"McHale's Navy" (1962) TV series 1962-1966

User Rating:

7.6/10   

Writers:

John C. Champion (writer)
Sam Denoff (writer)

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4

Release Date:

11 October 1962 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | War

Tagline:

Batten down the hatches!

Plot:

The misadventures of a misfit PT Boat crew during World War II.

Plot Keywords:

Navy | Prisoner Of War | Gambling | US Navy | Con Artist

Awards:

Nominated for 5 Primetime Emmys. Another 1 nomination

Cast

Ernest Borgnine	...	Lt. Cmdr. Quinton McHale (138 episodes, 1962-1966)
Joe Flynn	...	Capt. Wallace B. Binghamton / ... (138 episodes, 1962-1966)
Tim Conway	...	Ensign Charles Parker (138 episodes, 1962-1966)
Carl Ballantine	...	Lester Gruber (103 episodes, 1962-1966)
Gary Vinson	...	George 'Christy' Christopher / ... (103 episodes, 1962-1966)
Billy Sands	...	Harrison 'Tinker' Bell / ... (103 episodes, 1962-1966)
Edson Stroll	...	Virgil Edwards / ... (103 episodes, 1962-1966)
John Wright	...	Willy Moss / ... (102 episodes, 1962-1966)
Yoshio Yoda	...	Fuji Kobiaji / ... (102 episodes, 1962-1966)
Bob Hastings	...	Lt. Elroy Carpenter / ... (94 episodes, 1962-1966)
Gavin MacLeod	...	Joseph 'Happy' Haines / ... (56 episodes, 1962-1964)

Also Known As:

"McHale's Men" (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

30 min (138 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

New Zealand:G | Australia:G | USA:TV-G

Filming Locations:

CBS Studio Center - 4024 Radford Avenue, Studio City, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Sto-Rev-Co Productions

Trivia:

McHale often referred to his men as "8 balls". The men referred to him as "Skipper" or "Skip".

Quotes:

Lieut. Comdr. Quinton McHale: Stall em! I don't care how you do it but stall 'em!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Horror of Party Beach (#9.17)" (1997)

Guilt-Free Fun !

"McHale's Navy" manages to present THE PERFECT take on "War-Time Comedy", (eclipsed only by "M*A*S*H"). Some may point to "Hogan's Heroes" as being superior, but while I enjoyed that as a kid, nowadays I cannot get past "Hogan's Heroes"' simple-minded take on The Nazis and sugar-coated fantasy prison camp setting. The Nazis were NOT simple-minded, easily-fooled buffoons, and "Hogan's Heroes" is an insult to the ordeals endured by every Allied POW in WW2.

McHale's Navy" on the other hand,never insults the intelligence of The Viewer by taking too many broad liberties with history. The Japanese in Mchale's Navy are a serious enemy,(save for the harmless "Fuji" the escaped POW given shelter by McHale and Crew).

In "McHale's Navy", The REAL Enemy is..... THE BRASS!

That's where honest War-Time Comedy is meant to derive from,and where it is at it's best. When you spotlight the overly- officious asininity of The Higher Ranks, you get Genuine Comedy. It's a Truth that Ernie Pyle, Bill Mauldin, Floyd Gibbons and Richard Hooker understood; and that Truth is showcased no where better than in "McHale's Navy".