The Lawless Years (1961)

As America's interest in the Roaring '20's continued with the unbridled success of ABC's The Untouchables, NBC resurrected its own Prohibition-era crime drama The Lawless Years in the spring of 1961 as a sort of extended summer replacement program, with 20 new programs airing between May 12 and September 22. The March 25 edition of TV Guide noted that the show was returning as part of NBC's shakeup of its Friday evening lineup, replacing the first half of The Bell Telephone Hour. The program had initially launched in April 1959, the same month The Untouchables first aired as a two-part TV movie on Desilu Playhouse, and ran for 18 episodes until the end of August of that year. Its second season was then tried as a prime-time series in October 1959 but was canceled after only 9 episodes, the last airing in January 1960.

Like the man whose exploits inspired The Untouchables, New York detective Barney Ruditsky, whose unpublished memoirs were the source for The Lawless Years, had a checkered career after his glory years. He retired from the New York police force after 20 years in 1941, served in the U.S. Army in Africa during World War II, and then settled in Los Angeles, where he owned a nightclub called Sherry's, a liquor store, and a private detective agency. He also served as a technical advisor and occasionally had bit parts in feature films for 20th Century Fox: Margin for Error, Behind Green Lights, and Nocturne. However, his reputation as a scion of law and order came under attack by the Los Angeles Police Department, who suggested that his detective agency was also in the business of collecting bad gambling debts for mobsters like Bugsy Siegel and Mickey Cohen, though Ruditsky denied the accusations when called to testify before the Kefauver hearings on organized crime. However, even in his New York salad days Ruditsky was on a few occasions accused of taking bribes in underworld-backed labor disputes, though no charges were ever brought against him.

But his Hollywood detective agency was dealt a severe blow when he was at the center of the infamous Wrong Door Raid after being hired by Joe Dimaggio to spy on Marilyn Monroe, whom he suspected of having an affair. When one of Ruditsky's agents saw Monroe's car parked outside a friend's apartment which Dimaggio believed was being used for trysts with Monroe's voice coach, Ruditsky called Dimaggio, who brought along Frank Sinatra and a few other friends, and the group broke down the apartment door only to find a secretary who lived alone and had no connection to Monroe. The fallout from the incident seriously damaged Ruditsky's reputation, but not enough to keep NBC from hiring him as a technical advisor for the series based on his memoirs about his days in New York.

With Ruditsky directly involved in the series, it's no wonder that James Gregory's portrayal of him is bolt upright. Gregory's Ruditsky can't be bought, though in the episode "Ginny" (July 14, 1961) he goes undercover and pretends to take money from Dutch Schultz in order to shut down his operation of paying off dirty cops. He seems to have a somewhat cordial relationship with some of his adversaries, particularly Lepke Buchalter in "Ike, the Novelty King" (September 22, 1961), and seems to have grown up with many more, most notably Louis Kassoff in the five-part serial "Louy K" (May 26 - June 23, 1961). But he takes great pleasure in telling off the dangerous criminals he is trying to nab--calling them punks, scum, and telling them how much they stink. Remarkably, no one ever takes a shot at him or lands a punch. 

While the depiction of Ruditsky might be one dimensional, many of the stories of noted New York gangsters stick fairly close to the actual facts of their lives. "The Kid Dropper Story" (July 7, 1961) is based on the death of Nathan Kaplan, though in the TV episode he is named Jacob Koster. Dropper has a running feud with gangster Little Augie Orgen, who vows to get even and has a young upstart shoot Dropper when he is seated in a police car after being released from prison, just as he was in real life. "Little Augie" (July 21, 1961) shows Jacob "Little Augie" Orgen being gunned down by Lepke Buchalter and Gurrah Shapiro (who in the TV series is named Charlie Gurrah). And at the end of the episode "Romeo and Rose" (September 15, 1961), Ruditsky mentions that Murder, Inc. enforcer Abe Reles was eventually arrested and sang his guts out to the authorities before either jumping or being pushed out of a 10th story window to his death, just as happened to the real Abe "Kid Twist" Reles.

Since Ruditsky's memoirs were never published, it is difficult to fact-check the other stories presented on The Lawless Years. The death of the title character in "The Jack 'Legs' Diamond Story" (May 12, 1961) is depicted as having been ordered by rival gangster Dutch Schultz, which was one of the prevailing theories at the time. But later testimony suggests that it was more likely the work of the Albany, New York police force. And the five-part "Louy K" serial is believed to have been loosely based on the life of underworld mastermind Meyer Lansky, who was still alive and doing business when The Lawless Years aired. Though he was a Russian immigrant and a key organizer and brain trust of New York gangster activities, eventually setting up gambling operations in Las Vegas and running a successful hotel in pre-revolutionary Havana, he was not driven to a life of crime by the rape of his sister and he was not gunned down by Buchalter's men after leaving the organization after his sister's death. The Louy K serial is one of the least successful of the stories on The Lawless Years because there isn't enough action to warrant devoting five full episodes to it, and it has the smell of melodrama with Kassoff's shouting denunciation of his rabbinical studies after he is powerless to stop his sister's rape. Though the shorter 30-minute treatment of other stories can at times seem procedural and formulaic, at least the pacing doesn't drag as it does in the Louy K series.

Since it had failed in its lone attempt as a fall prime-time series and was brought back as an extended summer stop-gap, it's no surprise that The Lawless Years was not given another shot at NBC's regular seasonal schedule. Ruditsky himself would die the next year from a heart attack shortly after being diagnosed with a colon tumor. The Roaring 20's fad in 1960s American television wouldn't last much longer--The Roaring 20's was canceled in 1962, and The Untouchables in 1963. But the genre has a certain timeless appeal, as shown with the more recent Boardwalk Empire series, which ran from 2010 until 2014. It's just unfortunate that Ruditsky didn't chronicle his days in Los Angeles.

Though no on-screen credit is given for the theme music or individual scores for The Lawless Years, musical supervision was handled by Raoul Kraushaar (he is credited with composing the theme on imdb.com), who was born in Paris, France the son of an orchestral musician. After his mother died, he went to live with an aunt and then stowed away on an ocean liner headed for New York. He studied musical arrangement at Columbia University before moving to Los Angeles in the 1930s. There he worked arranging for big bands and later secured a job with Republic Pictures, which resulted in working on Gene Autry feature films beginning with Rovin' Tumbleweeds in 1939. After the war he began hiring out to a number of other studios and worked on science fiction classics such as Preshistoric Women, Invaders From Mars, and The Unknown Terror as well as the noir classic The Blue Gardenia and a number of B-grade westerns. In 1952 his work on Abbott and Costello Meet Captain Kidd led to his being hired to write the theme and material for individual episodes of The Abbott and Costello Show. While continuing prolific work on feature westerns, he also found work on more TV series such as Hopalong Cassidy and Lassie, for which he was at one time credited with writing the theme, but this was later proved to have been written by William Lava. The issue of uncertain attribution, common for the era, makes it hard to know exactly how much of the music Kraushaar composed on the series he supervised, he is credited with composing for 24 episodes of Mister Ed in 1961, as well as 2 episodes each of Assignment Underwater and Outlaws. His credited compositional work for the remainder of his career, which ran through the 1970s, consisted of more B grade features, most notably the 1966 camp classics Jesse James Meets Frankenstein's Daughter and Billy the Kid Versus Dracula. His last credit was for the 1980 TV movie Children of Divorce, after which he retired to Pompano Beach, Florida. He died there at the age of 93 on October 13, 2001.

The "complete series" has been released on DVD by Timeless Media Group. However, this 45-episode collection is missing the two-part "Mad Dog Coll Story," which aired on July 28 and August 4, 1961.

The Actors

For the biography for James Gregory, see the post for The Lawless Years 1960.

Robert Karnes

Robert Anthony Karnes was born in Paducah, Kentucky, though he was living in Arizona by the time he received his Social Security card. Little is known about his early years, but he broke into film roles in the mid-1940s, beginning with an uncredited appearance in The Leopard Man in 1943. Though most of his early work was similarly without credits, he appeared in some major motion pictures during this era--The Best Years of Our Lives, Miracle on 34th Street, Gentlemen's Agreement, All the King's Men, Call Northside 777, and From Here to Eternity. His television debut came in 1951, appearing on three different programs but all in likewise unnamed character parts. His career throughout the 1950s was prolific but consisted largely of minor roles or supporting roles in B-movie material, such as Project Moon Base and Half Human. His role as Barney Ruditsky's sidekick Max Fields was his first recurring TV role, appearing 21 times on the series between 1959-61. This role seemingly led to more regular TV work: he appeared four times as Deputy D.A. Victor Chamberlin on Perry Mason in 1960-61, as well as multiple appearances on The Real McCoys, Have Gun -- Will Travel, and Alfred Hitchcock Presents during the same period. He remained very busy throughout the rest of his career, making 11 appearances on Gunsmoke, 6 on Ironside, and 5 on Bonanza in addition to dozens of other programs, though his only other recurring role was playing Sheriff King in 4 episodes of The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries in 1977. Married to actress Doris Karnes for 38 years, he died from heart failure on December 4, 1979 at the age of 62.

Notable Guest Stars

Season 3, Episode 1, "The Jack 'Legs' Diamond Story": Robert Ellenstein (shown on the left, appeared in 3:10 to Yuma, Too Much Too Soon, and North by Northwest) plays mobster Jack "Legs" Diamond. Joseph Mell (appeared in When World Collide, The Lost Planet, Magnificent Obsession, and I Was a Teenage Werewolf and played Bill Pence on Gunsmoke) plays Hotsy Totsy Club co-owner Charlie Entra. Dick Wilson (Dino Barone on McHale's Navy and George Whipple in Charmin toilet paper commercials) plays club manager Hymie Cee. Peggy Maley (starred in The Lady Says No, The Wild One, Human Desire, and The Guns of Fort Petticoat) plays Diamond's wife Alice. Norman Alden (Johnny Ringo on The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp, Captain Horton on Rango, Grundy on Not for Hire, Tom Williams on My Three Sons, and Coach Leroy Fedders on Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman) plays Dutch Schultz hitman Lulu.

Season 3, Episode 2, "The Sonny Rosen Story II": John Gabriel (shown on the right, played Andy Rivers on The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Mr. Van Huyten on A Kind of Loving, Dr. Seneca Beaulac on Ryan's Hope, and Pete LeGrand on Days of Our Lives) plays spoiled rich kid Sonny Rosen. Peter Brocco (Peter the waiter on The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show) plays his father Meyer. Dorothy Adams (appeared in Laura, The Best Years of Our Lives, The Winning Team, and The Killing) plays his mother Sarah. Bernard Fein (Pvt Gomez on The Phil Silvers Show) plays thug Bo Scalsi. Charles Wagenheim (Halligan on Gunsmoke) plays informant Louie the Gimp.

Season 3, Episode 3, "Louy K: Part 1": Paul Richards (appeared in Playgirl and Beneath the Planet of the Apes) plays gangster kingpin Louis Kassoff. Naomi Stevens (Juanita on The Doris Day Show, Mama Rossini on My Three Sons, Rose Montefusco on The Montefuscos, and Sgt. Bella Archer on Vega$) plays his Aunt Rose.  Baruch Lumet (renowned Yiddish theater actor who appeared in The Killer Shrews, The Interns, and The Pawnbroker) plays a street vendor.

Season 3, Episode 4, "Louy K: Part 2--Sing Sing": Paul Richards (shown on the left, see "Louy K: Part 1" above) returns as Louis Kassoff. Naomi Stevens (see "Louy K: Part 1" above) returns as his Aunt Rose. John Vivyan (see the biography section for the 1960 post on Mr. Lucky) plays gangster Lepke Buchalter.  Robert Ellenstein (see "The Jack 'Legs' Diamond Story" above) returns as Legs Diamond. Henry Corden (Carlo on The Count of Monte Cristo, and Babbitt on The Monkees and did voicework on The Flintstones, Jonny Quest, The Atom Ant Show, The Banana Splits Adventure Hour and Return to the Planet of the Apes) plays gangster Waxey Gordon. Stanley Adams (Lt. Morse on Not for Hire) plays gangster Charlie Gurrah. Ken Mayer (Major Robbie Robertson on Space Patrol) plays prison guard Stagg. Joseph Mell (see "The Jack 'Legs' Diamond Story" above) plays a fish peddler.

Season 3, Episode 5, "Louy K: Part 3--Birth of the Organization": Paul Richards (see "Louy K: Part 1" above) returns as Louis Kassoff. Jack Weston (Wilbur "Wormsey" Wormser on Red Brown of the Rocket Rangers, Chick Adams on My Sister Eileen, Walter Hathaway on The Hathaways, and Danny Zimmer on The Four Seasons) plays mob financier A.J. Naomi Stevens (see "Louy K: Part 1" above) returns as his Aunt Rose. John Vivyan (see "Louy K: Part 2" above) returns as Lepke Buchalter.  Robert Ellenstein (see "The Jack 'Legs' Diamond Story" above) returns as Legs Diamond. Henry Corden (see "Louy K: Part 2" above) returns as Waxey Gordon. Stanley Adams (see "Louy K: Part 2" above) returns as Charlie Gurrah. Norman Alden (see "The Jack 'Legs' Diamond Story" above) plays gangster Lucky Luciano. Dick Wilson (see "The Jack 'Legs' Diamond Story" above) plays gangster Little Augie Orgen.

Season 3, Episode 6, "Louy K: Part 4--Heydays of the Organization": Paul Richards (see "Louy K: Part 1" above) returns as Louis Kassoff. Naomi Stevens (see "Louy K: Part 1" above) returns as his Aunt Rose. John Vivyan (shown on the right, see "Louy K: Part 2" above) returns as Lepke Buchalter.  Robert Ellenstein (see "The Jack 'Legs' Diamond Story" above) returns as Legs Diamond. Joan Staley (Playboy Playmate who appeared in Cape Fear, Roustabout, Valley of the Dragons, Johnny Cool, and The Ghost and Mr. Chicken and played Hannah on 77 Sunset Strip and Roberta Love on Broadside) plays Diamond's mistress Kiki Roberts. Henry Corden (see "Louy K: Part 2" above) returns as Waxey Gordon. Stanley Adams (see "Louy K: Part 2" above) returns as Charlie Gurrah. Norman Alden (see "The Jack 'Legs' Diamond Story" above) plays gangster Lucky Luciano. Milton Frome (starred in Pardners, The Delicate Delinquent, and The Swinger and played Lawrence Chapman on The Beverly Hillbillies) plays Ruditsky's superior Capt. McCloskey.

Season 3, Episode 7, "Louy K: Part 5--The Disintegration": Paul Richards (see "Louy K: Part 1" above) returns as Louis Kassoff. Naomi Stevens (see "Louy K: Part 1" above) returns as his Aunt Rose. John Vivyan (see "Louy K: Part 2" above) returns as Lepke Buchalter.  Henry Corden (see "Louy K: Part 2" above) returns as Waxey Gordon. Stanley Adams (see "Louy K: Part 2" above) returns as Charlie Gurrah. Joseph Mell (see "The Jack 'Legs' Diamond Story" above) returns as a fish peddler.

Season 3, Episode 8, "The Miles Miller Story": Walter Burke (shown on the left, starred in All the King's Men, Jack the Giant Killer, and Support Your Local Sheriff! and played Tim Potter on Black Saddle) plays underworld attorney and mastermind Miles Miller. Richard Reeves (Mr. Murphy on Date With the Angels) plays one of his thugs Red Morin. Joan Staley (see "Louy K: Part 4--Heydays of the Organization" above) plays Miller's girlfriend Daphne Marco. Meg Wyllie (Mrs. Kissell on The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters and Aunt Lolly Stemple on Mad About You) plays an insurance company agent's wife Mrs. Banks.

Season 3, Episode 9, "The Kid Dropper Story": Jack Weston (see " Louy K: Part 3--Birth of the Organization" above) plays gangster Jacob "Kid Dropper" Koster. Al Ruscio (Paul Locatelli on Shannon, Sal Giordano on Life Goes On, and Frank Ruscio on Joe's Life) plays his brother Benjamin.  Bartlett Robinson (Frank Caldwell on Mona McCluskey) plays the New York District Attorney.  Milton Frome (see "Louy K: Part 4--Heydays of the Organization" above) plays Ruditsky's superior Capt. Coombs. Ron Soble (Dirty Jim on The Monroes) plays Little Augie henchman Big Smiley.

Season 3, Episode 10, "Ginny": Barbara Stuart (shown on the right, played Bessie on The Great Gildersleeve, Alice on Pete and Gladys, Bunny on Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C., Peggy Ferguson on The McLean Stevenson Show, Marianne Danzig on Our Family Honor, and Alice on Huff) plays Dutch Schultz's girlfriend Ginny. Milton Frome (see "Louy K: Part 4--Heydays of the Organization" above) returns as Capt. McCloskey. Hal Hamilton (Dr. Sidney Fell on Days of Our Lives) plays dirty cop Det. Rand. Bobs Watson (Sidney on The Jim Backus Show) plays a popcorn vendor.

Season 3, Episode 11, "Little Augie": Vic Morrow (shown on the left, starred in Tribute to a Bad Man, God's Little Acre, and Portrait of a Mobster and played Sgt. Saunders on Combat! and Capt. Eugene Nathan on B.A.D. Cats) plays gangster Jacob "Little Augie" Orgen. Stanley Adams (see "Louy K: Part 2" above) returns as Charlie Gurrah. Sid Tomack (Jim Gillis on The Life of Riley) plays garment factory owner Henry James. Orville Sherman (Mr. Feeney on Buckskin, Wib Smith on Gunsmoke, and Tupper on Daniel Boone) plays one of his striking workers Samuel Landman. Terence de Marney (Case Thomas on Johnny Ringo and Counsellor Doone on Lorna Doone) plays underworld financier A.J. Tyler McVey (Gen. Maj. Norgath on Men Into Space) plays a judge. Hugh Sanders (starred in That's My Boy, The Pride of St. Louis, The Winning Team, and The Wild One) plays the New York District Attorney.

Season 3, Episode 14, "Blood Brothers": Harry Dean Stanton (shown on the right, appeared in Kelly's Heroes, Dillinger, Cool Hand Luke, Repo Man, Pretty in Pink, Alien, Paris, Texas and played Jake Walters on Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman) plays small-time punk Tommy Ryan. Joe Corey (Humphrey Humpsteader on Dear Phoebe) plays his best friend Vince Matteo.

 

Season 3, Episode 15, "The Victor Gorido Story": Henry Corden (shown on the left, see "Louy K: Part 2" above) plays hitman Victor Gorido. Dick Miller (see "The Jack 'Legs' Diamond Story" above) plays his partner Happy Mione. Charles Wagenheim (see "The Sonny Rosen Story II" above) returns as Louie the Gimp.

Season 3, Episode 16, "Artie Moon": George Brenlin (Benny on General Hospital and Deke Dukowski on Adam-12) plays small-time racketeer Artie Moon. Mary Webster (Rachel Verinder on The Moonstone, Jill Reed on Emergency-Ward 10, Anna on Circus, and Sarah Onedin on The Onedin Line) plays his wife Goldie. Warren Oates (starred in In the Heat of the Night, The Wild Bunch, and Stripes and who played Ves Painter on Stoney Burke) plays his partner Charlie Brown.

Season 3, Episode 17, "Triple Cross": Stephen Roberts (Mr. Stan Peeples on Mr. Novak) plays thug Olaf Jurgeson. Nita Talbot (shown on the right, played Dora Miles on The Jim Backus Show, Marya on Hogan's Heroes, Judy Evans on Here We Go Again, Delfina on General Hospital, and Rose on Starting From Scratch) plays his girlfriend Mildred Greyson. John Gabriel (see "The Sonny Rosen Story II" above) plays his getaway driver Eddie Maschio. David Fresco (Albert Wysong on Murder One) plays Charlie Lucky operative Crawford. Peter Brocco (see "The Sonny Rosen Story II" above) plays Mildred's father Isaac Gross.

Season 3, Episode 18, "The Jonathan Wills Story": Tommy Cook (played Little Beaver in the Red Ryder radio serial and in feature film The Adventures of Red Ryder and appeared in Jungle Girl, Tarzan and the Leopard Woman, Humoresque, and Teenage Crime Wave) plays low-level criminal Joey Valenti.

Season 3, Episode 19, "Romeo and Rose": Paul Richards (see "Louy K: Part 1" above) plays hitman Manny "Romeo" Farkas.

Season 3, Episode 20, "Ike, the Novelty King": Joseph Mell (see "The Jack 'Legs' Diamond Story" above) plays novelty shop owner Ike, the Novely King. John Vivyan (see "Louy K: Part 2" above) returns as Lepke Buchalter. James Lanphier (shown on the left, see the biography section for the 1960 post on Peter Gunn) plays Lepke's lieutenant Pittsburgh Phil. Orville Sherman (see "Little Augie" above) plays furrier Sam. Norman Alden (see "The Jack 'Legs' Diamond Story" above) returns as Dutch Schultz hitman Lulu.

Mr. Lucky (1960)

After the surprise success of Blake Edwards' Peter Gunn in the 1958-59 television season, CBS called on the then 37-year-old producer for another hit when it decided to replace the Edward Binns crime drama Brenner barely into the 1959 fall season. And Edwards delivered with Mr. Lucky, which finished the season tied for #21 in the ratings, higher than Gunn. But the series had the bad fortune of running afoul of Bible belt distaste for contemporary depictions of gambling and never recovered. The series' only resemblance to the 1943 feature-length film of the same name was the suave demeanor of the title character, played by Cary Grant in the film and John Vivyan in the TV series, and his penchant for gambling. Both were also ostensibly based on the short story "Bundles for Freedom" by Milton Holmes. But whereas Grant's Lucky is a gambler and draft dodger until he reforms and joins the military, Vivyan's Lucky runs a South American casino with his sidekick Andamo, then escapes a revolution and relocates in the States to set up a gambling establishment aboard his boat, the Fortuna II, situated 3 miles off land in international waters to avoid U.S. restrictions and taxes. While outside the reach of government officials, Lucky was not beyond the disapproval of American television viewers, particularly in the South, who began complaining to CBS, as reported in the January 23, 1960 edition of TV Guide. By the February 13 edition, TV Guide was reporting that sponsor Lever Brothers had demanded that the show be made more respectable, but by then the show had already made the transition, with Lucky hinting to Andamo at the end of "The Sour Milk Fund" (January 30, 1960) that the Fortuna II would no longer be used for gambling. In the next episode, "The Brain Picker" (February 6, 1960), Lucky reveals that the boat will become an exclusive dinner club. TV Guide, playing on the fact that Lever was mostly known for its soap, opined, "By taking the bite out of the character, it [Lever] was running a real risk of transforming one of the season's big hits into a big flop..." Yet, as mentioned above, the show finished just out of the top 20 in the ratings for the year. However, Lever decided not to renew its sponsorship, and the network was unable to find a replacement. Vivyan, who had turned down a role in an Ingrid Bergman film in anticipation of a second season of Mr. Lucky, had a lackluster career thereafter.

Despite its abandonment by its sponsors, the series proved popular not only with viewers but also with the editors at TV Guide, as it co-starred in a February 13 cover story with Peter Gunn and producer Edwards, scored profiles of co-stars Pippa Scott in the April 2 issue and Ross Martin in the May 21 issue, and was the subject of the magazine's weekly review in the March 12 issue. In that review, Frank DeBlois admires the show's character development, witty dialogue, and visual aesthetics, but admits that the plots are frequently shopworn. And he has a point: most episodes revolve around someone seeking assistance from Lucky or trying to manipulate him for their purposes, and most climax with a fist-fight that Lucky and Andamo always win, which would be a tad more credible if Lucky's back-story included a boxing career like Charles Bronson's Mike Kovacs in Man With a Camera. Amongst those seeking Lucky's assistance are stand-up comedian Jerry Musco, trying to escape from his mobster former employer in "The Last Laugh" (February 13, 1960), exploited ex-con Karl Lieder in "The Parolee" (Febraury 20, 1960), country club manager Joe Branco, trying to snuff out a dangerous card cheat in "Cold Deck" (March 19, 1960), and young, blonde, rich socialite Margot who is being pursued by a beatnik serial killer in "Stacked Deck" (May 28, 1960). Among those trying to manipulate him are bad painter and art thief Andre Damon in "Aces Back to Back" (January 2, 1960), old friend and heist co-conspirator Pop Markel in "Big Squeeze" (March 12, 1960), divorced mob attorney Vincent, trying to force his ex-wife into joint custody by using the Fortuna II to kidnap his own daughter in "His Maiden Voyage" (March 26, 1960), and Nazi mouthpiece Frederick St. John, who uses the Fortuna II as a way to sneak back into the States in "Odyssey of Hate" (June 4, 1960). In many of these white-knuckle escapades, Lucky and Andamo are bailed out in the nick of time by police Lt. Rovacs, who maintains a love-hate relationship with the boys--simmering because they are outside his jurisdiction and sometimes have interests at odds with his, but also somewhat thankful for the number of cases they help him solve. Sometimes the rescues are a bit implausible, as in "Stacked Deck" where Lucky tries to signal Rovacs on shore by flicking his boat's illuminated sign off and on, only to learn from the killer that because the sign is neon, the flickering would probably appear normal rather than a sign of distress. Still, Rovacs shows up just as the killer is about to shoot Lucky, proving that his nickname is not without merit.

Regarding the character development that DeBlois lauded in his TV Guide review, Lucky is a more complex individual than the standard male lead. Though he can check off tall, dark, and handsome on his resumé, his occupation as a professional gambler during the first half of the series causes him to occasionally rub elbows with unsavory characters. He maintains a high standard of ethics, refusing, as mentioned above, to allow his boat to be used as a getaway vehicle for a heist in "Big Squeeze," even though one of the perpetrators is an old friend. But he also doesn't run to the police and rat out that old friend, even when the friend's accomplices first frame him for the robbery and then take Andamo as a hostage. Rovacs is only able to rush in at the last minute by tailing Lucky after he is framed as he traces the crime back to its source. Also somewhat ambivalent is Lucky's relationship status: his regular girlfriend Margaret "Maggie" Shank-Rutherford appears in only 8 of the 34 episodes, and in those episodes he is devoted only to her. But in other episodes he occasionally becomes very friendly with a number of other lovely ladies, some of them quite dangerous, as with the assassin Miss Grey, hired to rub him out in "I Bet Your Life" (April 2, 1960), or gambler moll Evelyn, who lures him into a trap in "Election Bet" (June 18, 1960).

The other characters are simpler by comparison. Andamo is a trusty and always loyal sidekick with plenty of wit but also a weakness for feminine charms that sometimes gets him into trouble , too, such as when he falls for do-gooder socialite Victoria Pennington, whose charity is run by a crook in "The Sour Milk Fund" (January 30, 1960). Rovacs is a consistently dyspeptic and sarcastic cop, while Maggie is a somewhat ditzy girlfriend who disobeys instructions and nearly gets herself killed in "Maggie the Witness" (January 9, 1960).

The boat used as the Fortuna II was actually named The Alamo and was built in 1932 for William F. Ladd of New York. After changing ownership several times, it was acquired by the U.S. Navy in 1942 and was decommissioned at the end of World War II in December 1945. It was sold to retired Col. C.S. Smith in 1947, and it was during his ownership that it was used for Mr. Lucky. In 1960 it was sold to Enrique Braun, who moved it to Acapulco. In 1982 it was to be converted to a floating restaurant (just like in the TV series) when it caught fire and sunk. It is now considered a popular scuba diving venue. The entire history, with additional photos and documents, can he found here.

As with Peter Gunn, the music for the series was provided by frequent Blake Edwards collaborator and soundtrack superstar Henry Mancini, who would later provide scores for Edwards' signature Pink Panther film franchise. The theme song for Mr. Lucky was released as a single and reached #21 on the pop charts after debuting at #95 the week of April 10, 1960. Also like Peter Gunn, Mancini produced two albums with music taken from the series, the eponymous Mr. Lucky and Mr. Lucky Goes Latin. The theme song is what the house band aboard the Fortuna II usually plays, and Lucky has a pocket watch that plays the first five notes of the theme when opened.

Though the series had not been released to DVD at the time this post was originally written (all 34 episodes were then currently available on youtube.com with visual quality varies from quite good to merely acceptable), the complete series is now available from Timeless Media Group.

The Actors

John Vivyan

Born Jan Vukoyan to Croatian parents in Pittsburgh, Vivyan grew up in Chicago and was a ballroom dancer until a World War II injury at Guadalcanal forced a career change. After the war, he graduated from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York in 1946 and made his first TV appearance on an episode of the drama anthology series Studio One in Hollywood three years later. More regular TV work did not come until 1957, when he appeared on shows such as State Trooper, Highway Patrol, and The Millionaire. More steady work in crime dramas and westerns, including four appearances in Maverick, followed over the next two years until he was cast as the lead for Mr. Lucky. He also appeared in 9 episodes of The Lawless Years before and after Lucky in 1959 and 1961, playing the character Lepke Buchalter in 7 of those appearances.

But, as mentioned above, the cancelation of Lucky took him by surprise and appears to have hit him hard. Interviews at the time said that he was shocked by the decision, and he appeared in only one feature-length film, 1962's Rider on a Dead Horse, and a string of TV guest appearances on a mere 15 shows over the next 23 years, the last being an episode of Simon & Simon in 1983. He died that year at the age of 68 on December 20. He also owned a message center in Hollywood on Wilshire Blvd in the 1970s and made commercials for Coffeemate in the 1980s.

Ross Martin

Much happier than Vivyan's story is that of the actor who played his sidekick Andamo. Martin was born as Martin Rosenblatt in Grodek, Poland in 1920 but grew up in New York's Lower East Side. He explained in his May 21 TV Guide feature story that his parents and grandparents suffered many pogroms in Poland and that he grew up with a sense of insecurity that drove him to study law, business, and accounting as fallbacks, even though his desire was to be an actor. A multilingual background (he spoke Yiddish, Polish, and Russian growing up) made him adept at picking up additional languages and accents, making him a perfect fit for the role of Andamo, who is Latin but of undisclosed origin. His linguistic dexterity also allowed him to play a variety of characters when he broke into radio, at one time having roles on 8 different shows simultaneously before eventually landing his own show. But before that he had a vaudeville comedy act with Bernie West and was an accomplished violinist by the age of 8. He broke into TV in 1949 and had steady work throughout the 50s, including 4 appearances on Lights Out, 7 on Treasury Men in Action, and 6 more on Modern Romances. After catching Blake Edwards' eye when appearing in an episode of Peter Gunn in January 1959, he landed the role of Andamo on Mr. Lucky, his first regular role, and continued his association with Edwards in the feature films Experiment in Terror in 1962 and The Great Race in 1965, which led to a Golden Globe nomination.

After a few more guest appearances on various TV shows as well as occasional movie work, he landed the role of a lifetime as secret agent, technical wizard, and master of disguise Artemus Gordon opposite Robert Conrad on The Wild Wild West, which ran four seasons from 1965-69 and earned Martin an Emmy nomination in its last season. However, in the last year of the series, Martin suffered a heart attack that temporarily kept him from working. It has been suggested that Martin's heart condition may have scared the networks away from giving him a lead role thereafter, but he found steady work making appearances on many TV shows and in TV movies throughout the 70s, including 5 appearances as Tony Alika on Hawaii Five-O. But his heart condition eventually killed him when he collapsed while playing tennis and died at the age of 61 on July 3, 1981.

Pippa Scott

Daughter of screenwriter Alan Scott (Top Hat, Swing Time, Follow the Fleet) and Broadway actress Laura Straub, Scott got the acting bug early and studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London. When she returned to the States, she won a Theatre World Award for her performance in Child of Fortune. Her first TV appearance came at the age of 20 and her film debut followed the next year in the classic John Ford western The Searchers, though, as she noted in one interview, her character was killed off very early in the film. In 1958 she had a leading role as a high school teacher who has a relationship with a student in As Young As We Are and had a minor role that same year in the Rosalind Russell vehicle Auntie Mame before landing her first regular TV role the following year with Mr. Lucky.

After Lucky's cancelation, she was cast as Molly Wood on the first season of The Virginian but left after that initial season and did not find another regular role until playing opposite Jack Warden in the short-lived series Jigsaw John in 1976. After a 1984 appearance on Remington Steele, Scott had a 25-year gap in acting appearances until resurfacing in the film Footprints in 2009. For nearly 20 years she was married to Lee Rich, who co-founded Lorimar Productions, the production company for The Waltons, Dallas, Falcon Crest, and Knots Landing.

Tom Brown

Thomas Brown was born in New York City in 1913 and first appeared on stage in his mother's arms at the ripe old age of 6 months. From the age of 2 he was a child model in ads for Buster Brown Shoes, Arrow Collars, and Buick Automobiles. His film career commenced at age 11 in 1924, and in the 1930s he had leading roles in Ann of Green Gables, Bachelor of Arts, and Gentle Julia. He appeared in over 60 films before moving into TV roles in the mid-50s, but his role as Lt. Rovacs on Mr. Lucky was his first regular television role. After Lucky's demise, his most steady work was as the second incarnation of Al Weeks on General Hospital from 1963-65 and again from 1970-74. He also worked in single showings on The Untouchables, Peter Gunn, The Rifleman, and McHale's Navy, to name a few. From 1968-74 he had a recurring role as rancher Ed O'Connor in 13 episodes of Gunsmoke, and his last appearance was as an emcee on a 1979 episode of The Jeffersons. He died of cancer on June 3, 1990 at the age of 77.

Joe Scott

Though he appeared in more episodes than Pippa Scott (no relation), Joe Scott's role as Joe the croupier and then maitre' d was extremely low-profile, more like a piece of furniture than an actual character. He occasionally had a line or two of dialogue, such as telling Lucky that Rovacs was upstairs waiting to see him. His other TV roles, all but one during the 1960s, were similar: a croupier on The Twilight Zone and The Dick Powell Theatre, an unnamed jockey on National Velvet, an attendant and a gunman in two episodes of Peter Gunn, and a bartender and a drive-in attendant on two episodes of Burke's Law. He actually got to play named characters in single episodes of The Untouchables and Checkmate and ended his career as a bartender on The Mary Tyler Moore Show in 1975. It is not known whether he is still living.

Notable Guest Stars

Season 1, Episode 11, "Aces Back to Back": Peter Whitney (shown on the left, played Sergeant Buck Sinclair on The Rough Riders and Lafe Crick on The Beverly Hillbillies) plays horrible painter Andre Damon. Bernard Fein (Pvt. Gomez on The Phil Silvers Show) plays robber Spanish Charley. Robert Warwick (starred in Alias Jimmy Valentine, The Supreme Sacrifice, The Heart of a Hero, and Against All Flags) plays art appraiser Charles Colter. 

Season 1, Episode 12, "Maggie the Witness": Robert Carricart (Pepe Cordoza on T.H.E. Cat) plays hitman Willie. Arthur Batanides (Sgt. Sam Olivera on Johnny Midnight) plays hitman Bruce. Milton Frome (starred in Pardners, The Delicate Delinquent, and The Swinger and played Lawrence Chapman on The Beverly Hillbillies) plays attorney Pennypacker. Richard Devon (Jody Barker on Yancy Derringer) plays imposter attorney Billy.

Season 1, Episode 13, "The Two Million Dollar Window": Wesley Lau (shown on the right, played Lt. Andy Anderson on PerryMason and Master Sgt. Jiggs on The Time Tunnel) plays heist ringleader Slate. William Fawcett (Clayton on Duffy's Tavern, Marshal George Higgins on The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin, and Pete Wilkey on Fury) plays an unnamed fisherman. William Boyett (Sgt. Ken Williams on Highway Patrol and Sgt. MacDonald on Adam-12) plays an unnamed health officer. Cyril Delvanti (Lucious Coin on Jefferson Drum) plays convict Gardenia O'Toole. 

Season 1, Episode 14, " The Leadville Gang": Will Wright (shown on the far left, played Mr. Merrivale on Dennis the Menace and Ben Weaver on The Andy Griffith Show) plays former train robber the Leadville Kid. Burt Mustin (shown on the left, played Foley on The Great Gildersleeve, Mr. Finley on Date With the Angels, Gus the fireman on Leave It to Beaver, Jud Fletcher on The Andy Griffith Show, and Justin Quigley on All in the Family) plays accomplice Billy Gregg. Raymond Hatton (starred in Oliver Twist (1916), The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and Lord Jim, played Marshal Sandy Hopkins in 28 westerns and Rusty Joslin in 7 other westerns, and played The Mole on Dick Tracy) plays accomplice Joe Horn. Frank Ferguson (Gus Broeberg on My Friend Flicka, Eli Carson on Peyton Place, and Dr. Barton Stuart on Petticoat Junction) plays retired marshal Hyatt Krausmayer. Harlan Warde (John Hamilton on The Rifleman and Sheriff John Brannan on The Virginian) plays retirement home Dr. Adams. 

Season 1, Episode 15, "The Sour Milk Fund": Warren Stevens (starred in The Frogmen, The Barefoot Contessa, Deadline U.S.A., and Forbidden Planet, played Lt. William Storm on Tales of the 77th Bengal Lancers, and was the voice of John Bracken on Bracken's World) plays orchid-growing charity head Charles Van Clede. 

Season 1, Episode 16, " The Brain Picker": Lisa Gaye (shown on the right, played Gwen Kirby on How to Marry a Millionaire) plays blackmail victim Sherry Beaumont. Herbert Rudley (Sam Brennan on The Californians, Lt. Will Gentry on Michael Shayne, General Crone on Mona McCluskey, and Herb Hubbard on The Mothers-in-Law) plays her counselor Arthur Burnett. Charles Wagenheim (Halligan on Gunsmoke) plays go-between Charles Van Halsington III.

Season 1, Episode 17, " The Last Laugh": Frank Gorshin (shown on the left, starred in Hot Rod Girl, Invasion of the Saucer Men, Where the Boys Are, and That Darn Cat and played the Riddler on Batman) plays stand-up comic Jerry Musco. Brad Dexter (starred in Macao, Between Heaven and Hell, and Run Silent, Run Deep) plays his former boss Fred Scorby. Harvey Parry (Harrigan on Baretta) plays Scorby thug Dane. 

Season 1, Episode 18, " The Parolee": Jeremy Slate (starred in The Sons of Katie Elder, The Devil's Brigade, and True Grit and played Larry Lahr on The Aquanauts) plays exploited parolee Karl Lieder. Linda Lawson (shown on the right, jazz singer who played Renee on Adventures in Paradise, Pat Perry on Don't Call Me Charlie, and Laura Fremont on Ben Casey) plays his girlfriend Angie. Bartlett Robinson (Frank Caldwell on Mona McCluskey) plays liquor board head Joe Hardiman. Ric Roman (Capt. Briones on Zorro) plays thug Fenneman.

Season 1, Episode 19, "The Tax Man": Simon Scott (John Riggs on Markham, Gen. Bronson on McHale's Navy, Chief Barney Metcalf on Mod Squad, and Arnold Slocum on Trapper John, M.D.) plays crooked swimsuit maker George Darwin. Walter Burke (starred in All the King's Men, Jack the Giant Killer, and Support Your Local Sheriff! and played Tim Potter on Black Saddle) plays his accountant Tobias Foss. Robert H. Harris (Jake Goldberg on Molly and Raymond Schindler on The Court of Last Resort) plays IRS investigator Fenton Lorimer. Bill Baldwin (narrator on Harbor Command and Bat Masterson and played various announcers on The Bob Cummings Show, The Untouchables, The Addams Family, and The Beverly Hillbillies) plays second IRS agent Orval Whitley.

Season 1, Episode 20, " The Gladiators": William Smith (Sgt. Danny Keller on The Asphalt Jungle, Jimmy Delaney on Zero One, Joe Riley on Laredo, Falconetti on Rich Man,- Poor Man - Book II, Det. James "Kimo" Carew on Hawaii Five-O, Col Willie Shell on Emerald Point N.A.S., and Brodie Hollister on Wildside) plays Harvard graduate and boxer Leland Lamont. Kent Taylor (Carlos Murietta on Zorro and Capt. Jim Flagg on The Rough Riders) plays mobster Frankie Bragan. John Dennis (Dutch Schultz on The Lawless Years) plays thug Flipper. Nita Talbot (Marya on Hogan's Heroes, Judy Evans on Here We Go Again, Delfina on General Hospital, and Rose on Starting From Scratch) plays Bragan's girlfriend Kitten Conner. Jimmy Lennon, Sr. (legendary fight announcer who appeared in Alias the Champ, Racket Girls, Kid Galahad, and Rocky III and on The Monkees, Mission: Impossible, and Mod Squad) plays the fight announcer. Mushy Callahan (real-life boxing referee inducted into the World Boxing Hall of Fame in 1989) plays himself.

Season 1, Episode 21, " Big Squeeze": Kevin Hagen (shown on the left, played John Colton on Yancy Derringer, Inspector Dobbs Kobick on Land of the Giants, and Dr. Hiram Baker on Little House on the Prairie) plays explosives expert Jojo Morgan. Percy Helton (Homer Cratchit on The Beverly Hillbillies) plays heist conspirator Pop Markel. Jack Elam (Deputy J.D. Smith on The Dakotas and George Taggart on Temple Houston) plays heist conspirator Phil Bricker. Irene Tedrow (Mrs. Elkins on Dennis the Menace) plays palm-reader Madame Maria. 

Season 1, Episode 22, " Cold Deck": Joe Maross (shown on the right, played Fred Russell on Peyton Place, Capt. Mike Benton on Code Red, and Dr. Blakely on Dallas) plays country club manager Jim Branco. Larry J. Blake (the unnamed jailer on Yancy Derringer and Tom Parnell on Saints and Sinners) plays bartender Dave Gray. Peter Leeds (Tenner Smith on Trackdown) plays crooked card player Len Porter. Howard Petrie (Hugh Blaine on Bat Masterson) plays card player John Dort. Paul Maxey (Matt Brockway on Lassie and Mayor John Peoples on The People's Choice) plays Lucky's patron Reynolds. 

Season 1, Episode 23, " His Maiden Voyage": Tammy Marihugh (Tammy Johnson on The Bob Cummings Show) plays kidnapped daughter Penny. Norman Alden (Johnny Ringo on The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp, Captain Horton on Rango, Tom Williams on My Three Sons, and Coach Leroy Fedders on Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman) plays thug Mitch. Henry Beckman (Commander Paul Richards on Flash Gordon, Mulligan on I'm Dickens, He's Fenster, George Anderson on Peyton Place, Colonel Harrigan on McHale's Navy, Capt. Roland Frances Clancey on Here Come the Brides, Pat Harwell on Funny Face, Harry Mark on Bronk, and Alf Scully on Check It Out) plays thug Huey. 

Season 1, Episode 24, " I Bet Your Life": Mari Blanchard (shown on the left, starred in Abbott and Costello Go to Mars, Destry, Son of Sinbad, and She Devil and played Kathy O'Hara on Klondike) plays hit-woman Miss Grey. R.G. Armstrong (Police Capt. McAllister on T.H.E. Cat and Lewis Vendredi on Friday the 13th) plays compulsive gambler Mike Haley. Ross Elliott (Freddie the director on The Jack Benny Show and Sheriff Abbott on The Virginian) plays stockbroker Harold Young. James Maloney (Jim on 21 Beacon Street) plays building supervisor Mr. Hotchkiss. 

Season 1, Episode 25, " Hair of the Dog": Peter Whitney (see "Aces Back to Back" above) plays mobster Rosey Rosenthal. Gavin MacLeod (shown on the right, starred in Operation Petticoat, The Sand Pebbles, and Kelly's Heroes and played Joseph Haines on McHale's Navy, Murray Slaughter on The Mary Tyler Moore Show and Rhoda, and Capt. Merrill Stubing on The Love Boat) plays an unnamed clothing store salesman. 

Season 1, Episode 26, " Vote the Bullet": Dehl Berti (Vittorio on Buck James and John Taylor on Guns of Paradise) plays council candidate Anthony Vasconi. Stafford Repp (shown on the left, played Chief O'Hara on Batman) plays labor leader Big John Root. Charles Aidman (narrator on the 1985-87 version of The Twilight Zone) plays former candidate Art Cable. 

Season 1, Episode 27, " Hit and Run": Alan Hewitt (starred in That Touch of Mink, Days of Wine and Roses, The Misadventures of Merlin Jones, and The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes and played Det. Bill Brennan on My Favorite Martian) plays swindler Harvey Boone. Doris Singleton (Caroline Appleby on I Love Lucy, Susie on Angel, and Margaret Williams on My Three Sons) plays his wife Iris. Tom McKee (Comrade Brisson Laylock on I Led 3 Lives, Capt. Davis on The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin, and Fire Chief Tucker on Rescue 8) plays assistant D.A. Allen Christian. Sarah Selby (Miss Thomas on Father Knows Best and Ma Smalley on Gunsmoke) plays socialite Mrs. Bullitt.

Season 1, Episode 28, " Taking a Chance": Joanna Barnes (Lola on 21 Beacon Street and Katie O'Brien on The Trials of O'Brien) plays movie star Laura Lawrence. Stanley Adams (Lt. Morse on Not for Hire) plays her press agent Danny Devlin. Billy Barty (Babby on Peter Gunn, Sparky the Firefly on The Bugaloos, Sigmund Ooze on Sigmund and the Sea Monsters, Inch on Ace Crawford, Private Eye, and the voice of Dweedle on Wildfire) plays an unnamed carnival little person. 

Season 1, Episode 29, "Last Journey": Eugene Mazzola (Joey Drum on Jefferson Drum) plays father-seeking boy David Parker. Olan Soule (Aristotle "Tut" Jones on Captain Midnight, Ray Pinker on Dragnet (1952-59), and Fred Springer on Arnie) plays his uncle Mr. Burton. John Marley (starred in Cat Ballou, Love Story, and The Godfather) plays mobster Glenn Markson. Clegg Hoyt (Mac on Dr. Kildare) plays launch pilot Pudge. 

Season 1, Episode 30, "Operation Fortuna": Jack Nicholson (shown on the right, starred in Five Easy Pieces, Easy Rider, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, and Chinatown and played Jaime Angel on Dr. Kildare) plays clumsy waiter Martin. Richard Chamberlain (starred in Joy in the Morning, Julius Caesar, The Three Musketeers, and The Swarm and played Dr. James Kildare on Dr. Kildare and Dr. Daniel Kulani on Island Son) plays gang ring-leader Alec. Anne Helm (Molly Pierce on Run for Your Life) plays gang member Edie. Jolene Brand (Anna Maria Verdugo on Zorro) plays Andamo's childhood friend Clara Iglesias. Della Sharman (Nurse Betty Johnson on Dr. Kildare) plays Lucky's cashier Doris. Helen Kleeb (Mrs. Holland on Dennis the Menace and Mamie Baldwin on The Waltons) plays Martin's family maid.

Season 1, Episode 31, "Stacked Deck": Yvette Mimeaux (shown on the left, starred in The Time Machine, Where the Boys Are, and Toys in the Attic and played Vanessa Smith on The Most Deadly Game and Shane Bradley on Berrenger's) plays runaway young socialite Margot. Grant Williams (Greg MacKenzie on Hawaiian Eye) plays beatnik serial killer Conrad. 

Season 1, Episode 32, " Odyssey of Hate": Karl Swenson (Lars Hanson on Little House on the Prairie) plays Nazi promoter Frederick St. John. Patricia Donohue (Hazel on The Thin Man and Lucy Hamilton on Michael Shayne) plays his companion Ursula Heft. Ted Knight (shown on the right, played Ted Baxter on The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Roger Dennis on The Ted Knight Show, and Henry Rush on Too Close for Comfort) plays his body double Dr. Benjamin Furst. Eleanor Audley (Mother Eunice Douglas on Green Acres and Mrs. Vincent on My Three Sons) plays wealthy socialite Mrs. Dubois. Carol Bryan (Kitty Mathews on Oh, Those Bells) plays her niece Patricia. Robert Brubaker (Deputy Ed Blake on U.S. Marshal and Floyd on Gunsmoke) plays federal agent Barber. Warner Jones (Capt. Wilbur Scott on The Blue Angels) plays his assistant Paul.

Season 1, Episode 33, "Dangerous Lady": Virginia Vincent (Betty on The Joey Bishop Show, Dottie Clark on The Super, and Daisy Maxwell on Eight Is Enough) plays convict moll Honeybird. Lee Van Cleef (starred in For a Few Dollars More and The Good, The Bad and the Ugly) plays her husband Kruger. Jackie Coogan (starred in The Kid, Oliver Twist, A Boy of Flanders, Tom Sawyer, and Huckleberry Finn and played Stoney Crockett on Cowboy G-Men, Sgt. Barnes on McKeever & the Colonel, and Uncle Fester Frump on The Addams Family) plays mobster Joe Azevedo. 

Season 1, Episode 34, " Election Bet": King Calder (Lt. Gray on Martin Kane) plays gambler Mr. Toby. Joi Lansing (shown on the left, played Shirley Swanson on The Bob Cummings Show, Goldie on Klondike, and Gladys Flatt on The Beverly Hillbillies) plays his girlfriend Evelyn. Leo Gordon (Big Mike McComb on Maverick) plays an unnamed hit-man. Stan Jones (voicework on Challenge of the Superfriends, The Incredible Hulk, The Dukes, The Chipmunks, and The Transformers) plays Andamo's friend Ed. Vito Scotti (Jose on The Deputy, Capt. Gaspar Fomento on The Flying Nun, Gino on To Rome With Love, and Mr. Velasquez on Barefoot in the Park) plays sculptor Jake.