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

Binghamton finds out that Parker is an old friend of Whit Barrett (Peter Leeds), a famous war correspondent who is coming to the base. He makes Parker the Base PR Officer, in the hope of becoming the subject of Barrett’s next story. Parker comes up with a nick-name for Binghamton in the form of ‘Jolly Wally’. He tells Binghamton that the name will catch on and everyone will remember the brave Commander that laughed in the face of danger. But Parker’s plan to improve the Captain’s image backfires when he laughs at everything. Com-fleet sends Captain Saunders (Nelson Olmsted), a psychiatrist, down to the base to evaluate the mental capacity of Binghamton.

McHale’s Navy Series

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

Production & Filming Details

• Release Date: 05 November 1963.
• Rating: TV-PG/TV-G.
• Running Time: 60 minutes.
• Country: US.
• Language: English.

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