12 O'Clock High (TV series)

Overview

The series follows the missions of the fictitious 918th Bombardment Group (Heavy) of the U.S. Army Air Forces (USAAF), equipped with B-17 Flying Fortress heavy bombers, stationed at Archbury Field, England (a fictitious air base). For the first season, many of the characters from the book and 1949 movie were retained, including Brigadier General Frank Savage, Major Harvey Stovall, Major Cobb, Doc Kaiser, and General Pritchard, albeit played by different actors from in the motion picture. In addition to these characters, several other infrequently reappearing characters were introduced, including Captain (later Colonel) Joseph "Joe" Gallagher, who appeared in two episodes (episodes 1 and 24) as well as being the central character for seasons two and three.

At the end of the first season, the studio executives decided a younger-looking lead actor was needed. In the first episode of the second season, General Savage, played by Robert Lansing, was killed in action and replaced by Colonel Joe Gallagher, played by Paul Burke. (Burke, though considered more youthful-looking than Lansing, was actually two years older, which TV critics were quick to point out.) The decision to replace Lansing with Burke proved unpopular and the ratings began to drop quickly.

The character Joe Gallagher's father was Lt. General Maxwell Gallagher, played by Barry Sullivan. Burke and Sullivan had previously worked together in the TV series Harbourmaster. In an interview given by Lansing on The Mike Douglas Show in 1965, Lansing mentioned that had he known what a boost to his career 12 O'Clock High was, he never would have fired himself. Savage was killed off in a way so as not to require Lansing's participation. According to TV Guide, ABC moved the show from a 10:00 pm Friday time slot to a 7:30 pm Monday time slot for the second season to capture a younger audience. It was hoped that TV viewers would identify more with a colonel rather than an Army Air Corps general. Lansing, had he remained, would have received limited air time with Burke's addition.

For the second season, most of the supporting cast from the first season was replaced, with the exception of Major Stovall, Doc Kaiser, and an occasional appearance by General Pritchard. Other actors who did reappear after the first season played other characters. Edward Mulhare appeared twice – as different Luftwaffe officers. Bruce Dern appeared four times as three different characters. Tom Skerritt appeared five times, each time in a different role.

The first two seasons were filmed in black-and-white, as ABC did not mandate prime time shows to be in color until the 1966-1967 season, but it also allowed the inclusion of actual World War II combat footage supplied by the U.S. Air Force and the library of 20th Century Fox movies. The inclusion of combat footage was often obvious, as it was often quite degraded. Limited usable combat footage often resulted in the same shot being reused in multiple episodes. For the third season, the TV series was filmed in color, but this season only ran for 17 episodes, with the series being canceled in midseason. Some of the combat footage used for the third season seemed to be in black-and-white footage tinted blue. Film footage from the 1940s was also used for take-offs and landings since the one B-17 to which the show had access could only taxi. To simulate different aircraft, it was frequently repainted.

In later episodes, Gallagher flew as "mission control" in a North American P-51 Mustang. This plot scheme was added to cut production costs. The single-engine Mustang costs less to fly than the four-engined B-17, and requires only a single pilot rather than two pilots and several crewmen. A wartime precedent for this existed, however: Maj.-Gen. Earle E. Partridge, the G-3 (operations) commander of the 8th Air Force, used a P-51 modified for photo-reconnaissance work to take photographs of his bomber group formations for training and critiquing purposes.

12 O'Clock High was created in an episodic format, with no particular order for the episodes. A trio of episodes produced about a shuttle air raid to North Africa was in fact never aired in story order (episode 44 "We're Not Coming Back", episode 37 "Big Brother", and episode 38 "The Hotshot"). The stories were often based more on character drama than action, usually involving individuals who felt the need to redeem themselves in the eyes of others. Other story lines focused on actual war events, such as the development of bombing through cloud cover using radar, and the complexities of operating a large fleet of (often malfunctioning) B-17s.

Much of the filming was carried out on the Chino Airport, just east of Los Angeles County, California, in San Bernardino County. Chino had been a USAAF training field for World War II, and its combination of long, heavy-duty runways and (at the time) wide-open farmland for miles in all directions was rapidly turning the field into a haven for World War II aviation enthusiasts and their restored aircraft. Former Army Air Forces P-51 Mustangs, Republic P-47 Thunderbolts, Lockheed P-38 Lightnings, B-26 Invaders, and former U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps F4U Corsairs and F6F Hellcats could be found, along with a vintage B-17 and the P-51 Mustang used in 12 O'Clock High.

The B-17 belonged to Ed Maloney's Air Museum, B-17E, F, and G models of the Flying Fortress (the latter with the chin turret) were used interchangeably. The inclusion of actual combat and crash footage often resulted in the tail designations of the bombers changing between film shots.

The segments in 1966 had the former Royal Canadian Air Force pilot Lynn Garrison coordinating the aerial footage. Garrison had been drawn to the project by his friend Robert Lansing. Garrison owned the P-51 used in the series.

As of February 2020, the Heroes & Icons channel broadcasts the series as part of its Saturday-night lineup.

Cast

• Robert Lansing as Brigadier General Frank Savage (season 1)
• Frank Overton as Major Harvey Stovall
• Paul Burke as Colonel Joe Gallagher (seasons 2 and 3, two appearances in season 1)
• Chris Robinson as T/Sgt. Alexander "Sandy" Komansky (seasons 2 and 3)
• John Larkin as Major General Wiley Crowe (season 1)
• Barney Phillips as Major "Doc" Kaiser
• Andrew Duggan as Brigadier/Major General Ed Britt (seasons 2 and 3)
• Paul Newlan as Lieutenant General Bill Pritchard
• Lew Gallo as Major Joe Cobb (season 1)
• Robert Dornan as Lieutenant/Captain Fowler (seasons 2 and 3, in real life a former USAF fighter pilot)

Episodes

Season 1 (1964–65)

All episodes in black-and-white

Guest Stars: Paul Burke as Capt. Joe Gallaher, Joby Baker as Lt. Blake, and Bruce Dern as Lt. Michaels.

Guest Stars: Andrew Prine as Lt. Bob Mellon.

Guest Stars: Glenn Corbett as Lt. Tom Lockridge, Lou Antonio as Capt. Wade Richie, Sally Kellerman as Lt. Libby MacAndrews, and Hazel Court as Liz Woodruff.

Guest Stars: Peter Fonda as Lt. Andy Lathrop, and Jill Haworth as Mary Jean.

Guest Stars: Vivica Lindfors as Nicole Trouchard, and Bernard Fox as Col. Charles.

Guest Stars: Larry Gates as Senator Clayton Johnson, Robert Doyle as Sgt. Eddie Pryor, and Elen Willard as April Barrett.

Guest Stars: Tim O'Connor as Maj. Jack Temple, John van Dreelan as, Jack Betts as Lt. Kinner, and Buck Taylor as Cpl. Moody.

Guest Stars: Glynis Johns as Jennifer Heath, and Fritz Weaver as Col. Peter Raff.

Guest Stars: Gary Lockwood as Maj. Gus Denver,Nancy Kovack as Lt. Cooper, and Hazel Court as Liz Woodruff.

Guest Stars: Dana Wynter as Ann Macrae and Rhys Williams as Adam Macrae.

Guest Stars: Brandon deWilde as Corporal Ross Lawrence, and Gerald O'Loughlin as Maj. Joe Morse.

Guest Stars: John Williams as Inspector Throne, Murray Matheson as Nicholas Redgrave, and Victoria Shaw as Barbara Talbot.

Guest Stars: Michael Callan as Sgt. Driscoll, Edward Binns as Cillford Moran, and Antoinette Bower as Meg Driscoll.

Guest Stars: Norman Fell as Lt. Canello, John Kerr as Maj. Herrick, and Michael Davis as Paul Cadol.

Guest Stars: Glenn Corbett as Lt. Tom Lockridge, and Sally Kellerman as Lt. Libby MacAndrews.

Guest Stars: Steve Forrest as Maj. Grey, Barbara Shelly as Ann Grey, and Hazel Court as Liz Woodruff.

Guest Stars: Robert Drivas as Lt. Joseph Kane, and Janine Grey as Angie.

Guest Stars: Rip Torn as Col. Royce, Diana van der Vlis as Carol Royce, and Bruce Dern as Lt. Danton.

Guest Stars: Sorrell Brooke as Sgt. Aronson, Phyliss Love as Nurse Jenkins, and Antoinette Bower as Ivy Wescott. Note: John Larkin died of a heart attack the day this episode aired, but he'd filmed his scenes for the following six episodes prior to his death.

Guest Stars: Kier Dullea as Lt. Kurt Muller, and Jill Haworth as Nora Burgess.

Guest Stars: Albert Paulsen as Col. Dieter.

Guest Stars: Earl Holliman as Lt. Paul Stiger, Elen Willard as Myra Bentley, and Donald Herron as Lt. Crain.

Guest Stars: Hermione Baddeley as Lady Constance Belden, and John Leyton as Bert Higgs.

Guest Stars: Paul Burke as Maj. Joe Gallagher, Sarah Marshall as May Hudson, and Barbara Feldon as Lt. Clare Cummings.

Guest Star: Lawrence Naismith as Gilly Bright. Note: Final appearance of Gen. Wiley Crowe.

Guest Stars: Larry Blyden as Lt. Tony Kemp, Robert Brown as Sgt. Reese, John Kerr as Lt. Ray Thatcher, Stuart Margolin as Lt. Murray Epstein, and Hazel Court as Liz.

Guest Stars: Burt Brinkerhoff as F/O Joe Waller, Chris Robinson as Lt. Gunther, Bruce Dern as Lt. Michaels. Note: Chris Robinson played a different character here before returning as T/Sgt. Komansky on the following season.

Guest Stars: Dana Wynter as Lady Cathrine, Lloyd Bochner as Capt. Evans

Guest Stars: Gary Lockwood as Maj. Gus Denver, and Lin McCarthy as Gen. Hoagland.

Guest Stars: Alf Kjellin as Col. Ritcher, as Donald Herron as Group Captain Brail, John van Dreelan as Capt. Staufman, James Farentino as Moxie and Peter Haskell as Doc.

Guest Star: James Whitmore as Col. Pappy Hartley.

Season 2 (1965–66)

All episodes in black-and-white

Guest Stars: Robert Colbert as Lt. Col. Frank Bailey, and Claudine Longet as Suzanne Arnais.

Guest Stars: Gia Scala as Iika Zranda, and J.D. Cannon as Gen. David Creighton.

Guest Star: Beau Bridges as Cpl. Steve Corbett.

Guest Star: Gary Lockwood as Lt. Josh McGraw.

Guest Stars: Jack Lord as Lt. Col. Preston Gallagher, Julie Adams as Lt. Betty Russo, and Robert Colbert as Lt. Col. Frank Bailey.

Guest Stars: Warren Oates as Lt. Col. Troper, Jill Haworth as Fay Vendry, and William Bryant as Maj. Marriott.

Guest Stars: Lois Nettleton as Susan Nesbit, Lloyd Bochner as Kirby Wyatt, and Burt Reynolds as T/Sgt. Chapman.

Guest Stars: Albert Paulson as Arn Borg, Jill Haworth as Lt. Fay Vendry, and Jack Weston as Capt. "Chub" Willis.

Guest Stars: William Shatner as Maj. Kurt Brown, and Elen Willard as Elizabeth Hoffman.

Guest Stars: Barry Sullivan as Lt. Gen. Max Gallagher, and Frank Aletter as Lt. Col. Bill Christy.

Guest Stars: Ina Balin as Mara Yellich, George Voskovec as Nicholas Yellich, and Gunner Hellstrom as Col. Falkenstein.

Guest Stars: Andrew Prine as Lt. Jaydee Jones, Burt Reynolds as T/Sgt. Chapman, Bruce Dern as T/Sgt. Frank Jones, and Mark Richman as Col. Kendal Hunter.

Guest Stars: Donald Herron as M/Sgt. Trask, Larry Gates as Maj. Gen. Stance, and Phil Bruns as Lt. Gargas.

Guest Stars: Lisa Pera as Claudine Corbelle, Lou Antonio as Capt. Bane Pollard, Harry Townes as Brig. Gen. Marteen.

Guest Stars: James Daly as Col. "Pappy" Wexler, Barbara Shelley as Mrs. Clyde-Bryce, and David Macklin as Lt. Booth.

Guest Stars: Harry Guardino as Capt. Barney Deel, Juliet Mills as Sydney Vivyan, John van Dreelan as Gen. Reger, and Michael Rennie as Gen. St. John Keighley.

Guest Stars: Robert Walker as Karl Weigand, Claudine Longet as Liane, and Whit Bissell as George Richardson.

Guest Star: Dina Merrill as Capt. Patricia Bates.

Guest Stars: James MacArthur as Lt. Harley Wilson, James Callahan as Maj. Temple, Sammy Jackson as Lt. Mikler, and Patrick Wayne as Lt. Gabriel.

Guest Stars: Burgess Meredith as Dr. Rink, Alf Kjellin as Col. Ehrland, and Robert Doyle as M/Sgt Zemler.

Guest Stars: Bradford Dillman as Maj. Tom Parsons, Don Galloway as Capt. Bruce Cowley, and Antoinette Bower as Naomi Rockford.

Guest Stars: Don Gordon as Capt. Bradovich, Jill Ireland as Sara Blodgett, and Don Quine as Lt. Tourneau.

Guest Stars: Roddy McDowall as T/Sgt. Willets, Frank Aletter as Sgt. Prinzi, and Lee Patterson as Maj. Budd.

Guest Stars: Michael Callan as Capt. Powell, and Carl Schell as Capt. Wessel.

Guest Stars: Robert Drivas as Capt. Wally Bolen, Paul Carr as Capt. Johnny Lewis, and Marion Thompson as Ruth Wagner.

Guest Stars: James Franciscus as Capt. Thomas Carpenter/Everett Stone, and Roger Perry as Capt. Vic Enright.

Guest Stars: Charles Aidman as Captain Archer, John van Dreelan as Maj. Schindler, and Hans Gudegast as Maj. Bentz.

Guest Stars: Edward Mulhare as Kurt Halland, Victoria Shaw as Pati Conboy, and Juliet Mills as Helen

Season 3 (1966–67)

All episodes in color

Guest Stars: William Windom as Lt. Col. Christy, Linden Chiles as Capt. Bluitt, and Tim McIntire as Lt. Wallach.

Guest Stars: Kevin McCarthy as Maj. Baladin, Kathleen Widows as Lt. Irina Zavanoff, and Michael Constantine as Gen. Vorodenko.

Guest Stars: Jack Lord as Col. Yates, Philip E. Pine as Maj. Shull, Alan Bergman as Maj. Holtzer, and Luciana Paluzzi as Carla.

Guest Stars: Christiane Schmidtmer as Frieda von Heurtzel, Lloyd Bochner as Maj. Mallory, and Bernard Fox as Sgt. Maj. Higgins.

Guest Stars: Roy Thinnes as Capt. P.J Pridie, Robert Blake as Lt. Johnny Eagle, and Wayne Rogers as Lt. Fredricks.

Guest Stars: Eduard Franz as Admiral von Kreuter, John van Dreelan as Col. von Datz, and Diana Hyland as Heidi Voss.

Guest Stars: Mart Hulswit as Lt. Masters, Norman Fell as Maj. Praeger, Robert Doyle as Capt. King.

Guest Stars: Robert Walker as M/Sgt/ Hentz Reiniger/Herman Schutz, Albert Salmi as Maj. Brunner, and Kurt Kreuger as Col. Gerlach.

Guest Stars: Don Gordon as Lt. Dominic Dejohn, and Marlyn Mason as S/Sgt. Margo Demarest.

Guest Stars: David Frankham as Group Capt. Anthony Carmichael, and Richard Anderson as Brig. Gen. Phil Doud.

Guest Stars: James Broderick as Ray Hollenbeck, Richard Anderson as Brig. Gen. Phil Doud, and Wesley Addy as Maj. Gen. Fox.

Guest Stars: James Whitmore as Col. Harry Connelly, Joe Maross as Brig. Gen. Chandler.

Guest Stars: Martin Milner as Maj. Tony Dimscek, Richard Anderson as Brig. Gen. Phil Doud, Rudy Solari as S/Sgt. Battalana.

Guest Stars: Lilia Skala as Sister Martha, Joseph Campanella as Father Roman, Richard Anderson as Brig. Gen. Phil Doud, and Edward Mulhare as Col. Schotten.

Guest Stars: Ossie Davis as Maj. Glenn Luke/Pvt. James R. Prince, Joe Maross as Brig. Gen. Chandler, and Jon Voight as Capt. Holtke.

Guest Stars: Peter Graves as Capt. Cal Dula, Anne Helm as WAAF Sgt. Jeanne Springer, and Tom Skerritt as T/Sgt. Nick Neely.

Guest Stars: Ralph Bellamy as Commodore Leon Crompton, Michael Witney as Obie Sorenson, and Anna Capri as Cpl. Terri Cahill.

Awards and honors

Comic books

Dell Comics produced a comic book based on the series that ran two issues in 1965. Both had photocovers and artwork by Joe Sinnott.

References

References

1. Correll, John T.. (January 2011). "The Real Twelve O'Clock High".
2. "Robert Lansing on why he left 12 O'Clock High".
3. Jerry D. Lewis, TV Guide (May 15–21, 1965),[http://www.jodavidsmeyer.com/combat/TV%20Guide%2012%20Oclock.htm The General Died At Dusk] p. 24
4. Etter, Jonathan. (2003). "Quinn Martin, Producer: A Behind-the-scenes History of QM Productions and Its Founder". McFarland.
5. Roger Freeman, year?, ''Mustang at War'', p. ?
6. David Allen. (June 9, 2009). "Chino home to retired 'actor'". Inland Valley Daily Bulletin.
7. "''12 O'Clock High'' (1965)".