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papaya2000s · 2 months ago

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Ensign O'Toole

I typically do not share content regarding American television shows or films; however, I consider the series Ensign O'Toole to be an exception. Throughout its airing, the show featured numerous special guests, with my favourite episode being the fourth, titled "Operation: Benefit," which included an appearance by the Kim Sisters.

Ensign O'Toole is an American television sitcom featuring Dean Jones in the lead role as a naval officer on the USS Appleby, a United States Navy destroyer, set in the early 1960s. The show was broadcast from 1962 to 1963 and was directed by a range of individuals including Hy Averback, Richard Kinon, and Jackie Cooper, among others. The series drew inspiration from two works by William Lederer, namely All the Ships at Sea (1950) and Ensign O'Toole and Me (1957), with Lederer serving as a consultant. The fictional USS Appleby was represented by the destroyer USS Frank E. Evans (DD-754).

Synopsis

Ensign O'Toole serves as a junior officer on the fictional destroyer USS Appleby during the peacetime era of the early 1960s in the United States Navy. The crew includes Lieutenant Commander Virgil Stoner, the executive officer; Lieutenant (junior grade) Rex St. John, the wealthy and often confused supply officer; and a variety of eccentric crew members, such as Chief Petty Officer Homer Nelson, who frequently seeks poker games and clashes with O'Toole, along with Seamen Gabby Di Julio, Howard Spicer, and Claude White. O'Toole, characterized by his laid-back demeanor, possesses intelligence, multilingual abilities, and a knack for trivia, yet he tends to shirk responsibilities in favor of pranks and outshining the ambitious St. John, often with the crew's enthusiastic support. The commanding officer of the Appleby remains off-screen, with Lieutenant Commander Stoner typically conveying orders, although the commanding officer's voice occasionally emanates from the ship's "squawk box."

The destroyer USS Frank E. Evans (DD-754), seen in April 1963, portrayed the fictional USS Appleby.

Broadcast history

Ensign O'Toole debuted on NBC on September 23, 1962, and concluded after one season, with its final episode airing on May 5, 1963. The series, which consisted of 32 original episodes, continued to be rerun in its regular Sunday 7:00 p.m. time slot until September 15, 1963. Subsequently, from March to September 1964, ABC broadcast reruns of the show on Thursdays at 9:00 p.m., with the last episode airing on September 10, 1964, before Bewitched replaced it the following week. As of April 2023, the series has been available in the United Kingdom on Talking Pictures TV.

Cast:

The ensemble cast of Ensign O'Toole features Dean Jones in the titular role of Ensign O'Toole. Supporting him are Jay C. Flippen as Chief Petty Officer Homer Nelson, Jack Mullaney portraying Lieutenant (junior grade) Rex St. John, and Jack Albertson as Lieutenant Commander Virgil Stoner. The cast also includes Harvey Lembeck as Seaman Gabby Di Julio, Beau Bridges as Seaman Howard Spicer, and Bob Sorrells as Seaman Claude White. Recurring roles are filled by Stuart Margolin as Lieutenant Miller, Skip Ward as Lieutenant Ferguson, Ken Berry as Lieutenant Melton, Gerald Trump as Crump, Andrew Colmar as Naismith, and Eddie Peterson as Selby.

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Episode 1-12 List:

The list below presents the first part of a compilation detailing episodes 1 to 12 of the US series Ensign O'Toole, which includes the titles, air dates, and summaries of the events occurring in each episode. Enjoy ;)

Episode 1 - "Operation: Kowana," directed by Hy Averback and penned by Bill Davenport, premiered on September 23, 1962.

In this episode, the crew of the Appleby is cautioned to maintain decorum during their shore leave in the Japanese port of Kowana, following a previous incident where a U.S. Navy crew inundated the town with counterfeit currency. Tensions rise when a local resident mistakenly believes he has won the Appleby in a poker game. The episode features guest appearances by Victor Sen Yung and Mako (マコ).

Episode 2, titled "Operation: Model T," was directed by Hy Averback and penned by Jim Fritzell and Everett Greenbaum, premiering on September 30, 1962.

In this episode, Lieutenant (junior grade) St. John inadvertently damages a French doctor's Ford Model T while trying to fix it on a South Pacific island in French Polynesia. Subsequently, O'Toole acquires the vehicle and instructs the crew to camouflage it in parts aboard the Appleby. Upon the ship's arrival in California, he has the car reassembled for sale; however, before the intended buyer can inspect it, an admiral with a passion for antique cars spots it at the dock. The episode features guest appearances by Don Beddoe, Susan Silo, Emil Genest, and Alberto Morin.

Episode 3, titled "Operation: Daddy," was directed by Hy Averback and penned by James Allardice and Tom Adair, premiering on October 7, 1962.

In this episode, Seaman White's wife is on the verge of childbirth in Omaha, Nebraska, while he remains stationed on the Appleby in San Diego, California. With Lieutenant Commander Stoner unavailable to intervene, O'Toole is confident that he can promptly secure leave papers for White. The episode features guest appearances by Molly Dodd, Merle Pertile, and Davis Roberts.

Episode 4, titled "Operation: Benefit," was directed by Hy Averback and penned by Sheldon Keller and Howard Merrill, premiering on October 14, 1962.

In this episode, O'Toole intends to allocate the funds generated from the "Foster Father's Follies," a talent show organized by the crew of the Appleby, to support the girls residing in a South Korean orphanage. Notable guest appearances include Cherylene Lee, Grace Lee Whitney, James Hong, The Kim Sisters, and Dick Powell, who was serving as the head of Four Star Television during this period.

Episode 5, titled "Operation: Jinx," was directed by Hy Averback and penned by Sheldon Keller and Howard Merrill, premiering on October 21, 1962.

The narrative follows Seaman Jerome J. "Jinx" Johnson, who joins the crew of the Appleby. Chief Petty Officer Nelson warns the sailors of impending misfortune, as Johnson is regarded as a harbinger of bad luck within the U.S. Navy. Consequently, the crew experiences a series of mishaps shortly after Johnson's arrival. The episode features guest appearances by Soupy Sales as "Jinx" Johnson, along with Sandra Gould, Sid Gould, Clyde Adler, Harvey Perry, Michael Adair, and Ed Craig.

Episode 6, titled "Operation: Holdout," was directed by Hy Averback and penned by Sheldon Keller and Howard Merrill, premiering on October 28, 1962.

In this episode, the Appleby responds to a distress call from two American soldiers stationed on a remote Pacific island, who assert they are under attack by Japanese forces. Upon arrival, the crew discovers both American and Japanese soldiers entrenched in combat, unaware that World War II concluded in 1945, and that it is now 1962. The episode features guest appearances by Mako, James Hong, Davis Roberts, Tige Andrews, and Eddie Ryder.

Episode 7, titled "Operation: Birthday," was directed by Don Taylor and written by James Komack, Bill Davenport, and Charles Tannen, airing on November 4, 1962.

In this episode, the crew seeks to purchase a watch for Chief Nelson's birthday; however, they find themselves lacking sufficient funds. To resolve this issue, O'Toole formulates a strategy to win the necessary money from Nelson through a poker game, as the crew is financially constrained while only Nelson possesses any money.

Episode 8, titled "Operation: Dinner Party," was directed by Robert Gordon and written by Sheldon Keller and Howard Merrill, airing on November 11, 1962.

In this episode, Lieutenant (junior grade) St. John misplaces the funds entrusted to him by Lieutenant Commander Stoner for a diplomatic gathering. In response, O'Toole offers to assist St. John by organizing the event at no cost, intending to procure food from other vessels in the fleet and enlisting Chief Petty Officer Nelson to concoct a beverage that could pass for "wine." The episode features guest appearances by Jay Novello, Jan Arvan, Veola Vonn, Norma Varden, Ramsey Hill, Irwin Ashkenazy, and George Baxter.

Episode 9, titled "Operation: Mess," was directed by James Komack and penned by writers Sheldon Keller and Howard Merrill, airing on November 18, 1962.

In this episode, O'Toole grapples with the growing dissatisfaction regarding the deteriorating quality of food on the Appleby, despite the fact that the ship's cook, Charlie, had previously earned a reputation for his culinary skills. The episode features guest appearances by Harry Morgan, Les Brown, Jr., Stafford Repp, Herbie Faye, Joe Higgins, Larry Perron, and John Kahn.

Episode 10, titled "Operation: Impersonation," was directed by Don Taylor and written by Bill Davenport and Charles Tannen, airing on November 25, 1962.

In this episode, Lieutenant Commander Stoner finds himself in trouble after consuming excessive amounts of Malayan punch, leading to his arrest for recklessly driving a truck through a Malayan general's cherished garden. In an effort to secure leniency for Stoner, O'Toole takes on the role of Appleby’s superior officer to appeal to the outraged general. The episode features guest appearances by Edgar Barrier, Pamela Searle, Ben H. Wright, and Alan Caillou.

Episode 11, titled "Operation: Hypnosis," was directed by Lawrence Dobkin and written by Bill Davenport and Charles Tannen, airing on December 2, 1962.

In this episode, O'Toole employs hypnosis on Chief Petty Officer Nelson to curb his gambling habits and on Lieutenant (junior grade) St. John to instil a belief in his superiority as a naval officer, leading to a series of chaotic events. The guest appearance features Michael Adair, highlighting the comedic turmoil that arises when O'Toole transforms St. John into a strict adherent of regulations and alters the Chief's attitude towards gambling.

Episode 12, titled "Operation: Potomac," was directed by Hy Averback and written by Sheldon Keller and Howard Merrill, airing on December 9, 1962.

In this episode, while the Appleby is docked in Washington, D.C., Ensign O'Toole begins receiving mysterious gifts from an unknown admirer. The situation escalates when one of the gifts, a dress, prompts teasing from the crew, leading O'Toole to investigate the source of the gifts. His inquiry reveals the existence of another Ensign O'Toole at the base, who is female. The episode features guest appearances by Carolyn Kearney, Norm Alden, Dee Carroll, John Newton, Tyler McVey, Mike Mason, and Richard Eastham.

#history #US TV Series #Ensign O'Toole #The Kim Sisters #Kim Sisters #Youtube

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