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

Pete Morgan (Herb Vigran) from Globe Magazine is set to visit the base to make some pictures of McHale and his crew. Binghamton has got word about Morgan’s arrival and wants his picture on the front page instead of McHales, so he sends McHale out on a mission. But McHale is going to wait for Pete Morgan and then take him out on the mission with them. Binghamton gets wind of McHale disobeying his order and goes out to his tents to make sure they have gone. A German patrol has come up on the tents and are now dressed like American sailors. When Binghamton gets to the tents he is taken hostage by the Germans. After Parker is also captured, McHale and the guys come to the rescue, and wind up having their picture on the cover of the magazine. James Frawley appears as the German Sergeant.

McHale’s Navy Series

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

Production & Filming Details

• Release Date: 15 March 1966.
• Rating: TV-PG/TV-G.
• Running Time: 60 minutes.
• Country: US.
• Language: English.

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