I am 51 years old and vaguely remember watching some episodes when I was a child. Now I have watched the first season on American Life TV (Time Warner NYC).I have missed a few episodes but overall the first season was excellent and Savage was an important character played well by the actor. He was very believable; tough, by the book but caring and compassionate too. Sad to see him go in this first episode of the second season that I saw last night. I feel that the network executives made a mistake cutting him out but I will continue to watch it and see if I am right. Does anyone know if the Germans really did use restore B-17's to get into our formations and wreak havoc?
5 Reviews
Lansing is Out and Burke is In
hogwrassler7 March 2022
The first episode of season two marked a major change in the series. The episode opens with General Savage being killed in action, although the viewers don't see his face, just his crew members unsuccessfully trying to keep him alive after he's been hit. With Savage dead, the command of the 918th is turned over to now Colonel Joe Gallagher. The episode then details Gallagher's transition to group commander.
12 O'Clock High was one of my favorite shows as a 12-year old in 1965, along with Combat!. I also liked The Gallant Men, but it was canceled after one season.
I remember reading about the reason for the change in lead actors in TV Guide. ABC was moving the show's time slot from 10PM on Friday to 730PM on Monday. Being on at an earlier hour, the ABC wanted to attract a younger viewing audience, and felt that Robert Lansing was too old looking to interest a younger viewer. Hence, they replaced Lansing with Burke, although Burke was, in reality, two years older than Lansing. However, Burke was considerably younger looking than Lansing. Critics were quick to point out the age difference when reviewing the change in lead actors.
Also, the producers added young looking Chris Robinson to the cast as TSgt Sandy Komanski, hoping he would lure younger viewers as well. However, the familiar relationship between a full colonel and an enlisted man was far too informal to be realistic. But it did low two supposed hunks to be on camera together a lot, especially when Air Corps Colonel Gallagher was leading a commando raid or some other wild and unrealistic mission. But that's what TV is, a suspension of realism for awhile.
My personal belief is that Robert Lansing as General Savage made the series much more realistic and primarily focused on the gritty problems of daylight bombing and the huge losses suffered during 1942-1943. When Paul Burke and Chris Robinson came on board, it became just another adventure series.
12 O'Clock High was one of my favorite shows as a 12-year old in 1965, along with Combat!. I also liked The Gallant Men, but it was canceled after one season.
I remember reading about the reason for the change in lead actors in TV Guide. ABC was moving the show's time slot from 10PM on Friday to 730PM on Monday. Being on at an earlier hour, the ABC wanted to attract a younger viewing audience, and felt that Robert Lansing was too old looking to interest a younger viewer. Hence, they replaced Lansing with Burke, although Burke was, in reality, two years older than Lansing. However, Burke was considerably younger looking than Lansing. Critics were quick to point out the age difference when reviewing the change in lead actors.
Also, the producers added young looking Chris Robinson to the cast as TSgt Sandy Komanski, hoping he would lure younger viewers as well. However, the familiar relationship between a full colonel and an enlisted man was far too informal to be realistic. But it did low two supposed hunks to be on camera together a lot, especially when Air Corps Colonel Gallagher was leading a commando raid or some other wild and unrealistic mission. But that's what TV is, a suspension of realism for awhile.
My personal belief is that Robert Lansing as General Savage made the series much more realistic and primarily focused on the gritty problems of daylight bombing and the huge losses suffered during 1942-1943. When Paul Burke and Chris Robinson came on board, it became just another adventure series.
They bump off Savage in the opening scene.
planktonrules1 September 2021
"The Loneliest Place in the World" is the first episode of season two and it offers a HUGE and unexpected change....they wrote Robert Lansing (General Savage) off the show! I did a bit of research and found an article that claims the network didn't want Lansing helming the show and Quinn Martin Productions was forced to remove him...or face not having the show renewed!
To get past this problem, the opening scene somewhat clumsily gets rid of the General. Supposedly a captured B-17 manned by Germans flies into the formation and attacks Savage's plane and he's killed...but you never see him.
Soon Colonel Gallagher (Paul Burke) is put in temporary charge of the bomber group. However, he's very uncertain of himself and blames himself for allowing the straggler B-17 (manned by Germans) to join the flight. Who eventually is named the permanent leader is uncertain BUT considering Paul Burke is now listed first in the opening credits, it's not like the show left us in suspense!! Despite this, it's a decent episode and worth seeing...even with Savage's death.
By the way, in the movie version of "12 O'Clock High", Savage was not killed but was cashed out due to battle fatigue (PTSD) and mental strain. I wish the show had done the same thing, as killing the character off the way they did seemed hard to believe and a bit shabby.
To get past this problem, the opening scene somewhat clumsily gets rid of the General. Supposedly a captured B-17 manned by Germans flies into the formation and attacks Savage's plane and he's killed...but you never see him.
Soon Colonel Gallagher (Paul Burke) is put in temporary charge of the bomber group. However, he's very uncertain of himself and blames himself for allowing the straggler B-17 (manned by Germans) to join the flight. Who eventually is named the permanent leader is uncertain BUT considering Paul Burke is now listed first in the opening credits, it's not like the show left us in suspense!! Despite this, it's a decent episode and worth seeing...even with Savage's death.
By the way, in the movie version of "12 O'Clock High", Savage was not killed but was cashed out due to battle fatigue (PTSD) and mental strain. I wish the show had done the same thing, as killing the character off the way they did seemed hard to believe and a bit shabby.
Seen 47 years ago!
spencer13313 June 2012
Warning: Spoilers
I had a rare privilege tonight. I had the opportunity to view the Twelve O'clock High episode 1 of Season 2. I first saw this in September 1965 when I was eleven years old. In this episode, the first without star Robert Lansing as B/G Frank Savage (he is killed off, having chosen to leave the show), Lt. Col. Joe Gallagher (Paul Burke) earns his full bird and the command of the 918th B/G as the new star of the show. In this episode Gallagher cements his relationship with his F/E T/Sgt. Sandy Kaminski (Chris Robinson) who becomes the permanent top turret gunner on the 'Piccadilly Lilly' (Boeing B-17F). It was like reliving a day of my youth. That show was the genesis of my interest in aviation and war bird in particular. Outstanding!
Savage Killed off to get better ratings.
jonweiss12 November 2023
I read somewhere, that the decision to trade Savage for Gallagher was to appeal to younger audiences. I was 8 years old when this change happened, so I put myself as one of the "Younger Audience".
I had never seen Paul Burke in anything, prior to this, and to me he was an unknown, so no preconceptions.
When I saw him playing Col Callagher, he seemed to over dramatise every movement, most egregiously his hokey method of saluting. Being from a military family, I was tempted to do an eye roll every time I saw him salute.
I still feel that Lansing did a better job of being "The Old Man" as unit commanders were often called. While I like the entire series, this "young person" disagrees with the decision for the change. I would liked to have seen Lansing continue in the part.
I had never seen Paul Burke in anything, prior to this, and to me he was an unknown, so no preconceptions.
When I saw him playing Col Callagher, he seemed to over dramatise every movement, most egregiously his hokey method of saluting. Being from a military family, I was tempted to do an eye roll every time I saw him salute.
I still feel that Lansing did a better job of being "The Old Man" as unit commanders were often called. While I like the entire series, this "young person" disagrees with the decision for the change. I would liked to have seen Lansing continue in the part.
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