Introduction

The Wackiest Ship in the Army is an American comedy-adventure series that aired for one season on NBC between 19 September 1965, and 17 April 1966. Produced by Harry Ackerman and Herbert Hirschman, the series is loosely based on the 1960 film starring Jack Lemmon and Ricky Nelson. Although often referred to as a comedy series, the show violated three unwritten rules which unofficially defined TV sitcoms at the time: it was an hour in length (almost all comedy series were only a half-hour, and the few attempts at hour sitcoms were unsuccessful), it had no laugh track, and characters were sometimes killed in it.

Outline of Series 01, Episode 12

The Kiwi’s cook gets a transfer – leaving the crew to contend with his haughty replacement.

The Wackiest Ship in the Army Series

• Episode 01: Shakedown (Pilot).
• Episode 02: The Sisters.
• Episode 03: Goldbrickers.
• Episode 04: The Day the Crew Paced the Deck.
• Episode 05: The Colonel and the Geisha.
• Episode 06: Bottoms Up.
• Episode 07: The Stowaway.
• Episode 08: Boomer McKye.
• Episode 09: Vive La Kiwi.
• Episode 10: The Lady and the Luluai.
• Episode 11: A Shade Of Kaiser Bill.
• Episode 12: …and Tyler Too.
• Episode 13: Last Path To Garcia.
• Episode 14: I’m Dreaming of a Wide Isthmus.
• Episode 15: The Lamb Who Hunted Wolves (Part One).
• Episode 16: The Lamb Who Hunted Wolves (Part Two).
• Episode 17: What is Honor – A Word.
• Episode 18: Hail the Chief.
• Episode 19: Liberty was a Lady.
• Episode 20: My Father’s Keeper.
• Episode 21: Brother Love.
• Episode 22: And Two if by Sea.
• Episode 23: The Ghost of Lord Nelson-san.
• Episode 24: Voyage to Never Never.
• Episode 25: Girl in the Polka-Dot Swimsuit.
• Episode 26: Chinese Checkers.
• Episode 27: My Island.
• Episode 28: Fun has more Blondes.
• Episode 29: Routine Assignment.

Trivia

• The USS Kiwi was based on the real-life USS Echo, a 40-year-old schooner or scow that was transferred to the United States Navy from the government of New Zealand. It was returned to New Zealand in 1944.
• A paperback based on the series, by Lee Bergman, was released in 1965.

Production & Filming Details

• Creator: Danny Arnold.
• Producers: Harry Ackerman, Herbert Hirschman, and Joseph Dackow.
• Theme Music: Howard Greenfield, Jack Keller, and Helen Miller.
• Composer: Nelson Riddle.
• Production: Herbert Margolis Productions, Jospeh M. Schenck Productions, and Screen Gems.
• Distributor: Screen Gems.
• Original Network: NBC.
• Release Date: 04 December 1965 (US).
• Running Time: 45-48 minutes (per episode).
• Country: US.
• Language: English.

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