Archive for March 2012
Before Roger Corman there was Robert L. Lippert
Producer/Exhibitor Robert L. Lippert’s low-budget productions are sometimes called Grade “C.” Personally, I’ve never seen one below “B-,” and in fairness, he did put out some “B+,” “nervous A,” and who can call “The Fly” (1957) anything but an “A”?
Lippert felt there was an unmet demand for “B” product for his circuit of theatres, so in 1945 he and John L. Jones formed a production company, Action Pictures, and distribution company, Screen Guild Productions. The first and sole release for 1945 was “Wildfire – The Story of a Horse,” in Cinecolor, starring Bob Steele. Regular releases followed, and in 1949 Screen Guild became “Lippert Pictures,” and in the final count, cranked out over 125 low budget movies, and released many more acquisitions and reissues. He produced many more films for release by 20th Century-Fox…more about the Fox deal later…
The early Lippert productions were unremarkable B movies (okay, there may have been some C’s), with a few notable exceptions. Things changed in 1949 when he rolled the dice and took a chance on a feisty independent newspaper reporter by the name of Samuel Fuller. Lippert gave Fuller, who had no movie experience, virtual free-reign, and his name above the title, to create a film about Jesse James’ assassin, Bob Ford. It was released as “I Shot Jesse James” (1949), and became a critical and box office success, and today it is considered a classic, notable, among other things, for its extensive use of close ups. Soon after, Fuller directed his second film, “The Baron of Arizona” (1950), a true story about a swindler who seized much of Arizona by forging Spanish land grants. Vincent Price played the “Baron,” and many years later claimed it was one of his very favorite roles. Truly, the Lippert/Fuller magna opus was the classic Korean War drama, “The Steel Helmet” (1951), which garnered first-run dates at prestigious theatres. The three Fuller films are out on DVD from the Criterion Collection.
Lippert’s cause célèbre was to produce films as cheaply as possible, and still offer at least some entertainment value, particularly for the more unsophisticated movie patrons. No Lippert movies were allowed to go over budget. Not negotiable…even for Fuller. Despite the puny budgets, minor classics resulted, including “Little Big Horn” (1951) and “The Tall Texan” (1953), both starring Lloyd Bridges.
Robert L. Lippert, Jr. told me a story about filming of the climactic ending of “The Steel Helmet,” where a Korean temple is to be destroyed, and it almost didn’t come to be… Fuller had shot all but the ending, and production was about to go into overtime. Lippert came on the set and literally pulled the power switch to shut down production. Fortunately, after he left the set, Fuller turned the power on and filmed the finale.
In 1950, Lippert gave himself a challenge…produce a series of six Jimmy “Shamrock” Ellison-Russell “Lucky” Hayden westerns, all at the same time, using the same casts, sets, crew, and so on. In one movie an actor may play a bad guy and a bartender in another. A camera was be set up in the saloon, for example, and the saloon scenes for each movie would be shot sequentially, with actors rushing about changing costumes between each roll of the camera. It must have been a nightmare for the script girl! Robert L. Lippert, Jr. told me it was his father’s proudest achievement! VCI released this series as a set under the “Big Iron Collection” banner.
There was also a distinctive film noir series filmed in Great Britain starting in 1953 when Lippert formed a production alliance with his British distributor, Exclusive Films, soon known as Hammer Film Productions. Under the arrangement, Lippert would provide an American “star,” on the way down, but who still had some name value, plus cash to pay for part of the production. Exclusive/Hammer and Lippert divided up the distribution territories. The result was a series of good thrillers, supported by solid English casts, and many directed by Terence Fisher, in his pre-horror film days. The Lippert-Hammers are all available as part of the “Hammer Noir” collections released by VCI Entertainment.
Lippert, like Roger Corman after him, was able to gather together producers, directors, screenwriters, composers, and, of course, actors, willing to work on tight schedules for minimal pay. There were stars who had lost their major studio contracts (Paulette Goddard, George Raft) or who had problems with the House on Un-American Activities (Lloyd Bridges, Lee J. Cobb). Even Clint Eastwood and Jack Nicolson had roles in later Lippert productions.
Lippert was a master marketer. When producer George Pal set out to mount a big budget Technicolor production of “Destination Moon” (1950), based on the science-fiction book by Robert A. Heinlein, Lippert saw an opportunity. He capitalized on Pal’s media campaign by throwing together his own low (of course) budget “moon” picture, “Rocketship X-M” (1950). It beat Pal’s movie into the theatres, stealing a good deal of the Technicolor epic’s thunder. I’m told Mr. Pal was not amused.
Trouble, and opportunities, lay ahead for Lippert. To be continued…
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The Dinosaur Club – Ralph Senensky
Posted on: March 6, 2012
Burgess Meredith in “Printer’s Devil”
I met Ralph Senensky through a mutual friend who knew we both collected movie posters. During our first meeting we talked mostly about posters although I knew Ralph directed television shows. That is until I remembered he directed my all-time favorite “Twilight Zone,” (“Printer’s Devil” (1963), starring Burgess Meredith) that episode really had an affect on me; still does. At that point I asked him to share his credits, and what a long list of classic shows from every conceivable genre; “Route 66” to “Star Trek”, “The Fugitive” to “The Bill Cosby Show,” “The Paper Chase” to “The Waltons,” and so many more.
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0784198/filmoseries#tt0060028
Ralph Senensky at home in Carmel, California
I found Ralph to be a friendly, unpretentious, gentleman with a sense of humor and a memory as sharp as a tack. He answered my endless questions, like how he was able to produce such polished looking work under the budget and time constraints of TV, and which stars were easy (or hard) to work with.
I especially found exciting his stories when he was in his early 30s and working in various capacities at CBS during the last half of the 1950s, the Golden Era of live television…the nights of programs like “Playhouse 90,” when there were no retakes…everything went out over the air as-is.
As our friendship developed we talked about all kinds of things, not just about showbiz.
The good news is that Ralph created an incredible blog. He talks about directing, writing, and everything connected with making prime-time television shows, often using film clips to illustrate his points. I especially found interesting pages of his marked up scripts with last minute changes that changed a scene from good to great.
One day Ralph mentioned three friends who had retired in the Monterey area, silent film actor and radio and film legend, True Boardman, stage and radio actor; director, Lamont Johnson; and prolific character actor, Don Hanmer. I suggested we all get together and have lunch and knew they would tell great show business stories…and I was certainly right! The five of us agreed to meet for lunch every other week, and I was in heaven…what a nice group of guys who checked their ego’s at the door. Our lunches lasted for a few years, and it is hard for me to describe how much I enjoyed them. Ralph referred to our group as “Hollywood expatriates,” but my wife called us, “The Dinosaur Club.”
I’ll tell some stories about the other members of our “club” in future blogs.
Complete List of Ralph Senensky’s Theatre and Television credits:
Television:
1955-1961
At the beginning of his television career Ralph worked at CBS in various production staff positions by day, and directed theatrical productions at night.
ARREST AND TRIAL (Ben Gazzara, Chuck Connors)
My Name Is Martin Burnham (James Whitmore, Nina Foch)
Funny Man with a Monkey (Mickey Rooney, Mary Murphy)
BANYON (Robert Forster, Joan Blondell, Richard Jaeckel)
Dead End
The Decent Thing to Do (Peter White)
The Graveyard Vote (Pat O’Brien, Tom Bosley)
BARNABY JONES (Buddy Ebsen, Lee Merriwether)
The Murdering Class (Geraldine Brooks, Jerry Houser)
To Denise with Love and Murder (Bill Bixby)
Murder Once Removed (Pamela Franklin, Robert Pine)
THE BIG VALLEY (Barbara Stanwyck, Linda Evans, Richard Long, Lee Majors, Peter Breck)
By Fires Unseen (Diane Baker)
BIG BEND COUNTRY (James Keach)
(One Hour Pilot)
THE BILL COSBY SHOW (Bill Cosby)
Growing, Growing, Grown
Brotherly Love
Blind Date (Cicely Tyson)
Christmas Ballad (Rex Ingram)
THE BLUE KNIGHT (George Kennedy)
Triple Threat (Michael O’Keefe)
BLUE SKIES (Season Hubley, Tom Wopat, Pat Hingle, Alyson Croft, Kim Hauser, Danny Gerard)
The Visitor (Shawn Modrell)
THE BREAKING POINT (Paul Richards, Edward Franz)
The Bull Roarer (Ralph Meeker, Lou Antonio, Mariette Hartley)
Shadows of a Starless Night (Bradford Dillman)
Never Trouble Trouble Till Trouble Troubles You (Diana Sands, Rex Ingram)
CASABLANCA (David Soul, Scatman Crothers, Hector Elizondo, Ray Liotta)
Who Am I Killing? (John Van Dalen)
The Cashier and the Belly Dancer
CHANNING (Henry Jones)
A Hallful Of Strangers
CHECKMATE (Sebastian Cabot, Doug McClure)
Down The Gardenia Path (Susan Kohner, Don Dubbins)
CHRYSLER THEATRE
Perilous Times (Peter Falk, Diane Baker)
CITY OF ANGELS (Wayne Rogers)
Match Point
COURTSHIP OF EDDIE’S FATHER (Bill Bixby, Miyoshi Umecki)
Guess Who’s Coming To Lunch (Cicely Tyson)
The Library Card
An F for Mrs. L
Bully for You (Jodie Foster)
Gentleman Friend
They’re Either Too Young or Too Old
The Mod Couple
The Road to You Know Where Is Paved With You Know What
The Promise
DAN AUGUST (Burt Reynolds)
The Law (Walter Pidgeon, Larry Hagman, Lee Merriwether)
Death Chain (Jan Michael Vincent, Chris Robinson)
Dead Witness to A Killing (Martin Sheen, Monte Markham, Laurence Luckinbill)
Bullet for a Hero (Meg Foster, Peter White)
Days of Rage (Diana Hyland)
DEATH CRUISE (Richard Long, Polly Bergen, Celeste Holm, Tom Bosley, Kate Jackson, Michael Constantine, Edward Albert, Cesar Danova)
DR. KILDARE (Richard Chamberlain, Raymond Massey)
Johnny Temple (Doug Lambert)
The Mask Makers (Carolyn Jones)
Hasting’s Farewell (Harry Guardino, Beverly Garland)
Maybe Love Will Save My Apartment House (Barry Nelson, Suzy Parker)
A Journey toSunrise
A DREAM FOR CHRISTMAS (Hari Rhodes, Lynn Hamilton, Beah Richards)
DYNASTY (John Forsythe, Linda Evans, Bo Hopkins, Pamela
Bellwood, Pamela Sue Martin, Al Corley, John James)
(Three Hour Pilot and Episode #5)
EIGHT IS ENOUGH (Dick Van Patten)
Hit and Run (Peter Coffield)
EAST SIDE, WEST SIDE (George C. Scott, Cicely Tyson)
Age Of Consent (Carroll O’Connor, Penny Fuller, Robert Drivas)
FAMILY (James Broderick, Kristy McNichol, Gary Frank, Sada Thompson)
Lovers and Strangers (Elizabeth Ashley)
FAMILY HOLVAK, THE (Glenn Ford, Julie Harris, Lance Kerwin)
A Stranger in a Strange Land
Remembrance of a Guest (Arlene Golonka)
FAMILY KOVACK, THE (Andrew Robinson, James Sloyan)
FAMILY NOBODY WANTED, THE (Shirley Jones, James Olsen)
FBI (Efrem Zimbalist, Jr.)
Special Delivery (Earl Holliman, Barbara Luna)
The Man Who Went Mad By Mistake (J.D. Cannon)
The Plunderers (Ralph Meeker, Albert Salmi)
The Escape (Roy Thinnes, Marlyn Mason)
The Assassin (William Windom, Dean Jagger, Tom Skerritt)
The Death Wind (Ralph Bellamy)
Ordeal (Gerald O’Loughlin)
Anatomy of a Prison Break (Joe Campanella, James Broderick, Carol Rossen)
The Courier (Ruth Roman, Gene Hackman, Phyllis Love)
The Raid (Ralph Meeker)
A Question of Guilt (Andrew Duggan, Larry Gates)
The Game of Terror (Richard Thomas, Jerry Houser)
End of a Hero (Ed Nelson, Lee Merriwether)
A Second Life (Martin Sheen, Meg Foster)
Arrangement with Terror (Diana Hyland, Roger Perry)
The Deadly Species (Penny Fuller, Tom Skerritt)
FUGITIVE, THE (David Janssen)
When The Bough Breaks (Diana Hyland)
Detour on A Road Going Nowhere (Phyllis Thaxter)
An Apple A Day (Sheree North, Kim Darby, Arthur O’Connell)
When The Wind Blows (Georgann Johnson)
GETTING TOGETHER (Bobby Sherman)
Cathy’s Clown
Those Oldies but Goodies Remind Me of You (Rob Reiner)
Where Are You, Little Star?
GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH (Jack Palance, Stuart Erwin)
Leaves in the Wind (Nina Foch)
HART TO HART (Robert Wagner, Stefanie Power, Lionel Stander)
Cop Out
A Question of Innocence (Jameson Parker, Jeanette Nolan)
Sixth Sense (Peter Coffield)
Highland Fling (Mitchell Ryan, Albert Salmi)
The Dog Who Knew Too Much
Slam Dunk (Fred Dryer, Kevin Bash, David Wallace)
Always Elizabeth (June Allyson, Joe Pantoliano)
HIGH CHAPARRAL
The Terrorist
HOLLYWOOD TELEVISION THEATRE
Winesburg,Ohio(Jean Peters, Albert Salmi, William Windom, Joseph Bottoms
HOW THE WEST WAS WON (James Arness)
The Scavengers (John Beck)
INSIGHT
The Whole Damned Human Race…And One More (Jack Albertson)
The Death of Simon Jackson
The Poker Game (BeauBridges, Ed Asner, Bill Bixby)
A Prince in the Apple Towns (Jane Wyman, Gene Raymond)
The Seven Minute Life of James Houseworthy (EdmondO’Brien)
Cry of Terror (Peter Mark Richman, Andrew Prine)
Old King Cole (Martin Sheen)
The System (Richard Jaeckel, Arlene Golonka)
The Man Who Went Blue Sky
Welcome Home (Dick Van Patten, Jerry Houser)
Out Of the Depths (Cliff deYoung, John Astin)
I Want To Die (Grant Goodeve, Jeanne Cooper)
Plus Time Served (James Farentino, Don Stroud)
Unfinished Business (Bill Quinn)
The White Star Garage (Elisha Cook, Jr., Peter White, Fausto Bara)
INTERNES (Michael Farrell, Stephen Brooks)
Eyes of the Beholder (Meg Foster)
IRONSIDES (Raymond Burr, Don Galloway)
Girl in the Night (Susan St. James)
Return of the Hero (Gary Collins)
I SPY (Robert Culp, Bill Cosby)
This Guy Smith (Diana Muldaur)
JAMES AT 15 (Lance Kerwin)
Champions
JEREMIAH OF JACOB’S NECK (Keenan Wynn, Ron Masak, Arlene Golonka, Brandon Cruz)
(One Hour Pilot)
JUDD FOR THE DEFENSE (Carl Betz)
The Money Farm (James Whitmore)
LONG HOT SUMMER (Edmond O’Brien, Roy Thinnes, Ruth Roman)
The Homecoming
LOU GRANT (Ed Asner)
Indians
MANNIX (Mike Connors)
Another Final Exit (Larry Storch)
MATT LINCOLN (Vince Edwards)
Charles (Martin Sheen)
MEDICAL STORY
An Air Full Of Death (Cliff Gorman)
MISSION IMPOSSIBLE (Steven Hill, Martin Landau)
The Train (William Windom, Rhys Williams)
NAKED CITY (Paul Burke, Harry Bellaver)
Alive and Still A Second Lieutenant (Robert Sterling, Jon Voight)
No Naked Ladies In Front Of Giovanni’s House (Harry Guardino)
Color Schemes Like Never Before (Lou Antonio, Carol Rossen)
NAME OF THE GAME (Robert Stack)
Ordeal (Jessica Walters, Farley Granger)
NANNY AND THE PROFESSOR (Juliette Mills, Richard Long)
From Butch with Love
The Humanization of Herbert T. Peabody
TheIndiaQueen
Back To Nature
E. S. Putt
Professor Pygmalion
NEW ADVENTURES OF HEIDI, THE (Burl Ives, Katy Kurtzman)
NIGHT GALLERY
The Miracle at Camafeo (Harry Guardino, Julie Adams)
The Ghost ofSorworth Place(Richard Kiley, Jill Ireland)
NURSES
Ordeal (Brandon deWilde)
The Interne Syndrome
PAPER CHASE, THE (John Houseman, James Stephens, Lainie Kazan, Tom Fitzsimmons, Michael Tucci, Diana Douglas)
The Choice (Annabella Price)
Decisions (Two Hour)
The Day Kingsfield Missed Class
The Big “D” (Herb Edelman, Walter Brooke)
A Wounded Hart
Graduation (Two Hour)
PAPER DOLLS (Lloyd Bridges, Morgan Fairchild, Dack Rambo)
Episode #2
Episode #4
Episode #6
PARTRIDGE FAMILY, THE (Shirley Jones)
When Mother Gets Married (John McMartin)
To Play or Not To Play
Partridge up A Pear Tree (Harvey Lembeck, Michael Lembeck)
The Forty Year Itch (Ray Bolger, Rosemary DeCamp)
Dora, Dora, Dora
Guess Who’s Coming To Drive
The Undergraduate
PLANET OF THE APES (Roddy McDowell)
The Tyrant
ROOKIES, THE (Kate Jackson, Michael Ontkean)
To Taste Of Terror (Andrew Robinson)
The Snow Job (Martin Sheen, Don Dubbins)
ROUTE 66 (Martin Milner)
In the Closing of a Trunk (Ed Begley, Ruth Roman, Don Dubbins)
Narcissus on an Old Red Fire Engine (Glenn Corbett, Anne Helm)
SEARCH (Tony Franciosa, Burgess Meredith)
Ends of the Earth
SLATTERY’S PEOPLE (Richard Crenna)
What Can You Do With A Wounded Tiger?
STAR TREK (William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy)
This Side ofParadise (Jill Ireland)
Metamorphosis (Glenn Corbett)
Bread and Circuses
Obsession (Stephen Brooks)
Return to Tomorrow (Diana Muldaur)
Is There In Truth No Beauty (Diana Muldaur)
The Tholian Web
SUSPENSE THEATRE
A Hero for Our Times (Lloyd Bridges, Geraldine Brooks)
The Jack Is High (Pat O’Brien, Henry Jones, Edd Byrnes)
The Easter Breach (Richard Beymer)
THEN CAME BRONSON (Michael Parks)
Sybil
THREE FOR THE ROAD
Prisoner in Sneakers
Albatross (Meg Foster)
TRAPPER JOHN, M.D. (Pernell Roberts, Gregory Harrison)
What Are Friends For?
TWELVE O’CLOCK HIGH (Robert Lansing)
To Heinie, With Love (Keir Dullea)
The Trap (Hermione Baddeley)
The Threat
The Hero (James Whitmore)
TWILIGHT ZONE
Printer’s Devil (Burgess Meredith, Robert Sterling, Pat Crowley)
WALTONS, THE (Richard Thomas, Will Geer, Michael Learned, Ralph Waite, Ellen Corby)
The Chicken Thief
The Gift (Ron Howard)
The Cradle
The Conflict (Beulah Bondi, Richard Hatch) (Two Hour)
TheMarathon
The Beguiled (Darlene Carr)
The Fire Storm (John Ritter)
The Pony Cart (Beulah Bondi)
The Grandchild (Two Hour)
The Warrior
Grandma Comes Home
The Portrait (Jared Martin)
WESTSIDE MEDICAL (James Sloyan, Ernest Thompson)
The Sound Of Sunlight (Season Hubley)
WILD WILD WEST (Robert Conrad, Ross Martin)
The Night of the Druid’s Blood (Don Rickles)
The Night of the Big Blast (Ida Lupino, Mala Powers, Patsy Kelly)
YOUNG MAVERICK (Charles Frank)
Makin’ Tracks (Victor Jory)
LIVE THEATRE
1949-1952
Mason City Community Theatre,Mason City,Iowa- Artistic Director
Productions Directed:
THE GLASS MENAGERIE
A STRIPED SACK FOR PENNY CANDY
ARSENIC AND OLD LACE
YEARS AGO
NIGHT MUST FALL
THE WOMEN
THE ADVENTURES OF TOM SAWYER
ALI BABA AND THE FORTY THIEVES
CLAUDIA
COME BACK, LITTLESHEBA
THE ADDING MACHINE
BLITHE SPIRIT
LIGHT UP THE SKY
1952
Chevy Chase Summer Theatre,Wheeling, Illinois- Assistant Director
1953
Hollywood-By-The-Sea Playhouse,Hollywood,Florida-
Resident Director
Productions Directed:
HARVEY (Bert Wheeler)
PERSONAL APPEARANCE (VeronicaLake)
1953-54
Des MoinesPlayhouse,Des Moines,Iowa– Artistic Director
Productions Directed:
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
THE SHRIKE
JOHN LOVES MARY
TEN LITTLE INDIANS
THE GLASS MENAGERIE
THE MOON IS BLUE
THE ADVENTURES OF TOM SAWYER
At this point Ralph began working at CBS in various production staff positions by day, and directed theatrical productions at night.
MY THREE ANGELS (Players Ring Theatre)
THE IMMORALIST (Horseshoe Stage)
ALL SUMMER LONG (Horseshoe Stage)
THE CRUCIBLE (Horseshoe Stage)
DEATH OF A SALESMAN (MorganTheatre)
THE INNOCENTS (MorganTheatre)
THE INTERVIEW (Gilmor Brown’s Playbox Theatre)
MEASURE FOR MEASURE (co-director Gilmor Brown’s Playbox)
ENGAGED (Gilmor Brown’s Playbox)
BELL, BOOK AND CANDLE (Gilmor Brown’s Playbox)
THE ICEMAN COMETH (Gilmor Brown’s Playbox)
MORNING’S AT SEVEN (Equity Library Theatre West)
GOLDEN BOY (Equity Library Theatre West)
THE CIRCLE (Starring Estelle Winwood -PasadenaPlayhouse Main Stage)
THE GOLDEN FLEECING (PasadenaPlayhouse Main Stage)
THE ICEMAN COMETH (co-directed with John Houseman –
The Theatre Group)
1985-88
YOU CAN’T TAKE IT WITH YOU
WATCH ON THE RHINE
SHIVAREE
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