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

The 73 crew’s heartsick Japanese friend Fuji must get a letter to his best girl back home in Japan. But a secret mission to mail the letter from a Japanese-held island becomes complicated, when Fuji’s letter gets mixed up in Binghamton’s plan to distribute propaganda leaflets to the enemy. Only later does Binghamton learn the true words on the letter and he calls for intelligence to arrest McHale for treason. Captain Martin (John Zaremba) from Com-Fleet comes by and congratulates McHale because many Japanese soldiers have surrendered because of the love letter. John Fujioka and Mako appear as Japanese soldiers.

McHale’s Navy Series

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

Production & Filming Details

• Release Date: 10 December 1963.
• Rating: TV-PG/TV-G.
• Running Time: 60 minutes.
• Country: US.
• Language: English.

Video Link