Combat ! It came on late on WFIL-TV in Philly. I'd sit there with a pint glass of milk and ten Ivan spiced wafers and pace myself through the four acts of every Combat episode week in and week out. It was great because after Combat were re-runs of the Untouchables. Enough of that. Combat was realistic and well put together. There was no better infantry squad portrayed that I've ever seen in the movies or TV than Chip Saunders squad (with the R/T call-sign "King two".) When I went in the Army in '68 I had to relearn military phonetics.... Baker was Bravo, King was Kilo, Nancy was November....I had watched Combat and Twelve-o'clock High so often. Let me tell you something: having my last name called by a Sargeant and being put on the 'point' or the 'flank' for the first time in the real Army was almost a familiar situation! You learn right away whats Hollywood and whats reality however. The first lesson is helmet etiquette; chin straps never hang loose. You never 'one-arm- hang' your weapon, (sling or port-arms or you are using it.) ad infinitum.....but there was a ton of believability in Combat regardless.
All the actors knew how to salute. This is unbelievably critical to convey a sense of reality. Just look at Cuba Gooding playing a military guy if you want a real laugh. I believe two of the actors were ex-military Navy. The actors knew their weapons...so much so that you identified each weapon with the soldier. M-1 Garand with Littlejohn, Saunders with the Thompson, and Kirby with the BAR....Caje with a knife... Kirby, by the way, lugged an authentic Browning Automatic Rifle through every episode. The Radio Operator ALWAYS "got-it" but the R/T traffic was authentic and the unit itself seemed to be as ubiquitous as the weaponry. This crew used to go on-location frequently too. Korbel Winery was one location. To this day I buy their champagne because of it. And there was the back lot at MGM where they shared the set with 'Man from Uncle" and some westerns.
Vic Morrow was to Combat and all military movies (both screens) as William Shatner is to James T Kirk: unassailable. The shame of Vic Morrows death is that he was put in a dangerous situation by a movie director later in his career and died because of negligence: plain and simple. Hence Vic Morrow as Sgt Chip Saunders stands forever in my mind, looking over the barrel of the Thompson perched on his hip....as the hard-bitten squad leader: best NCO in the European Theater bar none.
The actor who portrayed Littlejohn was an accomplished writer. His recollections of those days are priceless and recommended for any fan of 'Combat!"
All the actors knew how to salute. This is unbelievably critical to convey a sense of reality. Just look at Cuba Gooding playing a military guy if you want a real laugh. I believe two of the actors were ex-military Navy. The actors knew their weapons...so much so that you identified each weapon with the soldier. M-1 Garand with Littlejohn, Saunders with the Thompson, and Kirby with the BAR....Caje with a knife... Kirby, by the way, lugged an authentic Browning Automatic Rifle through every episode. The Radio Operator ALWAYS "got-it" but the R/T traffic was authentic and the unit itself seemed to be as ubiquitous as the weaponry. This crew used to go on-location frequently too. Korbel Winery was one location. To this day I buy their champagne because of it. And there was the back lot at MGM where they shared the set with 'Man from Uncle" and some westerns.
Vic Morrow was to Combat and all military movies (both screens) as William Shatner is to James T Kirk: unassailable. The shame of Vic Morrows death is that he was put in a dangerous situation by a movie director later in his career and died because of negligence: plain and simple. Hence Vic Morrow as Sgt Chip Saunders stands forever in my mind, looking over the barrel of the Thompson perched on his hip....as the hard-bitten squad leader: best NCO in the European Theater bar none.
The actor who portrayed Littlejohn was an accomplished writer. His recollections of those days are priceless and recommended for any fan of 'Combat!"