Newspaper Clippings
Oregon City, Oregon

Coming soon on Ohio66:
“Starring George Maharis” - by Rick Dailey

Ohio66 presents an in-depth look at the circumstances surrounding the departure of George Maharis from route 66 in the middle of the third season.

preview Starring George Maharis

Route 66 TV Series To ‘Shoot’ Footage About July 26 Here

Sometime next fall the TV viewer will tune in to the “Route 66” series and he will see Buz Murdock and Todd Stiles hard at work in the Crown Zellerbach papermaking plant in West Linn.

And he will also see the familiar scenery of the tri-city sights: the Oregon City vertical elevator, probably Willamette Falls, the old but picturesque and still usable bridge between the two cities, Willamette Falls Locks, and possibly a score of others squeezed into the hour-long CBS series.

Buz Murdock is the stage name of George Maharis, and Todd Stiles, his TV cavorting partner is actually a man named Martin Milner. Forte of the series is a weekly change of scenery, with the two some shifting from one job to another weekly. They usually are cast as intellectual, hard-feeling but wandering workmen, who live through one emotional episode to another, aiding a damsel here, a pal there.  They might be stereotyped as dual Robin Hoods mounted on a sports car.

Two of the show's top men are due at the end of the week to talk over the script and its physical limitations at Crown Zellerbach.  John Benson, location representative, is expected Friday, and Stirling Silliphant, associate producer, is due soon thereafter, according to Barney Mullaney, Crown's supervisor of industrial and community relations.

A cast of 45-55 persons are due to start production July 26, with several days of “shooting” planned at the West Linn mill, and a week in the Oregon City area.  Mullaney, who has read the script, said there is a considerable amount of emphasis on the historical aspect of the tri-city area.  

The script is being checked by Crown to eliminate technical difficulties, and for suggestions, in order to prevent disruption of the plant's papermaking production.

Included in the script are scenes of bundle logs being towed to the mill, a lifting crane, cutting, slasher saws, chipping, and of papermaking departments such as the newsprint, which supplies paper for daily and weekly newspapers, and the telephone directory division, which produces the paper used in telephone books.  Another TV shot will include the scenic wooden walkways at the West Linn plant, Mullaney said.

“Route 66” is shown on KOIN-TV, and is a product of Lancer Productions by Hugh B. Leonard [sic], who has also produced Naked City, Rin-Tin-Tin, Bengal Lancers and others.

TV crews this week were in Astoria, making use of that city's canneries and Columbia River scenery for another "Route 66" show.

Oregon City Enterprise-Courier — July 18, 1962

Mobility Necessitates Agility For Unique Filming Company

Oregon City hosts this week the production of one of TV‘s most popular shows and making it, probably the most versatile production unit in the industry.

“No other producer has attempted such a beast!” according to Sam Manners, executive producer in charge of production for the Bert Leonard endeavor.

The accomplishment of the series requires a “studio on wheels,” which operates with a “minimum of equipment and a maximum of efficiency.”  Ability and compatibility among all workers is of absolute necessity, the executive emphasized, since the “studio” works 11 months to make the weekly hour-long series. (Other shows of the same length require only six mouths.)

Four trucking units make up the “studio.”  The basic unit is the grip and prop truck, which carries all electrical supplies and props.  Providing rest rooms, dressing area, and toting the wardrobe is the “honey wagon.”

Mysteriously called the “blue goose,” the third truck is used to transport the actual filming equipment -- camera and platform that raises and lowers; sound mechanisms, and a power plant capable of lighting two masterlights, which carry from 500 watts to 5000 watts.

And the fourth is the transport, employed to chauffer the Big Star and stand-in from location to location.  The Chevy Corvette and his twin brother have been twice replaced since the series began two seasons ago.  One of the two stack-ups happened right here in Oregon at Grants Pass.  September 1960 two boys were moving a vehicle when it skidded, at 60 MPH, into one of the many mountains in that area.

Luckily, the car bounced back onto the road, and neither passenger was seriously injured.  The manufacturer and co-sponsor of the program provides three of his automobiles for “Route 66” use.

In preparation for the filming of a sequence, locations must be first determined.  Three shows must be shot within a 100-mile radius in order to make the journey profitable. Manners said letters from cities all over the country are received. The selection is made, at least in part, from these letters.

Astoria was “Route 66s” original lure to Oregon.  Oregon City fit the bill for a small town near Portland with a rich historical background and was hence chosen.  Next there is a preliminary “scouting trip.”  It enables the executives to decide upon a script and localities for filming.  The second scouting trip is made with the writer. Then the location: are set up, still in preliminary stage, and details of the script refined.

One week in advance of the crew and actors, the location man, John Bensen, and the casting director, Bob Maharis travel to the scene and take care of the many procedures which are necessary, including setting up bank accounts, casting local actors, filing permits, and so on.

A “travel-work day” begins the operation for the rest of the company.  They leave their location move to the next, going right to work as soon as they arrive.  Details that must be handled include wardrobe cleaning, union settlements, setting up a dark room, providing food money for actors, paying hotel bills and others, and arranging a transportation channel to carry the film to Hollywood by the fastest route.

After the first work day has been completed, the company meets with Manners for a production meeting where problems are aired, and the schedule for the following day is set.

Then the “same routine is followed the next day, but with my other motto, be flexible.”  So much can determine the success or failure of a scene.  Weather, for example, is very important.

During the week filming is taking place in one area, Bensen and Maharis are working at the next location.  (They are now at Portland preparing for next week’s shooting there.)

Following the Oregon shows, the company moves to Chicago on Aug. 16.  Then they will go to Ohio, Kentucky, West Virginia, Tennesee [sic], Texas, and finally home for Thanksgiving.  A vacation lasting three weeks is scheduled then, through Christmas.  But with the new year, back to work they’ll go!

The job isn’t finished by any means, when the film leaves Oregon City.  There are still problems for editing, cutting, scoring, sound effects, and optics to deal with in Hollywood.

Actors and crew must comply with working conditions legally established in each state.  They are paid, Manners reported, at a rate of anywhere from $100,000* (for guest stars) an episode to $100 (for line-speakers) a day.

Saturday, the company will finish here at Oregon City and move -- actors and studio -- to Portland to film the sequence there.


* Since the entire budget for a “Route 66” episode was in the neighborhood of $100,000 it seems likely that the reporter misquoted or misunderstood Manners. Ohio66 has examined several guest star contracts, the highest of which was $6,000 paid to Tuesday Weld for her role in “Love is a Skinny Kid.” -- ed.

‘One Tiger To A Hill’ Telefilmed In Astoria

Seafare dock in Astoria is one of the more picturesque places in the state to be selected for filming a television show.  The Route 66 cast has spent the past week shooting “One Tiger to a Hill,” a story centered around Astoria’s fishing industry.

This week the television crews move to the Crown Zellerbach’s West Linn plant to shoot a paper mill story titled, “Across Walnuts and Wine.”  The following week’s show, to be shot in Portland, will be titled “Welcome to the Wedding,” with scenes centered around the Portland Zoo, Hillvilla restaurant and the railroad terminal.

When the Portland episodes are completed, crews and equipment will move to Chicago for three shows, then to Kentucky and Virginia.  They will finally get some time off Thanksgiving.

Tempo of the show is fast.  Actors do the scenes in short takes, quickly going over the few lines of dialogue just before the scene is shot.

Martin Milner, co-star of the KOIN-TV show, said the crew worked 49 weeks last year to shoot 36 episodes.  Shooting time, the crew tells you, averages six “impossible” days to eight “easy” ones.  They usually get every other Sunday off.

Milner was enthusiastic about the Hotel Gearhart where he and his family have been staying.  He termed it highly comfortable with a diversity of things to do.

He’s happy to be back in Oregon.  The Route 66 crew shot two shows in Grants Pass a couple of years ago.  “This state is nearly perfect when the weather is nice,” he said.

However, he remembers the Northwest in the winter, too.  “When I was a child in Seattle, I used to get sick of looking out the window and seeing a steady drizzle of rain.”

His great grandfather was one of the founders of Cottage Grove, he said, and used to ride horseback to the Legislature.  He lived in a cottage in a grove of oak trees.”

The Route 66 crew is proud of its baseball team, practices during the luncheon break, hopes to play a game in Portland Sunday.

Milner spent his three-week vacation this year sailing with his wife in a chartered 32-foot boat off Catalina.  “It was quiet and peaceful,” he recalled.

Preferences Told

Which Route 66 shows did he like best last year?  One shot in Philadelphia called “Thin White Line.”  And another shot in Gloucester which dealt with sailing.

David Janssen, who has just completed a motion picture with Debbie Reynolds, will return to Hollywood to start shooting a picture for Paramount.  He played the villain in the Astoria show, a disreputable fisherman who pursued beautiful blonde Laura Devon.

In the story, Buz Murdock and Tod Stiles arrive in Astoria in their Corvette, get a job on a fishing boat with Signe Hasso, who plays Laura’s mother.  The heroes have several fights with Janssen.

Said one of the  Astoria fishermen, watching a rehearsal of the fight scenes, “They should have had the cameras down on Main street last week.  They could have filmed one for real.”

Director David Lowell Rich very seldom had to shoot his scenes twice.  When some hammers sounded in the background to an intense dialogue between Signe Hasso and David Janssen, the sound man warned Rich about the interference.

“Leave it in,” the director ordered.  “I don’t know where it’s coming from, but it’s part of the authentic sound of this dock.”

Janssen was standing aboard a green boat, the “Steelhead,” with the wind blowing his hair.  Just before the take, someone whipped out a mirror and he brushed it back.

The cameras picked up a long shot of Signe striding purposefully along the weather beaten dock past picturesque fishing nets and ropes.  Although it was almost noon, fog still shrouded the headlands and gulls wheeled in the background against houses perched high on the hills.  A couple of dozen fishing boats and some weatherbeaten piling was included in the scene.

Back at the end of the dock, policemen shooed spectators out of camera range.  Half a dozen Astorian fishermen lounged along the dock railing.  “Just get those paper cups out of sight and we’ll be all ready,” said the director.

He raised his megaphone, shouted at the people in the background, “Extras -- action -- but don’t look at the camera.”  They all started moving in a business-like way.

At the command, “Quiet -- roll it -- background action,” Signe, wearing a blue sweater, moved easily through the group of men, pausing to look over the gray splintered railing at the bluish-green water and fishing boats below.

The Sunday Oregonian — July 29, 1962



SURROUNDED — Martin Milner, one of the stars of the Route 66 TV series currently shooting in the Oregon City area, is surrounded by admiring young ladies prior to the Route 66 - Oregon City softball game at Kelly Field Sunday night. The Route 66 team lost to Bob Gaittens’ Oregon City nine before a crowd estimated at some 3,000 fans.



Video ‘9’ Bills Oregon City Tilt

Softball talent — Hollywood style — will be served up for fans Sunday at 7 p.m. when television's “Route 66” cast opposes an all-star aggregation at Kelly Field in Oregon City.

Marty Milner, co-star of the “Route 66” series, will be at third base for the invading video club.  The remaining spots on the all-star team will be filled by “Route 66” personell, including production Executive Sam Manners.  George Maharis, who co-stars with Milner, will also make an appearance.

The video nine won both ends of an exhibition twinbill at Astoria last week before a crowd of more than 2,000

Oregonian — July 29, 1962



Oregon City Tips TV Stars

OREGON CITY (Special)—Shortstop Marty Milner, who doubles in more serious moments as a male lead, collected two for two and scored a run Sunday night but his effort was in vain as Oregon City defeated the touring Route 66 softball team, 5-3, at Kelly field.

Frank Oswald set the television team down with four hits and Frank Dierickz delivered three for four at the plate, a double and two triples, to key Oregon City's win.  A crowd estimated at 3,000 saw Route 66 absorb its first loss to an Oregon team after a pair of victories.

Route 66 ........... 100  002  000-3  4  0
Oregon City ..... 200  030  00x-5  8  0

Wasson and Katzman;  Oswald and Gatel

Oregonian — July 30, 1962



Route 66 crew shot interior scenes at old house at 916 Washington street in Oregon City again Tuesday.  Last Sunday they swarmed all over the River Queen as Walter Nutting invited them for lunch.  Duke Jackson interrupted a “liar’s poker” game to serve stuffed tomatoes and prime rib, but Nina Foche [sic] had her favorite, baked salmon.  En route back to Doric, Nina remarked that every other car she had seen in Oregon seemed to be red.  George Maharis bet that he could count more green than red cars before they reached downtown Portland.  Nina conceded defeat right after they passed state motor pool.  .  .

Oregonian — August 1, 1962



The Oregonian — Journal softball team, leaders in the Portland Metropolitan Softball Association, are sceduled to meet the touring stars of the popular television series Route 66, in an exhibition game at Normandale Park Sunday at 7:15 p.m.

The game was originally scheduled for Westmoreland Park but was moved to Normandale as part of a Sunday tripleheader.  The men’s teams will play between games of the Erv Lind Florists and the Whittier Gold Soz starting at 6 p.m.

Oregonian — August 3, 1962



“WE DON’T OBJECT to people watching us shoot Route 66, just as long as they don’t talk when the director calls quiet,” Sam Manners, executive in charge of Herbert Leonard Productions, said over coffee at the Doric, where most of the cast is staying.

Manners said that Route 66 shooting will continue in Oregon City through Monday, then move to Portland from Aug. 6 to 14th.  Title of Stirling Silliphant’s story, “Across Walnuts and Wine,” was derived from the European custom of serving nuts and wine at the end of meal.

Great majority of people watching show in production are cooperative, although occasionally someone will laugh nervously during a tragic scene, Manners said.  A small minority of young kids, usually trying to impress girl friends, will sometimes cause trouble.

Oregonian-Journal softball team will play Route 66 All-Stars at Westmoreland Park at 7 p.m. Sunday.

Oregonian — August 3, 1962

Behind the Mike

WHAT’S BUZ Murdock really like?  George Maharis moved the twin speakers of his elaborate stereo set out of the chairs and placed them on his portable refrigerator.  He moved a large cardboard box filled with his favorite records, sat down and gave his opinion of the character he plays on Route 66.

“Buz is a guy who, if he had lived under certain circumstances as a boy, would have been a fine, polished human being.

“But he turned out to be a rough, aggressive -- a man with a punch, but with a heart of gold behind it.  When necessary he can use a whip -- and that’s what I am myself.”

He reflected a moment, then continued.

“He’s a man of action, determination, movement.  He’s a diamond in the rough.  Try to polish him and you’re in trouble.

“You should never know what’s coming with this character.

“He’s predictably unpredictable.

“He’s organized to the extent of being disorganized.”

Does he have any trouble memorizing  lines?

“I don’t worry about words,” he replied.  “If I know what I’m talking about the words just fall into place.  If you memorize words, they’re like the pearls on a string.  Very bright but all in the proper place.

“I worry instead about the things that motivate a man to say a particular thing at a particular time.

“Some actors wait for cues.  That’s like putting a nickel into a slot machine.  Sometimes I’ll tease another actor by dropping the cue word into the middle of a sentence.  They’ll come gabbling away with the formula reply.”

How does he keep his spontaneity?

“I never play the end of a scene.  I do it from moment to moment as it happens.  If the actor doesn’t give me the reaction I want, I take him out of the scene.

“You can never let a wooden actor pull you down to his level.  You have to inspire him to do better instead, or else take him out.”

Does he have trouble with people upstaging him?

He doesn’t worry about people breaking in on his lines.  He just stands and looks at the actor, waits until the man stops.  “The longer he goes, the more foolish he looks, especially in the dramatic scenes.  You have to learn to use these people.  You have to realize they they [sic] aren’t actors, they’re egomaniacs.

“If you’re Sugar Ray Robinson and you’re in the ring with Joe Louis, you don’t try to outpunch him, you just get on your bicycle, and use him.  A man like that can only feed when he can get through to you.  When he can’t, he destroys himself.”

For the next couple of days, the Route 66 company will be shooting at 916 Washington Street in Oregon City.  Since they’re doing interior scenes in an old Victorian house, visitors can’t see too much action.  The streets for several bocks [sic] around are barricaded and all that’s visible in front of the house are the huge sound trucks with numerous TV lines snaking up across the lawn.

Mrs. Raymond Benski said that a week ago a man who had been driving around Oregon City asked if the Route 66 crew could use the house.  It’s been like a Person to Person visit ever since.

All her furniture was moved out of the living room and the props substituted.  A sign, “Psychic Reader,” was placed in her front door.

Whenever director Herbert Leonard calls “Quiet,” she takes the phone off the hook so it won’t ring during the take.  Her husband, trying to put up drapes in the kitchen, stands frozen on the ladder.

What Portlanders are taking part in this week’s production?

Bob Maharis has the list:  Gary Adams, Michael Opton, Diana Minor, Kathleen Classick, Kay Lopez, Linda Huntoon and Jeff Thomas.

Just by chance, during tryouts the speaking part went to Diana Minor, who is a 1951 graduate of West Linn high school, locale of the episode.  She’ll play a woman in a séance with Betty Field.

Oregonian — August 2, 1962



Oregon Journal - July 31, 1962

Top Photo:

VICTORIAN RESIDENCE of Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Benski, 916 Washington St., Oregon City, provides backdrop for latest CBS-TV “Route 66” sequence, “Across the [sic] Walnuts and Wine.” House is 68 years old. At right, one of special equipment trucks unloads props. Oregon City was picked because of “Americana” touch.



Middle Photo:

INSIDE BENSKI living room, Producer-Director Herbert Leonard, left, guides rehearsal between Robert Walker Jr. and Betty Field. Camera crews will film scenes inside hoes, but on Monday they filmed sequence inside Benski garage. Some furnishings are props. Other scenes were filmed at Crown-Zellerbach.



Bottom Photo:

HOT LUNCH is served buffet style on sidewalk outside Oregon City Episcopal Church. Here technicians as well as stars and supporting players take half-hour break. To rear of line are stars. Helping server, foreground, is “Doc” Ken Gillmore, cast “medic,” ex-Navy pharmacist’s mate and veteran of 30 years of movie making.



Oregon Journal - July 31, 1962

Oregon City Family Enjoys TV Making

Out of the blue one day some weeks ago, a stranger called at the Raymond Benski home at 916 Washington St. here. He explained he represented the producers of “Route 66,” the CBS-TV series, and that his firm wanted to use the Victorian styled dwelling for a sequence.

The 68-year-old, homey blue-grey house on a hill overlooking the Oregon City Hospital was rented for an undisclosed amount and Monday noon, the big “Route 66” equipment moved into position.

So far the experience has been both hectic and interesting for the Benskis, who were on hand with their two children, Raymond Jr., 8, and Alson, 6, as the army of television adventure-makers went into action.

The garage was transformed into a workshop set for James Dunn, the inventor, within a few minutes. There, behind the partially closed doors, Betty Field and Robert Walker, Jr. enacted a scene. Inside the Benski living room, Producer-Director Herbert Leonard, 35, rehearsed his players to iron out some fine points missed in the initial take.

Newspapermen and women, guided by the “Route 66” publicity manm hovered near for interviews. A hairdresser and a makeup man were ready to go into action as soon as Leonard finished his critique.

It was a madhouse, but planned that way.

“It's interesting,” Mrs. Benski told me as she stood on the kitchen porch. “They have the use of the living room, the dining room, the kitchen and the front bedroom. They have moved out some of my furniture and replaced it with stuff from a second hand store.

The house is supposed to be the residence of a psychic reader (Miss Field) and I guess they thought some of my furniture was too fancy. I even have a big printed sign in my front window.”

About 2 p.m. the chow call sounded — and the luncheon prepared by Herman De Bault was served buffet style in the Oregon City Episcopal Church recreation room.

Route 66 aficionados will have noticed several mentions in these articles of plans to film “Welcome to the Wedding” in Portland after “Across Walnuts and Wine” had wrapped when, in fact, these plans were cancelled and the episode was eventually shot in Cleveland.

In the opening scene of “Welcome to the Wedding,” Tod & Buz are scrambling in Cleveland’s Union Terminal to find the maid of honor who is arriving late on a train from Chicago. But in Howard Rodman's first draft of the script, the boys were working at Dreyfus Grain Elevators in Portland and they were just about to leave their jobs for the day.

Here is that opening scene as Rodman first envisioned it:


Welcome To The Wedding
By Howard Rodman

FADE IN:

EXT.  DREYFUS GRAIN ELEVATOR TOWERS & DOCK (PORTLAND, ORE.) - DAY

MOVING SHOT

A ship is loading at the dock.  We are in close at the stern, reading the name of the ship and the place of origin:  the ship is foreign - Indian, perhaps; or Japanese.  WE PAN, opening up a wider perspective as we watch the activity on the dock.  WE PAN, TILTING UP, TO CATCH THE ELEVATOR TOWERS FROM A LOW ANGLE.  (PLEASE PICK UP A WILD TRACK OF THE ACTUAL SOUND BACKGROUND AND SCORE IT IN HERE) OVER THIS MOVING SHOT, MOVING WITH THE CAMERA'S MOVEMENT, WE SUPERIMPOSE THE LEGEND:  PORTLAND, OREGON [city, state is penciled in — ed.], Saturday, July 14, 1962.  We leave the legend long enough to establish, then take it out.

HIGH ANGLE - FROM TOP OP GRAIN ELEVATOR - TOD looking down to a catwalk about halfway up one section of the elevators.  TOD is working there.  There are other workmen engaged on the same job.  CAMERA PANS.

FULL SHOT - PERSPECTIVE TO MATCH ANGLE FROM HEIGHT A OF CATWALK ON WHICH TOD IS WORKING - BUZ BESIDE THE FUNNEL WHICH DROPS GRAIN ONTO THE CONVEYOR BELT.  Buz watches, hand signalling [sic] the man on the tower at the winch to keep the grain coming.

CLOSE SHOT - GRAIN DROPPING ONTO CONVEYOR BELT

It drops and the belt turns and carries it away to disappear under the protective glavanized [sic] metal roof.

BUZ AND WORKMAN - ANGLE TO HOLD CATWALK

The noise level is high as the grain continues to drop.  A workman comes out along the catwalk and climbs up to stand beside Buz.  He taps Buz on the shoulder and when Buz turns toward him, he shows Buz the wristwatch which he wears so that the face of the watch is on the inside of his wrist.  He taps the watch face with a finger to draw Buz' attention to it.  Buz looks and reacts to the fact that he is late for sure.  He slaps the workman's shoulder by way of thanks, moves out of the Frame as he starts back along the catwalk.  The workman grins.  The noise level is too high for us to hear, but we see his lips form the words as he shouts after Buz.

WORKMAN

Have a good time!

ANGLE TO HOLD BUZ

As he moves back along the catwalk beside the conveyor, moving toward the dock on the run.

TOD AND OTHERS ON CATWALK - MEDIUM GROUP

Tod's back is to the dock.  One of the other workmen is faced so that he can look down and see Buz, Offscreen at this angle.  He taps Tod and signals Tod to look down toward Buz.  Tod turns and looks down.

BUZ - HIGH - TOD'S POV

Buz is running along the dock, signalling [sic] Tod to get going with a wild motion of his arm.  Buz is moving toward the building in which the men change clothes.  Now, moving toward Buz is a group of workingmen, and as they come toward him, Buz, still on the dead run, begins to strip, handing his hard hat to the first man to come up to him, then beginning to unbutton his shirt.  The entire group moves in a clump toward the building in which the men change.

TOD - MEDIUM CLOSE

He reacts.  He begins to move, himself.

LOW ANGLE - TO FEATURE TOD

as he comes down the ladder which gives access to the dock, coming down toward us until his bulk blacks out the entire Frame.

INT.  LOCKER ROOM AND ENTRANCE TO SHOWER ROOM - DAY

MOVING SHOT

Which follows along the trail of Buz' clothing, moving through a cluster of men gathered around the lockers and doing something there, although what they are doing we cannot see for their bodies interpose.  Camera is carrying us toward the shower room entrance.  Buz comes out, wet and wrapped with a towel around his middle, grinning; as Tod, grinning, dry, a towel wrapped around his middle, comes into the shot from the edge of the Frame, moving into the shower room.

BUZ

We gonna make it?

TOD

It's close! Close!

Buz, moving out toward us, blanks out the entire screen.

MOVING SHOT

We are in very close on a Workingman at one of the lockers.   CAMERA IS PULLING BACK.  Workingman turns, a shirt held ready in his hand for someone to get into it.  CAMERA PULLS BACK QUICKLY, WIDE ENOUGH TO INCLUDE BUZ, NOW.  Buz slips into the the [sic] shirt as more workingmen move into the shot to begin buttoning it.  The workingmen move between Buz and us, their broad backs blanking out the entire screen.

FULL SHOT - TO FEATURE TOD

sitting on a bench in formal pants, buttoning his shirt, as two workingmen try to get his shoes on his feet.  He stands, still buttoning the shirt, stepping hard on the shoe at the same time, trying to get it on.  CAMERA PANS TO BUZ, buttoning his Tux jacket as someone finishes tying the bow tie for him.  TOD MOVES INTO THE FRAME, someone putting on his jacket and now we see that both boys are dressed in formal attire.  The other workingmen step back as Buz and Tod strike a vaudeville stance for an instant.

BUZ

Introducing -- Murdock and Stiles --

TOD

Songs, jokes, and wily patter!

BUZ

Quick change artists extra-ordinaire!

Someone stuffs a handkerchief into his jacket pocket.

TOD

Gentlemen, we thank you one and all.

We'll see you Monday morning --

Tod glances at his watch.  Buz glances at his watch.  Still in vaudeville style, Tod makes a flourishing gesture for Buz to go first.  Equally polite and flourishing, Buz gestures Tod to go first.

TOD

After you, Mr.  Murdock.

BUZ

After you, Mr.  Stiles.

They lock arms and start out in a vaudeville time step.  The other workingmen laugh.  Tod and Buz are gone, out of the room and the other workingmen begin to pick up their work clothes and stuff it into their lockers.

BUZ VOICE (OS)

Hey --!

All heads turn toward Buz' Voice.

ANOTHER ANGLE - TO FEATURE BUZ AND TOD

As they come back into the locker room on the dead run.

BUZ

The flowers!

TOD

What'd we do with the flowers?

There is a scramble of action.  Someone runs to one of the lockers, and someone else to another locker.  Now, from out of these lockers come what look like two lunch pails.  CAMERA MOVES IN AS THE GROUP MOVES IN.  We see the lunch pails opened.  Dry ice is removed from the top layer.  Now, from out of the pails comes a carnation for Buz and one for Tod, immediately thrust into the buttonholes of the jackets; and from the other pail come two corsages - one of each of these is thrust at Buz and one at Tod.

BUZ

(To one and all) -

What would we ever do without you ?

Again, Buz and Tod move out.

...

CBS TELEVISION NETWORK
Program Practices, Hollywood

Date: July 16, 1962

To: Lancer Productions, Inc.

Attn: Mr. Selmer Chalif (3)

Re: ROUTE 66 “Across Walnuts and Wine”

Received: July 13, 1962

The above script is herewith approved for presentation on the CBS Television Network, with the following exceptions:

Page 1:   Here and elsewhere please avoid excessive commercial identification of the Crown Zellerback Paper Company.

Page 3:   Please avoid commercial identification at the bus terminal.

Page 15:  Inasmuch as AUTUMN is characterized as a person of excessively fervent religious zeal bordering on fanaticism, we ask that you avoid making her a member of any specific religious denomination.  The references to “Father Thomas” and to “confession” characterize her as a Catholic and we ask that these be changed.  The same applies to VAN’s reference to her “Rosary” and her “Missal” on page 34.

Page 48:  For the above reason please change the references to “Hail Marys,” “Holly Name,” and “Sacred Heart;” also, MIKE’s reference to “Priests” on Page 49 and AUTUMN’s reference on page 58.

Page 52:  If Stirling insists upon including the somewhat tired joke, the town of Pawtucket is located in Rhode Island and not Massachusetts.

Thank you very much for your cooperation.

cc: Mr. Boris Kaplan

Please submit revised pages for approval. Final approval is based on completed film.

WM. K. TANKERSLEY

Director, Program Practices, Hollywood

By: (signed by Charles C. Pettijohn)

Editor

Nothing contained in this report shall affect CBS Television’s rights. if any, against the producer, the sponsors, or its or their advertising agency or agencies, to be indemnified against the claims, demands or courses of action of third parties arising out of the broadcasting or other use of material referred to herein.

If you are a Route 66 fan, please consider joining the discussion group at:

groups.io Route 66 TV

Ohio66 Home Ohio66 Home...