"The Rat Patrol" (1966) TV series 1966-1968

Creator:

Tom Gries
(more)

Seasons:

1 | 2

Release Date:

12 September 1966 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Drama | Adventure | War

Plot:

Set in North Africa during World War II, this series chronicles the adventures of a 4-man team of commandos within the Long Range Desert Group...

Plot Keywords:

North Africa | Commando | Army | Cult TV | North Africa Campaign

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe.

Cast

Christopher George	...	Sgt. Sam Troy (57 episodes, 1966-1968)
Gary Raymond	...	Sgt. Jack Moffitt (56 episodes, 1966-1968)
Lawrence P. Casey	...	Pvt. Mark Hitchcock (56 episodes, 1966-1968)
Eric Braeden	...	Capt. Hans Dietrich / ... (53 episodes, 1966-1968)
Justin Tarr	...	Pvt. Tully Pettigrew (53 episodes, 1966-1968)

Series Directed by
John Peyser		(10 episodes, 1966-1967)
Lee H. Katzin		(7 episodes, 1966-1967)
Robert Sparr		(6 episodes, 1967)
Herschel Daugherty		(5 episodes, 1967)
Frank Baur		(4 episodes, 1967-1968)
Sutton Roley		(4 episodes, 1967)

Series Writing credits
Tom Gries		(58 episodes, 1966-1968)
Richard H. Landau		(5 episodes, 1966-1967)
Anthony Lawrence		(5 episodes, 1966-1967)
Mark Weingart		(4 episodes, 1967)
John Peyser		(3 episodes, 1966-1967)
Edward J. Lakso		(3 episodes, 1967-1968)
Harry Kronman		(2 episodes, 1966-1967)
Ronald Sossi		(2 episodes, 1966-1967)
Daniel Aubrey		(2 episodes, 1966)
Don Brinkley		(2 episodes, 1967)
Richard De Roy		(2 episodes, 1967)
Peter Allan Fields		(2 episodes, 1967)
Ellis Kadison		(2 episodes, 1967)
Sheldon Stark		(2 episodes, 1967)

Series Produced by
Jon Epstein	....	producer (22 episodes, 1967)
Mark Weingart	....	associate producer (22 episodes, 1967)
Richard H. Landau	....	associate producer (14 episodes, 1966)
Stanley Shpetner	....	producer (9 episodes, 1966)
Lee Rich	....	executive producer (8 episodes, 1967)
Tom Gries	....	executive producer (3 episodes, 1966)
Bernard L. Kowalski	....	producer (2 episodes, 1966)

Series Original Music by
Dominic Frontiere		(43 episodes, 1966-1967)

Series Cinematography by
Brick Marquard		(34 episodes, 1966-1967)
Manuel Berenguer		(2 episodes, 1966)

Series Film Editing by
Richard K. Brockway		(19 episodes, 1966-1967)

Series Casting by
Lynn Stalmaster		(4 episodes, 1966-1967)

Series Art Direction by
Gil Parrondo		(14 episodes, 1966)
Jack T. Collis		(13 episodes, 1967)
Eddie Imazu		(9 episodes, 1967)

Series Set Decoration by
Charles S. Thompson		(20 episodes, 1967)

Series Makeup Department
Harry Ross	....	makeup artist (1 episode, 1966)

Series Production Management
Frank Baur	....	production supervisor (21 episodes, 1967)
Leonard C. Kroll	....	post-production supervisor (16 episodes, 1967)
Bernard Oseransky	....	assistant production supervisor (14 episodes, 1966-1967)
Lee Rich	....	executive in charge of production (7 episodes, 1966)

Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Grayson Rogers	....	assistant director (4 episodes, 1967)
George Templeton	....	assistant director (3 episodes, 1967)
Jack N. Reddish	....	second unit director (2 episodes, 1966)
Robert Gough	....	second unit director (unknown episodes)
Ricardo Hansa	....	first assistant director (unknown episodes)
Kuki López Rodero	....	first assistant director (unknown episodes)
Pedro Vidal	....	first assistant director (unknown episodes)

Series Art Department
Ángel Cañizares	....	set dresser (3 episodes, 1966)
Art Cole	....	property master (unknown episodes)
Richard Neblett	....	property master (unknown episodes)

Series Sound Department
John Haines	....	sound mixer (10 episodes, 1966)
Tom Edwards	....	sound mixer (10 episodes, 1967)
Ben Smith	....	sound effects editor (5 episodes, 1966)
Milton E. Berle	....	sound effects editor (2 episodes, 1966)

Series Special Effects by
A. Paul Pollard	....	special effects (3 episodes, 1966)
Henry Millar Jr.	....	special effects (2 episodes, 1967)
Glen Robinson	....	special effects (2 episodes, 1967)

Series Stunts
Jack N. Young	....	stunts (3 episodes, 1966-1967)
Nick Dimitri	....	stunt double (2 episodes, 1966-1968)
Frank Babich	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Steven Burnett	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Von Deming	....	stunt coordinator (unknown episodes)
Gary Epper	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Chuck Hayward	....	stunt coordinator (unknown episodes)
Hal Needham	....	stunt double (unknown episodes)
Doug O'Dell	....	stunt double (unknown episodes)
Dick Ziker	....	stunt double (unknown episodes)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
Nelson Tyler	....	aerial photographer (1 episode, 1966)
Doug Byers	....	electrician (unknown episodes)

Series Costume and Wardrobe Department
Eric Seelig	....	wardrobe (4 episodes, 1966)
Norman A. Burza	....	wardrobe (unknown episodes)

Series Editorial Department
Anthony DiMarco	....	supervising editor (28 episodes, 1966-1967)

Series Music Department
Earle Dearth	....	music editor / music supervisor (4 episodes, 1967)

Series Transportation Department
Robert Neal	....	driver (unknown episodes)

Series Other crew
Fred Lemoine	....	production executive (2 episodes, 1966)
Dennis Judd	....	location auditor (unknown episodes)
Ronald Sossi	....	assistant to producer (unknown episodes)

Production Companies

• Mirisch-Rich Productions
• Tom Gries Productions (in association with)
• United Artists Television (in association with)

Distributors

• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1966-1968) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2008) (USA) (DVD) (complete series)
• United Artists Television

Runtime:

30 min (58 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Filming Locations:

Amargosa Valley, Nevada, USA

Company:

Mirisch-Rich Productions

Trivia:

The hat pin worn by Christopher George (Sgt. Sam Troy) is the pin for the Australian Commonwealth Military Forces, which also served in North Africa during WWII.

Goofs:

Factual errors: The half-track used by the Germans is clearly a U.S. M3A1 half-track. The German half-track of the era, the Sdkfz 7, had eight drive wheels. The one used in the show has two drive wheels. (Unless Hauptman Diedrich was using a captured vehicle)

Quotes:

Pvt. Mark Hitchcock: Who was there, Sarge? You or me?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: Night of the Blood Beast (#8.1)" (1996)

This series was in "living color"

To disagree with a previous post, The Rat Patrol was filmed in color. As a mater of fact, the tag before the show aired showed a background of the two jeeps roaring through the desert with The Rat Patrol -- In Color superimposed on the shot. Being that it was filmed in 1966-1968, color was one of the selling points of the series -- hence all those wonderful shots of military half tracks and trucks blowing up in huge fireballs. (Combat was aired in black and white. ) As for the show itself, it wasn't so bad. Sure, some of the scripts were kind of escapist. However, there were several episodes that were well done. One involved Sergeant Jack Moffitt (Gary Raymond) coming to grips with the death of his brother; other episode teamed the Rat Patrol up with the Germans a couple of times. Once they had to save a little girl who fell into a well, and another time Americans and Germans had to fend off an Arab tribe attacking them in some kind of old ruins in the middle of the desert.

Anyway, point being the show was escapist, but is still on the air today. WGN in Chicago airs the show sometimes and other outlets air it, too.