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Gunsmoke: Captain Sligo (1971)
Richard Basehart shines as a dry docked Whaling Captain
This episode was a rareity. The whole episode was turned over to it's guest star and the regular cast only briefly appeared, mostly at the beginning and end. This was all Richard Basehart's show. He turned in a wonderful and fun performance as a salty old Captain from a Whaling ship, Captain Aaron Sligo who decides to retire in the center of North America which just happens to be near Dodge City in the state of Kansas. His first mate and closest friend Mr. Watley, has arrived before him and has everything set up including a lookouts mast attached to the house.
Mr. Watley is played by Royal Dano, who also appeared in the 1956 feature film "Moby Dick" as Elijah who foretold the ill fate of the Piquad, the ship that Richard Basehart as Ishmael was about to sign up and sail not knowing he would be the sole survivor of its ill fated voyage.
Captain Sligo shows up with a bison pulling his wagon when he spots his new neighbor, the widow Burney with her two youngsters and the beginnings of a rocky courtship for the two.
The widow invites the Captain for dinner. He regaled the youngsters and the widow Burney with some of his rollicking sea tales. He then proceeds to let her know that he is set on marrying her and she challenges him that if he can grow corn on the rocky piece of land he purchased, that when the corn is shoe top high, that she will marry him.
Salome Jens played the role of the widow Burney. The banter between Basehart and Jens is fun to be sure.
This episode got rave reviews and the critics especially applauded Richard Basehart's performance. This was far different from his stolid role as Admiral Harriman Nelson during the four year run of Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea.
I thoroughly enjoyed this episode of Gunsmoke. The performance of Richard Basehart and the supporting cast made this a truly entertaining hour. This episode originally aired in January 1971 just a few days after New Years Day. I try to catch this episode on a couple of the nostalgia cable TV channels when ever it's on.
Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea: Cave of the Dead (1967)
Skeletons, old square riggers, and the Flying Dutchman...Oh my!
This was a fun outing for Richard Basehart and his friend and former roommate Warren Stevens. This is Warren Stevens 3rd appearance on Voyage. The first is season ones "The Saboteor" season 3 "Deadly Invasion" and this episode. It's pretty campy. They run into a storm while in the flying sub searching for the lost ships and the reason they went missing. They are shot down by a 200 year old Square Rigger.
They spot an unknown island as the flying sub floats on the surface with damaged radio so Nelson isn't able to contact Seaview.
Nelson decides he wants to investigate the island. They take a rubber raft to the island. Once ashore Van Wyck discovers a cave. When Nelson arrives he says "so it's a cave." They decide to explore. As they are walking along they hear a noise and with a music que, a sword falls from above. Van Wyck quickly pulls Nelson's arm so that the sword misses him. Here we see a bit of hamming it up is how I describe Basehart's reaction as he appears to pull down on his leather flight jacket "Thanks, that could have killed me."
As they venture further into the cave they find a skeleton with a dagger in it.
Nelson removes the dagger and next there is a loud booming voice telling him he is cursed.
Suddenly there is a loud rumbling sound and then begins a cave in. Both men run out of the cave. Warren Stevens winds up rolling onto the sand while Richard Basehart deftly lands on the soft rubber raft. I always thought that was kind of funny.
Then it's decided that it's time to get back to the flying sub. Once back aboard it's suddenly noticed by Nelson that the flying sub appears undamaged.
Can Wyck starts to really try to mess with Nelson's mind. He denies they were shot down by any square rigger and that there was never any storm. Worse yet he denies there was any island. The only evidence Nelson has is the dagger which he was determined to keep.
Nelson contacts Seaview and Crane. Tells him about the storm and the island.
There's no island on any of the charts and they never picked up the storm. Nelson is beginning to feel more than a little frustrated. He tells Crane they are heading back to Seaview and breaks radio contact.
Next we see Nelson coming out of the hatch that leads to the flying sub and when he turns to face the control room he sees that it is manned by skeletons.
I always thought they should have aired this episode a few weeks later. It would have made a good Halloween episode with all the skeletons.
I have read that there was a Voyage episode that was done purposely in fun. I always wondered if this was it.
Richard Basehart and Warren Stevens seemed to have fun with each other in this one. That is something we may never get an answer to. This is the only episode I remember seeing Basehart actually hamming it up like he did in different scenes. I always felt he should have done some guest roles on a sitcom or two. He was spot on in the role he did in the movie The Bank Hoax with another good buddy Burgess Meredith. If you haven't seen the movie, I recommend it.
"Cave of the Dead" originally aired October 8, 1967. It was a fun outting and Basehart gets to let his Nelson character be a bit lighter than usual.
All in all a fun show from the final season.
Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea: Jonah and the Whale (1965)
Battle of the sexes...well,sort of
I found this episode entertaining. I liked the kibitzing and banter between Richard Basehart aka the Admiral and Gia Scala aka the Russian female scientist Katy Markova. She panicked when some water drips on her back and the Admiral comes back with "could have used an imbrella" trying to inject a little levity into their dire situation. I mean after all the diving bell has been swallowed by a huge whale. Then he proceeds to explain that the pressure is so great that it's forcing the two halves together and squealing out the water. He also makes light when the Russian scientist is questioning him when she says the specie of whale that swallowed them is extinct. Nelson comes back with "perhaps he doesn't know it". (He being the whale and that he doesn't know he's supposed to be extinct.)
I love the Admirals reaction when he first looks out the port hole after they are swallowed by the whale and his reaction when Katy's sees the insides of the whale for the first time. The expression is priceless.
Another scene that I really like from this episode is when Kowalski is in the diving bell working and Admiral Nelson asks him if he would be willing to go down in the bell...as it stands. Kowalski's expression changes from smiling to serious as he nervously swallows hard before he asks, "are you asking me...or telling me, sir?" Harry responds smiling "just asking." After a cursory check Kowalski says he would. Then Harry tells Katya that he will be piloting the bell when she goes down for the first time.
After they are swallowed by the whale she comes back with "next time she will pick a more experienced pilot" after Harry apologizes as his piloting skills are a bit rusty.
I could go on and on but this would wind up being a book. This was Basehart's episode. David Hedison and the Seaview with her crew played supporting roles to Basehart and guest star Gia Scala.
The Turning Point (1977)
Not Richard Basehart
I played the trailer for The Turning Point because someone has credited Richard Basehart as the narrator. I don't recognize the voice but what I do know for sure is that "is not" Richard Basehart. I know his very recognizable voice and while some of the diction is similar, it "is not" the great Richard Basehart who has narrated so many documentaries during his career.