Route 66 (1960–1964)

Only fiction series written & shot all over North America. Two young adventurers in a Corvette explore early 60's social problems and changing mores, looking for the right place to settle ... See full summary »

Creators:

Herbert B. Leonard, Stirling Silliphant

Stars:

Martin Milner, George Maharis, Glenn Corbett

Nominated for 2 Primetime Emmys. Another 1 win & 1 nomination.

Cast

Complete series cast summary:
Martin Milner	...	Tod Stiles (116 episodes, 1960-1964)
George Maharis	...	Buz Murdock (82 episodes, 1960-1963)
Glenn Corbett	...	Lincoln Case (32 episodes, 1963-1964)

Storyline

Only fiction series written & shot all over North America. Two young adventurers in a Corvette explore early 60's social problems and changing mores, looking for the right place to settle down while seeking themselves. Debuting 3 years after "On the Road" transformed modern literature, while such newly available fast cars dominated the new teenage culture, Tod, an Ivy Leaguer, and Buz, an orphan from Hell's Kitchen, cruise the U.S.A. coping with shifting relationships and lifestyles. The FCC's Newton Minow characterized U.S. TV as a "vast wasteland," in 1961, but "Route 66" found important, compelling stories all over. Sterling Silliphant who won an Oscar for writing "In the Heat of the Night," traveled around the U.S. and Canada scouting locales, while writing ¾ of the very dark, literate show's episodes - a feat only Rod Serling matched with The Twilight Zone. Soon, a crew of 50 arrived at the location. Shows were filmed in 40 States. Tod, from a once-wealthy family, inherited only ...

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Plot Keywords:

route 66 | corvette | highway | traveling | number in title

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Genres:

Adventure

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

7 October 1960 (USA)

Also Known As:

Ruta 66

Filming Locations:

Corriganville, Ray Corrigan Ranch, Simi Valley, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Lancer-Edling Productions, Screen Gems Television

Technical Specs

Runtime:

60 min 60 min (116 episodes)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

4:3

Did You Know?

Trivia

George Maharis walked off the show during the fourth season during a bout with hepatitis, although it has been alleged that he was dissatisfied with his contract and wanted to work in film, and that he had ongoing clashes with the show's producers. He was replaced by Glenn Corbett, but audiences did not like the change and the show was canceled as a result.

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Connections

Referenced in Leave It to Beaver: Summer in Alaska (1963)

User Reviews

A series that was way ahead of its time

I have been living in Asia for the past 32 years so I don't know if

reruns of "Route 66" have ever been running on television in the States

over the past 3 decades. But 20 years ago when I read Alvin Toffler's

prediction in The Third Wave that the future would see professionals

not loyal to any one company but working with an honest fervor at a

given task and then moving on to the next worthy challenge, my

impression was, "this guy is describing the world of Buz and Tod on

'Route 66'." In an era when America was composed of white collar

office workers and blue collar union members, all working towards a

pension, 'Route 66' was a breath of fresh air, an escape, and a

challenge to try something different as well as a reminder that one

should move on not with a sense of despair but with a feeling of

jubilation and wonder at what is over the next hill. Against the

current economic climate in both Japan and the U.S.A., such a reminder

is especially needed today. Let's move on with a sense of jubilation

and wonder. And to help us do it, bring back the "Route 66" series.