ALL SCI-FI

[Eadie]

A rare behind the scenes photo of Warren Stevens and Robert Colbert.



It's from the episode One Way To The Moon.

[Pow]

What movie are those spacesuits from? I doubt that they were created for one episode of TTT.

[Bud Brewster]

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The space suits are from Destination Moon, right down to the coiled safety lines on the hips, and the control panels hanging from shoulder straps. The helmets have a few differences -- in fact they're actually better than the originals. They aren't as large, and the visor is convex instead of flat






Those suits have appeared in about a dozen movies. In fact, it would be fun to share photos from the various movies in which they've been used.
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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)

[Robert (Butch) Day]

For a list of the other movies and TV shows that had those spacesuits check-out Say, Hello Spaceman http://sayhellospaceman.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2015-02-04T16:00:00-08:00&max-results=7
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Common Sense ISN'T Common

[Bud Brewster]

Well gosh, Butch! That just took all the fun out of it!

Aw, that's okay. I'll put the fun back in with a few of the more interesting pictures at that great site, spiced up with my legendary wit! (Okay, how 'bout my mythical wit? My alleged wit? My imagined wit? My questionable wit?)

Anyway, here we go.

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Helmets seem unnecessarily large? Not at all! They don't put real air tanks on these prop spacesuits, and you can't have your promotional actors popping off their helmets when the air gets stale, so . . . big helmets hold lots of air! Ta-daaaa!



This next variation on the helmet is brilliant! They removed that annoying glass plate that fogs up when the wearer breathes on it -- or worse yet, it turns into a Jackson Pollack painting after one good sneeze!

Yeeee-yuke!



So they replaced the glass with a grid that generates a force field which keeps the breathing air inside -- but let's snot pass right through! Perfect!




"Next, mesdames et messieurs, we have these handsome gentlemen coming down the red-carpet wearing an attractive ensemble consisting of gayly colored spacesuits with matching helmets."

"No bulky air tanks clutter up these festive fashion statements, no sir! Since everybody at the party will be breathless when you're walking in . . . you should be, too!"





The director told the costume man he wanted bigger helmets, so he made 'em bigger. The director told him to make 'em white, so he made 'em white. The director insisted on scientific accuracy, so the air hoses are plainly displayed. And when he told the costume man he didn't want the actors to get dehydrated in the suits . . . he stuck beer cans on the sides and installed drinking tubes disguised as microphones!



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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)

[Pow]

The Time Tunnel set was one of the largest ever for any sf TV show.

I would think that the bridge set for the original Battlestar Galactica series was also quite a big set.

The visual effect for Tony & Doug going through time was,& remains,quite dazzling to this day.
Believe it won a technical award back in the day.

[Robert (Butch) Day]

The Tunnel entrance was 45 feet tall. It won two different technical Emmys.
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Common Sense ISN'T Common

[Krel]

[Pow]

I have been watching The Time Tunnel episodes recently.

Surprised to find the writing--generally--is better than I recalled. It by no means is equal to The Twilight Zone, The Outer Limits or Star Trek. However, for a Irwin Allen Production it ain't half bad.

As I've written before, Allen was a showman. He never was attempting to explore the intelligence or depth of sf as the creators of TTZ, TOL & ST were doing with their productions.

Allen classified his 4 sf tv shows as "running, jumping shows." Plots of substance with rich characterization were rarely attempted by him & he let his writers know it.

This approach has his sf tv shows in a fondly remembered category but the simplicity of his series has not translated into the power of the other shows I have mentioned here.

I read that of all his productions that Allen's favorite was TTT.

[Gord Green]

TIME TUNNEL, I think, was the BEST of Allen's shows. It had the most diverse story lines, but also the best cast.

And the sets and concept was groundbreaking!

[Pow]

I've been watching TTT episodes over the last few weeks & I am up to #24. I watched the show when it first aired back in 1966 but have not seen it again for years.

I did not recall that Tony & Doug had fistfights in almost every episode -- sometimes with one another -- other times with the villains. Sometimes they win, sometimes they do not. That was the exception & not the rule with our heroes on 60s tv. Any other tv series you could count on the leading cast to win any fistfights they were going to encounter. Not always true for Tony & Doug.

Even Kirk & Spock had episodes where they never had to throw a punch or pinch once.

Whoever the stunt doubles were for James Darren & Robert Colbert, they were assured of having plenty of work to do in every single episode.

[Pow]

I just watched on Youtube Irwin Allen's 1976 TV-Movie/Pilot "Time Travelers." And it is quite good.

Rod Serling writing the story & Jackson Gillis doing the teleplay accounts for the quality.

Allen's sci-fi productions usually did not strive to do more than entertain an audience. He did not care about scientific accuracy, complex characters, or topical issues.

As he was quoted once "My shows are running-jumping shows." He aspired to spectacular sets, dazzling visuals & loads of action.

So this movie that also served as a backdoor pilot comes as a pleasant surprise. The story is exciting & intriguing, the cast is wonderful.

I think its one of the best sf productions IA ever did in his career.

[scotpens]

[Bud Brewster]

[Pow]

You are quite right scotpens regarding the underwhelming set for the time machine in Time Travelers.

I'm not sure if Irwin Allen did that as a budget restraint, or he was going for a subtle look compared to his enormous & movie quality set from his Time Tunnel series?

Either way it backfired.

One imagines that if time travel was a reality that the power demands would be phenomenal in order to pull it off.

The Time Tunnel conveyed that feeling.

A room that looks like a normal office in any building filled with war surplus computers & a nondescript door was terribly disappointing.

I did appreciate their use of the NY sets from the big budgeted musical Hello Dolly as they were darn impressive looking to behold.

It gave the tv-movie an epic quality that shooting on just a regular studio backlot street could not have for the audience.

They filled it with plenty of extras to actually make it appear as a busy Chicago street. As opposed to only having a few extras walking around & we're scratching our heads wondering where the heck is everyone?

It was a nice--and logical--touch to see the time travelers bring along a mini-microscope & centrifuge for their mission. Not sure if those devices in such a miniature form actually existed in '76. It gave a cool futuristic touch to the proceedings.

I question though why I see this & other time travel tv shows/movies & they never seem to think that it would be a very good idea to have communication devices of some kind with them in case they get separated.
Which they usually do.

I also question as to how does a writer make such a concept work for a weekly tv show?

They establish that our leads cannot alter or change the past sequence of events for fear of how it could contaminate & spoil the present.
Much like Star Trek's General Order No#1 of non-interference upon less developed civilizations.

So then how do you maintain the integrity of such a rule without turning the leads into passive observers each episode?

Heroes who must remain non-proactive are hardly going to be compelling to watch for an audience.
They could choose to simply ignore the rule of not tampering with the timeline in any shape, way or form.

Then why have it at all?

However, as a one shot TV-Movie it was a fun ride.