Saturday, January 25, 2014

Public Affairs DR-14 - Community Action!

Oh, no, not the Crime Prevention Episode. Art Director John E. Chilberg, II takes a dialogue-heavy snoozer and gives us some really neat art direction along New York Street in Universal City. It's a tour de force for him.

















On to New York Street.










 

The camera is simply pursuing a drain pipe, but all the architectural details are fun up there:


At last, Bill and Joe arrive at Ruby's Bar for some Community Action!


Part of the Ruby's set is reused from our most familiar bar set, but dressed up for a tropical feel.

It's enduring (not unlike our archetypal Chinese restaurant) and even echoes in the pilot episode of Mad Men. ("And for the lady, a special Mai Tai.")































HEY GUYS THANKS
GANNON JUST BROKE MY DOOR JAMB
























S3e10

Starred
Jack Webb as Sergeant Joe Friday
Harry Morgan as Officer Bill Gannon
Del Moore as Charles Dalton
Virginia Gregg as Lisa Ruby
John Hudson as Lieutenant Bob Kearney
Herb Vigran as Pete Gulka
Howard Culver as Harold Wilson

Additional Cast
______, ______, ______ as till-tapping miscreants

Additional Notes


Art Direction - John E. Chilberg, II
Set Decor - John McCarthy & John Sturtevant
Costumes - Vincent Dee

Written by Alf Harris

Aired 28 November 1968

See you in the comments,
Suzy Dragnet

8 comments:

  1. Suzy: It's amazing how many episodes Virginia Gregg is in, and sometimes consecutively! Did they think we wouldn't notice? I plan on being in LA this year and want to take the Universal tour. I am curious if any of these Colonial Street or New York Street sets or buildings still exist. I've seen them so many times now I may recognize them. I discovered your blog site halfway thru season 1. I saw a street scene with a realtor sign and googled the realtor to see if it still exists and was directed to Everyone Nods. I really enjoy your study of this great show. BTW, I joined the conversation about Dragnet fans relationship with the show and my response is still there. Kenny P

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    1. Kenny! That's wonderful! Lucky you! I'm sure that they knew they were going to come out to 100 episodes eventually, just squeezing it into syndication. I feel confident that they knew we were used to recycled actors, anyway. This was airing in the autumn of 1968. Was Jack's audience worried about other matters to really worry about overcasing someone? I don't know. It's had to stick with Just The Style Of Dragnet when I am assembling the posts.
      Please do be in touch with your findings at Univeral - especially the sites we see all of the time in Dragnet together. I know the cool post-and beam apartment house where that one guy is always working in the pool - you know the one? - for sure is demolished. That news was delivered to me by another commenter. This silly blog started out as a thing for me to do just to relax, and now we have a little Dragnet Community. Do you think we should have a forum or a four minute companion podcast?

      Good luck in all things. Thanks again for being in touch, and also for your contribution to my blog.
      I appreciate you all so much. Surprises are made to delight us - and that what each comment is.

      Be well, see you soon.
      Suzy Dragnet

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  2. Suzy: FBI, Invaders, Time Tunnel were all American major network shows. Time Tunnel had two scientists appearing at the Alamo, and then just as they were about to be shot, they would morph onto the Titanic. From one famous historic event to another. Really good. Was on Fridays I think. 1966-67 and 1967-68. TV was so good then. I know I sound like an old timer. Some new shows are also among my favorites: House M.D. especially. But I don't want to divert attention from your subject here. I will keep following your dissection of each episode. BTW your suspicion that the public had more to worry about in 1968 than Virginia Gregg appearances is very sharp. Like our draft status. Kenny P

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    Replies
    1. Thank You, Kenny.

      Yes, the draft, the vets, women's advocacy, all of the minority & race tension. This was airing during the aftermath of Free Love and I think the country was a little tired out. Then, miraculously came Nixon, disco, and so much polyester.

      I have some friends that really adore House M.D. I haven't sunken into that one yet. A few "new" shows that we enjoy are Archer, Community, and Mad Men. Brooklyn Nine Nine is also a cute one.

      In other news, I've just finished harvesting shots of Adam-12's Martin Milner in the 1967 camp-cinema tragedy Valley Of The Dolls for future feature in Adam 12 with Suzy.

      Take it easy & I'm pleased that you plan to keep up.
      Suzy Dragnet

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  3. How on earth could Virginia Gregg see in those sunglasses indoors?!?

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    Replies
    1. Maybe she had a headache? I don't know. I am sure the sound stage lights are really bright.

      SD

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  4. Too Old To Be CoolJuly 23, 2017 at 12:40 PM

    Lisa Ruby wearing sunglasses indoors! A subtle reminder that she can't see what's going on in her own restaurant!

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  5. Virginia Gregg might have actually had to memorize her lines this episode. Unless there's a way to crank up the brightness on the teleprompter. She's the consummate pro.

    I can't tell - is Harry Morgan wearing the vest that the haberdasher was wearing when they followed up on his burglary? In a couple of the long shots, I initially thought his vest was white, but the close ups show it has a gingham pattern. Harry's looks the same from a distance.

    Virginia has three different dresses - white, green, and brown. I half-expected everyone at the dinner table to just to swap clothes between scenes with one or more gentlemen ending up in a dress. You know they were wearing her support garments!

    Stage combat is really lacking here - the wrestling isn't convincing, but I guess they aren't really wrestling since it's only a diversion. Their scuffle doesn't fall to the level of badness that the female karate instructor from season 2 exhibited.

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