At this time, there are only 2 reviews. darbski wrote "A Notable Actress" which is listed as having spoilers. My comments here do not have spoilers.
The name "Escondido" is indeed a town near San Diego in California. However,
in this episode, it is established at the beginning that it refers to a generic Latin American country. The location is vague, but the flight as mentioned in the title is to the USA. I do not know the range of the plane used here, but that might limit it to being near the Caribbean Sea. It really does not matter, since the country does not exist.
4 Reviews
A Notable Actress
darbski19 July 2017
Warning: Spoilers
**SPOILERS** Maybe. There are no other reviews at this point, so here goes. Spencer's taking a rebellious girl back to Daddy. On board plane, there are NO village people, but a bunch of other characters are. The standard hijack show with Jeffy finally overpowering the bad guys (commies), and the valiant pilot outfoxes some fighter jets and pulls through a hurricane to safety. On the west coast? When I was a kid, this would have been a pretty important episode. Now, I guess I've seen too many Chuck Norris, and all the other action flicks to make this one serious.
One other little thing that kind of niggles at the facts is: when they were being hijacked, the traitorous co-pilot tells the pilot to turn due east, and given that they were flying from Escondido (around San Diego) to L.A., that would fly them right into the Mojave Desert. Also, just WHERE did the enemy fighter aircraft come from? Even if they were in the Caribbbean, Nobody but us had long range fighter aircraft in 1962. We owned the Pacific and the Caribbean airspace. The whole thing MUST have been Jeff Spencer's dream.
However..... You KNEW there was gonna be a however, didn't you? On the plane, playing the part of a good looking (but lowly) stewardess is the young Gale Garnett. The lady who had a major one hit wonder with a song called "We'll Sing In The Sunshine" It was important not just because it was a nice song, but it told of a woman who was not afraid to love 'em and leave 'em. With her powerful, and clear voice, she was a serious artist; it is a great song. Here, she is an actress, and she was in a lot of stuff, also writing books; a multi talented lady. she plays a good part, here, and she's very pretty; that never hurts.
I didn't fall asleep, there were a couple of other babes on the flight (Douglas DC-6); in the end, all the players were well acquitted. I wonder what they did with hijackers in 1962?
One other little thing that kind of niggles at the facts is: when they were being hijacked, the traitorous co-pilot tells the pilot to turn due east, and given that they were flying from Escondido (around San Diego) to L.A., that would fly them right into the Mojave Desert. Also, just WHERE did the enemy fighter aircraft come from? Even if they were in the Caribbbean, Nobody but us had long range fighter aircraft in 1962. We owned the Pacific and the Caribbean airspace. The whole thing MUST have been Jeff Spencer's dream.
However..... You KNEW there was gonna be a however, didn't you? On the plane, playing the part of a good looking (but lowly) stewardess is the young Gale Garnett. The lady who had a major one hit wonder with a song called "We'll Sing In The Sunshine" It was important not just because it was a nice song, but it told of a woman who was not afraid to love 'em and leave 'em. With her powerful, and clear voice, she was a serious artist; it is a great song. Here, she is an actress, and she was in a lot of stuff, also writing books; a multi talented lady. she plays a good part, here, and she's very pretty; that never hurts.
I didn't fall asleep, there were a couple of other babes on the flight (Douglas DC-6); in the end, all the players were well acquitted. I wonder what they did with hijackers in 1962?
Runaway and runaway plane
bkoganbing2 May 2018
This 77 Sunset Strip episode finds Roger Smith no doubt getting well paid from
her rich daddy bringing back an heiress in the person of bratty Susan Seaforth
Hayes. But there's all kind of other people on the flight including the president
of the republic Joe DeSantis who Bailey&Spencer worked for. There's also a
traitor on board in Mario Alcalde who wants to divert the plane that Philip Carey
is flying to a nearby Communist country. Lik maybe, Cuba.
This episode plays like a mini film looking much like The High And The Mighty before and The Crowded Sky and like the Airport series of films in the 70s .
Of course Jeff Spencer is a resourceful fellow. Otherwise there wouldn't have been an episode next week of 77 Sunset Strip.
This episode plays like a mini film looking much like The High And The Mighty before and The Crowded Sky and like the Airport series of films in the 70s .
Of course Jeff Spencer is a resourceful fellow. Otherwise there wouldn't have been an episode next week of 77 Sunset Strip.
THE PEOPLE YOU MEET!
tcchelsey19 February 2024
10 Stars.
Veteran director and actor Robert Douglas did his job here, and with a fairly good size cast in a rather claustrophobic situation. Douglas directed many episodes for the F. B. I., and this one has a similar feel.
Lucky Jeff has the prime assignment of personally escorting an heiress (played by Susan Seaforth Hayes) back to Hollywood where daddy is waiting!
True, Jeff is going to be well paid for this trip --but who else is on the plane with him? Some very interesting characters keep him company, and with a Communist slant. Among them a Latin American general and the plan to hijack the plane, more than likely to Cuba!
The stellar cast is spot on, lead by six foot four Philip Carey as Captain Shore, Joe De Santis as General Guiterrez, also popular tv actors William Schallert (DOBIE GILLIS and PATTY DUKE SHOW), and Stacy Harris from DRAGNET.
Singer and actress Gale Garnett plays Veilia. Best known for her hit song, "We'll Sing in the Sunshine."
There's also a soap opera connection here as Hayes appeared in both DAYS OF OUR LIVES and the YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS and Carey co-starred in ONE LIFE TO LIVE. Solid writing on the part of Paul Savage, long associated with GUNSMOKE.
Only one production mistake; when the plane door is open while in flight (toward the end) those by the door would have been sucked right outside, if not half the passengers! Common mistake in many plane stories, but makes for a lively scene.
Still exciting, and with a bumpy ride during a storm.
SEASON 4 EPISODE 35 remastered WB box set.
Veteran director and actor Robert Douglas did his job here, and with a fairly good size cast in a rather claustrophobic situation. Douglas directed many episodes for the F. B. I., and this one has a similar feel.
Lucky Jeff has the prime assignment of personally escorting an heiress (played by Susan Seaforth Hayes) back to Hollywood where daddy is waiting!
True, Jeff is going to be well paid for this trip --but who else is on the plane with him? Some very interesting characters keep him company, and with a Communist slant. Among them a Latin American general and the plan to hijack the plane, more than likely to Cuba!
The stellar cast is spot on, lead by six foot four Philip Carey as Captain Shore, Joe De Santis as General Guiterrez, also popular tv actors William Schallert (DOBIE GILLIS and PATTY DUKE SHOW), and Stacy Harris from DRAGNET.
Singer and actress Gale Garnett plays Veilia. Best known for her hit song, "We'll Sing in the Sunshine."
There's also a soap opera connection here as Hayes appeared in both DAYS OF OUR LIVES and the YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS and Carey co-starred in ONE LIFE TO LIVE. Solid writing on the part of Paul Savage, long associated with GUNSMOKE.
Only one production mistake; when the plane door is open while in flight (toward the end) those by the door would have been sucked right outside, if not half the passengers! Common mistake in many plane stories, but makes for a lively scene.
Still exciting, and with a bumpy ride during a storm.
SEASON 4 EPISODE 35 remastered WB box set.
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