Irwin Allen was the most frugal producer in Hollywood. Note the reuse of the Jupiter 2 footage. I see he also managed to hire some unemployed Talosians, from Star Trek, at a good price too. Back in the 70s, whenever I heard the TV announcer say, "An Irwin Allen Production!", I knew we were in for a treat!
@@jaywalker1233 I wasn't criticizing the OP was talking about how Allen reused footage to save money so I mentioned he reused music too. It was not intended as criticism.
Had "25th Century" been picked up, I'm sure they would have "shot a "real" broadcast quality" pilot. This was likely a "presentation film" which, on a slim budget, was intended to sell investors on an actual pilot. Thus the "parts out of the bin" contents. "City Beneath the Sea" was initially offered in this manner. First a 1967 "presentation film" not intended for broadcast, then the "deliverable" telemovie aired on NBC in 1971. And released overseas to theaters.
Appreciate your comment. Irwin was attempting to introduce a number of series as the 60s fantasy action wave crested -- this one and City Beneath the Sea. The Networks were moving fast to return to more conventional fare. But who knows? As a midseason replacement? There was potential here, appreciate your seeing it.😮
Wow I love this show, it had James Darren from Time Tunnel, the spaceship from Lost in Space, props from Time Tunnel and Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, and music from all of the above and a 1968 Fiat Spider thrown in for good measure. (What every semi evil, quasi alien needs, an Italian sports car) Irwin Allen sure believed the adage, "Waste not, want not".
@nofrackingzone74 It’s not a Fiat Spider (nice car) but a Lotus Elan S2 - maybe 1966 (frameless windows) - with the popup headlights, distinctive door cutout, knock-on wheels, wooden dashboard and switch layout, passenger glovebox and footwell, and Springall spoked alloy steering wheel
Only a small budget "presentation film", so assembly from the parts bin" was acceptable. If the concept had pleased investors and the network, more resources would have been brought forth for a broadcast quality telefilm, maybe with more visuals and music unique to this effort (compare "City Beneath the Sea" test film 1967 with actual broadcast version pilot).
@@TonyDQT I have an IQ of 189. I built a laser when I was 12. What did your useless life do. I have a Doctorate in Theology and help people understand what the scriptures really state.
I was in my single digits back in the sixties and really miss shows like these. All of those shows in the opening credits were some of my favorites. Nothing like watching them on an old black and white TV or misadjusted console sized color TV 😁
People like Irwin Allen and Gene Roddenberry were ahead of their time! And,it seems as though what was science-fiction 50 years ago is now starting to come true! Funny where your imagination can take you! To infinity & beyond!!!
Irwin Allen ...ahead of his time? Yeah like obviously a few decades on there is a real land of giants, cheap cardboard aliens under the sea and a genuine tunnel through time in an undergrond lab! C'mon ...what planet or dimension do you come from to spout this stuff? Irwin Allen was the cheesiest of cheese and the wrongest of wrong in terms of scientific accuracy and prediction. I know they were all just cheaply made entertainments but still they could have made some effort. Its often possible to bend or have speculative science that still looks viable and keep a good story. In fact often they can improve it. Virtually all sci shows of the 1960s , 1970s where hopelessly wrong and in a way almost created a whole new category of 'anti-science' fiction.
@@bbbf09 You're absolutely right. Just listen to that Omeega (as opposed to OMEGA) 3 over infinity bullshit. Lots of recycled blinken lights, the hatch to the Jupiter II and its "navigation" system. Those cheesey 6250 reels for "honest" computing. The "pressure of teleportation through space". What I really dug was the kewl convertible they had stowed in James Darren's spaceship. Those english speaking aliens with the goofy ear lobes had real kooky taste. Of course they did! They were *500* ((GASP!!)) years more advanced!
two James Darrens , but only one gets paid for starring in this vehicle, the stunt double who was shot from behind (and flipped to face the screen according to camera angle shot) But a nice teleportation effect to herald the drone's arrival :)
I remember my mom reading in TVG about the show and then nothing. Looks like good 1960s era sci-fi, but gives new meaning to 'camp' with its overused props.
The alien leader is played by that guy who played one of those annoying Starfleet characters on the original Star Trek series. I'll give his name when I can remember what episode he is in.
Interesting bit players: Patrick Culliton of "Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea" as the security guard who gets karate chopped and then almost thrown into the nuclear furnace @ 9:03; Joey Tata is the radar console operator @ 12:41. He appeared in "Batman", "The Time Tunnel" and "Lost in Space".
I never new about this show idea from Irwin Allen. He was truly one of those people back then that was ahead of there time in the story idea's dept. But as we can see like all of them back then when the backers of his idea's cut back the money , thinking he could still churn out good product for less money. Well we see how he had to make do with older prop's and set's, shame. We can only guess just how more better these shows could have looked with all new prop's and back ground scene's.
This was a presentation film budgeted at only $100,000. It was necessary to use as many existing props and even artwork as possible. Had the response been better, a full pilot would likely have been commissioned, as was done with "Land Of The Giants" and "City Beneath The Sea". Unfortunately, 'City' didn't get picked up as a series.
You can’t go off this as any resemblance to Lost in Space as Irwin always used either art or stock footage/re-dressed sets for his presentation films. As a point of interest, we were first mean’t to meet Tomo when he interrupts the Robinson’s dinner from ‘LIS’.
Robert Dambeck, the wardrobe dept. probably had at least one (AGT) awful green turtleneck, for "Tony Newman" for each day of a 5 day film shoot. Inside each sweater the weekday would be sewn in. Similar to the infamous "Day of the week" parties that Sears or Montgomery Ward catalogs carried for years. I remember seeing them as a kid & wondered who in the world bought them. They really cracked me up. I remember thinking how many folks wore the Monday pair on Friday. THIS IS JUST HILARIOUS !!!!! 🤣😂😆🙃!!!!!!!!! DO THEY EVEN MAKE THOSE THINGS ANYMORE?!!........... .
I don't know why they load all electronic equipment with fireworks that go off at the slightest bump. After all the explosions, the equipment still seems to be functioning correctly so what is the point?
Yeah cars were an arseache also. They blew up after crashing right up until they sorted the problem in the late 90's, they found it was caused by a cinematic cliché somewhere in the fuel tank.
Wait! James Darren didn’t take his shirt off? What’s the point of the show? LOL!!! His hair is immaculate though. I never heard of this until today & I had seen all of the Irwin Allan shows. Granted it didn’t make it to series but I’m just surprised that it’s the first time I’m hearing about the The Man from the 25th Century. It would have gone a season or two.
As noted, idea was to spin it off of a Lost In Space episode. Also at the time, Lost In Space appeared to be in the safe bet for renewal, and the SF Wave on the networks hadn't quite crested yet, but it would quite soon.
We should always retaliate against alien spacecraft that attack our gas stations...it's the American thing to do. Prices are through the roof already...I'd want an all-out attack if they tried that on a Dunkin Donuts!
Funny how every time someone bumps into an electronic panel it explodes loudly with sparks. The dramatic music is the same as on "Lost in Space" and people teleport with the same sound as on "Lost in Space."
neat look at an unmade series idea-yes the Jupiter 2 from Lost in Space-all of the special effects of the Lost in Space pilot were filmed in color with the idea that they might be used later in l.i.s .or as in this case other productions.the season 3 l.i.s episode 'Flight into the Future'has a sequence where the cyclops is chasing Dr.Smith-and the cyclops is in color!
Not sure why this was recommended to me today. Looks like this was a very inexpensive 'proof of concept', re-using sets, props, costumes, music, explosions, and inserts from Allen's earlier productions, giving it a particularly cheesy look. And a story digested into a fifteen-minute 'pilot' episode, which is less time than a half-hour cartoon program episode of the time. The basic concept, of a conscience-striken alien agent interacting with an Earth defense force, could have been - and, really, still could be - pretty interesting with better dialogue (including enough time to establish characters we care about), and production values. As it was, this was such a hasty effort that it is pretty easy to understand why it never sold.
Allen was one of my favorite producers but afraid he was running out of steam and ideas when he came up with this pilot. Not surprised the networks turned it down.
Irwin's go-to series in the wake of Land of the Giants were "these two": "25th Century" and "City Beneath the Sea". Yes, you're right overall. The 60s high camp and Action fantasy wave had crested. There really would be no place for this afterwards. Fizzle of The Invaders only made this more obvious. I'd like to believe that City Beneath the Sea might have had a slight chance if only on the drawing boards -- early 70s "weather" on prime time was blowing about with more conventional fare. But maybe "City" might have found a brief niche with water and tech, but would promoters find themselves in the same corner where Voyage Bottom Sea was when it needed bigger numbers?
this was actually a TV pilot made for CBS-TV by Irwin Allen and Twentieth Century Fox TV,and it was rumored to be something of a spin-off from "LOST IN SPACE". it had great potential,but CBS passed on it,and the rest is history! but it was still an enjoyable bit of science fiction,watching James Darren do those primative martial arts fight scenes,with his Android double-or watching him drive his sports car out of the Jupiter Two's lower hatch,which is where the Chariot is supposed to be stored.
😅Thank you, appreciate the background. Yes, I had overlooked the report that "25th" was considered to be introduced on Lost In Space. And thus a prospective CBS show rather than ABC. Probably, too, when Space stood a chance at a 4th year renewal.
using music and sound from Lost in Space as well as footage of the Jupiter 2 crash landing...so cheap! Good to see the interior of the Jupiter 2 was refitted with Time Tunnel computers!! He did predict self-driving cars!!!
Alas, the high action, high imagination SF hour had become nearly extinct, with the cresting of the mid 60s fantasy wave. Rather abruptly. And the "James Bond" type TV shows too. "25th Century" was possibly intended to be introduced on Lost In Space but even that series disappeared when the networks lost interest in SF (in the age of Apollo.no less!) and chose more conventional fare. Fizzle of ABCs The Invaders likely played a role in crossing this one off as a possibility.
This demo reel & Gene Roddenberry's "Assignment:Earth" episode from Star Trek share a very similar premise. Humans abducted from Earth by an alien civilization who are trained & conditioned by the aliens & returned to Earth with high tech devices. The key difference being that the alien here was trained for evil purposes, while Gary Seven on A:E was sent to assist earth.
theironclads "Assist" has different connotations. You can "help " someone into their grave. Gary 7 was sent to prevent a nuclear holocaust. It says nothing about why the aliens wanted the Earth population preserved It could have been "To Serve Man."
What did they do with all that dirt and rock when building that complex? Thats approx 9.63x10* 9 power cubic feet of dirt using the volume of a cone with a radios or a 1/4 mile/ Same thing with the time tunnel with those 80 floors. How could the US government keep that a secret when building Project Tic-Toc
Yes, as a Time Tunnel devotee I'm asking myself that question all the time. A very grumpy member of SFWA wrote to TV Guide back in the day demanding an explanation on that!😮
Who ever the contractor was that supplied all those consoles and work stations, should be sued! Just touch them the wrong way and they all start to explode! I wonder what Workplace Health and Safety has to say about that? LOL
This would have been an interesting show, just iron out some kinks and we would have had a somewhat flawed hit or a one season wonder. Praise be to Irwin Allen.
😮Indeed! The fantasy action wave had crested by this time, and the TV environment might not have been favorable. Would likely have to ride on the appeal of James Darren. Hopefully it could have been a well crafted "one season wonder".😮🎉
In the Lost in Space TV series, they do mention in one of the early first season episodes, that the first time they needed to ride in the Chariot, they had to assemble it; the implication is that it was stowed in kit form in the Jupiter 2.
@@neilruedlinger4851 That was the "full sized' mockup of the Jupiter 2 that was used in a few episodes of Lost In Space. The detached landing legs were used in many more. What a shame that the prop was destroyed soon thereafter... it took up a lot of space in the 20th Century Fox backlot.
The script by Anthony Wilson was good and only a couple elements are seen here , too bad the script wasn't shot but this was to give an idea of what it would be without shooting the whole thing, this is a lot of action which Allen liked
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This concept was actually a good one, but better writing, directing, and acting would have been needed to make it work. But maybe Irwin Allen was the wrong producer to pull it off.
The aliens never said they were without emotion. They merely regard Terrans were a immature species in comparison to themselves. Nevertheless, you're right the aliens' belief they are more advanced blind them to their own emotional weakness and arrogance.
The CIA/DOD was revealing their plans and intentions early on through movies and television what their thoughts and plans were regarding the UFO problem. This is a series that shows us what NORAD and the underground bases in Colorado, Utah and other locations were concerned with besides the Soviets, China, etc., firing ICBMs at us. The Pentagon is also concerned about the UFO problem and what the ETs are doing while visiting our planet for 1000s of years. Now we understand the need for a Space Force as recently mentioned in the news...
Interestingly, "Tonio" was supposed to be introduced on a never-produced episode of "LOST IN SPACE", where he meets the Robinsons on his way to Earth.....
This failed pilot resembles Buck Rogers in reverse. A man from the future that returns to Earth. Interesting idea. However, the pilot was a good idea for a television series but it lacked that extra special treatment. Why did they use the same stock footage from Lost In Space, music and sound effects? James Darren looks very young. I was watching him in the season seven of Star Trek DS9 and he didn't age at all.
FortOmnicron54 Irwin Allen was a very cheap person. Soon as shooting from one show was finished, he'd take the props and use them on another show. Sometime without modifying it. And of course this included the musical backgrounds scores, etc. In the documentary "Pioneers of Television", they showed all of the craziness that went on at the studios, while Irwin was making these shows and some of his antics.
FortOmnicron54 This was a test pitch for network execs to get the idea of the proposed show if and when it would be given the go ahead to go into production. So some scenes had only artwork and re-used a lot of stock footage from other shows. Basically if you had a spaceship shot in space you could lift it from a previous show. But the exec's knew that it would be replaced with a new shot. In the Land Of The Giants pitch they again used the Jupiter 2 and shot a few scenes with the little people. But that show was green lit so they built a new spaceship one full size and several scaled miniatures. Irwin did this for all his shows, as many others did as well. Sometimes the network liked something but still showed their advertisers if they would like their product or service played on a proposed new show. If they got enough commercial/advertising money. A show could go into production even if the network didn't think much of it.
This was just a short demonstration Pilot. It would have been ridiculous to spend money on creating props and sets that might never be used; all that could be created later if the concept was picked up by the network.
No brothers 500 years in the future? I could see why this story wasn't picked up the premise was a bit convoluted. It's was great to see Allen loves to re-use his leading men.
Land of the Giants had a brother, who was second in command, played by Mr. Don Marshall, a wonderful and talented character actor. His portrayal of Dan Erickson, co-pilot of the sub-orbital spacecraft Spindrift, made him one of my favorite actors. According to his wikipedia page, he started out as an Engineer before a friend encouraged him to study acting. Mr. Marshall also starred in one of my favorite Star Trek The Original Series, The Galileo Seven, as an astrophysicist named Lt. Boma. I think it was his STEM background that made his portrayals of intelligent, technical people so engrossing for me to watch.
