Forgotten TV: NERO WOLFE Pilot with William Shatner as Archie (1959)
Yep, here's the 28-year-old future Star Trekker, with Kurt Kasznar as Wolfe. Legend has it that more than one episode of this unsold series was filmed. So what happened to the rest?
Actually doesn't look that bad. Archie drinking milk, Wolfe beer, with a head & licking his lips. The tall pilsner glass looks odd, maybe because I don't recall any book cover/mag illustrator using one. The Fifties were big for pilsner glasses in beer adverts, which probably explains it. I don't believe the style of beer glass was ever specified in the books. Illustrators liked mugs & goblets; I disliked the steins with lids - Wolfe would consider the lids as useless encumbrances; besides, he hated Germans.
5 comments:
Shatner is about the last person in the world that I think of as Archie.
Actually doesn't look that bad. Archie drinking milk, Wolfe beer, with a head & licking his lips. The tall pilsner glass looks odd, maybe because I don't recall any book cover/mag illustrator using one. The Fifties were big for pilsner glasses in beer adverts, which probably explains it. I don't believe the style of beer glass was ever specified in the books. Illustrators liked mugs & goblets; I disliked the steins with lids - Wolfe would consider the lids as useless encumbrances; besides, he hated Germans.
I liked it, and it was an interesting take having Wolfe speak with an accent. He didn't look fat enough, though.
I agree...Kasnar far too slender. Of course, he'd have his own, more bubblegum, sf series not too long after ST, with LAND OF THE GIANTS.
William Shatner was so handsome at the time. I love him. One of the most charismatic actors of all times.
Post a Comment