The whole Boone family is visiting a coastal town (Norfolk, Va.?) to pick up supplies for Boonesborough, when a talking crow infiltrates Israel's room at the inn and steals a coin. Israel tracks the bird to a waterfront cave, in which dwells his the friendly ex-pirate Will Scataway (Jim Backus). Scataway is trying to piece together a scrimshaw treasure map while staying ahead of some vengeful ex-shipmates with the same intention.
Not terribly much to comment on here; this is another Disney-style adventure with very minimum servings of history and/or drama, but it holds up as a family-friendly offering sixty-plus years after its debut. The hour's principal job is to provide a vehicle for Backus, familiar to several generations as Mr. Magoo and Thurston Howell on "Gilligan's Island." A posthumous word of praise is well due Backus - he is emblematic of a more gentlemanly age of TV, when Red Skeleton thanked his audiences for "letting me be guest in your home." The 1960's networks were in the business for money of course, but one concludes in retrospect that the WW II veterans making programming decisions probably figured they had seen enough ugliness in life and they would do what they could to shield their kids from early exposure to such. Its worth contrasting that attitude with a typical 2023 programming day, when the flatscreen is too often converted into an open sewer.
Along for the ride as Scataway's rival is Ted Cassidy, Lurch on the "Addams Family" and notably the Gorn and Ruk on "Star Trek: TOS."
Some sea fight footage is inserted from a pre-1967 pirate movie, perhaps "Captain Blood." A real sea adventure for Dan should have been attempted at some point, perhaps teaming him with John Paul Jones. (And who better for that than the feature film JPJ, Robert Stack - who was very much available in the late 60's?)
Some interesting unanswered questions - how Scataway keeps his effects in a tidal cave without being flooded daily, and for comic relief Becky keeps buying supplies until they are stacked roof-high in a single wagon - how is that supposed to get over the Cumberland Gap?
Lots of Becky and Israel here, and the story is strictly follow the dots. Again, give the hour a "family-friendly" stamp and take it for what it is.
Not terribly much to comment on here; this is another Disney-style adventure with very minimum servings of history and/or drama, but it holds up as a family-friendly offering sixty-plus years after its debut. The hour's principal job is to provide a vehicle for Backus, familiar to several generations as Mr. Magoo and Thurston Howell on "Gilligan's Island." A posthumous word of praise is well due Backus - he is emblematic of a more gentlemanly age of TV, when Red Skeleton thanked his audiences for "letting me be guest in your home." The 1960's networks were in the business for money of course, but one concludes in retrospect that the WW II veterans making programming decisions probably figured they had seen enough ugliness in life and they would do what they could to shield their kids from early exposure to such. Its worth contrasting that attitude with a typical 2023 programming day, when the flatscreen is too often converted into an open sewer.
Along for the ride as Scataway's rival is Ted Cassidy, Lurch on the "Addams Family" and notably the Gorn and Ruk on "Star Trek: TOS."
Some sea fight footage is inserted from a pre-1967 pirate movie, perhaps "Captain Blood." A real sea adventure for Dan should have been attempted at some point, perhaps teaming him with John Paul Jones. (And who better for that than the feature film JPJ, Robert Stack - who was very much available in the late 60's?)
Some interesting unanswered questions - how Scataway keeps his effects in a tidal cave without being flooded daily, and for comic relief Becky keeps buying supplies until they are stacked roof-high in a single wagon - how is that supposed to get over the Cumberland Gap?
Lots of Becky and Israel here, and the story is strictly follow the dots. Again, give the hour a "family-friendly" stamp and take it for what it is.
