Vic Morrow question

[movielover11]

It would have been great to see Vic Morrow starring in a film with Marlon Brando.

[newclassicfilmfan]

Yes, I think Brando was the greatest. I think Brando with Morrow would have made for an excellent film. Actually, Brando with anybody would have made an excellent film.

[movielover11]

I think on Dec. 22nd, TCM is showing Blackboard Jungle. A great film. Some of the kids looked too old to be students - such as Sidney Poitier, who looked like he could play the teacher.

[dpompper]

Morrow, Brando and meeeee would have been the perfect combination!

[Mythoughts]

 

I have to catch up on all these threads. Some great discussions. Vic Morrow was one of the best actors. I loved to look at that craggy face with the deep lines. He was sorta sexy looking, not sure if anyone else felt the same way, but that's the way I thought about him.

 

 

[dpompper]

You're not alone in these sentiments, Mythoughts. There are a few of us on here who admire Vic's acting and the way he looks on screen. I've been watching Season 5 of "Combat!" in color. Lovely to see his blue eyes sparkle!

[Mythoughts]

To Dpompper: I'm glad I wasn't the only person who finds him sexy looking. I actually have seen the Combat episodes and the DVDs and recall the color episodes which I believe were the last season of the show. My dad loved that show, and then I saw it and liked it too. I liked the black and white episodes of that show the best primarily cause I felt it reflected the "grittiness" of the subject matter. I think Vic Morrow didn't agree with it being done in color either. Yes, he did have sparkling blue eyes as I recall. I just thought this guy had some type of charisma. He was a cool dude back then. Even when I first saw him in Blackboard Jungle, he had that toughness about him in that film, but I did see the handsome face behind that tough look. Then when he came onto Combat television show, I thought he was just about the coolest thing. The mouth, the walk, the blue eyes, blonde hair, the way he talked. For this lady, he was definitely eye candy. I like this thread and glad it's still an active discussion.

 

Edited by: Mythoughts on Dec 22, 2012 10:43 AM

 

Edited by: Mythoughts on Dec 22, 2012 10:44 AM

[dpompper]

 

<The mouth, the walk, the blue eyes, blonde hair, the way he talked. For this lady, he was definitely eye candy.>

 

 

Oh, yeah!

 

 

 

 

 

[movielover11]

Another vote for "eye candy" from me too!. By the way, I saw Blackboard Jungle on TCM last night - in the wee hours of the morning. Great film. I read that Vic Morrow beat established stars like Steve McQueen and John Cassavetes for the part of Artie West. He was an unknown at the time, he came with no appt. to the audition, no Agent and no money for lunch - and he got the role.

 

Edited by: movielover11 on Dec 23, 2012 6:59 AM

[Mythoughts]

I just saw Vic Morrow as guest star on the Rifleman last Saturday on AMC. Great episode. Vic Morrow should have been in more feature films, as the lead. He was that good. I think he liked directing and camerawork as well.

[dpompper]

 

I agree, mythoughts. As you probably know, he directed a handful of episodes of Season 5 of "Combat!" The DVD collection commentators suggest that Vic Morrow thoroughly enjoyed and was more than capable behind the camera as well as in front of it.

 

 

Last night I watched the disk with the episode, "Furlough." It was the first time in 5 seasons of episodes that Sgt. "Chip" Saunders was scrubbed up and wearing his uniform (not sure what the official non-combat fatigues Army uniform is called). With washed hair and scrubbed face (and in color) . . . Wow! Vic Morrow was astonishingly handsome. Hard to believe he wasn't offered more leading roles in feature films.

 

 

[movielover11]

Vic Morrow also directed some Combat episodes prior to Season Five, one of which was a two-part "Hills are for Heroes" which was a great episode. He had some handheld camera work in that episode that was really first time stuff for that time period.

 

I remember the episode in Season 5 called "The Furlough". As I recall, Vic Morrow (Sgt. Saunders), falls in love with a character played by Carol Lawrence. She runs an orphanage and Morrow had to deliver some money to the orphanage for a fellow soldier who had passed away. While there, they had to hide in a shelter and Morrow helped repair the damaged parts of the orphanage. He was so handsome and in the color episodes, his hair and blue eyes really stood out.

 

Note: one of the children in the orphanage who can't speak is Christine Baranski who is currently an actress. Another kid is John Walmsly who later played in the Waltons.

 

I sure hope TCM can feature his films in some sort of tribute day. Seems there are quite a few posters who like him, such as me.

 

Edited by: movielover11 on Dec 24, 2012 10:57 AM

 

Edited by: movielover11 on Dec 24, 2012 11:01 AM

[Geminigirl]

Add to that the sexy, brooding demeanor that he always seemed to have. Even as a little girl I thought he was hot......................

 

Edited by: Geminigirl on Dec 24, 2012 11:31 AM

[dpompper]

Couldn't agree more, geminigirl. He was my very first celebrity crush.

[movielover11]

I, too, loved his sexy, brooding demeaner. Something about his walk turned me on too. His shoulders were slumped and he had this type of swagger that was sexy looking.

[Geminigirl]

And his daughter is equally as talented. She is one of my top faves. She has such range. She actually made a film in my hometown called Washington Square, a remake of The Heiress. I did not live in the area where they did most of the filming at the time, but now I live around the corner from where they shot a few scenes. It's interesting what she did with the character of Catherine Sloper; totally different from de Havilland, but she is fantastic, as usual.

[newclassicfilmfan]

I like her best in "single white female". Her other roles never appealed to me and half the time she keeps her mouth too tightly clenched to understand her.

[movielover11]

I saw some of her films. Have you seen her in Road To Perdition and one called Delores Clairborne with Kathy Bates? Those were pretty good films. There are times though when her mouth seems to be sealed shut by crazy glue. :^0 Back to Vic Morrow, it's strange how he never really gave many interviews, I think there is only 1 interview which is on youtube. Guess he was very private.

[dpompper]

I think I've seen the ONE interview to which you refer -- a smoking-on-TV Vic Morrow talks about squibs.

 

 

 

Interestingly, I just watched a special feature on the very last disk of the Season 5 collection. The commentator notes that Vic Morrow demanded $10,000 per episode toward the end of "Combat's" run when other cast members (but not Rick Jason) were receiving $1,200 or so. It made me chuckle because what was it cast members of "Seinfeld" and "Friends" were making in the last seasons -- a cool million per episode each?!

 

 

 

Even though LOTS has changed over the years, we "Combat!" diehards have a deep appreciation for fine acting and wish we'd had the opportunity to see more of Vic Morrow in films.

 

Edited by: dpompper on Dec 26, 2012 12:50 PM

[movielover11]

I agree Dpompper. They deserved to be paid a lot for the work they did in Combat (which was physically taxing). I wouldn't pay a dime to Seinfeld and Friends "fluff". Combat is way better.

 

Yes, that's the interview I was referring to. The one where he smokes and talks about the squibs. There is a second part to that interview, but it's not posted on youtube. You can see the interview in it's entirety on the Combat DVD extra features.

[leobertucelli]

Say I was thinking why not have an evening of the series 'COMBAT" ---and the perfect time would be on a Sunday, instead of showing those damn silent films. ThESE are the time when I wish I had RO;s email address. If anyone out there has it can u please giv e it to me. Thank you and why not petition TURNER to show "COMBAT" Or do we have to go to combat to get them to show this fine series! ....

[newclassicfilmfan]

I like that idea. Combat was a great show, although I don't know if TCM would show television programs instead of classic films. I'd vote "yes" to any movie or show that has Vic Morrow starring in it. I'm always curious as to why TCM never shows the films: Portrait of a Mobster, Hell's Five Hours and a few others from his earlier years.

[Mythoughts]

If we all put those films on "suggest a film", do you think TCM will show them?

 

 

[dpompper]

 

It doesn't hurt to try.

 

 

Mythoughts, you're on point. I'll take up the rear.

 

 

[Mythoughts]

Suggest a Film doesn't work for me, it keeps asking me to log in and I'm already logged in. So if anyone wants to recommend these films, please do.