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From Movie to Television Series
by Guy Belleranti
A number of the television programs in the 1950’s and 1960’s were adaptations of earlier released motion pictures.
Among these TV shows were several that featured a boy and his “pet”. For example:
The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin (1954-1959) and
Lassie (in various versions from 1954 to 1974) both focused on dogs. Rin Tin Tin first appeared in movie form in the 1922 silent film
The Man From Hell’s River. Later films followed including 1947’s
The Return of Rin Tin Tin. Lassie, meanwhile, also was the star of many films, with the most famous being
1943’s Lassie Come Home.
My Friend Flicka was another boy/pet success. Both the television series (1956-1957) and the movie (1943) had the same title. And interestingly, the movie starred a young Roddy McDowell, just like the 1945 film Lassie Come Home.
Flipper, about two boys, their father and a dolphin, was a 1963 movie and then a TV series from 1964 to 1968. Luke Halpin starred in both big screen and television versions as Flipper’s primary young friend, Sandy Ricks.
Westerns, adventure series, crime dramas and more were also adapted from the big screen into television programs. Among them were:
The
Virginian/The Men From Shilo (1962-1971). This television series had several earlier big screen versions, including a 1929 talkie starring Gary Cooper.
Broken Arrow, (1956-1960) featured Michael Ansara as the great Apache Chief Cochise and John Lupton as his white friend Tom Jeffords. The 1950 film version, also titled Broken Arrow, starred Jeff Chandler and James Stewart.
Disney’s Zorro (1957 to 1959) had numerous versions in both the silent and sound eras. A 1920 silent movie version titled The Mark of Zorro starred Douglas Fairbanks, and the 1940 sound film of the same name featured Tyrone Power. The TV series had Guy Williams playing the hero.
The TV series The Adventures of Robin Hood
(1955-1960) came to America from England. Like Zorro, it was preceded by a number of motion picture versions both silent and sound, most notably the Errol Flynn classic The Adventures of Robin Hood in 1938.
Naked City (1958-1963) an innovative New York City police drama filled with good character studies was inspired by the 1948 semi-documentary film The Naked City.
I Remember Mama the television series (1949-1957) began shortly after the 1948 motion picture I Remember Mama. Both were very good, though few episodes of the mostly live filmed TV program remain.
Finally, there were several 1960 TV series that sprang from earlier films:
Gidget (1965), starring Sally Field, was from the 1959 Sandra Dee film of the same name.
Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (1964-1968) came soon after 1961 motion picture.
The Ghost and Mrs. Muir (1968-1970), meanwhile, came 21 years after the classic film starring Rex Harrison and Gene Tierney.
There may be other ‘50-’60 era television programs that came from movies as well, however these are some I remember. And then, of course, there is the other side of the spectrum - the many films directly inspired from 50-60 TV shows, films like
The
Fugitive, The Adams Family and the
Superman series. These, however, are better left to another article.
more articles by Guy Belleranti
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