McHale’s Navy (1962): SO1E05 – Movies Are Your Best Diversion

Introduction McHale’s Navy is an American sitcom starring Ernest Borgnine that aired 138 half-hour episodes over four seasons, from 11 October 1962 to 12 April 1966 on the ABC television network. The series was filmed in black and white and originated from a one-hour drama titled “Seven Against the Sea”, broadcast on 03 April 1962.…

Andrew Marshall

19/02/2022

1–2 minutes

Comedy, Military TV Series, US Navy, World War Two

Introduction

McHale’s Navy is an American sitcom starring Ernest Borgnine that aired 138 half-hour episodes over four seasons, from 11 October 1962 to 12 April 1966 on the ABC television network.

The series was filmed in black and white and originated from a one-hour drama titled “Seven Against the Sea”, broadcast on 03 April 1962. The ABC series spawned three feature films: McHale’s Navy (1964); a sequel, McHale’s Navy Joins the Air Force (1965); and a 1997 sequel-remake of the original series. A documentary, McHale’s Navy: The Crew Remembers, was aired in 2007.

Producer Edward Montagne set up a female version of McHale’s Navy entitled Broadside, which ran for 32 episodes in the 1964-1965 ABC season.

Background

McHale and the 73 crew avert an attack on a Navy convoy, by employing a clever plan involving John Wayne, Humphrey Bogart, and Errol Flynn. McHale accomplishes this by splicing war movies, that they stole from Binghamton, together and placing large speakers on the island. Now the enemy will hear all the bombing and think the landing is taking place.

McHale’s Navy Series

You can find a full index and overview of McHale’s Navy here.

Production & Filming Details

Release Date: 08 November 1962.
Rating: TV-PG/TV-G.
Running Time: 60 minutes.
Country: US.
Language: English.