Silver Dollars on the TV Show "The Wild Wild West"
BillJones
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There is a good reason why the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences gives out an Oscar for film editing. If the film editing is choppy and noticeable it detracts from the flow and consistency of the plot. Film editing is like an umpire at a baseball game. If you notice him, he's not don't his job well.
Recently I bought a set of DVDs for the late 1960s TV show, The Wild Wild West. This show, which lasted for four seasons, from 1965 to 1970, was sort of a James Bond travels back to the American west. The stars were Robert Conrad and Ross Martin. It featured beautiful women - often treacherous, evil villains and lots of gadgets with a 19th century twist. It was quite a hit in the late 1960s.
Last night I viewed an episode from the second season, The Night of the Watery Death. It featured a villain who similar to the one that appeared in the Bond film, Thunderball.
One of the gadgets was "a magnetic, exploding silver dollar." It appeared in four times in the story, and was a different coin three times. I guess only a coin collector like me would spot this, but it was still interesting.
The piece was introduced, hanging on a candle post as a Liberty Seated Dollar. Since this series was set during the presidency of U.S. Grant, who held office from 1869 to 1877, this was historically correct.
In almost the very next frame, the dollar has turned into a shiny looking Morgan Dollar. This would not be possible because the first Morgan Dollars were issued in 1878, the year after Grant left office.
The Jim West (Robert Conrad) pulled the magnetic dollar off the candle stick and there was a close-up of it. Now it is a well worn example which was not the same one that had been shown seconds before.
The quality of the film editing was seamless, but alas the switching of the dollars was not. The final appearance of the dollar was what appeared to be the worn example. Telling you how it appeared would be a "plot spoiler."
Recently I bought a set of DVDs for the late 1960s TV show, The Wild Wild West. This show, which lasted for four seasons, from 1965 to 1970, was sort of a James Bond travels back to the American west. The stars were Robert Conrad and Ross Martin. It featured beautiful women - often treacherous, evil villains and lots of gadgets with a 19th century twist. It was quite a hit in the late 1960s.
Last night I viewed an episode from the second season, The Night of the Watery Death. It featured a villain who similar to the one that appeared in the Bond film, Thunderball.
One of the gadgets was "a magnetic, exploding silver dollar." It appeared in four times in the story, and was a different coin three times. I guess only a coin collector like me would spot this, but it was still interesting.
The piece was introduced, hanging on a candle post as a Liberty Seated Dollar. Since this series was set during the presidency of U.S. Grant, who held office from 1869 to 1877, this was historically correct.
In almost the very next frame, the dollar has turned into a shiny looking Morgan Dollar. This would not be possible because the first Morgan Dollars were issued in 1878, the year after Grant left office.
The Jim West (Robert Conrad) pulled the magnetic dollar off the candle stick and there was a close-up of it. Now it is a well worn example which was not the same one that had been shown seconds before.
The quality of the film editing was seamless, but alas the switching of the dollars was not. The final appearance of the dollar was what appeared to be the worn example. Telling you how it appeared would be a "plot spoiler."
Retired dealer and avid collector of U.S. type coins, 19th century presidential campaign medalets and selected medals. In recent years I have been working on a set of British coins - at least one coin from each king or queen who issued pieces that are collectible. I am also collecting at least one coin for each Roman emperor from Julius Caesar to ... ?
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I read where Fred McMurray had a deal in his contract on "My Three Sons" where they would shoot all of his sceens for the whole season at the start of the season so he could have most of the year off. Can you imagine how hard it would be to do that with all the different guest stars having to come in and get all their shots with him at once.
The reason was that the scenes for the episodes were shot out of sequence and spliced together after the fact to make up each show. Making the wardrobe the same prevented any glitches of that nature. Each show also had be the same length which would fit in the commercials to equal a half hour. The "filler" time was adjusted using Superman's flying scenes which could be lengthened or shortened to get the proper total length of time for each show.
I hope that I have not taken any of the magic out of the show for The Adventures of Superman fans.
Shooting scenes out of sequence is standard procedure for virtually all movies. The actors have to be able to put themselves in the context of the scene within the plot, which I would think would take some practice and expertise.
I imagine if you look at episodes of My Three Sons that you might often see Fred McMurry in a lot of frames standing alone. There could also have been some "blue screen" work involved too, although I tend to doubt it. That's how the "Captain Dan" / Gary Sinice character in Forest Gump was show as a double amputee without legs.
Another WW2 movie, think it was the Ben Afleck "Pearl Harbor," shows an actor slapping a bill on a bar with the HAWAII overprint on it. Of course those were not issued until the Summer of 1942.
although I also have a set of Wanted "Dead or Alive" with Steve McQueen that's
one of my favs also.
Good Eye Bill
Steve
Sometimes there are mistakes on television.
An episode of "Gunsmoke" called "Trail of Bloodshed" shows some St. Gaudens $20 coins.
The show is a western set in the 1870's to 1880's.
The Mysterious Egyptian Magic Coin
Coins in Movies
Coins on Television