"Four Into Zero"=JK

Hello Everyone!

The temperature where I live is forecast to dip to just four above zero in the next few days, so I thought I'd look at "Four Into Zero", an episode of Kraft Suspense Theatre in which Jack Kelly starred. Not only that, but it was on this exact day in 1965--Thursday, February 18--that "Four Into Zero" first aired on NBC-TV!

JK plays "Charles Glenn", the ski-bum husband of wealthy blonde heiress "Caroline" (Martha Hyer). Charles wants to accomplish something to prove to Caroline that he's his own man. 

Does he run for office? Write a novel? Win a gold medal for skiing?

Nope, he masterminds a convoluted caper involving engraving plates bound for a South American republic by way of a train traveling from Chicago to Los Angeles. Charles plans to pinch the plates from the train's freight car, print a million dollars worth of bills, return the plates to the car and then convert the South American currency to U.S. money for a hefty payday. 

Of course, he can't do all this alone, so he hires three cohorts--a printer, an acrobat and a man (Robert Conrad) whose fiancée works at a bank in Chicago--with the special skills and knowledge needed to get the job done. 

Nothing can go wrong, right? Wrong. 

The acrobat is supposed to slither atop the moving train and slip in and out of the freight car with the plates without attracting attention. However, he's injured and Charles must complete the risky task himself. 

There are other complications as well, such as a nosey little boy and a vacationing railroad bull who almost uncover Charles' scheme while riding the train. And, when Caroline and the fiancée learn their men aren't on a business trip after all, they fly to Los Angeles to find out what's really going on.   

In the end, Charles' wild plan nearly succeeds. Crime doesn't pay, though, and his million-dollar dream adds up to a big fat zero when a sudden coup renders the republic's currency worthless. 

But, he still has Caroline:

Please stay tuned for more fun with JK in TDS--and stay warm! :)

"Double Jeopardy", Double Image :)

Howdy!

Jack Kelly appeared as private eye "Fred Piper" in three episodes of Bob Hope Presents The Chrysler Theatre: "White Snow, Red Ice" "One Embezzlement and Two Margaritas" and "Double Jeopardy".

I've looked at all three episodes before in TDS, but I'm doing a double-take on Double Jeopardy because of this fantastic photo which recently came into the Kellection:

Of course, that's JK with his lovely co-star, Lauren Bacall. And, there's another side to this photo--literally. On the back is a newspaper clipping with the same image (complete with editing marks) which explains the premise of Double Jeopardy:

The caption reads "'DOUBLE JEOPARDY' is the title of the show, and what Jack Kelly is in as he gets involved with Lauren Bacall playing the dual role of twin sisters on Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre. The romantic mystery, co-starring Zsa Zsa Gabor and Tom Poston, airs Friday, 7:30 p.m. [January 15, 1965] on Ch. 3, 2."

I also found a nice article in which Ms. Bacall shares what it was like playing twins:

"All their lives they competed for men. Amanda was the athletic trophier...her sister, Barbara, nabbed the fraternity pins. Noted actress Lauren Bacall captures both on Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre in a dual-role portrayal calling for dramatic characterizations of twin sisters, poles apart in personality but in love with the same missing man.

"...'The biggest problem in playing a dual role,' notes the husky-voiced beauty, 'is in keeping the characters separated. It's very easy to slip into the mannerisms and speech of the other twin--you have to concentrate on keeping them apart every minute. I've developed a full-blown schizophrenia for the role, but both halves have loved it.'"

Earth Day was first observed on April 22, 1970, and perhaps in the spirit of the times, NBC recycled some episodes of The Chrysler Theatre under the title NBC Adventure Theatre in 1971. The six year-old Double Jeopardy aired on Adventure Theatre on July 31, 1971:

Adventure Theatre returned in 1972 and Double Jeopardy was repeated on August 17 of that year. 

Incidentally, Adventure Theatre was hosted by Art Fleming, who was the emcee of another NBC series at the time: just plain Jeopardy (which is still running in its current syndicated version). And, as noted previously in TDS, Jack Kelly hosted NBC Comedy Theatre (a.k.a. NBC Comedy Playhouse) which showcased lighter episodes of The Chrysler Theatre.

Whew! Doing all that research on Double Jeopardy made me double-tired, so I'm going to turn in now. But, I'll be back with more about JK, so please stay tuned! :)

The Kelly Family Way! :)

Hello Everyone!

On January 13, 1965--55 years ago today--The Family Way opened at the Lyceum Theatre on Broadway.

It closed on January 16, after only five performances.

But, Jack Kelly, the star of the play, beamed as he posed with his big sister, Nancy, in this incandescent candid image scanned from a color slide in the Kellection:

What a fantastic Kelly family portrait!

Here's the cover of the Playbill, like the one Ms. Kelly is holding:

Well, it's the TDS way to share photos and stories about JK with you, so please stay tuned for more! :)

Ready For the Weekend! :)

 

Jack Kelly and co-star Madelyn Himes look like they're ready for the weekend to start on this vintage lobby card for Love and Kisses (1965). No matter what your week was like, I hope your weekend is a great one. Please stay tuned for more about JK in TDS!

Flashback Friday: The Dancing Mavericks! :)

 

Not the greatest copy, however, I couldn't resist sharing this cute Maverick newspaper ad from 1965. I know Bart and Bret are supposed to be drawing their guns, but they look like they're dancing to me. Enjoy and have a great weekend! :)

"Yes, It's True, Maverick is Here!" :)

Hi!

If we fans want to watch Jack Kelly in Maverick these days, we can pop a disc into the DVD player or computer. But, what about when Maverick originally aired, in the days when there were only three major networks and no way to record shows at home? What happened if you had only one TV and someone else in the family wanted to watch Ed Sullivan, which meant you missed Bart and/or Bret that week? Or, if Maverick wasn't shown in your town at all? (It seems strange, but Maverick didn't originally air in all markets.)

Well, I did some digging, and it turns out Henry J. Kaiser, the show's primary sponsor, addressed the latter problem in 1958 by announcing that Maverick would "blanket the country" and be seen in more U.S. cities than ever before.  The way Henry J. saw it, it would be almost un-American not to air Maverick: "It is high time to quit selling America short and to put into action the faith, courage and work that will swiftly get the country moving forward full blast. Selling will be a major key to unleashing the forces that will take our people to unprecedented heights."

In other words, the more eyeballs on Maverick, the more sales for Kaiser:

The folks who finally got to see Maverick were pretty excited about it ("YES, IT'S TRUE, MAVERICK IS HERE!"):

"They were both born Maverick...Bret and Bart...brothers who accepted life as a gamble, but who would settle for nothing less than an honest game."

 



And, the public's love for Maverick didn't cease when the series vamoosed from ABC's lineup in 1962. It was pretty popular in syndication, too. Below are a couple of 1963 newspaper ads from Lima, Ohio:

 



 Here's a 1965 ad from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, complete with daily schedule (can you name the episodes from their descriptions?):

 

Finally, here's a 1973 ad from Des Moines, Iowa:

 

 

I read in an antiques column that interest in a popular TV show character often fades about 25 years after the last new episode of the character's show airs. That would have been 1987 for Maverick. Fortunately, Bart and Bret Maverick's popularity has extended into the 21st century, even though they're not so easy to find on the airwaves anymore. Until recently, Maverick was running on the Encore Westerns cable channel. Then, diginet Me-TV announced the show was joining their Fall 2016 schedule, then abruptly announced it wasn't. Oh well...thank goodness we have new ways of watching those Maverick boys nearly 60 years after they first rode onto the TV range. :)



Retroceso Viernes! :)

That's "Flashback Friday" in Spanish...and here's another fantabulous Mexican lobby card from the Kellection, this time for Amor y Besos, better known in English as Love and Kisses, the 1965 flick starring Jack Kelly as Rick Nelson's pop. Enjoy! :)

 

There's lot's more about Love and Kisses here and here.

COMING ATTRACTIONS: I've been perusing the pages of the past again and have found some incredible JK stories and pictures to share with you. Please stay tuned! :) 

Remembering Rick Nelson

 

 

In honor of Rick Nelson's birth anniversary (May 8, 1940), here's a still of him with Jack Kelly (as his dad) from the 1965 film Love and Kisses.  That's Madelyn Himes (center) as his mom and Kristin Nelson at right, as his reel-life (and real life!) wife.

 

I've always liked Rick Nelson's music, especially

his song Garden Party:

 

 

 Love and Kisses used to be on YouTube in its entirety, but doesn't seem to be there anymore. So, we'll have to settle for just the theme song for now:

 



Come Fly Away With JK! - Pt III

Hi Everyone!

Here's the third and final part of "A Pilot, On Stage and Off":

"For the past several years, Kelly has been playing in summer stock companies throughout the Midwest. Since many of these stops are off-airlines, he will frequently charter a plane for his wife*, himself and the large wardrobe that is required even when playing a 'modern' role.

"'I'll need at least five complete changes of suits on the road," he said, "in addition to what I wear offstage. You never know when or where you'll have a chance for cleaning and pressing. So, there's usually just room for a pilot, the two of us and our baggage when we charter a four-place. However, these short cross-country trips in various areas that are new to me give an excellent background for my own vacation flights.'

"Some of the actor's sensitivity to surroundings came to light when he was asked why he liked to fly. "I get a fantastic reaction to being off the ground. My mind crystalizes into clarity when I'm in the air and the earthbound problems disappear.

"Just as almost everyone else in the nation, I was glued to the TV set for two days after President Kennedy's assassination. Finally I became so depressed that I drove to the airport and took a Cessna up for two-and-a-half hours. For the short time I was in the air, the whole national tragedy seemed lifted from my shoulders.'

"Although he was born in New York City, Kelly is no stranger to southern California. He has spent a large part of his time there for the past several years, working in motion pictures, on TV and on the stage.

"Kelly had a clause in his contract that provided the option to drop out of a Broadway** show if the TV aviation film he was working on proved to be a success and was continued as a regular series.

'While I look forward to the Broadway assignment,' he said before leaving for the East, 'it would be most enjoyable to do a regular TV series patterned around aviation. In the trial film, 'Double Jeopardy', I play a happy-go-lucky, girl-chasing executive who uses a light aircraft for business transportation. In the original script, the author came up with a name for the proposed series--Pay the Piper.'

"'Naturally, the lead character's name in 'Double Jeopardy' is 'Mr. Piper'.

"And naturally, the aircraft used in 'Double Jeopardy' just happened to be a brand-new Piper Aztec C."

Bonus photo: JK not as a pilot, but as a passenger, along with wife Donna (May). The snipe on the back of this fabulous late 1950's TWA publicity photo says: "Idlewild Airport, N.Y. May 24--TV Star of Maverick, Jack Kelly and his attractive wife, actress May Wynn, look lovey-dovey on their arrival from Los Angeles. They will be with us a few days on business."  Incidentally, the book Donna is holding says "The Mainstream of America Series". This was a series of 20 books published by Doubleday between 1953 and 1966 which focused on American history.



Where will TDS and JK fly to next? Stay tuned and find out! :)
_______________________________
*This interview apparently took place in 1964 when JK was still married to May Wynn.

**Probably a reference to The Family Way, which opened and quickly closed on Broadway in early 1965. Unfortunately, "Double Jeopardy" wasn't a hit, either, and Pay The Piper didn't become a regular series, although JK would play Fred Piper again in "One Embezzlement and Two Margaritas" on Bob Hope Presents The Chrysler Theater in 1966.

Come Fly Away With JK! Pt. II

"A Pilot, On Stage and Off" continues:

JK waits as technicians check the light (that's co-star
Lauren Bacall in the foreground)

"As a mechanical malfunction in the sound recording system shut down filming temporarily, Kelly explained, 'The first flight I ever made was as an enlisted weather forecaster for the USAAF toward the end of World War II. We were to go from Great Falls, MT, to Anchorage, AK, as passengers in a C-46. Some of my buddies were also making their first flight and were admittedly scared. But when you've done professional acting, there's always the challenge of making the part believable. So, I lied like a trooper and told my fellow passengers that I'd been flying for 15 years and that there was nothing to worry about.'

"'Actually, I'm afraid of heights--close to the ground--and a 10-foot diving board gives me the shakes. However, I never have a bit of trouble in the air.'

"For an amateur light plane pilot, actor Kelly has had more than his share of misadventures as a passenger.

"'I was riding in a C-47 one day on a landing at Cold Bay--that's out on the Aleutian Chain--when the pilot ground-looped because of extreme surface winds. We finally slid to a stop off the runway in about six feet of icy water. However, we could walk ashore by climbing up the wing before the cabin filled with water.'

"The actor's military background for flying included riding and occasionally piloting C-47s on 'buzz-jobs' of Alaskan moose. 'In looking back, I guess the experience was a blessing in disguise, since we lived through it,' Kelly said. 'It called for a type of precision flying that you don't especially need in the traffic pattern at Burbank.'

"Kelly completed his military service as a non-commissioned officer in charge of the weather station at Elmendorf Air Force Base in Anchorage. 'I can still read a synoptic chart,' he said, 'and I've found the early training I had in weather has been a great help since I've had a chance to begin to learn to fly.'

"While Kelly is probably best known for working with one-horse-power films (he played the part of 'Bart' in the Maverick series on TV for several years), he has had the opportunity to portray a pilot or co-pilot in productions other than 'Double Jeopardy'. During the filming of FBI Code 98 for theater release, there was a North American 'Sabreliner' used for a 'set-dressing' and two Hughes 269A helicopters used on location. Kelly was able to fast-talk long enough and fast enough to get a Hughes pilot to give him 11 hours of dual [instruction] and he then spent 45 minutes solo in the helicopter.

"During the filming of Julie nine years ago, Kelly portrayed an airline [co-pilot] and was able to spend several hours in the United DC-6 simulator at Oakland. 'If you are going through the motions of operating a transport, you want to know which levers work the throttles and which work the props.'

[Bartista here: JK also appeared in the aviation-related feature film The Wild Blue Yonder in 1951.]

"It wasn't until the Maverick series came along that Kelly was able to stay in one place long enough to learn how to fly. He went to several instructor before B. G. O'Hara, a Flying Tiger Lines captain who worked with the Sky Roamers between the Pacific flights, took over and helped the actor smooth out his pre-solo problems.

"'Good instruction is important in everything you try to do, whether it's golf, swimming, flying or what', said Kelly. 'That ability to teach the right psychological approach makes all the difference in the world between just an airplane driver and a good instructor.'

"'After I'd shot just one landing with O'Hara, he pointed out that I was coming in with my left wing a little low because I was handling the wheel of the Cessna 150 by the hub instead of the outside. After a few minutes of practice, my landings improved 100%.'

"Jack Kelly looks upon flying as something active. 'My idea of flying isn't just to go out on a long cross-country trip where you climb to an altitude, turn on the autopilot and turn off your mind. I love to navigate by dead reckoning and, actually, I'm looking forward to the day when the omni goes out.'

"Kelly's other avocations are golf and fishing. 'Someday I hope to produce a 'home movie' on the fishing grounds of the Southwest because it's going to be a long time before they're fished out. I hope to take aerial footage of each of the locations and then follow up with scenes of actual fishing from the surface.'

"While he's an enthusiastic angler, Kelly admits that there's one species of fish that he honestly doesn't like to catch: the multicolored dolphin* that are found in great numbers in waters off both sides of the peninsula of Baja California. Dolphins are brilliantly-hued fish while in the water but lose much of their color once they're landed.

""I really hate to catch a dolphin,' he said quietly. 'When it's possible, I'll unhook them and put them back in the water.'

[*Bartista again: I think JK is actually referring to "dolphin fish", also known as "mahi mahi" or "dorado". They are fish and not dolphins like Flipper, which are mammals. A notable attribute of dolphinfish is their multi-hued iridescent coloring which fades when they're removed from the water.]

STAY TUNED FOR PART III and learn the main reason JK liked to fly.

Come Fly Away With JK! - Pt I :)

Hi!

I hope everyone's recovered from the party. :)

Now, fasten your seatbelts...because we're going flying with Jack Kelly!

An amazing article about JK finally landed (pun intended) in the Kellection the other day after I'd diligently searched for it for several years. When you read it, you'll agree it was worth the wait!

Published in an aviation magazine, this profile from the mid-1960s offers a fascinating look at JK's interest in flying. It also reveals information about his military service and about some of his appearances as an actor which involved aviation. Above all, it provides a different perspective on JK than the usual "fan" magazine story. It proves once again that he was far more than just a handsome face.

As an introduction, let's watch this clip from "Double Jeopardy", a 1965 episode of Bob Hope Presents The Chrysler Theater in which JK starred as detective Fred Piper. The article explains how the flight scenes in this clip were filmed:

And, away we go:

"A Pilot, On Stage And Off
Written and photographed by
 Don Downie (c) The AOPA Pilot

Actor Jack Kelly enjoys flying as an avocation,
but he'd also like to be more closely involved with aviation in his television and screen activities.

"While filming a special television show for Bob Hope Presents The Chrysler Theater, actor Jack Kelly shares the cockpit of a Piper Aztec with Fullerton, CA,  pilot J. Tom Brody." (Photo by Don Downie)
 

"It was quiet on the soundstage at Universal Studios near Hollywood, CA. In front of the cameras was a meticulous 'mock-up' of a new Aztec C. Actually, the motion picture prop was a production Piper fuselage from nose to baggage compartment, opened up like a sliced orange for proper camera angles.

"In the pilot's seat was Zsa Zsa Gabor, but her co-pilot knew a great deal more about flying than the Hungarian glamour girl. Flying right seat for Zsa Zsa was actor Jack (John A.) Kelly (AOPA 133779) who starred in the Bob Hope Presents The Chrysler Theater TV film titled 'Double Jeopardy'. In addition to Kelly and Miss Gabor, the film included Lauren Bacall and Tom Poston.

"It would have been much more practical from a flying standpoint to have the roles in the cockpit reversed. Actor Kelly is an eager and active member of the Sky Roamers Flying Club of Burbank, CA, and an expert meteorologist.

"While he's working in Hollywood, Jack Kelly finds the Sky Roamers an ideal flying club for his purposes. 'There's everything a new pilot needs, including a Link trainer and lots of instruction,' he explained between takes of 'Double Jeopardy'.

"In this particular scene, which took 12 retakes, Kelly had to have a makeup artist remove Miss Gabor's lipstick each time. But Kelly is a professional actor who can switch quickly from camera capers to hangar flying.

"'I use the Sky Roamers' Cessna 172's and 175's to go golfing at Palm Springs or Borrego Springs, but I like to fly pretty high through Banning Pass,' he said.

"The basic idea for the script and lead character for 'Double Jeopardy' was Jack Kelly's.

"'I feel if we can keep private flying in the foreground of entertainment, we can influence more people to try it themselves,' he explained. 'At first, we kicked around the idea of having the lead character have the capability to fly himself. However, there seemed to be better plot opportunities to have him as an interested passenger involved with a great deal of flying and, of course, a great number of most attractive gals.'

"Even with his relatively brief experience in flying, Kelly doubled in brass as technical director on the set.

"'But what am I supposed to do, darlink,' asked Zsa Zsa, 'when I'm supposed to be piloting zis machine?' (Her on-camera accent is for real.)

"Kelly explained what the control movements would be to correspond with the rear projection color background that showed a landing at the Monterey, CA, Airport."

STAY TUNED FOR PART II and learn about JK's adventures (and misadventures) with military airplanes and some of his high-flying film roles!

It's Your Move JK :)

Hello!

Watched by young actor Michael Kearney, Jack Kelly is deep in thought as he kontemplates his next move on the checkerboard:

This is a rehearsal pic from the ill-fated play The Family Way, which ran for just five performances on Broadway in early 1965. As the info on the back of the photo says, the story takes place in a Hollywood apartment house and "concerns a young widowed actress, her man-about-town theatrical agent and her little son whose desperate search for a new father seems to get the whole town involved."

JK played the theatrical agent, and Kearney--in his Broadway debut--played the widow's son. Young Kearney also played important roles in two poignant productions: the 1963 feature film All the Way Home, which starred Robert Preston and Jean Simmons; and The Thanksgiving Visitor, an Emmy-winning 1967 TV holiday special starring Geraldine Page. 

Click here to learn more about JK's "checkered" play.  ;-)