"Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea" (1964) TV series 1964-1968

User Rating:

7.5/10   

Creator:

Irwin Allen

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4

Release Date:

14 September 1964 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Sci-Fi

Plot:

The submarine Seaview is commissioned to investigate the mysteries of the seas. Usually it finds more problems than answers...

Plot Keywords:

Submarine | Ocean | Time Travel | US Navy | Based On Film

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

David Hedison	...	Capt. Lee B. Crane / ... (110 episodes, 1964-1968)
Richard Basehart	...	Adm. Harriman Nelson / ... (108 episodes, 1964-1968)
Robert Dowdell	...	Lt. Comdr. Chip Morton / ... (107 episodes, 1964-1968)
Del Monroe	...	Kowalski / ... (84 episodes, 1964-1967)
Terry Becker	...	Chief Francis Ethelbert Sharkey (58 episodes, 1965-1967)
Paul Trinka	...	Patterson / ... (48 episodes, 1964-1967)

Runtime:

52 min (110 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color | Black and White (31 episodes)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Filming Locations:

20th Century Fox Studios - 10201 Pico Blvd., Century City, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Irwin Allen Productions

Trivia:

Late in the filming of the second season, Richard Basehart fell ill during the filming of the episode "The Monster's Web" and was unable to complete that episode and work in the next two. "The Monster's Web" was rewritten to minimize the part of his character, Adm. Nelson (knocked out of action in the first act), with a stand-in used for many shots with the face hidden and lines dubbed. The next episode, "The Menfish", had Nelson away and his lines reassigned to guest character Adm. Park (Gary Merrill). The following episode, "The Mechanical Man", had Nelson still away and reassigned his lines to Capt. Crane (David Hedison) and Crane's lines to Cmdr. Morton (Robert Dowdell). Basehart returned in time to appear in the season's last episode, "The Return of the Phantom."

Quotes:

Admiral Nelson: [after hearing of the death of a rather unpleasant person] I wish I could say that I was sorry. But I'm not.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Toys (1992)

The most reliable characters on television!

I was so young when this show debuted I couldn't stay up to watch it. However, I could hear the theme song and it was beautiful. It's got to be my favorite theme song because it communicates what the show is about, the wonders of the sea.

Every kid on the block would tune into this show when it was on and although I had to catch it in reruns several years later, that's when I got hooked. The show was too 'grown up ' for me at the time and didn't have enough women in mini-skirts and false eyelashes for me. This was a 'man's man' show and I was so sick of war at the time I could only get interested if a babe or a monster appeared on the show. I do remember a few episodes when they debuted and they're classics now.

Later, channel 7, ABC in New York City would rerun the show on Saturday afternoons and it's still the ultimate Saturday afternoon show and I fondly recall that music wafting from every house for a mile around like clockwork every Saturday.

This brings me to the reliability of the actors. These were people you could count on to bring you solid performances and characters you knew you could depend upon. That's what VTTBOTS is all about for me, the portrayal of people who were professionals and had the character to solve those problems they'd wind up in.

I often laugh at some episodes knowing Irwin Allen and his penchant for stock footage, rehashed sets and props, monkeys, and explosions were more of a menace to the crew than the plot points and evil scientists.

One episode had the late great actor Victor Buono as an evil scientist. This episode you have to see to believe. It's so hysterically funny I woke up neighbors one day watching it.

It's not all laughs however as some great drama was portrayed on the show which made me look at the cast with respect and admiration to this day. Remember this show was in the early 60's and having minorities on a show was rare so you have to bypass the political incorrectness to appreciate the show for what it is.

By all means if you can get past the plot holes and the trademark Irwin Allen cost saving production, you'll find some stories and acting that will really be something to treasure.