Anyone who would like to introduce others to Route 66 should consider showing "How Much a Pound Is Albatross?" to prospective fans. This episode is, on the surface, lighthearted fun but there's an undercurrent of discovery for viewers to experience (maybe even personally) in the lead character, played on a perfect edge by the incomparable Julie Newmar - for most people, the first Catwoman on the original Batman series. Buz' and Tod's freewheeling exploration of America is tame compared to Newmar's free-spirited motorcycle rider, who wins Buz' heart but, in a turn from the usual Route 66 storyline, appreciates Tod's steadfastness more than Buz' advances. Newmar's scenes in the deserts of Arizona with Tod seal this episode as a genuine classic. While most of the Route 66 series is more serious than "How Much a Pound Is Albatross?", this episode feels more at home with its characters' strengths and is very comforting to watch.
6 Reviews
The 28 Year Old Julie Newmar
richardchatten23 May 2022
If they ever released a box set devoted exclusively to Julie Newmar in addition to all her episodes as Catwoman it would have to include this and the same year's episode of 'Twilight Zone' in which she played a female Satan back the days when she was still blonde and a picture of Kennedy adorned the sheriff's wall.
Films and old TV episodes often acquire a new resonance in retrospect, and I'm not first to cite this as a prequel to her role in 'Batman'. First seen in biking leathers, a character observed that "Every time her boot hits the ground there's a waft of smoke" and she's already given to observations like "A sense of diamonds is a female secondary characteristic".
The arresting officers pronounce her sober, but from the way she handles a cigarette they're plainly barking up the wrong tree. Given a dress to wear she declares that "When I turn into a girl I do all kinds of foolish and impulsive things". We learn she's heiress to a fortune of $27 million and she says she's never been in jail before; but after being sternly informed by a judge that if practised by all "Your dedication to nonconformity, your flouting of convention... the very freedom you profess to seek would be destroyed", it's plain it won't be her last.
In the final scene she gets back into her leathers and on to her bike to hit the road once more. Next stop Gotham City.
Films and old TV episodes often acquire a new resonance in retrospect, and I'm not first to cite this as a prequel to her role in 'Batman'. First seen in biking leathers, a character observed that "Every time her boot hits the ground there's a waft of smoke" and she's already given to observations like "A sense of diamonds is a female secondary characteristic".
The arresting officers pronounce her sober, but from the way she handles a cigarette they're plainly barking up the wrong tree. Given a dress to wear she declares that "When I turn into a girl I do all kinds of foolish and impulsive things". We learn she's heiress to a fortune of $27 million and she says she's never been in jail before; but after being sternly informed by a judge that if practised by all "Your dedication to nonconformity, your flouting of convention... the very freedom you profess to seek would be destroyed", it's plain it won't be her last.
In the final scene she gets back into her leathers and on to her bike to hit the road once more. Next stop Gotham City.
Catwoman's True Alter Ego?
Eric-62-218 October 2023
As someone who first knew Julie Newmar beacuse she'd been Catwoman, I was always struck by how despite being the definitive Catworman, the series avoided using the traditional comic book alter ego of Selina Kyle for her. That's because it would have been impossible to envision someone of Julie Newmar's stature as the dull, unassuming Selina or even the society burglar the Cat (Batman #1). It called for something else entirely but I could never figure out what.
Then one day I discovered this earlier performance of Julie's as free-spirited motorcycle riding Vicki Russell, who she played not once but twice on "Route 66", and when I was watching this episode, the lightbulb suddenly clicked that *this* character could easily have been Catwoman's true alter ego. Vicki Russell, who lost her wealthy parents and a younger brother and sister in a tragic plane crash has chosen to ignore the vast wealth left to her by her father's estate and instead live a free-spirited life of existential searching by going across the country on her motorcycle. Causing chaos in every town she goes like she does here in Tucscon, AZ but all from a goodhearted desire to just enjoy life to the fullest. She attracts the eye of Tod and Buz, and ultimately Tod ends up impressing her more and spends a night with her in the desert.
If the universes of different TV shows could connect, you could easily see Vicki becoming Catwoman *if* as time progressed, the Society she chooses to flaunt decided to crack down on her ability to enjoy life to the fullest and instead chose to restrict her freedom to live as she sees it. Maybe there, you could see the Catwoman persona as she defined it emerge in response to that by turning to crime if she wasn't allowed to "be herself" any longer. Whatever the case, it was fascinating to discover this earlier iconic performance of Julie's that on its own is the equal of what she accomplished as Catwoman. It's unfortunate that it's become more forgotten over time.
Then one day I discovered this earlier performance of Julie's as free-spirited motorcycle riding Vicki Russell, who she played not once but twice on "Route 66", and when I was watching this episode, the lightbulb suddenly clicked that *this* character could easily have been Catwoman's true alter ego. Vicki Russell, who lost her wealthy parents and a younger brother and sister in a tragic plane crash has chosen to ignore the vast wealth left to her by her father's estate and instead live a free-spirited life of existential searching by going across the country on her motorcycle. Causing chaos in every town she goes like she does here in Tucscon, AZ but all from a goodhearted desire to just enjoy life to the fullest. She attracts the eye of Tod and Buz, and ultimately Tod ends up impressing her more and spends a night with her in the desert.
If the universes of different TV shows could connect, you could easily see Vicki becoming Catwoman *if* as time progressed, the Society she chooses to flaunt decided to crack down on her ability to enjoy life to the fullest and instead chose to restrict her freedom to live as she sees it. Maybe there, you could see the Catwoman persona as she defined it emerge in response to that by turning to crime if she wasn't allowed to "be herself" any longer. Whatever the case, it was fascinating to discover this earlier iconic performance of Julie's that on its own is the equal of what she accomplished as Catwoman. It's unfortunate that it's become more forgotten over time.
Julie Newmar is Fantastic
rwint161119 May 2008
Excellent episode that could be easily considered in the top 5 of the series. It features Julie Newmar giving a incredible performance as Vicki Russell a very free spirited woman that is so immersed in her own existentialism and non-conformity that she seems to have lost all bearing in reality or common sense. Her character is the precursor to the hippie movement and may in fact be television's very first hippie. If this show were in syndication it would become her signature role instead of Catwoman. This is her best performance by far and fits her persona perfectly. This episode also has a very poignant scene involving the trio and an old drunk that they meet in the bar. There is also a great closing statement made by the court judge and terrific locale shooting of the desert.
Grade: A
Grade: A
2/9/62 "How Much a Pound is Albatross?"
schappe128 May 2015
And now here comes Vicki, the most charismatic character in the series' history and the only one besides the regulars to be in more than one episode, (that wasn't a two-parter). Her full name is Vicki Russell and she's very rich, ($28 million- about $216 million today), but doesn't care about money. She lost her family in a plane crash and has been hitting the road on her motorcycle just to see how many experiences of life she can have ever since. She's even freer than Tod and Buz, (because she has all the money she needs but needs little of it). She's the perfect Sterling Silliphant character, as she speaks in poems and riddles. And she's played by the amazing Julie Newmar, a statuesque blond bombshell but a "smart blonde" who dazzles with her mind as well as her looks.
There's not much plot. Vicki spots a bored-looking policeman sitting in his patrol car and decides to give him some excitement by breaking every traffic rule in the books. The result is chaos, which includes Tod and Buz breaking an expensive shop window when they serve to avoid her. Buz confronts her about it and immediately falls in love. He winds up putting up the corvette for collateral for bail. Vicki objects at first, describing jail as "a new experience". (Certainly it's not the right one for her.) Tod takes longer to fall for her but after a night on the town winds up going out into the desert, (they are in Tucson, Arizona), with Vicki on her motorcycle until she runs out of gas. She can't make it to a hearing on her case, (there goes the corvette!) and a search party is organized. But do they even want to be found?
Vicki has been described as "the first hippie". She also could be said to resemble the beatniks of the 50's. But she's unique, her own person. It might have been interesting if this was spun off into a separate series. But it might have been hard to maintain such a character for a season of episodes. I fully agree that this is Julie Newmar's signature role, not Catwoman.
I mentioned in a previous review that after Route 66 originally went off the air, I remembered the more light-hearted episodes best. This has some heavy philosophy in it but there are no "bad guys" and some good humor as well, plus the dazzling Ms. Newmar. This is the sort of episode that defined Route 66 for me.
There's not much plot. Vicki spots a bored-looking policeman sitting in his patrol car and decides to give him some excitement by breaking every traffic rule in the books. The result is chaos, which includes Tod and Buz breaking an expensive shop window when they serve to avoid her. Buz confronts her about it and immediately falls in love. He winds up putting up the corvette for collateral for bail. Vicki objects at first, describing jail as "a new experience". (Certainly it's not the right one for her.) Tod takes longer to fall for her but after a night on the town winds up going out into the desert, (they are in Tucson, Arizona), with Vicki on her motorcycle until she runs out of gas. She can't make it to a hearing on her case, (there goes the corvette!) and a search party is organized. But do they even want to be found?
Vicki has been described as "the first hippie". She also could be said to resemble the beatniks of the 50's. But she's unique, her own person. It might have been interesting if this was spun off into a separate series. But it might have been hard to maintain such a character for a season of episodes. I fully agree that this is Julie Newmar's signature role, not Catwoman.
I mentioned in a previous review that after Route 66 originally went off the air, I remembered the more light-hearted episodes best. This has some heavy philosophy in it but there are no "bad guys" and some good humor as well, plus the dazzling Ms. Newmar. This is the sort of episode that defined Route 66 for me.
Taking a Chance
dougdoepke1 November 2014
Interesting episode, despite occasional intellectual aspects. Viewers just didn't find philosophical dialog on TV during this pre-Vietnam period. But that's not the case here. Due to Vicki's lack of convention, the producers took a chance with an exotic script that might turn off many viewers. Nonetheless, casting the 6-foot, eye-catching Newmar doubles as a neat visual correlate to Vicki's unconventional ideas.
Still, I'm not sure what to make of Vicki's credo—something about living in the moment, and not letting anything define her since that way she would close herself off to the rich world around us. This naturally puts her at odds with the practical world where social roles, e.g. cop, husband, clerk, more or less order the larger society. Anyhow, the gist sounds a lot like elements of the later hippie movement, as others point out. Given that counter-culture, it seems prophetic to end by speeding her away from us and into the future.
On a different plane, catch the big-haired psychologist back when bouffants were women's hair-style. Also, looks like Arizona turned out everyone except the National Guard for the desert search, which is pretty contrived anyway. Still and all, it's a highly unusual story not only for its time but remains provocative even for today.
Still, I'm not sure what to make of Vicki's credo—something about living in the moment, and not letting anything define her since that way she would close herself off to the rich world around us. This naturally puts her at odds with the practical world where social roles, e.g. cop, husband, clerk, more or less order the larger society. Anyhow, the gist sounds a lot like elements of the later hippie movement, as others point out. Given that counter-culture, it seems prophetic to end by speeding her away from us and into the future.
On a different plane, catch the big-haired psychologist back when bouffants were women's hair-style. Also, looks like Arizona turned out everyone except the National Guard for the desert search, which is pretty contrived anyway. Still and all, it's a highly unusual story not only for its time but remains provocative even for today.
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