1950s/60s TV Shows That Were Truly Ahead Of Their Time

[Crux]

Here's a nice montage.

https://youtu.be/JBVyEPaY9ks

[James Y]

Hawaii Five-0 lost me when Daniel Dae Kim and Grace Park left over contract disputes. The asian characters were not paid as well as the northern europeans. I adored Grace and liked Kim more than the over the top performances of Alex O'Loughlin in the lead role as Detective Steve McGarrett and Scott Caan. I don't miss them at all.

I agree. IMO, Daniel Dae Kim and Grace Park were far more interesting and possess more real star power and charisma than Alex O'Loughlin and Scott Caan. And they were also much better than the actors/characters who replaced them. I stopped watching shortly after they left.

Were they stupid to leave the show? I don't know. I'm not them, and there may be more to the story than we know. But regular, important roles for Asian-American actors on TV are extremely hard to come by. The only Asian-Americans who always get roles are Americans of East Indian descent. Otherwise it's slim pickings, especially for the guys. If it were me, I'd have probably stayed as long as I could, because you don't know when another opportunity like that will come. You can have the whole rest of your life to be a nonworking actor.

The reason that Hollywood always remakes old TV shows and movies is because, for the most part, originality in Hollywood is dead. Hollywood also remakes Asian movies like Oldboy (S. Korea), Shall We Dance (Japan), a planned remake of The Raid (Indonesia), etc., etc., and screws them up, or at the least makes inferior versions. The only really good American re-imaging of a Japanese or Asian movie, IMO, is the original 'The Magnificent Seven', which was a remake of Seven Samurai.

Jim

[James Y]

That's funny because I was going to use those two shows as examples of failures. However, the new Magnum show is a good show partly because they are not trying to replicate the old show. Higgins is played by Perdita Weeks and in my opinion carries the show.

Hawaii Five-0 lost me when Daniel Dae Kim and Grace Park left over contract disputes. The asian characters were not paid as well as the northern europeans. I adored Grace and liked Kim more than the over the top performances of Alex O'Loughlin in the lead role as Detective Steve McGarrett and Scott Caan. I don't miss them at all.

Yeah Perdita Weeks makes Magnum PI, she is a strong actress. :cool:

As far as Asians that left Hawaii 5-0 they blew it I think, they should have stayed, they were stupid to leave. It was idiotic to leave a show like that, one that will be on for awhile to come.

They were replaced with 2 Canadians, they are Asian..

The two replacements are inferior to Park and Kim.

There is freshness and originality in some newer movies, but for the most part, you need to look outside of Hollywood. For instance, there is a great 2016 Japanese anime movie, 'Your Name', with wonderful characters, concepts and beautiful artwork, which unfortunately Hollywood wants to remake as a live-action film. They'll screw it up, or in the least just make an inferior movie. A lot of the original is culturally dependent.

Oops, went OT.

Jim

[SpyderEdgeForever]

Ankerson, I see what you mean. I also noticed this same basic thing regarding printed materials: Books and magazines.

[Ankerson]

Ankerson, I see what you mean. I also noticed this same basic thing regarding printed materials: Books and magazines.

I don't doubt it at all. :confused:

[Ankerson]

That's funny because I was going to use those two shows as examples of failures. However, the new Magnum show is a good show partly because they are not trying to replicate the old show. Higgins is played by Perdita Weeks and in my opinion carries the show.

Hawaii Five-0 lost me when Daniel Dae Kim and Grace Park left over contract disputes. The asian characters were not paid as well as the northern europeans. I adored Grace and liked Kim more than the over the top performances of Alex O'Loughlin in the lead role as Detective Steve McGarrett and Scott Caan. I don't miss them at all.

Yeah Perdita Weeks makes Magnum PI, she is a strong actress. :cool:

As far as Asians that left Hawaii 5-0 they blew it I think, they should have stayed, they were stupid to leave. It was idiotic to leave a show like that, one that will be on for awhile to come.

They were replaced with 2 Canadians, they are Asian..

The two replacements are inferior to Park and Kim.

There is freshness and originality in some newer movies, but for the most part, you need to look outside of Hollywood. For instance, there is a great 2016 Japanese anime movie, 'Your Name', with wonderful characters, concepts and beautiful artwork, which unfortunately Hollywood wants to remake as a live-action film. They'll screw it up, or in the least just make an inferior movie. A lot of the original is culturally dependent.

Oops, went OT.

Jim

Well they might be, but the actors were stupid to leave the show, it was their choice in the end to leave. You don't leave a long running show like that if one wants to keep working and making good money. It's not so good on the resume' leaving like they did and it's not like nobody knows about it.

I think if they stuck around they would have made more money like they wanted as the show is not going anywhere for awhile yet.

Hawaii 5-0 is the perfect show for the Asian actors obviously as they needed a lot of them and still do all the time to keep it realistic.

[Mad Mac]

Hollywood, in spite of its hard left ideology, has always treated asian actors shabbily. Anglos with their eyelids pulled back played roles of asians. Bruce Lee created the Kung Fu story which became a TV series from 1972 to 1975 but his role was given to David Carradine. It's a casting practice known as whitewashing.

[James Y]

Hollywood, in spite of its hard left ideology, has always treated asian actors shabbily. Anglos with their eyelids pulled back played roles of asians. Bruce Lee created the Kung Fu story which became a TV series from 1972 to 1975 but his role was given to David Carradine. It's a casting practice known as whitewashing.

I agree with you on this 100%, Mad Mac. This very subject is one I've discussed in another, non-knife-related discussion forum. In Hollywood, which constantly espouses diversity and equality, to this very day, some "minority" groups are more equal than others.

Jim

[James Y]

Not a '60s show, but I was a fan of Kolchak: The Night Stalker. Back in late '74 when it debuted, I was already familiar with the Kolchak character from the TV movies The Night Stalker and The Night Strangler. IMO, The Night Strangler movie was especially good.

The short-lived series was a strong inspiration for later shows like The X-Files.

Jim

[Ankerson]

Hollywood, in spite of its hard left ideology, has always treated asian actors shabbily. Anglos with their eyelids pulled back played roles of asians. Bruce Lee created the Kung Fu story which became a TV series from 1972 to 1975 but his role was given to David Carradine. It's a casting practice known as whitewashing.

I agree with you on this 100%, Mad Mac. This very subject is one I've discussed in another, non-knife-related discussion forum. In Hollywood, which constantly espouses diversity and equality, to this very day, some "minority" groups are more equal than others.

Jim

More good show's have been completely destroyed because of it also, so may over the years, too many to count.

They will never learn. :rolleyes:

Doesn't matter how many they end up having to cancel due to the ratings going down the drain either.

They keep doing the same stupid idiotic things over and over again.

That's makes them fools and brain dead morons.

[The Mastiff]

I enjoy shows that try to entertain whether they are horror, drama, comedy, whatever. I don't want to be preached at or "influenced" by the screenwriters any more than I want it from journalists. :) I really look down on writers who rely on stereotypes. I've seen examples of stereotypes used almost daily ( white southern men for example) in hollywood and they sure have gotten wrong whole generations of people.I note when English or Australian actors put on southern accents they usually come across as learning disabled/mentally retarded.

Joe

[Ankerson]

I enjoy shows that try to entertain whether they are horror, drama, comedy, whatever. I don't want to be preached at or "influenced" by the screenwriters any more than I want it from journalists. :) I really look down on writers who rely on stereotypes. I've seen examples of stereotypes used almost daily ( white southern men for example) in hollywood and they sure have gotten wrong whole generations of people.I note when English or Australian actors put on southern accents they usually come across as learning disabled/mentally retarded.

Joe

Oh yeah... Don't get me started, I could go on for days. LOL :eek:

Everyone from the North etc knows that everyone that lives in the South walks around barefoot, can't read and is backwards.

[ChrisinHove]

I enjoy shows that try to entertain whether they are horror, drama, comedy, whatever. I don't want to be preached at or "influenced" by the screenwriters any more than I want it from journalists. :) I really look down on writers who rely on stereotypes. I've seen examples of stereotypes used almost daily ( white southern men for example) in hollywood and they sure have gotten wrong whole generations of people.I note when English or Australian actors put on southern accents they usually come across as learning disabled/mentally retarded.

Joe

Oh yeah... Don't get me started, I could go on for days. LOL :eek:

Everyone from the North etc knows that everyone that lives in the South walks around barefoot, can't read and is backwards.

In his Deep South travelogue, Paul Theroux blames the Southern Gothic literary genre for originally creating such lazy stereotypes. Dispatches from Pluto is another great book that looks at the South with warmth and humanity. I may never get to visit everywhere I would like to, but I like to read good books about them.

(Sorry about the accents, btw. It’s either that or another Hollywood villain. Anyway, did you not hear Dick Van Dykes “cockney” accent? We still owe you for that).

[JD Spydo]

One big item I remember especially from the 1960s is that the Cartoons were really truly funny. The "LooneyToons" cast with Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Elmer Fudd and esteemed Foghorn Leghorn were just one set of Cartoons I used to watch almost every Saturday Morning. Classic Cartoons like Woody Woodpecker, Popeye, Tom & Jerry and a few others again were truly humorous and entertaining.

Also the reruns of the 3 Stooges and Laurel & Hardy which were not done in the 60s but did attain huge popularity in the 60s were ones I enjoyed watching. I still look for TV stations that play the old 3 Stooges shows. It seemed like in the 70s and 80s that Cartoons became serious Science Fiction type trash that don't belong in the Cartoon category. But the old Cartoons were also a delight. I still watch "LooneyTunes" on a couple of rerun channels when I get the time

[Mad Mac]

Wiley Coyote and Sylvester and Tweety Bird were some of my favorites. Cliff hangers like Boston Blackie, Rocket Man and Perils of Pauline were movie shorts that carried over into early television. I liked Our Gang aka The Little Rascals because I could relate to the kids.

[James Y]

Joe,

Did you ever see this Laurel & Hardy cartoon in the '60s?

https://youtu.be/42S2r5dWi4Q

Jim

[JD Spydo]

Joe,

Did you ever see this Laurel & Hardy cartoon in the '60s?

Yeah Jim I did see that Cartoon version of Laurel & Hardy a couple of times here on a local Kansas City station. But we had the blessing of having one of our early UHF stations broadcast the original Laurel and Hardy along with the Marx Brothers along with some of Abbott and Costello's stuff as well. I wasn't much of a fan of the later A & C but the Marx Brothers original shows were just gut busting hilarious :D I stil laugh at those old Marx Brothers and 3 Stooges shows any time I see them.

From the early to late 60s was truly the "Hey-Day" for all those Hanna Barbera Cartoons. After about the mid 70s they went down fast.

[JD Spydo]

Wiley Coyote and Sylvester and Tweety Bird were some of my favorites. Cliff hangers like Boston Blackie, Rocket Man and Perils of Pauline were movie shorts that carried over into early television. I liked Our Gang aka The Little Rascals because I could relate to the kids.

Yeah it seemed like no matter how big of a problem little Tweety had he always seemed to come out on top just like Bugs Bunny did in his Looney Tunes greats.
Now the Our Gang/Little Rascals I think was made way back in the 1930s or 40s if I'm not mistaken. But Buckwheat and Alfalfa were both really funny too.

[The Mastiff]

Kolchak: The Night Stalker

I completely forgot about that one. I used to like watching that in reruns late at night.

It’s either that or another Hollywood villain. Anyway, did you not hear Dick Van Dykes “cockney” accent? We still owe you for that)

They still often cast English as villains for some reason. It's strange because English, Scottish and Irish are not disliked or caught up in a stereotype as criminals. I think they just do it so the actor villain stands out or sounds cool. :o . What I do find really strange and sort of pathetic is going back a few decades many American actors put on a very smarmy fake English accent. . Then it sort of just stopped. The stereotyped rich person in movies always had that fake accent. Next time you watch an old movie check it out and see if you can keep from laughing. They even faked it during interviews away from the movie roles.

I'm talking about faked "posh" accents rather than roles where they needed to speak with an accent.

[Ankerson]

I enjoy shows that try to entertain whether they are horror, drama, comedy, whatever. I don't want to be preached at or "influenced" by the screenwriters any more than I want it from journalists. :) I really look down on writers who rely on stereotypes. I've seen examples of stereotypes used almost daily ( white southern men for example) in hollywood and they sure have gotten wrong whole generations of people.I note when English or Australian actors put on southern accents they usually come across as learning disabled/mentally retarded.

Joe

Oh yeah... Don't get me started, I could go on for days. LOL :eek:

Everyone from the North etc knows that everyone that lives in the South walks around barefoot, can't read and is backwards.

In his Deep South travelogue, Paul Theroux blames the Southern Gothic literary genre for originally creating such lazy stereotypes. Dispatches from Pluto is another great book that looks at the South with warmth and humanity. I may never get to visit everywhere I would like to, but I like to read good books about them.

(Sorry about the accents, btw. It’s either that or another Hollywood villain. Anyway, did you not hear Dick Van Dykes “cockney” accent? We still owe you for that).

Some of it is true, but that's just not the South, you can find those types in every state in the US. And it doesn't matter if they live in a City or out in the rural areas. Backwards is not related to geography.