12 O'Clock High TV series

I have heard of different reasons why Lansing was cut loose, from wanting more money or he didn't get along with the producer Quinn Martin from the start but found this article dated May 1965:

Accordingly ABC has renewed 12 O' Clock High for another year - but Lansing will not be back. Reason: The show moves from the current 10:00 pm Friday slot, to the 7:30 Monday time slot next season to appeal to a younger audience. According to ABC top brass they wanted more physical action leading the group, like someone younger. Problem was Paul Burke was two years older than Lansing.

Still another reason advanced was, "ABC does not feel the audience watching at that hour will identify with the lead character, a U.S. Air Force general. Consequently, Paul Burke has been signed on to star next season, playing a colonel." Yet when Quinn Martin offered Lansing the opportunity to remain with 12 O'Clock High next season, playing Paul Burke's wing commander, a character that would be of considerable dramatic importance but would appear only occasionally, Lansing refused.

"That's not what made me bow out," Lansing said. "When I realized what changes would be made in the show for that younger audience, I knew that 12 O'Clock High couldn't be the same quality show next year, and 12 hours a day is too long to work at something you don't like."

"I can't hate ABC," he says. "Hating a network would be like hating Dodger Stadium. Maybe I could be sore at the individual executive, but I have no idea who he is. My contract was with Quinn Martin, and he's the only man I've talked to. I can't be mad at Quinn either. He says it was the networks decision, and I have no evidence to make me doubt him."

 

Did you ever wonder what became of the main cast for show..here you go.

Robert Lansing - as B.General Frank Savage - died 1994 of cancer at 66
Paul Burke - as Colonel Joe Gallagher- died 2009 of leukemia/non-hodgkins lymphoma at 83
Frank Overton - as Major Harvey Stovall - died 1967 shortly after show ended of heart attack at 49
John Larkin - as Lt. General Wiley Crowe - died 1965 of heart attack filming first season at 52
Barney Phillips - as Major Donald "Doc" Kaiser - died 1982 of cancer at 68
Lew Gallo - as Major Joe Cobb - died 2000 of aortic aneurysm at 71
Paul Newlan - as Lt. General Bill Pritchard - died 1973 of congestive heart failure at 70
Andrew Duggan - as M.General Ed Britt - died 1988 of throat cancer at 64
Robert Dornan - as Captain Bob Fowler - still alive at 86
Chris Robinson - as T.Sgt Alex "Sandy" Komansky - still alive at 81

 

Some bad luck for actors in that series

 

I never noticed Pappy's ''fashion''
Charlie's Angels just started coming on TV where I am at, again...and they really show a lot-even for nowadays

 

wow
I keep watching it and Paul Burke seems to be captured a lot--and gets away!!

 

..he was very good in the mini-series Centennial .....good but not great other times
dang! I didn't know he passed away
..I used to watch Baa Baa Blacksheep all the time and intensely

 

Me too...always loved the shooting footage...

 

now Burke is personally coordinating with the Russians!!....he gets around the world

 

OMG! Jack Lord from Hawaii-Five-0 is in one episode--and he looks like he is in Hawaii!! hahahhahahhaha
.....he's got sunglasses on and some short green pajama ''robe''.......
.he plays some loser CO of a unit on an Italian airfield
hahahhahahaha

 

Have to say the women officers weren't bad looking..just watched "Appointment at Liege" with guest stars Gary Lockwood and Nancy Kovack...boy I'd take her up to 5,000 feet and...calm down.

 

......2 fairly big names there ....Burke was with the Russians in an episode I just saw and they had some nice Russian women.....these pilots sure got a lot of babes

 

well, the one I'm watching now --Fortress Wiesbaden--Burke is , again, behind the lines with a commando unit and meets this young lady, Christiane Schmidtmer--the pilots always get the girls:

 

Awhile back I had this old leather jacket hanging in the closet and decided to do a Twelve O' Clock High tribute uniform with it..the cap, shirt and tie are all WWII original period.

 

Fits right in with the thread. Nice job

 

Trying to remember if any individual was ever awarded the Medal of Honor during the show??..like in the classic movie by Lt. Bishop...seems like there were some recommendations for the DFC..just curious.

 

yes, adds to the atmosphere/etc

 

good question...has any show? they probably thought that would be a faux pas