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.

Outline

Set “Somewhere in the South Pacific” in 1943, Gruber’s gambling scheme backfires when he tries to raise money for St Theresa’s Orphanage through off-track horserace betting. Heavy bets on the horse “Silver Spot” leaves the crew owing a large sum to sailors and marines. A little while later when the crew is in New Caledonia, Ensign Parker runs PT-73 into the dock and destroys the dock and cargo of businessman Henri Le Clerc (George Kennedy), leaving the crew even more in debt. However, while on a reconnaissance mission to an island the crew comes across Silver Spot who was lost on the island after the horse was being moved from Australia. They decide to enter Silver Spot in a race in New Caledonia to win enough money to pay all their debts. Otherwise the only way to pay all their debts is for McHale to marry his old flame Margot Monet (Jean Willes), also known as Maggie Monahan, who owns a gambling parlour in New Caledonia (but who McHale would rather not marry). They try to disguise the horse with much heavy hair, but when the hair starts to come off during the race they decide to use a smoke screen from the 73 to keep anyone from seeing too much. However, this made it impossible for the racetrack authorities to know who won. But the smokescreen also caused a Japanese submarine to be captured by the 73. In the end Le Clerc is so grateful for saving his town from a Japanese attack he forgives the debt. The crew also gets a reward for rescuing Silver Spot which just happened to be enough to pay the sailors and marines. While all this was going on the PT-73 crew was dogging Binghamton (Joe Flynn) and his aide Carpenter (Bob Hastings). And just as they were leaving New Caledonia the bashful Parker is kissed by Bouchard and the lightheaded Parker accidentally sets off a depth charge which destroys Le Clerc’s dock and cargo again. But rather than marry Monet to pay for the new damage, McHale and crew immediately scramble to get out of New Caledonia.

Cast

• Ernest Borgnine as Lieutenant Commander Quinton McHale.
• Tim Conway as Ensign Charles Parker.
• Joe Flynn as Captain Wallace B. Binghamton (“Old Leadbottom”).
• Bob Hastings as Lieutenant Elroy Carpenter.
• Gary Vinson as George “Christy” Christopher, Quartermaster.
• Bobby Wright as Willy Moss, Radioman.
• Carl Ballantine as Lester Gruber, Torpedoman’s Mate.
• Billy Sands as Harrison “Tinker” Bell, Engineman & Motor Machinist Mate.
• Edson Stroll as Virgil Edwards, Gunner’s Mate.
• Gavin MacLeod as Joseph “Happy” Haines, Seaman.
• Yoshio Yoda as Fuji Kobiaji, Cook, Seaman 3C, Japanese PW.
• George Kennedy as Henri Le Clerc.
• Jean Willes as Margot Monet (Maggie Monahan).
• Claudine Longet as Andrea Bouchard.
• Cliff Norton as Australian sergeant major.

McHale’s Navy Series

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

Production & Filming Details

• Director(s):
  • Edward Montagne.
• Producer(s):
  • Edward Montagne … producer.
  • Si Rose … associate producer.
• Writer(s):
  • Si Rose.
  • Frank Gill Jr.
  • George Carleton Brown.
• Music:
  • Jerry Fielding.
• Cinematography:
  • William Margulies.
• Editor(s):
  • Sam E. Waxman.
• Production:
  • Universal Pictures.
• Distributor(s):
  • Universal Pictures (1964) (USA) (theatrical).
  • Empire Universal Films (1964) (Canada) (theatrical).
  • Rank Film Distributors (1964) (UK) (theatrical).
  • Société Anonyme Universal-Film (1964) (Belgium) (theatrical).
  • Société Anonyme Universal-Film (1966) (France) (theatrical).
  • Shout! Factory (2016) (USA) (DVD).
• Release Date: 10 June 1964.
• Rating: U.
• Running Time: 93 minutes.
• Country: US.
• Language: English.

Video Link

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_yFQfvrlcQo