UPDATE: Tossed in another classic at the end and a comment in the middle
Who the hell is Leonid Kinskey?
I ask because, via RightWingProf, I learn that Jonah Goldberg is linking to some youtube clips of classic TV intros. Wow. Except for a few later ones, it's a trip down memory lane.
Pretty cool. Have a look. But the one that got me was watching "Hogan's Heroes". Seriously, who the hell is Leonid Kinskey? He's in the opening credits of the pilot, as are all the other regulars from the earliest several seasons except Larry Hovis (who has died, BTW, how come nobody told me?) but that seems to be the only episode he was ever in. I've never seen it but it would be a trip to do so.
Anyway, here is that intro, with one of the coolest theme songs from 60s TV:
UPDATE: Here's a later (color) version. Another one I remember I can't find; the clip of Larry Hovis ended with his eyes getting wide as he realizes he's just about to blow himself up with the chemicals he's mixing (and I do, indeed, remember that episode). Damn. I think I know what I'll be looking for on my next Borders run.
And BTW, if anyone can come across a version of "The Odd Couple" with the original spoken introduction (both versions), please drop it in the comments. I'm putting it as I remember it below the fold. Think of them as you watch that clip:
On November 13th, Felix Unger was asked to remove himself from his place of residence. That request came from his wife.
Deep down, he knew she was right. But he also knew that someday he would return to her.
With nowhere else to go, he appeared at the home of his [childhood] friend, Oscar Madison. Several years earlier, Madison's wife had thrown him out, requesting that he never return.
Can two divorced men share an apartment without driving each other crazy?
Note the bracketed word. Can't find a link to back it up, but I am dead certain that word was in the intro the first season, then dropped. A later episode had Felix and Oscar meeting for the first time as adults but I forget the exact circumstances. It was, after all, more than thirty years ago, before many of you in the vast readership were born. Anyway, please drop a link or comment if you have any light to shed on this vastly important topic.
UPDATE: Here's that other classic. I never actually watched the show except for bits and pieces here and there, but it looked pretty good. Played very tongue-in-cheek. And the intro is great:
Posted by Ken S at January 31, 2008 07:23 PM | TrackBack (0) |"Hogan's Heroes" did have the best opening of any TV show when I was a little kid...until the opening for "Hawaii Five-O" came in and kicked its ass. Well, topped it.
As for Leonid Kinskey, I had to use IMDB to see what that was all about. It turns out I saw that episode not too long ago. I often work from home now and have the TV going in the background. A local station reruns "Hogan's Heroes" at 4:00 P.M. weekdays and that episode was on recently(they rerun at 4:30 also, but that conflicts with "Jeopardy" on another channel. I don't think so). I didn't realize that it was the pilot though, and IMDB says it was black and white, but I'd swear I saw it in color. Not sure if whoever owns it now colorized it or if I'm mistaken. Kinskey played the role of a German spy posing as an American aviator who had been shot down. Predictably, hijinks ensue.
An answer to your "Odd Couple" question is here. And thank you, this now completes the requirements for my life badges in both fossilhood and geekdom.
Posted by: Dave E. at January 31, 2008 08:33 PMFossil geek. Welcome to my world, man.
Posted by: Ken S, Fifth String on the Banjo of Life at January 31, 2008 08:58 PMOK, Ken, since I watched "The Wild, Wild West" almost as fanatically as I watched "Star Trek" (the ORIGINAL version, mind you)*, there's a later version of the "Wild, Wild West" introduction. It's in color, and James West belts the lady when she tries to knife him.
==================================
*: And I loathed the movie, BTW. Gag!
Heh, I checked YouTube, there's only the first show introduction posted there. It ran from 1965 to 1969, and shifted into color in the second season (IIRC).
Sincerely, Another Fossil Geek.
Posted by: The_Real_JeffS at February 1, 2008 06:51 AMYeah, I had remembered him whapping her too. I actually like this one better, where she just kinda swoons.
Posted by: Ken S, Fifth String on the Banjo of Life at February 1, 2008 07:02 AMIIRC, as "The Wild, Wild West" progressed through each act of a show, the end of the last scene would replace one of those panels that's shown in the opening. They would do that just before they went to commercial.
Posted by: Dave E. at February 1, 2008 07:18 AMYep, Dave, that's just how it worked. Kinda like acts for a play on stage.
Posted by: The_Real_JeffS at February 1, 2008 08:14 AMI thought the name Leonid Kinskey sounded familiar. Because Yvonne, I love you.
(IMDb only shows him as being in one episode of Hogan's Heroes, so I don't know why he'd have been in the opening credits.)
Posted by: Joel, Perpetrator of Overpopulation at February 1, 2008 10:16 AMWoops! I hadn't read Dave's coment before I said that.
Posted by: Joel, Perpetrator of Overpopulation at February 1, 2008 10:18 AMAll (or mostly) good, but the theme from MASH is from the original movie not the TV series.
Posted by: Zendo Deb at February 3, 2008 07:45 AMYeah, I noticed that too. But I love the song.
Posted by: Ken S, Fifth String on the Banjo of Life at February 3, 2008 02:02 PM