Sgt. Preston

SGT. PRESTON OF THE YUKON-This color series featured the adventures of Sgt. Preston of The North West Mounted Police who patrolled The Yukon in Canada during the gold rush. 78 episodes were produced over 3 seasons. 

Richard Simmons played the by the book but fair Mountie who always got his man usually with a minimum of killing. In all 78 the Sarge was accompanied by his wonder dog Yukon King. In the first season he rode Rex, a wonder horse. In this season there was no snow. Apparently it was the summer months where it was always daylight. The second and third seasons took place entirely in the snow bound winter. No Rex as Preston traveled by sled but Yukon King was there to pull his master's fat out of the fire many times. 

There were some guest stars and some unusual points. One episode "Gold Rush Patrol" (S 3 Ep 16) was co-written by Ron Ormond. Another was written by comic book writer Arnold Drake. Coleman Francis, the director of THE BEAST OF YUCCA FLATS acted in 4 episodes. Other guest stars: Richard Powers (aka Tom Keene), Almira Sessions, I. Standford Jolley (2), Dan Blocker, Frank Scannell, George Cisar, Keene Duncan (3), Don Red Barry, Gene Roth (2), Michael Mark, Iron Eyes Cody, John Hart, Dick Wilson (2), Harry Lauter, Bud Osborne, Fred Graham, Richard Devon, Syd Sayor, Lane Bradford (2), X Brands, Jason Johnson (2), Hank Patterson, Rusty Westcoat, Guy Williams, Jody McCrea, William Fawcett, Glenn Strange, Robert Shayne, Steven Ritch. 

                                            Coleman Francis in disguise!

The show's sponsor for most of its run was Quaker Oats. Preston ended nearly every episode saying : "Well, King this case is closed". Coincidentally Simmons had already played a Mountie in KING OF THE ROYAL MOUNTED (1940) though in an uncredited role.

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In The Money

IN THE MONEY-1958-In the last installment of the the Bowery Boys series (which started as the Dead End Kids in 1937), Sach (Huntz Hall) is hired by some diamond smugglers to escort a dog on an ocean liner to England. It's a lot of talk and a lot of Sach acting goofy while Duke (Stanley Clements) tries to figure it all out. Eddie LeRoy as Blinky and of course David Gorcey as Chuck are along for the last ride. The three of them become stowaways while Sach is "romanced" by the smuggler's moll, Babs (Patricia Donohue). A running gag for a while is that the dog's name is Gloria but when Sach says things like "I have to give Gloria a bath" the others think he's talking about Babs. They land in England (not really) and spend some time worrying about Gloria when she gets sick. Somehow Sach winds up on an apartment ledge! 


Dick Elliot reprises his (un-billed) role as Mike who owns the "joint" the gang hangs out in. Snub Pollard, Ralph Gamble and Norma Varden also have un-billed roles. Once again most of it seems like s drawn out TV sitcom or short. English actor Paul Cavanagh is Inspector Sanders who is trailing the bad guys. 


Huntz Hall would go on to appear in several other films and many TV shows. His standout role would be portraying Jesse Lansky in Ken Russell's bizarre bio-pic VALENTINO. Stanley Clements (from Long Island, NY) would also make various TV appearances (many un-billed) and died at 55 in 1981. According to IMDB David Gorcey made only one more film and became a minister. He died at 63 in 1894. 


ITM was directed once again by William "One Shot" Beaudine who found time to direct episodes of BROKEN ARROW and THE NAKED CITY around the same time. BB screenwriting vet Ellwood Ullman co-wrote this last one with Al Martin, who wrote the screenplay for INVASION OF THE SAUCER MEN the same year. 


OK, it's over...for now. There are a few I missed. Bowery Boys movies are hard to see these days. They used to be a mainstay of weekend comedy when I was a kid in the '60's but are seldom  talked about these days...


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