From: Jim Alexander Date: Tue Aug 1, 2000 3:18 am Subject: Doug McClure's son??? Hey, kids! A couple'a weks ago, it was mentioned on this list as to whether Marc McClure (JIMMY OLSEN in the SUPERMAN and SUPERGIRL films) was Doug McClure's son or not. Whether it's true or not (and I think that we all agreed that sadly, it is not the case), I thought I'd put up a couple of pics that I had taken recently... for two reasons. One) It's not often that I hear the name Marc McClure mentioned, and since I had a picture taken with the man in June, at the Metropolis, Illinois SUPERMAN CELEBRATION, I thought I'd just go ahead and post it. Two) Now you can put a face (if you can call my ugly mug, that) with my name! Here I am with Marc McClure and Margot Kidder. By the way, they were both very nice-- especially McClure! Wotta scream he was! Fun guy, as you can probably tell by the pic P.S. I read recently where it was bad 'netiquette' to post unrequested pics. I hope I'm not making anyone angry! Jim probecontrol@dynasty.net From: actingman@i... Date: Tue Aug 1, 2000 3:32 am Subject: Re: [probe_control] Casting a Search Remake I would like to thank all the little people who have made this possible. >If there were Search remake, I would like to see John (actingman) >play >the part of Cameron. Now that that's out of the way: As usual, Adam is right...but he had an unfair advantage in this one. Angel Tompkins as Gloria Harding 25 years later would be as equally good a choice to run the missions as a 25 years later Nick Bianco. Lately I have been watching things and thinking when the Angel of today could have (and should have) played the role. She would kick ass in the center seat of Probe Control. From: Jim Alexander Date: Tue Aug 1, 2000 3:36 am Subject: Tonight's MISSION CONTROLLER will be played by: >... actingman@i... wrote: I would like to thank all the little people who have made this possible. (snip) Angel Tompkins as Gloria Harding 25 years later would be as equally good a choice to run the missions as a 25 years later Nick Bianco. ------------------------------ Just like 1972's SEARCH had three 'featured' Probe Agents, perhaps we could fantasize about a roster of three 'featured' Mission Controllers-- ;) Jim probecontrol@d... From: "Don Harden" Date: Tue Aug 1, 2000 11:07 pm Subject: OT: 4 Star Trek shows banned by BBC during 80s Hello again, gang. In a previous post I mentioned that the BBC had censored four classic Star Trek episodes during the 1980s. I was asked if there was any documentation on that and an article on the subject appears below: ------------------------------------------------ from The Atlanta Journal, Wed. July 18, 1984: "BBC drops 'Star Trek' episodes as 'unsuitable' for children" The Associated Press LONDON -- The British Broadcasting Corp. will not televise four "Star Trek" episodes because they are unsuitable for children, a BBC spokeswoman said Monday. The episodes are not suitable to be shown on early evening television when children are watching, said Ann Rosenberg, the network's publicity officer. She said the BBC received complaints after one of the four shows, "Miri," was broadcast. In the program, the crew of the starship Enterprise saves the surviving inhabitants of a planet -- all children -- where everyone dies upon reaching puberty. The other three episodes are: "The Empath," in which Capt. James T. Kirk and his top officers are tortured by aliens to test the psychic healing powers of a young mute woman; "Whom Gods Destroy," in which inmates escape from an intergalactic asylum and try to destroy the universe; and "Plato's Stepchildren," in which the Enterprise crew is captured by aliens who have special psychic powers. The remaining 73 "Star Trek" episodes are being shown weekly by the BBC. The American-made series was first broadcast in the 1960s in the United States and gained a cult following. It is widely seen in syndication in the United States, and three feature films based on the series have been made. --------------------------------------- A similar but far shorter article appeared in VARIETY on July 23, 1984. --------------------------------------- Does anyone know whether or not there was any follow-up on this story? Did the BBC change their minds on those four episodes in later years? Or did Paramount edit them to make them more acceptable? Don dghprobe3@a... -------------------------------------------------------- --- In probe_control@egroups.com, "Don Harden" wrote: > ...I've heard that there are some four Classic Star Trek episodes > that are not run in England because of a certain type of violence. From: actingman@i... Date: Wed Aug 2, 2000 3:35 am Subject: Re: [probe_control] OT: 4 Star Trek shows banned by BBC during 80s Can't comment on that, but I know I have in either a Starlog or Star Trek Poster Book an article on how some southern U.S. stations refused to run some Treks in the 70's...especially if they dealt with posession which they felt could be demonic in nature. The episode that comes to mind they banned was Return To Tomorrow. I also remember the article mentioned these stations were also banning several episodes of Voyage To The Bottom Of The Sea for the same reason. (which means it had to be a Starlog article.) At 11:07 PM 8/1/00 +0000, you wrote: >Does anyone know whether or not there was any follow-up on this >story? Did the BBC change their minds on those four episodes in >later years? Or did Paramount edit them to make them more acceptable? > >Don >dghprobe3@a... From: dmanmetz@a... Date: Tue Aug 8, 2000 3:57 am Subject: Search review/ question Okay after three days of watch 7 episodes and the pilot for SEARCH, I am coming off cloud 9. What a refreshing experience to watch something that was apart of my childhood. I haven't seen the show in 28 years. After viewing the pilot I came to a conclusion (stay with me). The pilot was intelligently written. The writers took their time and paid close attention to detail. Then I watched the 7 episodes (Let us prey, Short Circuit, In Search of Midas, Number for Death, Opperation Iceman, Adonis file,and the Murrow disappearance) and I must say that was not disappointed! The conclusion I came to is that SEARCH should have been in the Mystery Movie format (McCloud, Columbo, and McMillian and Wife). I think the writers needed an hour and 30 minutes to tell a SEARCH episodes effectively. With commercials, they only had 50 minutes to establish the plot, briefing, villain, love intrest, action scenes, probe control and the probe agent of the week. I was a little disappointed in two of the Grover epiosodes (Midas, Short Circuit). They started out boarderline slapstick comedy, but they picked up in the end. The Grover character is still my favorite but the Short Circuit episode was really disappointing because they had such a good premise and blew it. This is the episode that should have put Grover "on the Map" to prove to Cameron that as a "Standby Probe", he was just as good as Lockwood and Bianco by saving the Probe control center. Well, he did save it, but it wasn't that convincing. Where did Gover get a horse on the beach from???? Oh yeah, I forgot, it was the 70's (LOL). As I said before, if they had another 30 minutes they could have established the villian (Dr Carl Molander/ Short Circuit) and his motives. I know, he was crazy, but if we had seen more, he would have been more than a one dimentional character. After seeing Number for Death, it seems like the writers and Mr. McClure got their act together. I asume that this was one of his later shows, because of the white control room, which was no way as cool as the original. I think Search is a little like Columbo or Batman. The villians are just as important as the heroes. They need to be established as characters with motives like Streeter in the Search pilot. It's an easy way out to write that someone is insane. I also enjoyed the Lockwood character and his episodes. I see Lockwood didn't take any crap from anybody. It seems as though they took more care and time in writting his episodes. I enjoyed the Bianco character in the Murrow Disappearance buy could have passed on Let us Prey. Triva: Diane Hyland (Let us Prey) was John Travolta's fiance and died in his arms while he was making Saturday Night Fever, and she was also the original mother on Eight is Enough. Back to Search: Well, I still have 16 episodes to look foward to seeing. Does anybody know if Lockwood, Bianco, and Grover ever appeared in the same episode? What ashame that this show didn't catch on with the public the first time around, and even sadder that in didn't show up in syndication. With it's technology, various characters, and it's imagitive stories this could have caught on in reruns like Star Trek or Battlestar Galactica. Easy come, easy go. Well, that's all I have. Probe out. From: "Don Harden" Date: Tue Aug 8, 2000 11:09 pm Subject: Re: Search review/ question Hi gang, Don here again. I enjoyed reading Chris' reactions to seeing SEARCH for the first time in 28 years. There was more in the "Probe" pilot because it had a larger budget than any of the series' episodes. If SEARCH had gone into syndication, "Probe" would likely have been cut into a 2-part show, like the pilot movie for "The Rockford Files" or the 2 hour premiere of "Star Trek--The Next Generation." If you added "Probe" to the series that way, SEARCH would have 25 episodes total instead of 23. The idea of SEARCH being a 90-minute series is intriguing. But it probably would have been more difficult for Leslie Stevens to sell to the network. The NBC Mystery Movie was under the control of Universal Studios. Since SEARCH was produced by Warner Brothers, there wouldn't have been a mixture there. HOWEVER, there is a possibility that Bryan mentioned once. Over the years, some hour- long network shows would occasionally have "a special 90 minute episode" during ratings periods. They did it with "Rockford" and "Buck Rogers." It could have been done with SEARCH as well. Chris noticed that Grover was a more serious character by the time "Numbered for Death" came along. I think the original idea for Grover was that they wanted someone with laid-back anti-hero qualities as a contrast to the more obvious heroes we had in Lockwood and Bianco. But they may have gone a little overboard with the comic scenes in "Short Circuit" and "Midas." I think it took a few episodes for them to get a better idea of what Grover should be. Most of his later episodes were more serious in tone than the first two. They put him farther from the beach as they went along too. The "one-dimensional" villians are a problem with most TV shows. How many times did a crazy Starfleet Commodore or Fleet Captain come along on Star Trek? A little too often. Look at our current horror movies. I think the last time we had an explanation of motivation thrown at us was the scene of the psychiatrist (well played by Simon Oakland) at the end of Hitchcock's "Psycho." Then jump ahead a few years to "Halloween I," where the character at the end looks up and says, "Well, it was the boogie-man." That one was sub-comic book material! :) "Moment of Madness" and "Countdown to Panic" did give us some explanation for why these people did what they did. The explanation given for Dr. Moen's gripe against World Securities was sketchy and vague at best. While it has it's moments, "Let Us Prey" seems to be the most "formula" of the episodes. I liked Chris' observation that Lockwood didn't take any crap from anybody. They did seem to put more into Lockwood's shows, but keep in mind that Hugh O'Brian had a financial stake in the series, according to the Nov. 1972 TV Guide article. Neither Lockwood, Bianco nor Grover appeared together in any episodes. It doesn't appear that there were plans for any sort of "team ups." Because of the way the contracts were drawn up, each of the three leads were the "star" of their episodes. If two were to appear together, who would get second billing? This is one reason why there were so many other Probe agents to appear or be killed off from show to show. Cameron was the ONLY one to appear in every episode. SEARCH has unfortunately become another one of those forgotten shows. Not here, of course. Has anyone thought of contacting Warner Home Video? They may be our last hope at getting the episodes released on tape or even--DVD! -------------------------------------------------- --- In probe_control@egroups.com, dmanmetz@a... wrote: > Okay after three days of watch 7 episodes and the pilot for SEARCH, I am > coming off cloud 9. What a refreshing experience to watch something that was > apart of my childhood. I haven't seen the show in 28 years... From: dmanmetz@a... Date: Thu Aug 10, 2000 1:05 am Subject: Biography Question I have book called the complete directory to Prime time TV Stars from 1987. Would anyone be intrested in me posting the write up for O'brian, Franciosa, McClure and Meredith. In each of their write ups they mention a little something about Search. If no one is intrested then I won't post it and my feelings won't be hurt. I just don't have any new Search info to share with anyone right now. --------------------------------------------END RUN----------------------------------------------------------------- From: dmanmetz@a... Date: Sat Aug 12, 2000 1:55 am Subject: O'Brian BIO This is a short BIO on Hugh O'brian from The Complete Directory to Prime Time Stars by Tim Brooks (1987) O'BRIAN, HUGH Born: APR 19, 1925 Rochchester, NY Dark, rugged Hugh O'Brian developed his macho image naturally. Enlisting in the marine corps during WWII, at the age of 18, he became the youngest drill instructor in the history of the corps. Later, he planned to study law, but was sidetracked into acting, making his television debut in 1948 and his movie debut in 1950. For the next half- dozen years he played small parts, mostly villians, appearing on such series as Firestar theater and the Loretta Young Show. Wyatt Earp in 1955 finally made him both a hero and a star; it remains the role with which he is most identified. Hugh made a good deal of money from this long running series, and invested it wisely. Since the 1960's he has been active in charitable endeavors in addition to making periodic appearances in TV movies and in a few series (Fantasy Island, Police Story) in the 70's. His only subsequent series, a high tech adventure called Search, was unsuccessful. From: dghprobe3@a... Date: Sat Aug 12, 2000 2:00 am Subject: Re: [probe_control] O'Brian BIO In a message dated 8/11/00 9:56:50 PM EDT, dmanmetz@a... writes: > Dark, rugged Hugh O'Brian developed his macho image naturally. Enlisting in > the marine corps during WWII, at the age of 18, he became the youngest drill > instructor in the history of the corps... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ To paraphrase Paul Harvey, now we know why Lockwood didn't take crap from anybody. (Thanks, Chris!) From: dmanmetz@a... Date: Sat Aug 12, 2000 2:17 am Subject: Fransciosa BIO This BIO is from the complete Directory to PrimeTime TV Stars by Tim Brooks (1987) Franciosa, Anthony Born:Oct 25, 1928, New York, New York City Tony Franciosa is the pride of of New York City's P.S 52. The lean, smiling young Italian-American found his calling in the local stage productions in that city as soon he graduated from high school, and he worked his way up a Boardway debut in the early 1950's. His greatest stage triumph came with the supporting role in A Handful of Rain in 1955, which he repeated for the movie version in 1957. Tony also appeared in scattered TV plays of the 50's and early 60's. It was not until the mid 1960's that he began to make a strong impression on the medium, however, in a series of glamorous roles on regular series. He was a suave playboy publisher on Valentine's Day, a flip, fast talking reporter on The Name of the Game, and a hip detective on Search and Matt Helm. Since the mid-1970's he has been seen mostly in TV movies and miniseries; another debonair role on the series Finder of Lost Loves. At least in all of the previous series, there were plenty of beautiful women around. From: dmanmetz@a... Date: Sat Aug 12, 2000 2:42 am Subject: McClure BIO This Bio is from the Complete Directory to Prime Time TV Stars by Tim Brooks McClure, Doug Born: May 11, 1935 Glendale, Calif. "Im 37 years old" said Doug McClure as he began work on Search in the early 1970's. " I don't want to hide that! It's neat! I dig every gray hair" He added, "When another actor was described as a young Doug McCure, I knew I was finally over the hump." Doug was referring to the persistent "young sidekick" image that gave him his start in the 50's but dogged him throughout the 60's to an age when other actors moved into more mature roles. Rugged and undeniably boyish-looking, he got into acting in his early 20's with roles in a few forgettable movies and TV series (The Twilight Zone, The Gale Storm Show). Doug's first break was William Bendix's enthusiastic young partner in the short -lived western The Overland Trail. Checkmate, on which he was the youngest member on a smooth crime fighting, did better, but it was his role of the wild young cowhand Trampus on the Virginian that made him a star. By the time he began work on the high tech adventure series Search, the "young sidekick" bit was becoming something of a liability. The new, more mature Doug McClure of the 70's and 80's has not had another hit series to match the Virginian, but he does work fairly regulary in TV movies and miniseries. One of his films, Nightside (1980), was a pilot for a series that would have starred him as a seasoned, streetwise cop working the night shift in L.A. with his own side young sidekick. From: "Don Harden" Date: Tue Aug 15, 2000 3:56 am Subject: Re: Fransciosa BIO Hi gang, Don here again. Just wanted to add something to the information Chris submitted on Tony Franciosa. Tony also appeared in a 1982 episode of the "Masquerade" series entitled "The French Correction." This was a short-lived Glen Larson spy series starring Rod Taylor ("The Time Machine") and Kirstie Alley ("Star Trek II"). Tony played a heavy in this episode and even killed someone at the end. I have this episode on 16mm and one of these days I'll arrange to have a video transfer made. --------------------------------------------------------------- --- In probe_control@egroups.com, dmanmetz@a... wrote: > This BIO is from the complete Directory to PrimeTime TV Stars by > Tim Brooks > (1987) > > Franciosa, Anthony > Born:Oct 25, 1928, New York, New York City... > > ...Tony also appeared in scattered TV plays of the 50's and early 60's. It > was not until the mid 1960's that he began to make a strong impression on > the medium, however, in a series of glamorous roles on regular series. He > was a suave playboy publisher on Valentine's Day, a flip, fast talking > reporter on The Name of the Game, and a hip detective on Search and Matt > Helm. Since the mid-1970's he has been seen mostly in TV movies and > miniseries; another debonair role on the series Finder of Lost Loves. At > least in all of the previous series, there were plenty of beautiful women > around. From: dghprobe3@a... Date: Wed Aug 16, 2000 2:08 am Subject: 11-25-72 TV Guide article on Hugh O'Brian & Search from TV Guide of November 25, 1972 (pgs. 25-27): "LAST OF THE SWASHBUCKLERS" Hugh O'Brian rides again (with time out for counting his oil wells) By Bill Davidson It was a rough day on the set for Hugh O'Brian. First, they blew up a 1953 Cadillac to simulate the dynamiting of a 1972 Cadillac for an episode of his new "Search." O'Brian's insatiable curiosity caused him to stand a little too close to the explosion and he was rocked slightly by the blast. Also, the demolition offended his noted pecuniary instincts. As part-owner of the show (with Warner Bros. and producer Leslie Stevens), it grieved him to witness the total waste of an old but still drivable vehicle. Next, another actor kept blowing his lines, and O'Brian had to do 10 takes of a single brief scene, walking up and down a long flight of stairs. By the third take he was puffing. By the sixth his handsome, craggy face was dripping perspiration. By the eighth take he could no longer completely contain the small bulge at his middle which he has sprouted since he ceased chasing outlaws as Wyatt Earp on TV nearly 10 years ago. By the tenth take he was limping noticeably. The scene finally completed, he rushed back to his olive and walnut dressing room, which was festooned with elastic surgical bandages dangling, like Christmas tree streamers, from the fixtures. He seized the telephone and, while firming up a $10,000 business deal with his manager, wrapped a bandage gingerly around his right knee. ("Tore some cartilage doing a karate kick in the first show," he explained later.) So TV's one-time Wyatt Earp is riding again--but this time in Mercedes Benzes, speedboats, helicopters and chartered jets. Some things about O'Brian haven't changed much in the 10 years since he left the TV-series scene. His romantic exploits, as he personally chronicles them and as some witnesses confirm, still are legendary. His bachelorhood has remained unassailed during a decade of dalliance with a small army of starlets and airline stewardesses. After spending some time with him, a Hungarian photographer, who, like many of his countrymen, revels in amatory adventure, became convinced that O'Brian himself must be a Hungarian. Actually, O'Brian is of German descent (his real name is Krampe). Another trait that remains relatively unchanged in O'Brian is his ability to manipulate a dollar. He once said, "Other guys like to lie on a beach; I prefer to BUY the beach. Some guys have to have a Rolls-Royce and 50 pairs of shoes; I prefer to use MY money to buy a little piece of an oil well." A former O'Brian associate told me, "In the old days, if you wanted to make a thousand-dollar deal with Hugh, the only thing to do was to start the bargaining at TWO thousand dollars, because he always was sure to get you down at least 50 per cent." During his six years in "Wyatt Earp," O'Brian not only hoarded his salary but used his free time to appear, for healthy fees, in rodeos, circuses and such. He DID invest most of his earnings in oil wells, real estate, bowling alleys, etc., so that when his series--which had knocked Milton Berle off the air--was itself canceled in 1961, he had enough of what can be freely translated as "the-hell-with-you money" to avoid the series grind for 10 years and to live comfortably on the INTEREST from his investments--plus movies and TV guest-role fees--for the entire period of time. But there have been some significant changes in O'Brian as well. Whereas most of his conversation used to focus on girls and money and his age (he used to maintain he was born in 1930, which would have put him in the Marines in World War II when he was 14), he now can discourse intelligently about some truly fascinating and worthwhile things he has accomplished post-"Wyatt Earp." He went to Africa to visit the last Dr. Albert Schweitzer, who mistook him for a scientist and respectfully called him Doctor. He made several trips to Vietnam to visit the troops. He became so interested in the space program that NASA has allowed him to be one of the few outside civilians in the "glass house" overlooking Mission Control in Houston. He financed an annual seminar for youths (70 this year) selected from all over the United States as "future leaders of America" (and incurred the wrath of women's lib when no girls were included). He established an annual $1800 prize for drama students at UCLA. He interested himself in politics and has become a regular invitee to affairs honoring Mrs. Nixon, Vice President Spiro Agnew and the like. He toured the boondocks of America, perfecting his acting skills in summer theater. "In all," he says, "the last 10 years have been much more interesting than the 30--er, 20 years that went before." Maybe yes, maybe no. Nothing much about O'Brian, ne Krampe, is uninteresting. Hugh was born in Rochester, N.Y. As a boy he went to grammar school with Marlon Brando and Wally Cox in Evanston, Ill.; high school with Rock Hudson in Winnetka, Ill.; and transferred to a military school in Missouri. In 1944 (at age 18, not 14) he enlisted in the Marines and got an appointment to the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md. Because he lacked some high school credits, he was sent by the Marines to a prep school, where he remained for the rest of the war. When he finally got his discharge, without entering Annapolis, he switched his sights to Yale. It was summertime, however, and in order to fortify himself against the rigorous New Haven winters that lay ahead, he decided to spend a few months first in Southern California, whose plentitude of lovely ladies he already had noted while he was a Marine stationed in San Diego. He arrived in Hollywood and became the only male occupant of a boarding house for aspiring actresses (including Ruth Roman and Linda Christian) known as The House of the Seven Garbos. "I slept on the pool table and later in the garage." he told me, "and all the girls fed me by bringing home doggy-bags from their dinner dates. There was one dazed guy running around Hollywood for weeks wondering what kind of dog would eat a whole pecan pie." Hugh's associations with the doggy-bag donors led him into a little-theater group, just to pass the time. His first play was Somerset Maugham's "Home and Beauty," which caused his change of name. By mistake, the mimeographed playbill dropped the "m" from Krampe, causing such merriment in the audience that the director decided the youth should call himself something else. The director suggested something Irish: "How about O'Brian--with an 'a,' so your great body of fans won't confuse you with Pat O'Brien?" That was the name he kept, as, Yale forgotten, he went on to several other little-theater productions, got a job in one of the West Coast's first live TV shows, "The Arch Oboler Mystery Theatre," and did his first movie, "Young Lovers," with Ida Lupino. The movie started O'Brian on a satisfactory but nontriumphant career. In the early 1950s he was signed by Universal Pictures, where, as he says, "I played everything from old men to bald-headed Indians to Jerry Lewis-type comedian roles." In the fourth year of his contract, the studio told him he'd never be a leading man in the mold of Rock Hudson and Tony Curtis, but that if he wanted to continue to play bald-headed Indians, they'd renew him for the balance of his seven-year deal. O'Brian chose not to renew. He did three films on his own at 20th Century Fox, and then along came the "Wyatt Earp" series. "I think 'Earp' was successful for six years," O'Brian told me, "mostly because of my stamina. Our budget was so small that we had no money for lights, and every day we'd end up climbing mountains to catch the last rays of the sun before it set." He squirreled away his salary, made his investments, and when "Wyatt Earp" inevitably went to that Great Big Boot Hill in the Sky, he had plenty of "the-hell-with-you money" to begin his 10-year hiatus of fun and self-improvement. By the end of 1971, he decided he had had enough of both and that television was ready for his return. He felt that the best of the pilots offered him was "Search," submitted by his old friend from the "Wyatt Earp" days, Gerald Leider of Warner Bros. "Search" pays some $30,000 an episode to O'Brian, who alternates as the series' lead with Tony Franciosa and Doug McClure. Leider is an unabashed fan of O'Brian's, saying, "If he were Jewish, I'd marry him." In a less facetious vein, Leider explains, "For this show--about a wired-up, electronic crime investigator, guided like an astronaut from a far-off Probe Control--who could be better? Hugh knows as much about telemetry and such as the astronauts do, and he's the last of the old genuine swashbucklers--sort of our latter-day Errol Flynn. For action-adventure like this, he's perfect. In other roles, like playing Napoleon or a high school teacher, he'd be a disaster." O'Brian agrees. Also, he seems to enjoy doing "Search." But as I watched him on the set for several days, I could see some possible seeds of dissension arising from his fiercely independent nature and from scripts that call for him to do only what he's told to do (via a miniature radio implanted in his skull) by old Burgess Meredith back at Probe Control. So O'Brian was delighted when he was supposed to be deafened by the dynamiting of the old Cadillac. "Maybe now," he said, "this damned script will let me make some decisions on my own." (END) From: actingman@i... Date: Wed Aug 16, 2000 2:57 pm Subject: Thank you Don Amazing how much of that article I remeber. I had the TV Guide issue, and actually threw it out...which gives you an idea how bad my life situation was at the time. Interesting to see a little disension (wish this office had a dictionary) in the article: 'So O'Brian was delighted when he was supposed to be deafened by the dynamiting of the old Cadillac. "Maybe now," he said, "this damned script will let me make some decisions on my own." ' The episode he was filming was The Gold Machine...and this was only the second episode...(technically his third since he did the pilot.) Of course it's interesting to me becasue part of the format was that the agents had the final call since they were the ones in the thick of it (and part of the character conflict was the agents and Cameron butting heads on each mission.) So I'm not sure why he's complaining that Lockwood can't make his own decisions. It was odd seeing his salary mentioned. One thing I remembered wrong was that I thought it was the TV Guide ariticle that said he owned 20% of the show(I'm going to be embarresed if it turns out that that's from the show bio that I posted from Lincoln Enterprises.) The article said he hurt his knee doing a kick in the first show. I wonder if he meant the pilot or The Murrow Disappearance? I know he did kicks in the pilot...can't remember if he did kicks in that fight sequence in Murrow. Now we really gotta get The Gold Machine...to look for this scene where he had to do the stairway 10 times, and see if we can see any painful subtext to his performance. Thanks Don...great to read the article again...and to have it on the list archives. From: dmanmetz@a... Date: Thu Aug 17, 2000 2:13 am Subject: Probe vs Search Question Okay, maybe I missed it in one of the 246 messages posted, but what is the difference from the original "Probe" pilot from 1972 that aired on NBC from the edited "Search" pilot that aired in syndication in the 70's and 80's. I know they changed the title but did they add or delete scenes? If this has already been posted, just refer me to the message number. Thanks Dmanmetz From: "Don Harden" Date: Thu Aug 17, 2000 4:49 am Subject: Re: Probe vs Search Question --- In probe_control@egroups.com, dmanmetz@a... wrote: > ...what is the difference from the original "Probe" pilot from > 1972 that aired on NBC from the edited "Search" pilot that aired > in syndication in the 70's and 80's. I know they changed the > title but did they add or delete scenes... The only message that approaches what Chris is looking for would be message #170, which is an examination of the 16mm used TV print I found of "Search" on eBay. But there is more to it than that. John (Actingman) has also discussed aspects of this with me off the mailing list. So, here goes... The Unicorn video of "Probe" has the following differences with the syndicated version of "Search": 1) "Probe" has the intact opening credits sequence with Dominic Frontiere's complete opening musical score. Note that the "o" in "Probe" is a graphic image of a scanner, which was lost when they renamed the movie "Search". At the end of the opening credits, the Unicorn Video cuts directly to Lockwood in a suit about to enter Probe Control. 2) For some reason, all of the 'spinning diamond' fade ins and fade outs are cut from the Unicorn Video. I surmise that they wanted the movie to play as if it had no commercial breaks. The syndicated version called "Search" has these differences (which the Unicorn "Probe" does not have: 1) A shorter opening credits sequence. A good sized chunk of credits was shifted to the end of the movie. Maybe test audiences walked out during the original's longer opening sequence? This really only served to ruin Mr. Frontiere's music score. 2) "Search" has the scene just after the opening credits where Lockwood is getting a massage and he's talking on the phone with Cameron and then Dr. Laurent. Lockwood gets his substantial bonus. From here we cut to Lockwood in a suit about to enter Probe Control. 3) Sometimes local stations will cut the very beginning of the movie, the scenes in which Lockwood rescues the diplomat in the village. The 16mm used TV print I have of "Search" includes this scene (as well as Lockwood on the phone with Cam & Laurent). 4) Most prints of "Search" include all or most of the 'spinning diamond' fade ins and fade outs. 5) "Search" has a longer closing credits sequence, which includes the portion that had been cut from the opening credits. They repeated the music which was running while Lockwood tunes his scanner out on Cameron. It beats me why they went through all that trouble to make the above changes. If they still could not use the name "Probe" after "Search" left the air, why was Unicorn Video able to release their tape of "Probe"? This is how confusing it gets sometimes in the world of television. From: actingman@i... Date: Fri Aug 18, 2000 2:13 am Subject: Answer to previous question and FAQ I don't remember if I posted this Search FAQ I wrote up. It does have my answers to the question about PROBE vs. SEARCH. This FAQ is by no means complete, and open to revision and additions. What is Search? When did Probe air? Why was the pilot named Probe and the series named Search? Why was Search never rerun in the US? Who were the main character/actors? What does Probe stand for? Why did the leads change every week? There were 3 Probe sets, why? What were the differences? What's World Securities Corporation? What's the difference between Probes, Probe Control, Search and World Securities Corp? Who's efforts were behind Search? Did the Probes ever appear in the same episodes? What's the missing scene in the pilot? What is the Search mailing discussion list? Why do we need to find other people with Search scripts? A 1972 Warner Brothers Press Release on Search What is Search? Search is an American television show that aired on NBC Wedensday nights at 10PM est from September 1972 to August 1973. A two hour tv movie/pilot and 23 one hour episodes were made. The premise of the show centered on Probe, a division of World Securities Corporation. Individuals, companies, governments would hire the Probe Division to "search and recover that which was missing." Probe's agents were equiped with miniturized television scanners, which transmitted picture, sound, medical telemetry and anything else the script writers could think of back to Probe Control, where computer specialists continuously monitored the agent's progress, and analyzed the information the scanner was transmitting. The scanners were small and round and had a magnetic back so they could attach to a ring, tie-tack, locket, or anything with a metal surface. That way the scanner appeared to be an exotic piece of jewelry. The agents also had a small audio receiver implanted behind the left ear, so they could hear sound transmitted from Probe Control. The Control personnel would link up to any data base, government or private, to retrieve information that would help the agent work the case. The agents also had a dental implant they could use to send beep tones back to control (once for yes, twice for no or continuous for emergency) if the scanner were unavailable or if there were people present...as the agents did not reveal how they were wired for picture and sound if they could help it. When did Probe air? Probe, which was the title of the two hour pilot, aired in February, 1972. When it was rerun in August, 1972 the decision had been made to change the name of the show to Search, so new titles were made for the pilot, changing it's title to Search. Although the series has not run on American television since 1973 the pilot has, and it has run under the title Search. Why was the pilot named Probe and the series named Search? We don't have positive verified answers to that, but over the years we have seen some speculations...ranging from the network felt that the title Probe sounded too medical (they even briefly considered calling the series Probe Three,) to an apocryphal story that someone at a press conference made a joke as to what the male agents would be probing with, thus horrorfying the network, causing them to change the title of the show to Search. Whatever the reason, Search was a logical title, since in the pilot, the Probe Division's job was described as "the search and recovery of that which was missing." Why was Search never rerun in the US? We don't have any answers to that. Usually for any series that ran for only a year the answer would be that there weren't enough episodes to make syndication worthwhile because if you ran it Monday through Friday, you would have run the show twice within two and a half months. Some hour long dramas, which had a special format or twist to them, that had a limited number of episodes made good weekend shows...running once a week on a Saturday or a Sunday (The Time Tunnel is such an example.) But this didn't happen with Search. Another technique studios would use is take some of the episodes and paste them together to make "tv-movies", which could be run in movie time slots. Time Tunnel and Battlestar Galactica are two examples of shows that had syndication life as tv shows, and were reedited into tv-movies (although this is a controversial thing to do in regards to the integrity of the original product.) But this was never done with Search. One thing we do know is a call to Warner Brothers a few years ago revealed that Search was classified for "Foreign Syndication Only" (non USA). There could be ownership or legal disputes that made US syndication impossible...at least back then. If we can get Warner Brothers to reexamine the issue, maybe it could now run in syndication, or on one of the speciality cable stations. If anyone out there has definite answers to this please let us know and we will put it here for all to see. Who were the main character/actors? Search had three rotating stars. Hugh O'Brian played agent Hugh Lockwood, whose designation was Probe One. He handled all types of cases that were not specifically crime/mob related. Tony Franciosa played agent Nick Bianco...designation Omega Probe. The Omega division specialized in criminal/organized crime cases. Doug McClure played agent C.R. Grover...designated Stand By Probe. He was called in if a last minute case or emergency required an agent to step in at a moment's notice. The C.R. stood for "Christopher Robin". Back at Control supervising the missions was V.C.R Cameron, played by Burgess Meredith. Cameron supervised the room full of computer/telemetry specialists, making sure the agents had whatever they needed to solve the case, keep them from getting injured, and keep them from breaking too many of Probe Division's regulations (all of Probe's activities were recorded for the case record.) Quite a few people came and went as the technicians. Angel Tompkins played medical telemitrist Gloria Harding, who had a quick-witted attitude, as well as a personal relationship with Lockwood, and she would take delight in giving him grief, especially when he dealt with the women he would encounter on the cases. Albert Popwell played Griffin, who previously worked for the U.N, and could translate any language for the agents, break any code, or direct the agents in breaking any lock. Ginny Golden played data specialist Keach, Bryon Chung was Kuroda, A Martinez and Ron Castro played Carlos, Amy Farrel was medical specialist Murdock, Deanna Lund was medical specialist Linda Harte, Mary Frann was medical specialist Burnside, Cheryl Stopplemore played Miss Love (she went on to other things as Cheryl Ladd), Tom Hallic played Harris and Pamela Jones played Miss James. There are more people to list, and as we watch and rewatch the episodes, we will update this list. Also, we would love to hear from any of you who appeared on the show. What does Probe stand for? In the pilot, Lockwood explains that "Probe" stands for "Programmed Retrieval Operations." He puts off explaining what the B and E stand for, saying it's top secret. To the best of our knowledge, the B and E were never explained. Since the scene above was more of a light moment, it's possible series creator Leslie Stevens never came up with meanings for the B & E. Why did the leads change every week? Hugh O'Brian played Lockwood in the pilot. This was his return to series tv after a number of years (he was also a part owner of the show.) We don't have any definite sources as to why they decided to go with rotating leads for the series, although there was precedent for this. Tony Franciosa starred in the pilot for the Name Of The Game series. When the show went to series, it had three rotating leads, and Leslie Stevens worked on the show. He may have liked that set up (which made for a bigger variety of stories and styles) and always intended it for Search. Or it's possible Hugh O'Brian didn't want the grind of 12 hour days for 24 straight weeks, or a variety of other possibilities. If anybody out there knows for sure, please let us know. There were 3 Probe sets, why? What were the differences? The first one was in the pilot. The second (which was very similar to the first) was in the first 15 episodes. The third one covered the final eight episodes. Leslie Stevens described Control as being dark, like a cockpit, with the personnel's faces lit up from their consoles. We see this in the first and second control sets. In the second set they used red lights aimed on the computer equipment to give a sense of darkness (which they didn't use on the first set.) Stevens also wrote that in the background you could see other units working on other cases. Behind the row of tape banks you can see another unit, and even a free standing wall, which is supposed to be that other unit's main screen. When shooting across Cameron's left, in the direction of Keach, you can see yet other people and activity. At the end of the pilot, Lockwood puts the scanner in his pocket. In control we are looking diagonally from Cameron to Griffin and beyond, and in the distance we see yet another unit. In the second set we see nothing behind the row of tape units except some flashing lights, probably there to break up the monotony of the blackness. On each end of the row of tape units there are two catycornered consoles with seats, facing away from us, and usually when the shot would include these consoles, they would have extras sitting in these places. These consoles had no flashing lights of any kind, and I suspect their facing away from us meant they were supposed to be the people working on other cases, because as far as I know, Cameron never addressed these people. The first set had reel to reel standing machines that came up to about chin height on an average person. The second set had reel to reel standing machines that were taller, and more narrow. The Probe screen was the same in the first two sets. With more shooting time and budget, there were more varied shots of control in the pilot, which included the main screen photographed with the actors standing in front of it. In the pilot they did wide angle from above shots of control, and they had a free-standing wall in front that you could see the back of which was supposed to be the main screen. They did similar overhead shots in the second set, but they did not have a free-standing wall in front to represent the main screen. The third set was a complete change from the format as Stevens created it. I have not come across any explanation as to why they did it, or the thinking that went behind it. The scripts dated November, 1972 and beyond all use the third set. So at some point within the first two months of the show airing, either the production staff, or the network, decided to make this change. (What is very interesting here is that it wasn't too long after this...maybe even some overlap...where Fred Harpman, who designed the various Probe sets, created the Newscenter set which NBC used on their network new sets, as well as on their owned stations news sets...and the news sets looked very similar in lighting and design...especially the main screen...to the third Probe set.) Where the first two sets had two rows of three people set up in front of the main screen, the third set had one row of three. The consoles were the same as used in the first two sets: Cameron's three sided console in the middle, the left sided console to his left, and the right sided console to his right. The set was brightly lit, with the walls looking like white brick. This set was much smaller, with a definite "room" feel. The row of tape machines behind Cameron were eliminated altogether, and in the background you would see the front-sided-only consoles that were used in the previous two sets, scattered around the background, all facing forward. They were manned, and Cameron would bark orders at them. They even used the non-descript consoles from the second set in the background. In the background there were technicians walking back and fourth going to various machines that were not in any previous sets. There were also new standing flashing light banks that were not in the previous sets. They also had a few very short, squat reel to reel standing machines that were not in the previous sets. They also made a change to the main screen. In the first two sets, the screen had rolling numbers to the upper right of the screen. In the third set, they replaced the numbers with rows of flashing, swirling lights (it looks like they took out the numbers and stuck the flashing lights up against the rectangular holes where the numbers had been.) In Moment of Madness, we can see that the rows of lights below the screen go down to the floor, like they did on the screen in the first set. With this special shot in MOM, the screen (not bathed in red like in the first two sets) is a white wall piece standing against the white brick of the set wall. It is funny because by changing the set, they had to go and shoot new stock footage of hands pushing controls, and various shots of the screen, to use in the episodes. By doing this, they ended up reviving something they did in the pilot. In the pilot they had the head-on shots of the main screen, but they also had angled shots to show what it looked like from Keach's viewpoint, and Harding's etc. Watching one of the third set episodes they had an angle shot of the screen showing what it looked like from Miss James' position. They had one closeup shot of the third set screen that back then, and now, for some reason looked like a miniture, rather then a closeup of a huge screen with flashing lights and images. In the first two sets they shot from left to right, and from right to left, when needed and desired. In the third set they only shot from left to right, except for some straight on shots of Miss James. I cannot tell if they used multiple cameras during shooting of the third set, like they definitly did with the second set. To the best of my knowledge, they did not shoot right to left (where Harris would be in the foreground and Miss James in the background.) I suspect this was to eliminate the need to have a "fourth wall", which required more setup time...and thus more cost. One of the things that has bugged most fans over the years has been the question as to why they changed the set. This is the biggest question we hope someone out there can answer for us. What's World Securities Corporation? World Securities Corporation is a firm that protects and insures banks, national treasures, art collections and the like. Probe Division is that part of the company that conducts investigations. What's the difference between Probes, Probe Control, Search and World Securities Corp? Probes are the agents who go out into the field and conduct the investigations. Probe Control is the physical area of the World Securities building where the investigations are monitored. Search is the name of the show, and had no meaning within the show itself (the organization was not called SEARCH, nor was there a "SEARCH Headquarters"...as the American TV Guide magazine tended to call it.) World Securities Corporation was the company that operated the Probe Division, which was the focus of the show. Unless for special circumstances, the agents would identify themselves as employees of World Securities, rather then as being from "Probe", which was not an entity in the public eye. Who's efforts were behind Search? Search was created by Leslie Stevens, who served as Executive Producer. Robert H. Justman line produced the first 15 episodes, and Anthony Spinner produced the last eight episodes. Dominic Frontiere composed the music. Did the Probes ever appear in the same episodes? The three leads only appeared in their own episodes. O'Brian and Franciosa each made eight, and McClure made seven. Probe had agents all over the world, and some episodes had other agents joining the leads in whatever the case was about. Just as in Star Trek if you wore a red shirt, in Search there were agents who were killed, making it necessary for one of the leads to take over the case. What's the missing scene in the pilot? There are two opening scenes to the pilot. The first one, which may be the more widly know one, and which is the one on the VHS copy sold by Unicorn Video (Under the title Probe...get to your video dealer and order it...#1249) has Lockwood rescuing a diplomat being held hostage. After he succeeds it seques into the opening credits. In the script, (which you can view by clicking here) this scene is numbered with regular numbers (page one, page two etc.) The alternate opening starts with the credits, and hard cuts to Cameron and Dr. Laurent talking to Lockwood on the phone convincing him to give up his vacation to take an important case. In the script this scene is numbered 1A, 2A etc. Both scenes would fit into the pilot with the rescue, the credits, and the men asking Lockwood to come back. For some reason, the pilot opening with the rescue, and the version opening with the phone call are both in syndication in the US. If anybody knows the reason for this...let us know. What is the Search mailing discussion list? We've set up an email list to talk about Search, share news about finding episodes, and to argue about individual episodes. You subscribe to the list and then when somebody sends a message to the list, everyone gets a copy. You can just read along with the discussion, or you can add your own opinions to the fray. To sign up, just click here. Why do we need to find other people with Search scripts? Gene Roddenberry's company Lincoln Enterprises sold copies of Search scripts back in the 70's. They were great except that some of them were missing pages. Recently we found someone who had a copy of the pilot script and it was missing a different page then our copy was. Two trips to the photocopier later and we now both have complete copies of the pilot script. So if anybody out there has any Search scripts, please write to actingman@i... Maybe you can complete some of my scripts, and I will be happy to complete yours. A 1972 Warner Brothers Press Release on Search NEWS FROM WARNER BROS. TELEVISION About "SEARCH" As a primary guideline to authors working on scripts for his Search series which he created, prolific executive producer Leslie Stevens says, "The ultimate impact of Search depends upon a simple concept: The show is intended as entertainment." TV being the widespread medium it is, entertainment shouldn't be all that difficult to come by nightly - but often it is. Since Stevens admonition to the authors is closely supervised by himself, entertainment is what's found in NBC-TV's 10 to 11 (PST) time slot on Wednesday evenings beginning this fall. The Leslie Stevens Productions Search series, made in conjunction with Warner Bros. Television, is a contemporary look at today's world, tinged with a touch of little-known electronic magic, plus a peek into the future based on existing techniques and what they may expand into. Search, as a series, grew from a two-hour film televised last fall, titled "World Premiere" Probe," starring Hugh O' Brien as an electronic private-eye. He's in the employ of World Securities, a firm which protects and insures banks, national treasures, art collections and the like. As a Probe - the firm's designation for its "agent" or "operative" - O'Brien works in Probe Division, specializing in the search and recovery of "that which is missing." With the expansion of the original film into a series of one-hour episodes under the new title, Search, operations of Probe adventures have been expanded to include another two stars - Tony Franciosa and Doug McClure. This makes certain O'Brian's talents aren't overexposed, and that personality and physical traits of the three stars can be matched up to ever-varying storylines to pique continuing audience interest through variety. After his initial admonition to authors, as noted above, that the Search series is "intended as entertainment," Stevens continued: "It is designed as an exciting, enjoyable hour of escape from the cares of the day. It is not a message show - but that doesn't mean that the pendulum automatically swings to an empty vacuum. Real entertainment requires real showmanship and demands genuine creativity to blend the exciting ingredients: wit, invention, romance, glamor - that which pleases intelligent audiences." Briefly, in Search, Probe Division is split into several units titled Probe Control, its activities overseen by Burgess Meredith. Physically, Probe Control resembles the cockpit of a giant airship - it is dark and glowing with telemetry instruments. Banks of computers flicker like fire-flies, reels of tape whirl, shot and reverse, and a large TV screen looms high overall. In the dark void of the background, other Probe units can be seen working on other cases. An elite corps of five computer telemetry specialists work at Meredith's command; they sit before individual consoles and panels, their faces glow-lit by blinking, staccato lights. It resembles Houston Control at NASA. When a Probe - be it O'Brian, Franciosa or McClure - is on a job, his every movement constantly is monitored by Probe Control via modern miracles of miniaturized systems: one is a TV scanner-camera the size of a postage stamp. Magnetized to loci-on, it is worn as a tie-tack, cufflink, wrist-watch, hand-held - or whatever. It has all-frequencies micro-wave capability. It picks up picture, sound, infra-red heat, ultra sonics-chemical radiation - the full spectrum. Too, he has a tiny receiving-set neuro implant behind his ear which can be heard by him only. He can communicate silently with Probe Control by tooth radio implants: tightening the jaw once signals affirmative; twice, negative. A twitch calls "more information," a continuing clampdown signals "emergency." Individual searches by individual Probes in the "Search" episodes vary as widely as do the individual stars chosen for the roles: in "The Gold Machine," Hugh O'Brian travels to San Francisco to locate an Eurasian "source of missing funds," and a paroled convict along a trail fast disappearing into limbo. His adventure is shared by glamorous, blonde Angel Tompkins, liberated by vacation from her medical telemetry duties behind a Probe Control console. Again, in "One of Our Probes Is Missing," Tony Franciosa follows a dangerous and obscure London trail searching for a missing fellow Probe and counterfeiters whose activities threaten the entire European acceptance of American currency. Franciosa's companion in adventure is the titian-haired beauty, Stefanie Powers, with more curves than an All-Star pitcher. In a third episode, "Short Circuit," starring Doug McClure, the Probe has less than 12-hours to find and capture an original designer of Probe Division and many of its electronic miracles. The temporarily-crazed man threatens completely to destroy World Security Corporation and Probe Division with a new invention - and has demonstrated that he can. McClure's feminine foil here is Mary Ann Mobley, former Miss America. After a decade away from series TV, Hugh O'Brian was lured back via the "Search" project, the first of more than 50 offered which he felt was fresh enough to hold his interest; he'd earlier wearied of the medium after six long years as TV's Wyatt Earp. Variety typifies O'Brian, the man. He diversifies constantly. His money is in stocks and bonds, real estate, bowling alleys, a building equipment firm, a theatre-in-the-round, an oil syndicate and his own TV production company. Born in Rochester, New York, his family reared him subsequently in such diverse places as Chicago, Pennsylvania, Long Island, Illinois, and Mississippi. He's played a diversity of roles ranging from Hamlet to Wyatt Earp, in films, films for TV; TV documentaries and on-stage; a confirmed bachelor, he lives atop a hill overlooking Beverly Hills with gossip columnists constantly wondering in print which of his many dates is sharing the pad with him. He admits only to Brut and Panda, respectively a white German Shepherd and a Spaniel of questionable lineage. Even as the versatile Stevens created the Probe of "Search," O'Brian originated the role of the electronic private-eye, Lockwood. As a Probe, he is a former astronaut, selected in the first group to ride the Command Module on Gemini III. At the peak of his film career 14 years ago, Tony Franciosa said, "I'll never make a TV series." Fortunately, Franciosa admits today, no one paid much mind to his declaration. TV's been good to him. Space doesn't permit listing his overall TV activities in the 14 years, but there was "Valentine's Day," and "Name of the Game," both series of high success. Today, Franciosa admits, "I do TV for the bread. I've a lotta family to support." Franciosa's had his problems; many of them on public record. He's now working at his fourth marriage; he's a former angry boy of the streets who on occasion drank too much; police arrest records bear his name. He's a cliche: "a fiery Latin." Obviously Italian, he told one writer he'd changed his name (from Papaleo) because, "I didn't want to be Italian. I was under the impression all Italians were gangsters or gamblers or racketeers." An idealic boyhood-full of traumas. One acquaintance likens Franciosa to: "A typical operatic Italian tenor of volcanic temperament. He flows along like a torpid river, then suddenly turns into a raging rapid. In a frenzy, he gesticulates, he screams imprecations; he quiets. Two minutes later he's forgotten it ever happened." Ladies seem to sense this controlled emotion seething below-surface; it attracts. For "Search," Franciosa's character name is Nick Bianco. Of Bianco, creator Stevens notes: "A razor-sharp character, he's a smooth, funny street specialist. He knows every gang, bookie, pool hustler, mobster, consigliere, cop, commissioner, FBI, CIA, DFI agent...he is an encyclopedia of the underworld...Extremely smooth with women...he is able to dazzle the Lady Dean of a wealthy Girls' School or even a Jackie Kennedy..." Doug McClure, third of the Probe trio starring in "Search" wasn't born with sand between his toes, but it wasn't long before it appeared. At the age of three, McClure's parents moved into a home near the Pacific Ocean Sands at Pacific Palisades. By the time he was five years older, he was riding his own horse and body-sufing; later, as a student at Santa Monica Jr. College and at U.C.L.A. large portions of his spare time were spent riding horesback or surfing. McClure gave up surfing several years ago: "TV's demands won't permit the time required," but he continues to own four horses. For years, he rode the rodeo circuit, competing in specialties of calf-roping, team-roping and bareback riding. Those are ex-luxuries, too: "When a friend of mine lost a finger roping, I lost a lotta interest," he says, also admitting time has taken a certain toll. Again, executive producer Stevens, wittingly or not, has employed personal characteristics in casting the third Probe of "Search." McClure is C. R. Grover, "Stand-by Probe, no unit, unassigned. He is the eternal back-upman, ready for action but rarely called upon...since nothing ever happens, he has learned to take it easy. In fact, he has become a Super Goof-off. He likes to hang out at the beach, surf a little, fish maybe...practice guitar...rest up. The only thing that stirs him into activity is a good-looking girl. "As a Probe, he is incredible...he is tough, brilliant operator. The reason for his astounding capability is that he wants to get it over with so he can return to his life work of goofing-off." In a 20-year professional career, executive producer Leslie Stevens' energetic mind has brought forth many a wondrous entertainment for people to behold. Latest, and perhaps most dramatic of all, comes in his treatment of what he terms: "A Moon-Walk Down Main Street." It is exemplified in the screenplays (largely form his hand) of his "Search" series. A native of Washington, D.C., Stevens at ten became a resident of London, where his father was American attache. An early interest in drama may have been intensified by his father's insistence that he earn his allowance by memorizing Shakespeare. Today, provoked by a proper bet, Stevens yet can soliloquize fluently. He studied and graduated from the Royal College of Westminister. Stevens dates his breakthrough at 1939-40, when he worked as Orson Welles' assistant on "Five Kings" with the Mercury theatre. At 18, Stevens joined the U.S. Army Air Force, emerging at end of World War II, with Captain's rank, and enrolled at the Yale University Graduate School of Fine Arts to study drama. Returning to off-Broadway productions as a playwright, he also moonlighted as a copy boy at TIME, inc., in New York, for three years. Charles Boyer and Claudette Colbert were starred in "Marriage Go Round," on Broadway in 1957. Its author: Leslie Stevens. He wrote on "Playhouse 90," "Producer's Theatre," "Kraft Theatre," and major specials for CBS, NBC and ABC. With Arthur Penn at Warner Bros. In 1962, Stevens wrote several films, including "Left-Handed Gun" for Paul Newman. He moved to Twentieth Century Fox and United Artists, where he created "Outer Limits." Universal Studios signed Stevens in 1970 as executive producer, where he functioned as writer-producer-director on such shows as: "Name of the Game," "McCloud," "It Takes a Thief," "Virginian," "World Premieres," and others. In 1971, he formed a new company, of which he's President, Leslie Stevens Productions, Inc. He also is the owner of a giant U.S. missile base near Sacramento, California, (former launch pad of the huge Titan ICBM) which he purchased for conversion into a major ecology center. The result, "Earthside Missile Base," he terms a true-to-life demonstration of "swords into plowshares." -0- From: Jim Alexander Date: Fri Aug 18, 2000 2:31 am Subject: THE GOLD MACHINE (help!) actingman@i... wrote: > Now we really gotta get The Gold Machine...to look for this scene where he > had to do the stairway 10 times, and see if we can see any painful subtext > to his performance. --------------------------------------- Can ANYONE out there reading this... help (he said in his best pitiful voice)... with a copy of THE GOLD MACHINE? Please??? Jim Alexander probecontrol@d... From: Jim Alexander Date: Fri Aug 18, 2000 3:40 am Subject: SEARCH paperback on eBay again... The SEARCH Pilot paperback novelization is on eBay again. Search under: 'search hugh o'brian sci-fi tv show book' or Item number 412640293 Good luck! Jim probecontrol@d... From: dmanmetz@a... Date: Mon Aug 21, 2000 4:02 am Subject: Fall TV Guide As promised, here is the Sept. 9, 1972 Fall Preview TV Guide with the write up and picture for Search cast. From: actingman@i... Date: Mon Aug 21, 2000 2:40 pm Subject: OT: The Prisoner on DVD I chatted with Jim about this off list awhile back, so if anyone else is interested: One of my DVD dealers notified me that preorders are now underway for the first two volumns of The Prisoner, being released by A & E home video: * Prisoner #1: Arrival/Free For All/Dance Of The Dead - AA - 70135 - 10/31/00 - $40 - $32 * Prisoner #2: Checkmate/The Chimes Of Big Ben/A, B And C/The General - AA - 70138 - 10/31/00 - $40 - $32 I missed them the first time they came out on laser in the early 90's, Jim missed them when they came out on laser two years ago. The DVD's should be magnificent. The lasers two years ago were remastered and it was like watching a brand new show. From: actingman@i... Date: Sun Aug 27, 2000 5:04 am Subject: The depths that Sex And The City has sunk to. This Sunday at 9PM, Tues 11pm, Wed 9PM (all eastern times) on HBO you will see yours truly in the wedding scenes of the above listed show. I know that I missed the cutting room floor because I was in the promos at the end of last week's show. That scene also showed up on Friday night's Entertainment Tonight. I was also used in the over the shoulder shots when we are coming out of the church and greeting everyone...but I doubt we will even be in focus since the emphasis was on the main character having yet another breakup in the foreground. For a touch of silliness, I did a screen capture of the promo and put it on the net. www.actingman.homepage.com/actingman1.jpg For those net people who I have not met in person, I'm the one in the last row on the right in the blue suit. For those of you who do not care, I'm the one in the last row on the right in the blue suit. For those of you who do not have email, I'm the one in the last row on the right in the blue suit. To put this thing in it's proper perspective, this past Thursday I was on a movie shoot (Serendipity) from 7PM until 3AM, got paid the usual low non-union wage, had a very nice catered meal...and did not go before the camera once. Ah, the glamour and excitement of show business.