970s sitcom The Courtship of Eddie’s Father. Swinging bachelor Bill Bixby, his precocious son Brandon Cruz, and Miyoshi as their maid, caretaker, and advice-giver charmed audiences young and old. When the series ended in 1972, Miyoshi retired from show business.