COMBAT!

[tractor]

I am surprised there are no COMBAT topics in here. This show happens to be one of the main reasons I love WWII. I started watching it on a LA TV channel as a young kid Saturday afternoons when it came on and became a huge fan of Lowell Thomas who played Billy in the first and some of the second season. Just wondering if there is any more COMBAT fans out there and does anyone else have the whole series on TV?

[vzemke]

I couldn't agree more. This show is what cemented my interest in WWII at a very young age. I remember watching re-runs on "KOFY TV-20" while growing up in San Francisco in the late 1980s. I was only about 5 years old at the time and my parents somehow agreed to tape them for me since my bedtime was usually before the show came on. I spent hours upon hours running around the back yard prentending to be SGT Saunders. Good times. I have a few of the seasons on DVD and still enjoy watching them from time to time.

Vance

[The Meatcan]

count me in as a big fan as well! Loved it as a kid and still enjoy it today. Sure, the equpment and uniforms may not be perfect for the reenactor perfectionists, but it sure looked better (and still does) than most other military-themed tv shows. The stories were often good, especially compared to its contemporaries. Vic was awesome as Sarge and many of the other squad members were decent enough. Even as a kid I always wondered how Cage could use up so much ammo all the time LOL

 

I have all the shows on old vhs and a couple seasons on dvd. Anyone interested in the show should also check out the Combat! website:

http://www.jodavidsmeyer.com/combat/main.html

Terry

[pz_gren]

Heck yes...who doesn't like Combat !?!

[cutiger83]

I have all of the seasons. Amazon sometimes has the seasons on sale for $14.99 each. My Dad and I watch a few episodes each afternoon when we are at the beach. Great show!....Kat

[TAMU97]

In the 1990s, Encore's "Action Channel" carried two uninterrupted episodes a day of Combat! and when I was home between semesters in college, I tried to videotape as many as I could. In between episodes, they played interviews with Rick Jason that I found very interesting. For instance, Jason said that they couldn't agree on who got top billing (Jason or Vic Morrow), so as a compromise, they alternated...one week the opening would say "Starring Rick Jason, with Vic Morrow" and the next week, they'd switch it. Another thing that Jason said was regarding the use of firearms on the set. He claimed he had an appreciation of the mechanics and workmanship of the weapons they used; that they were simply tools of the trade - pieces of machinery - and he had no problem handling or using them. Morrow, on the other hand, "hated" guns and never liked handling them. Hearing that sorta burst my "Sgt. Saunders kicks rump" bubble a little. Also, most of the time, Morrow carried a dummy Thompson and only had a real one in his hands when the scene called for him to burn through some rounds. I don't know if his aversion to firearms had something to do with it...or just the sheer weight of the weapon caused him not to want to lug it around all day.

 

And while we're talking about the show, my favorite episode is "Hills are for Heroes". Actually in two parts, if you spliced them together, you'd have a feature-length war movie. Good stuff!

[sgtdorango]

Love Combat!!....I have the entire series in a boxed DVD set.....well worth the investment (although I received it as a gift!!)....I really liked the episode Gulliver when Little John gets captured by some French orphans and their secret hideout home is covered in equipment and souvenirs from both German and US forces!!.....I might have to go watch a few episodes now!!.....mike :w00t:

[Bugme]

I too got interested in Militaira as a kid watching this series!

[UPNATM]

I couldn't agree more. This show is what cemented my interest in WWII at a very young age. I remember watching re-runs on "KOFY TV-20" while growing up in San Francisco in the late 1980s. I was only about 5 years old at the time and my parents somehow agreed to tape them for me since my bedtime was usually before the show came on. Vance

 

Vance, thats pretty funny, I also began watching Combat! on Kofy TV-20 back then also. My step dad was German and I would always bug him to translate to me what the Germans were saying.

I now have the whole series on DVD, and can pop one in anytime I want. Its great!

 

Speaking of cool shows, does anyone know when they are going to come out with The Gallant Men on DVD?

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DjfH6IbgdBQ

[jgawne]

COMBAT! is still being worked on as a potential big screen movie.

 

It came very very close at one point, but like all things Hollywood someone changed their mind. But there is a production company with the rights, and they keep plugging away. It may never hapen, and someone tomrrow may deicde they want to release a war movie and the script is on top of the pile.

[J_Andrews]

My Thompson was bought by Stembridge Gunworks in 1961 from Navy Arms, one of three provided to COMBAT! for as long as the program lasted. It is NOT the one Vic Morrow is seen with, as it has simplified "L" rear sight.

 

It was also used in "PT-109", "Tora! Tora! Tora!", "Midway" and other movies.

[101CH47]

A lot of good memories of watching that show with my dad. Combat and 12 O'clock High were the staples of my TV watching as a kid in the early 60s. It all went to hell when TV went to color.

 

Jo Davidsmeyer's book A Viewer's Companion to the WWII TV Series Combat goes along well with the DVD set. $29.99

 

http://www.jodavidsmeyer.com/combat/book.html

 

Combat probably has something to do with my addiction to Thompsons too

[tractor]

Speaking of the movie I have written 2 fan scripts for COMBAT. A friend of mine who is an Indy movie director wants to shoot them sometime in the future. He grew up watching COMBAT on TV and loves the idea of making it more accurate. We are planning on using reenactors and vehicles here in CA for a shoot but have no dates set when we can do it. Hopefully we will shoot them this year sometime and I will post a link to our youtube page where we load them if anyone is interested. My friend already does German vs Russian movies already and wants to do some US

Mark

[D.A.T.]

Combat! I'm a baby boomer, I remember playing with the other kids on the block, (we had lots of woods up in Washington State) everybody wanted to be Sgt. Saunders or Kirby, I know I had a Combat game, and I'm pretty sure I had a Sgt. Saunders Mattel tommy gun, helmet and grenade, and using pine cones soaked in water as reserve hand grenades, OUCH! :w00t:

And of course, it influenced me in the interest of the military and collecting to this day.

http://www.jeffs60s.com/armytoys.html

[101CH47]

Combat! I'm a baby boomer, I remember playing with the other kids on the block, (we had lots of woods up in Washington State) everybody wanted to be Sgt. Saunders or Kirby, I know I had a Combat game, and I'm pretty sure I had a Sgt. Saunders Mattel tommy gun, helmet and grenade, and using pine cones soaked in water as reserve hand grenades, OUCH! :w00t:

And of course, it influenced me in the interest of the military and collecting to this day.

http://www.jeffs60s.com/armytoys.html

 

Great website you have, I had several of those Army toys myself. I would not doubt some of them are still in a box in the attic of my mother's house. Lots WWII battles fought on the living room rug.

 

You don't happen to remember if there was Combat! lunch box? I have looked on the internet several times in the past but cannot find one. It seems every TV show in the 60s had their version. I still have a Rat Patrol box. Those TV show lunch boxes were a big deal at my school although it sure was a sad day when ever you dropped that thermos and heard the glass rattling around inside.

[Greg Sebring]

"Checkmate King two to White Rook over" ... I was "glued to the tube" when that came on .... I inherited a large black plastic 50 cal tri-pod mounted, battery operated machine gun from my cousins. When you depressed the trigger with your thumbs, the red muzzle went in and out and it made a loud staccato noise. We even had war games with kids from other subdivisions.

 

Greg

[D.A.T.]

Great website you have, I had several of those Army toys myself. I would not doubt some of them are still in a box in the attic of my mother's house. Lots WWII battles fought on the living room rug.

 

You don't happen to remember if there was Combat! lunch box? I have looked on the internet several times in the past but cannot find one. It seems every TV show in the 60s had their version. I still have a Rat Patrol box. Those TV show lunch boxes were a big deal at my school although it sure was a sad day when ever you dropped that thermos and heard the glass rattling around inside.

 

I was also looking around on the web for a Combat lunch box, couldn't find one. Found a Hogan's Heroes lunch box http://www.antiquemystique.com/pages/2956_jpg.htm , and a Rat Patrol lunch box http://www.goantiques.com/detail,1967-seri...at,1421454.html or here http://wendislunchboxes.com/cgi/store3.cgi...display=CHECKED I did not know what vintage lunch boxes are going for nowadays.

But I found the old Combat game I used to have as a kid on eBay. http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-Ideal-Combat-B...=item53df3598f0

[Sgt Saunders]

Combat!? You Bet! I have the complete set! It's realy great, a lot of extras too. It was/still is the best WWII TV series ever. It knocked The Gallant Men out the first year. It didn't have a chance. What else is there to watch on TV anyway. Cop-Cold Case-CSI-Reality-Laywer-Crime-Drama-Crap. Give me Saunders and the boys anyday! :salute:

Check out an early Saunders with an M1. From the first show/pilot.

 

[tractor]

In one of the extras there is a Pacific Scene and wondering for a while what it was from

[Sgt Saunders]

In one of the extras there is a Pacific Scene and wondering for a while what it was from

 

I've seen the epsode and it's not in the Pacific. More that likely the MGM back lot. If you watch enough of them you can tell.

Here is the archived sight. http://www.jodavidsmeyer.com/combat/main.html

I think it went belly up after Rick Jason died. It's a shame. There is a lot of info here.

This one is realy good too. Earl Parker was the stunt double for Vick.

http://www.steveandmarta.com/graveyards/parker_photos.htm

[Sgt Saunders]

Ok Combat! fans here's a free-bee. The book is out of print, but it's archived here.

I have my daughter looking for a copy for me. It's really interesting. Rick Jason was quite a guy.

It's too bad his ending was so tragic. Anyways...........

http://www.scrapbooksofmymind.com/

[tractor]

Ok the Earl Parker photos answered it. It was in one of the extras in the Earl Parker photo extras a scene from Attack must have been slipped in by mistake

[Sgt Saunders]

And while we're talking about the show, my favorite episode is "Hills are for Heroes". Actually in two parts, if you spliced them together, you'd have a feature-length war movie. Good stuff!

 

Vick directed that one. It was best one they did. He directed some others too. It's realy good film.

Robert Altman got booted from the series the first year because his epsodes were too controversial. I can't rememberthe name of the epsode wrote, but it really was ahead of it's time. Altmans said later they wanted a epsode and I gave them a movie. They didn't know it was a deal. Go figure.

[tractor]

Altmans work is some of the best of the show. His was gritty and focused on the characters more. Between Altman and Morrow they were the best I think

[Sgt Saunders]

Ok the Earl Parker photos answered it. It was in one of the extras in the Earl Parker photo extras a scene from Attack must have been slipped in by mistake

 

They did some realy creative editing on the series. Some of the episodes and recycled from other ones.

Did you ever wonder why Vick would be in some and Rick would not and vise-versa? Vick would hold out for more money. When he got it, they gave it Rick also. But Vick never knew. They were paid the same.