"The Wackiest Ship in the Army" (1965) TV series 1965-1966

User Rating:

8.5/10   

Seasons:

1

Release Date:

19 September 1965 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | War | Comedy

Plot:

In the spring of 1942, the New Zealand government presents the U.S. a 70-year-old wooden twin-masted schooner...

Cast

Mark Slade

...

Radioman Patrick Hollis (29 episodes, 1965-1966)

Runtime:

60 min | USA:60 min (29 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Pathécolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Company:

Herbert Margolis Productions

Way too good for only one season!

Add this series to the list of TV series that deserved more than one season on air. Though loosely based on the movie of the same title that starred Jack Lemmon and Rick Nelson, this show had it's own near perfect cast with one of Jack Warden's finest characterizations, Mike Kellin reprising his role as "the Chief" from the movie, a letter perfect "crew" of young actors and comedians, and some of the nicest looking actresses of the day in continuing roles as the men's love interests. There was excellent writing all around, the seriousness of the war, the humor of the crew, and the constant good natured struggle for authority between Major Butcher and Lieutenant "Rip" Riddle. It was, like The Rogues the year before, another one season gem starring David Niven, Charles Boyer, Gig Young, and Robert Coote, canceled because it was beat out by the CBS powerhouse of Candid Camera and What's My Line who owned the time slot for many years. I was barely a teenager when this show came out, but I still remember being crushed when it was canceled, and to this day still bear a little bit of a grudge against CBS and the aforementioned shows!