I'm amazed and pleased that a show in the early 60s would showcase Black actors. That had to be quite a breakthrough at the time. Good work on the producers to make this happen in 1961 in the US.
Back when I was in film and TV production in college one of the first things that we were taught was you have to take your audience on a journey, kind of like a roller coaster ride with the ups and downs being the audience's emotions. That was how you got them involved in the story you were telling. So many of the Route 66 stories did this to me as a young boy and years later even more so .
What a sweet episode. Nothing in the least bit dated. It seemed so real, not just because of the acting which was excellent, but in the end isn't human relationships and love of beauty that matters in life?
I remember this episode from way back when (1961?). I was about 17 at the time, watching it with my parents. At the end we were all in tears, Guess what--over 50 years later, here I am, in tears.
I love the line, "You can't get six out of six." It really seems that life is like that. Sometimes you can get all, but that's rare. Love the warmth, wisdom and compassion of an old black lady. I'll have to read up on Ethel Waters to catch up on her history. I was a child when this show aired and did not yet appreciate this kind of social messaging.
This show had some of the best writing . Many of the episodes were written by Stirling Sylliphant , a master writer. I was a teen during this period , which was the real Golden Age of television , with shows like Rt 66, Outer Limits, Twilight Zone, One Step Beyond, Ozzie and Harriet (with Ricky Nelson). Now its all garbage : stupid shows and even more stupid commercials every 3 minutes. I got rid of my cable more than 10 years ago. My TV set is just for watching my collection of over 200 films and some great programs , which I have on dvd. Rt 66 is one of them.
When I was growing up in Pittsburgh in 1961, I saw a lot of movie equipment when I was on the trolley going past the Coston Funeral Home. I had no idea what was going on until I saw the episode Goodnight Sweet Blues when it aired months later that year. Wow, was it fun to watch! This episode was one of my early influences of jazz. Pretty cool!
I have my dental cleaning and exam every six months, and the lady that helps me, in from Pittsburgh and any bit ole-school....Pirates/Steelers/Penguins/and the city.....look for to talking and hearing about the Steel city ....and this route 66 showing.....👌
Ethel Waters this time !! Wow !! Great stars to be found sprinkled throughout Route 66. What an unparallelled TV series !! I dare any producer now to come up with anything as good.
Corky Lee Kids need the love of God? "your children will die at birth or perish in the womb." "I heard the LORD say ... 'Kill them all - old and young, girls and women and little children'." "at midnight the LORD killed all the firstborn sons in the land of Egypt" "I will release wild animals that will kill your children" "Their little children will be dashed to death ... They will have no mercy on helpless babies and will show no compassion for the children." Of course, this is all taken out of context. If you read these quotes in context, it will be clear how just the Lord is. Because these are the children of people who have pissed off God. And everyone knows that children deserve to be brutally killed for their parents' offences. What a just, compassionate, merciful, loving God! Yes, children need His love! On second thought, I'd rather put my child in the care of a pedophile. At least the pedophile isn't likely to kill my child.
@@elijahhaswings1588 "please read beyond the Old Testament" This is like a lawyer defending a man who has admitted to beating his children until they were a bloody pulp saying, "Oh, but look beyond his brutal beatings. He often read nice bedtime stories to his children!"
Those were the days, I was born just a few years later. Martin Milner was also in Adam 12. He was just about 30 in this episode. Rest in Peace, he just passed last year. Why can't they make shows like this now...
One of the greatest Route 66 episodes - and I think it won an award. The music, the acting, the writing, the guest stars from the jazz world - just fantastic. I’ve watched this 1961 episode many times and the first moments, the way that sad, poignant yet buoyant music works with the guys in the car coming out of the tunnel just gets me.
Our lovely Pittsburgh is no where near the freak Route 66 but the Burghers turned out in masses to see this show filmed in our wonderful city with these very popular actors!
I saw this today. It was the first time I've ever seen Ethel Waters perform anything. I've always heard of her and I've seen her pictures. This was great. By the end of this episode I was in tears.
Ashley of Ashley Says So brought me here. Prior to viewing her video featuring Ethel Waters, I had no idea that she had ever appeared on Route 66. Ethel Waters was a true talent. May she rest in peace.
Seems like yesterday they were filming this in Pittsburgh. 50 years!! The cast stayed downtown in the Hilton and I got to meet George Maharas. Miss Waters voice is still so clear! What a wonderful memory for me! Even though some of the other scenes were supposed to be other cities, they were all Pittsburgh.
I remembered watching this when it first aired. I cried then and now, so beautiful. It's a real piece of history. Thank you so very much for posting!!!!
I'm so glad that I came across this episode again. I saw part of this one other time, and the performance of the great Ethel Waters made it very special! The best of all the Route 66 episodes!
I was 6 years old when this episode aired on television. MeTv play a lot of old television series like Route 66. With all the depressing things going on right now in the United States, I miss the old days. Not so much segregation or racism. Now there's too much confusion in the United States with multiculturalism. Black Americans have contributed a lot to this country they help to built. Now Hispanics and others are able to come here because black Americans paved a way for them to be here, and they forget very quickly. Martin Milner died last year. I enjoyed seeing him in Adam 12 as well.
Carlos Bright - I was 8 in 1962 and remember watching this show on Friday nights at 8:30 . I got to stay up " late" to see it ! You are right about the USA being in a mess . Our government has done a dismal job the last 35 years. Our American culture and heritage means nothing to politicians. Best wishes to you ...🌾
Thank you for this. This is the episode I remember the most because I am a fan of Ethel Waters. I wished I could see it every day! I like the comment she makes to Buz while he's comforting her in the car: "That mad on you had when you opened the door. I could feel the sparks coming off you when you opened the door." This is such a special story. I happened to find it while looking for the music & lyrics to George's song "Love Me As I Love You", which I had played at my wedding in 1970.
Anyone noticed that there wasn't any racial tension, even when these young carefree travelers almost had a head on with this out of controlled black elderly lady. Who turns their focus around into helping her with her very cool last wish...which everyone should be so fortunate to have!!! Thanks for utube for viewing this timely episode...they are providing such a fantastic service getting stories like this out to the people. Not to mention all the music that one has access to in these days of limited radio...unless you happen to be a fan of the left end of the dial. That the FCC in all its wisdom reserved for noncommercial listening. That's all for now!!!!
@@albertlaplante5536 To answer your question, speaking just for me, No, I didn't notice something that wasn't supposed to be part of the storyline, wasn't there. The writers were Will Lorin and Leonard Freeman They didn't write a story about race or racial tension. The story they wrote was about a former singer who wants to see the band members she performed with in the past. When Buzz opens her car door, he sees an elderly lady in great distress, asking for her medication. There would be no racial tension there. I don't expect or want a story to be about race, or racial tension just because the guest star is African American. By the way, the only two Emmy nominations that this television series received in the four-year run happened to be for Ethel Waters for this Guest staring role and George Maharis for Outstanding Continued Performance by an Actor in a Series, both in 1962.
@Jade Quest I am pleased to see how much this episode has gotten seeing how long ago it originally air I am going to view this gem again, it's such a benchmark in my viewer eyes! Thanks for all the replies, hugs all around.
The "Memphis Naturals" includes three authentic jazz legends: Coleman Hawkins on tenor sax, ("Snooze Mobley"); Roy Eldridge on trumpet, ("A. C. Graham") and Jo Jones, the drummer ("Lover Brown"). Juano Hernandez, Frederick O'Neal and Bill Gunn are actors by trade.
What a marvelous story, and, as usual, so simple. Those guys knew write a script. I'm not the crying type, but for this episode did my eyes wet. Thank you very much for sharing this, and for the joy of seeing and hearing Ethel Waters, once again.
Wow this is amazing! This must have been one of those broadcast where whole black neighborhoods tuned in to see that rare phenom at the time. A black face on American television.
+Gregory Mccray Most black faces only saw a television at the white folks' house they worked at I'm sorry to say. My 'Lizbet is still my heart's true mama and I cried my heart out when she passed.
magnificent ... what helped shape my youth into manhood.... so very grateful for Rt 66 , and these genuine people and music, a real story , shared ! lol
I think this is the finest episode of one of the finest shows ever on television. Ethel Waters is sensational here and when Juano Hernandez finally finds the courage to play his horn -- better grab the Kleenex. God bless RU-vid for allowing a format that can save moment of classic tv like this. They are difficult at best to find on dvd. BTW -- does anyone have the episode "Suppose I Said I Was the Queen of Spain"? Lois Nettleton is heartbreakingly brilliant there.
Fantastic television show. The in depth writing of this show alone makes today's television a joke in comparison. One can certainly tell that the two actors,Milner and Maharis have a good working chemistry in their roles. Let's all push for more acting and good dialogue from shows in the future. Thank you and please up-load more of Route 66 in the near future. I'll be ordering the full four years of Route 66 DVD's from Amazon tomorrow. Columbus, Ohio
They just don't write scripts like this anymore. Kudos to Sterling Silliphant in particular. His shows had a certain "noir" to them that was immediately recognizable. You'd see it in The Naked City & others as well.
This was a GREAT show. I think it's hysterical there's a whole generation of knuckleheads out there that won't watch something if it's in black and white. They"re missing out on an entire world of kick ass entertainment. Route 66 used to travel around the country and film on location. This was truly some of the best written television ever! Todd and Buzz did seem to often get themselves into situations that only a couple of kids would... LOL. Thanks for posting this.
Ethel Waters received an Emmy nomination for her performance in this, and she probably should have won (ironically lost to Julie Christy, whom she co-starred with in Member of the Wedding)
This was probably a breakthrough for television at the time when there were very few , if any, Blacks were on television. This was before the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
+andersport I remember our family watching this excellent episode around our Motorola TV...I was seven years old. I remember, as a middle-class Black family, we always scanned the newspaper (Louisville Courier-Journal/Times) and TV Guide for appearances by Black actors, artists and newsmakers. Dad was a bakery route salesperson and Mama was a teacher...strong, smart people!
That's the way most Blacks lived. Many of us lived in nice neighborhoods and kept them clean. It wasn't like Cooley High or Good Times portrayed on TV. Most blacks worked for themselves, the factories for the Detroit Three, or the federal or local government like my dad (US Post office). Check out my novel Paul & Rosa (Authorhouse.com, Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble online.) It's the way Blacks really lived.
Interesting fact: That is Marni Nixon singing on the jazz record. They were not able to get any of Ethel's early recordings due to rights issues, so they hired Marni to come in and got her to sound like a young Ethel. Marni was famous for providing the singing voice to Deborah Kerr, Natalie Wood, and Audrey Hepburn.
This is an excellent episode. I am grateful to be able to watch this and am saddened in a way to compare the high atandards and careful production of this fine production and compare to our current cultural fare.
Thank you for posting this. I remember watching it was I was 9 years old,it is what made me want to be a Musician and play blues music which I have been doing the last 38 years.
Every once in a while TV gets it right. Route 66 had great scripts and music. I was only seven when this series aired, but for some reason I watched it regularly. Hmmmm.
Perfectly performed by all these superb artists. Yes, artists is the appropriate word. I feel like I have feasted on nectar and ambrosia watching this episode of a long-gone classic TV series. Nothing like it today.
I agree with Elizabeth. This magnificent episode has always stayed with me. Especially because of the greats - Bill Gunn and Juano Hernandez. Beautiful exquisite Ethel Waters tears your heart out with her lovely speaking voice and expressive eyes. George Maharis and Martin Milner held it all together.
Very nice! Time table: 19:10 - First appearance Coleman Hawkins (on tenor, later only on clarinet) 20:20 - First appearance Roy Eldridge (as drummer!) 24:00 - First performance 'Goodnight Sweet Blues' (guitar player and singer Ethel Waters) 27:40 - First appearance Jo Jones (as trumpet player!) 32:55 - First appearance full band 42:00 - Second appearance full band 45:40 - Third appearance full band - second performance 'Goodnight Sweet Blues'
Philippe Renaud Actually the story was written by Leonard Freeman and Will Lorin; the teleplay was by Will Lorin. Some might find it blasphemous that you worship them as gods.
ssppeellll Great job by both Leonard FREEMAN and Will LORIN! I did not mean to worship them as gods. Rather, it felt as though GOD had planted a seed in both these gentlemen. This seed grew into a most touching spiritual story. That's what I meant when I said "GOD wrote that script." Please forgive me for not better controlling my enthusiasm, and thank you for the education!
