The Wackiest Ship in the Army is an American comedy drama adventure television series that aired for one season on NBC between September 19, 1965, and April 17, 1966. Produced by Harry Ackerman and Herbert Hirschman, the series was loosely based on the 1960 film starring Jack Lemmon and Ricky Nelson, which itself was a fictionalized account of a real wartime vessel.
Although often referred to as a comedy series, the show violated three unwritten rules that unofficially defined TV sitcoms at the time: It was an hour in length (almost all comedy series were only a half-hour, and the few attempts at hour sitcoms were unsuccessful), it had no laugh track, and characters were sometimes killed in it.
On the pilot episode Shakedown and The Stowaway, the crew featured one extra member, Seaman First Class Roger D. Finch played by stuntman Phil Adams who had also played a crew member in the original film.
The USS Kiwi was based on the real-life USS Echo, a 40-year-old schooner (or scow) that the Government of New Zealand transferred to the United States Navy during World War II. The United States returned her to New Zealand in 1944. The Echo was broken up in 2015 due to her poor material conditioning following her use as a bar which had closed in 2013.
The Wackiest Ship in the Army premiered on NBC on September 19, 1965.[2][3][4] It lasted a single season, and the last of its 29 original episodes aired on April 17, 1966.[4] Prime-time reruns of The Wackiest Ship in the Army followed in its regular time slot on NBC until September 4, 1966.[2][3] The show aired at 10:00 p.m. on Sunday throughout its run.[3][4]
The pilot for the series. The inexperienced Butcher is introduced to his ship, assignment, and crew — and instantly loathes them all. Guest stars: Karen Steele, Jack Soo, and James Hong.
A trader on a Japanese-held island volunteers to spy for the Allies if the Kiwi takes his wife out of danger. Guest stars: Ford Rainey and June Dayton.
The Kiwi sails to Aranuk Island to pick up a British agent. Guest stars: William Glover and Anne Sargent.
7
"The Stowaway"
Richard C. Sarafian
Jack Sher
October 31, 1965 (1965-10-31)
Eager to learn how a two-mastedschooner became involved in World War II, newspaper reporter Lori Adams stows away aboard the Kiwi. Guest star: Ruta Lee.
The Kiwi′s crew must set up an observation post in Japanese-held waters to observe and report on Japanese ship traffic. Guest star: Leon Lontoc.
19
"Liberty Was a Lady"
Mark Rydell
John O'Dea & Arthur Rowe
February 6, 1966 (1966-02-06)
While on leave in Brisbane, Australia, Riddle falls in love with an attractive civil defense worker, not knowing that she is married to an Australian man who is missing in action, but the man returns, ending their affair. The Kiwi then takes an Australian special forces diver known as Jocko on a mission to plant underwater explosives on a Japanese ship in a harbor. While Jocko is swimming into the harbor, Riddle learns that he is the woman's husband. Jocko becomes entangled in nets and the Japanese send divers into the water after him, so Riddle swims to his rescue, then tries to help him plant the explosives. Jocko cuts Riddle's air hose to force him to return to the Kiwi, then carries on alone and is killed when the explosives detonate. In Australia, Jocko's guilt-ridden widow puts a final end to her affair with Riddle. Guest stars: Jill Ireland and Lou Antonio.
The Kiwi′s crew must evacuate a group of Australian women who have been posing as missionary workers. Guest stars: Barbara Shelley and Antoinette Bower.
Story by : Danny Arnold Teleplay by : Julian Barry
April 3, 1966 (1966-04-03)
The Kiwi′s crew has fallen ill with fever, and she must make port as soon as possible to get medical attention for her men — but a storm has knocked out her radio and engines and shredded her sails. Guest star: Stefan Schnabel.
28
"Fun Has More Blondes"
Unknown
Unknown
April 10, 1966 (1966-04-10)
The Kiwi has orders to transport Garvin Stone wherever he wants to go. During the voyage, Stone will talk about his destination, but not about anything else — and the crew eventually discovers that his mission is to assassinate an imprisoned Women's Army Corpsmajor before she can reveal any secrets to the Japanese. Guest stars: Felice Orlandi and Leonard Strong.
29
"Routine Assignment"
Unknown
Unknown
April 17, 1966 (1966-04-17)
Riddle wants to go to the aid of islanders who have sent out a distress call, but Butcher is sure it is a Japanese trap. It turns out to be a trap — but one set by pirates, not the Japanese. Guest stars: Raymond St. Jacques and Vito Scotti.
^ abMcNeil, Alex, Total Television: The Comprehensive Guide to Programming From 1948 to the Present, Fourth Edition, New York: Penguin Books, 1996, ISBN0 14 02 4916 8, p. 889.
^ abcBrooks, Tim, and Earle Marsh, The Complete Directory to Prime-Time Network and Cable TV Shows, 1946–present (Sixth Edition), New York: Ballantine Books, 1995, ISBN0-345-39736-3, pp. 1102–1103.
