77 SUNSET STRIP
SEASON TWO | PART ONE

18 EPISODES ON 4 EXTENDED DISCS

ALL PICURES ARE ACTUAL SCREENSHOTS FROM THESE 18 EPISODES

     

Season Two | Part One (Episodes #35-52 on 4 Extended Discs)
Click Here for Season One | Part One
Click Here for Season One | Part Two

Warner Bros Television series (1958-1964) 206 episodes throughout seven seasons.
This package contains Part 1 of Season Two (18 episodes)

directors: Andre de Toth · Charles F. Hass · James V. Kern · George Waggner · William J. Hole·
Montgomery Pittman · Ida Lupino · Everett Sloane · Mark Sandrich Jr · Arthur Lubin

starring Efrem Zimbalist Jr · Roger Smith · Edward (Edd) Byrnes · Jacqueline Beer · Louis Quinn

guest stars within these 18 episodes: Adam West · Tuesday Weld · Diane McBane · Joyce Meadows · Linda Darnell
Mary Tyler Moore · Tom Drake · Reggie Nadler · Rhodes Reason · George Maharis · Jim Backus · Joanie Sommers

     

     

In the original days of network television, a season would routinely consist of 36 episodes (not the 8 or 10 today). This special package includes the first 18 episodes of Season Two [on 4 extended discs]. 77 SUNSET STRIP is the influential, remarkably stylish detective series that brought "hip" to television screens across America. Two cool private detectives, Stu Bailey (Efrem Zimbalist Jr) and Jeff Spencer (Roger Smith) provide the adult-oriented action and intrigue. They are often assisted by be-bop Gerald [Kookie] Kookson. Edd Byrnes plays Kookie, a hip-talking parking-lot attendant who was not originally intended to be a recurring character. But public reaction was so strong that Byrnes got a regular role.

Season One was an instant hit, landing the series in Variety's Top Five for 1958-59. The second season was launched with major impovements from Warner Brothers. Bigger budgets. Better production standards. And more emphasis on a pop culture foundation. Everything was going great as 77 SUNSET STRIP entered Season Two. However, behind the scenes, the chemistry between the leading actors had become strained. A year before, when the series began, Emfrem Zimbalist Jr and Roger Smith were the lone leads; but then, seemingly out-of-nowhere, came Edward Byrnes as Kookie. His quirky character captured the imagination of younger viewers and - within weeks - the producer expanded Edward's 'one-time guest star' into a main, supporting role. In addition, during the summer of 1959, Edward Byrnes was also riding the U.S. Music Charts with his novelty song (based on his character) "Kookie Kookie Lend Me Your Comb" (peaking at #3 on Billboard's Hot 100). So, Edward Byrnes came into Season Two not only as an actor but also as a pop star. He was given equal billing and his own mysteries to solve.

Roger Smith [who was the same age as Byrnes] was threatened by the change in dynamics. He refused to appear in the first four episodes. Smith's contract was rewitten and he continued with the series on October 30, but eventually Edward Byrnes would make his own complaints, demanding equal pay and meatier roles [often accompanying Zimbalist on International capers]. Many TV critics would agree that all the internal conflicts actually made Season Two better than Season One.

   

      

Here is a list of the 18 hour episodes in Season Two | Part One:

35 0NLY ZEROES COUNT (10/2/1959)
guest stars Robert Conrad and Poncie Ponce
director: Montgomery Pittman

36 THE KOOKIE CAPER (10/9/59)
guest stars Will Hutchins and Sherry Jackson
director: Montgomery Pittman

37 SIX SUPERIOR SKIRTS (10/16/59)
guest stars Diane McBaine and Joyce Meadows
director: Andre de Toth

38 CLAY PIGEON (10/23/59)
guest star Paula Raymond
director: Arthur Lubin

39 THANKS FOR TOMORROW (10/30/59)
guest stars Mary Tyler Moore and Adam West
director: Mark Sandrich Jr.

40 SING SOMETHING SIMPLE (11/6/59)
guest stars Linda Darnell and Richard Garland
director: George Waggner

41 THE TREEHOUSE CAPER (11/13/59)
guest stars Bunny Cooper and Tom Drake
director: George Waggner

42 OUT OF THE PAST (11/20/59)
guest stars Adam West and Regie Nadler
director: Charles Haas

43 THE WIDOW AND THE WEB (11/27/59)
guest star Suzanne Lloyd
director: George Waggner

44 SECRET ISAND (12/4/59)
guest stars Tuesday Weld and Jacques Bergerac
director George Waggner

45 THE TEXAS DOLL (12/11/59)
guest star Rhodes Reason
director Andre de Toth

46 VACATION WITH PAY (12/18/59)
guest star Kip Henderson
director: James V. Kern

47 THE JUKEBOX CAPER (12/25/59)
guest stars George Maharis and Patricia Donahue
director: Ida Lupino

48 CREATED HE THEM (1/1/60)
guest star Victor Buono and Adele Mara
director George Waggner

49 COLLECTOR'S ITEM (1/8/60)
guest stars Jim Backus an Joanie Sommers
director: William J. Hole Jr.

50 SWITCHBURG (1/15/60)
guest star Emile Meyer and Jean Allison
director: Montgomery Pittman

51 THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY (1/22/60)
guest star Whitney Blake
director: Everett Sloane

52 TEN CENTS A DEATH (1/29/60)
guest stars Bea Benaderet and Linda Lawson
director: George Waggner

      

      

18 Episodes (Season Two | Part One) of a 1959/60 television series on four extended discs; in English language
total 903 minutes), encoded for ALL REGIONS NTSC, playable on any American machine;
original Black and White format.