108 replies to this topic

[Napoleon Solo]

>>[quote name='Brian Flagg' date='22 August 2009 - 14:42' post='1050102']
Joe Mannix kicked in my mailbox the other day. Cleaned out my rat hole of an office and picked up my last check from Intertect. Let the beatings begin.

"The Silent Cry" is a fine start to the "relaunched" Mannix. Good performances all around. And Audree Norton--"Jody"-- was pretty! She was excellent in this.

Lalo delivered an energetic score--fantastic!<<<


While it is mostly an original score, I noticed a few snippets of Schifrin's score from the pilot episode, mostly where Mannix is driving to the ransom drop.<<

>>
BTW, 17 Paseo Verde has the same architecture as a McDonald's location I remember from the 1970s, long-since gone...<<

I this 17 Paseo Verdeo shows up 1) in the Mannix pilot in the pre-credits sequence (second shot) and 2) in some Mission: Impossible episodes from season 4 (I've been catching up on those recently).

[Brian Flagg]

Four episodes into S2 now and I can say that I love Gail Fisher! She and Mike Connors have great chemistry together. She has a wonderful speaking voice and is fun to watch. She makes the most of her limited screen time and I'm looking forward to more.

I like how Intertect is still mentioned, and he explains why he left. Peggy even visits Intertect for information and the employee there says something like, "we spend an hour a every day hating Mannix."

Also nice to hear my man Jerry Fielding score "Pressure Point", an episode with notable vintage TV actors Paul Stewart and Harold Stone. Check out Stewart in Hawaii Five-O S3, "Ten-Thousand Diamonds and a Heart" as the mobster from the age of Capone, Willard Lennox.

[Brian Flagg]

"Edge of the Knife" is a GREAT Mannix episode!!! Great supporting cast with Fritz Weaver, Ford Rainey, Geraldine Brooks, Eve Plumb(?), and the great Red West.

A fine score by George Duning and outstanding direction by Stuart Hagmann--lots of artsy-fartsy angles and zooms worthy of Mission: Impossible. Duning's score, particularly in the climactic rooftop chase and fight was so good. And the ending could've been mawkish in the wrong hands, but they pulled it off with genuine emotion and flair.

"The Solid Gold Web" was an intense, interestingly-directed episode (by M:I vet Sutton Roley) and I loved every minute of it. Sally Kellerman has been following me around this week, first I see her on Five-O ("The Big Kahuna"), then as a ingenue on Cheyenne, and today on Mannix. Interesting sounds when Diana (Kellerman) is on the oceanside cliff and Joe is searching for her. Reminds me of the dream sequence in The Conversation!

[Brian Flagg]

I got Mannix season three for Christmas and I'm really getting hooked on this show! Joe Mannix is great! He gets beat up more than Jim Rockford, more chicks than Peter Gunn, has cool sportscoats, the best hair, a pretty secretary with a gorgeous voice, and the his theme is on my short list of all-time great TV show themes.

Robert "Brady Bunch" Reed is in this and he's a *much* better actor than his most-famous role might indicate; he deserved better, but what the heck, he's immortal now.

I'm still trying to figure out what exactly "Paseo Verde" is: A shopping center? A business district? The Paramount lot (joking)?

Great music scores by the likes of Robert Drasnin, Jerry Fielding, and Richard Markowitz, too.

[Napoleon Solo]

I got Mannix season three for Christmas and I'm really getting hooked on this show! Joe Mannix is great! He gets beat up more than Jim Rockford, more chicks than Peter Gunn, has cool sportscoats, the best hair, a pretty secretary with a gorgeous voice, and the his theme is on my short list of all-time great TV show themes.

Robert "Brady Bunch" Reed is in this and he's a *much* better actor than his most-famous role might indicate; he deserved better, but what the heck, he's immortal now.

I'm still trying to figure out what exactly "Paseo Verde" is: A shopping center? A business district? The Paramount lot (joking)?

Great music scores by the likes of Robert Drasnin, Jerry Fielding, and Richard Markowitz, too.

Reed's breakthrough role was co-starring with E.G. Marshall in The Defenders, where they played a father-and-son lawyer team.

Re: Paseo Verde. Way back in the pilot, when Mannix comes out of his home, it appears to be the Paseo Verde exterior but then during the rest of season 1, he has a house. I don't think it was ever explained, but conceivably, I suppose he could have sold the house to finance his own agency, and thus had to set up his apartment in that building.

Also, check out Mission: Impossible season 4 and you'll see "Paseo Verde" a lot.

And in season 3, Return to Summer Grove is one of my favorite episodes.

[Brian Flagg]

I just watched "Return to Summer Grove" today and while I enjoyed it, I had to chuckle at the typical "exciteable immigrant" characterization. Still, a heartfelt ending and I liked the "ethnic" score.

Yeah, the Paramount/Desilu lot shows up a lot. In M:I S3 there's the Tudor-style house of Fritz Weaver's character in "Illusion" that shows up in a few Mannix episodes, too.

Oh, and the best line from that episode of Mission: Impossible "Illusion":


Lom (Kevin Hagen): "Do you intend to instigate a scandal?"

Phelps [in his best German accent]: "I intend to instigate a total mental collapse!"

Edited by Brian Flagg, 08 January 2010 - 02:57 AM.

[Napoleon Solo]

I just watched "Return to Summer Grove" today and while I enjoyed it, I had to chuckle at the typical "exciteable immigrant" characterization. Still, a heartfelt ending and I liked the "ethnic" score.

Yeah, the Paramount/Desilu lot shows up a lot. In M:I S3 there's the Tudor-style house of Fritz Weaver's character in "Illusion" that shows up in a few Mannix episodes, too.

Oh, and the best line from that episode of Mission: Impossible "Illusion":


Lom (Kevin Hagen): "Do you intend to instigate a scandal?"

Phelps [in his best German accent]: "I intend to instigate a total mental collapse!"

I have a Star Trek book published in 1996 and written by Herbert F. Solow (who was head of TV production for Desilu and stayed on for a while under Paramount) and Robert H. Justman, who was associate producer for most of Star Trek's run (and for M:I's pilot).


By the fall of 1967, Desilu had three hour-long dramas going and was spooked by the costs. So there was a push on to utilize as much of the backlots among the three shows. At one point, Gary Morton (Lucille Ball's husband) got the bright idea of building some sets at 3/4 scale to save money. The problem was that much of M:I's cast was tall and they'd look like giants.

[Brian Flagg]

I have a Star Trek book published in 1996 and written by Herbert F. Solow (who was head of TV production for Desilu and stayed on for a while under Paramount) and Robert H. Justman, who was associate producer for most of Star Trek's run (and for M:I's pilot).

By the fall of 1967, Desilu had three hour-long dramas going and was spooked by the costs. So there was a push on to utilize as much of the backlots among the three shows. At one point, Gary Morton (Lucille Ball's husband) got the bright idea of building some sets at 3/4 scale to save money. The problem was that much of M:I's cast was tall and they'd look like giants.

That's funny about the sets! There sure is a lot of overlap with Mission: Impossible and Mannix, as well as Star Trek. Whether it be directors, writers, or producers the same IMO great creative and production team weaves their magic well in all of these beloved shows.

Director Sutton Roley is always worth watching because he uses so many artsy angles and shots. It was surprising to learn that he directed the rather pat Mannix episode "The Nowhere Victim" which consisted of lots of tight shots of Marc "I didn't know there was a pool down there" Lawrence's face.

Edited by Brian Flagg, 11 January 2010 - 02:08 PM.

[Brian Flagg]

I have to wonder if sales of Mannix have kept the rest of the seasons from coming to DVD. The third season was released back in October 2009 around the same time as Five-O's seventh set. Mannix is overdue!

[Brian Flagg]

I'm glad that CBS/Paramount hasn't given up on ol' Joe because the show was just starting to get interesting! Season two is my favorite so far, with some outstanding scores, great guest stars--this era of TV always did--and that wonderful rapport between Mike Connors and Gail Fisher.

I'm looking forward to Joe's louder jackets, increasingly puffy hair, and the onset of the 1970s.


Mannix, starring Mike Connors, ran for 8 seasons on the CBS network in the late '60s/early '70s. In 2008 and 2009, CBS DVD and Paramount Home Entertainment released the first three season sets on DVD, and fans have been wondering if the studio would continue with these releases any further. Earlier this week, a question was asked at the CBS Home Entertainment fan page on Facebook, about this very subject, and after a general answer the same day, yesterday the studio updated him and gave a very specific answer which included the street date!
Ted Linhart - Any news on Mannix season 4 release timing?


CBS Home Entertainment - Ted, CBS is currently working on the 2011 release schedule over the next few months. We don't currently know what shows will be on the schedule as of yet. Thanks for posting and stay tuned


Ted. new information, Mannix S4 is scheduled to release 1/4/2011
The studio hasn't formally announced that to retailers or press yet, so it could be subject to possible change. But right now January 4th is their planned street date for Mannix - The 4th Season on DVD. Make your plans accordingly! Our thanks and congrats to Ted for getting the goods on this one...stay tuned for updates.

Taken from: http://tvshowsondvd....8#ixzz11Vhh7hZs

[Guy Haines]

Thanks Saint.

Aside from 007, my Dad and I where adamant fans of Five-O and Mannix.

Aside wanting to be a jet-setting spy, I wanted to either be head of a special police division in Hawaii, or a smooth, LA based P.I. packing a .38 snub with a loyal secretary, $200 a day (+ expenses - bullets mostly) and zip about in a convertible muscle car - and Joe had a phone in his, which I thought was wayyy cool.

Imagine! A phone IN YOUR CAR!

Another classic and I hope it makes it through the legal tangles that go with this sort of thing.

I wish Dad was around still so I could get him all our favorites on DVD, but he's probably already knocked back a few Mai-Tai's with Steve somewhere.

But I love what's out there. I've got Magnum (thus far), Rockford (thus far), Wild, Wild, West (thus far), ALL of I Spy and anxiously await Man from UNCLE.

Loved that theme though. Funny, in Vegas once at a club, the DJ, between sets, would cue up old TV themes. When he played Mannix's theme, people actually started dancing. I was one of them! Too cool, and Old School - That was Joe Mannix.

We also had Mannix on the telly this side of the pond, and I too remember the theme tune, although I stopped short of dancing about! Come to think of it, we got most of the US crime/detective/spy series on the BBC and ITV channels. I enjoyed them as much as the equivalent British TV shows such as Danger Man and The Saint. (Roger Moore will always be Simon Templar for me, even if he isn't quite my first choice as Bond.)

And imagine a 'phone in your car, in the mid 60s! Actually, I can. Check out a video link on YouTube which shows the first five minutes of a long lost UK spy TV series called "The Rat Catchers". Straight after the theme tune (which I very much liked, as a nipper watching the show) the first scene has the show's rather plummy main character, Peregrine Smith, phoning headquarters from the back of his chauffeur driven car - and drinking a cup of tea as well. Ah well, everything stops for tea in British Intelligence!

[Bryce (003)]

Cheers Guy.

[Guy Haines]

Cheers Guy.

You're welcome Bryce. By the way, the boss in that clip, Brigadier Davidson, has a Bond connection. Philip Stone appeared as Spectre Number Five in the Thunderball boardroom scene - the one who declared the consultation fee of £250,000 for the Great Train Robbery.

[Brian Flagg]

Box art for Mannix, season four. I'm glad they haven't given up on this series...

[Brian Flagg]

I'm sure the hordes of Mannix fans here (Ha!) will be interested to know that Martine Beswick guest stars in the season four episode "The Other Game in Town." It's on youtube, kids.

[killkenny kid]

For all you Mannix fans who can get the CLOO channel, there is a all day Mannix marathon on right now.

[killkenny kid]

Four episodes in and two cars over the cliffs. You gotta love this stuff.

[Napoleon Solo]

Four episodes in and two cars over the cliffs. You gotta love this stuff.

It was remarkable that Mannix could even get car insurance...

[Bryce (003)]

For all you Mannix fans who can get the CLOO channel, there is a all day Mannix marathon on right now.

Been diggin' it out here Killkenny. Thanks for the heads up. In my house growing up for my Dad and I, Thursdays belonged to Five-O and Sundays to Mannix.

Cheers!