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

During a mission to investigate the crash site of a Japanese transport plane, McHale and the crew recover four million dollars in American cash. Thinking that it is counterfeit, they return to base, where Gruber later trades it to Chief Urulu for some native trinkets. But when they find out that the money is real – stolen by the Japanese from a bank in the Philippines – Gruber challenges Urulu to a winner-take-all poker game to get it back. But, Urulu wants to play Parker. Carleton Carpenter appears as The Witch Doctor. Tyler McVey appears as Admiral Druten.

McHale’s Navy Series

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

Production & Filming Details

• Release Date: 30 May 1963.
• Rating: TV-PG/TV-G.
• Running Time: 60 minutes.
• Country: US.
• Language: English.

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