"Combat!" (1962) TV series 1962-1967

User Rating:

8.7/10   

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

Release Date:

2 October 1962 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Drama | War

Plot:

Combat!, a one-hour WWII drama series on television, followed a frontline American infantry squad as they battled their way across Europe...

Plot Keywords:

WWII | Sergeant | Lieutenant

Awards:

Nominated for 3 Primetime Emmys. Another 1 nomination

Cast

Vic Morrow	...	Sgt. Saunders (152 episodes, 1962-1967)
Rick Jason	...	Lt. Hanley (152 episodes, 1962-1967)
Pierre Jalbert	...	Caje / ... (115 episodes, 1962-1967)
Jack Hogan	...	Kirby (112 episodes, 1962-1967)
Dick Peabody	...	Littlejohn / ... (100 episodes, 1962-1967)
Conlan Carter	...	Doc / ... (66 episodes, 1963-1967)

Runtime:

60 min (152 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White | Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Argentina:13 | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Bronson Canyon, Griffith Park - 4730 Crystal Springs Drive, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Selmur Productions

Trivia:

An unaired fifth-season episode spun-off the series "Garrison's Gorillas" (1967).

Quotes:

Braddock: Don't just stand there sucking on a prune pit, get these men some water!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Creeping Terror (#7.6)" (1994)

An amazing show even today

Combat was realistic because the producers worked extensively with the Army to duplicate details of how soldiers fought. There is a Combat web site on the net that lists episodes and has interviews from the cast including Jason and Morrow who are dead.

Jason has the most revealing comments. He was suppose to carry the machine gun that Saunders carried. Apparently it was common for the junior officers to have the machine gun. However as an avid hunter and gun user he knew how heavy it would be carry the gun around during the long shoots. Eventually they made a lighter wooden replica for Saunders to carry.

Morrow hated guns according to Jason and would not even shoot skeet with him. Jason said Morrow was one of the most talented directors on the show. Jason's best episodes he said are the ones that Morrow directed such as The Pillbox. My favorite story was Jason's retelling of Morrow's direction for the two parter Hills are for Heroes.

The two part episode took 21 extra days to shoot and cost ABC an extra $300,000. They sent memos complaining to Morrow about the extra time and money that the two part episode cost them. According to Jason, Morrow used the ABC memos to light his cigarettes!