I know most of you have heard of the 1960's tv series "combat". well it isn't
"saving prvt ryan" or "band of brothers" it's a good show when it comes to all
the M1 garands you get to see all over the screen. yes thompsons,carbines,
1911's are all there too and we gotta love that. I got the complete series on amazon(40 dvd's) best price to buy all at once. I'm not a salesman but its fun to share something that most garand collectors would love and maybe as a
kid watching it made it so natural to collect m1's 40 years later?
Information
Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.
I love Combat. I got hooked on it back in the mid-80s when it was shown on a local tv station as a filler show late at night. The weapons are great except the carbines have the upgraded sights and bayo lugs. Sgt. Saunders used a 1911A1 with a stainless barrel to move German POWs across a river one time. Other than that, the special effects in the battle scenes are really great, especially considering the technology at that time. The acting and the music are really the parts that got me hooked. I bought all the DVDs when they came out. My youngest son and I have watched all of them at least three times. Amazingly, we discovered about four years ago that Kirby, aka Jack Hogan, aka Roland Benson, was a first cousin of one of the members of our church. He arranged a visit with Kirby in Chapel Hill. We spent the day listening to stories of Lee Marvin, Mickey Rooney, Vic Morrow, Dick Peabody, "Doc", Rick Jason, and all the rest. Kirby told us the cast members had to spend time on a U.S. Army bass learning squad combat basics before actually filming the show. Their helmets were made of plastic after filming the pilot show. He said they were too heavy to wear 12 hours a day four of five days a week when filming a single episode. Caje was quite the athlete and he had an incredible trigger finger. Watch how fast he can shoot that M1. Kirby was a good athlete too. He is a generous and intelligent man. He is over 80 years old and his mind is as agile as anyone I have ever known. He is very private but he opened up for us that one day and it was wonderful.
Thanks for posting. It brought back great memories. Here is a website that I found interesting. Combat TV Series Careful: if you purchase the DVD set you will be hooked.
According to "Kirby", the sounds were really loud on the set. Probably didn't have sensitive enough equipment to record the sound of the ejecting clip. They do pop out from time to time. I really like how well Sgt. Saunders can clear a foxhole of Germans from any distance with a hand grenade and an amazing throwing arm. In one show, a German came in a room firing a Thompson. I guess in an imperfect world.....
The show, in all earnestness, was a well-written and well-acted show. I just read an interview of Vic Morrow and he explained how the entire cast and crew worked hard to be the best they could be, even with limited budgets, sets, etc.
1967 - Garrison's Gorillas - The Magnificent Forger- Pt. 1
He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose
There are no great men, only great challenges that ordinary men are forced by circumstances to meet.
In some of the books I have read about WW2 Europe it was not uncommon for either side to use battlefield pickups from the opposing side. This included tanks,jeeps and trucks.
[FONT="Impact"][/FONT
THE STRONGEST REASON FOR PEOPLE TO RETAIN THE RIGHT TO KEEP AND BEAR ARMS IS, AS A LAST RESORT, TO PROTECT THEMSELVES AGAINST TYRANNY IN GOVERNMENT.
THOMAS JEFFERSON
NRA
ISRA
GCA
...them "Combat" germans were quite adept at picking up USGI Korean war tanks , trucks , and weapon carriers.
And don't forget that every squad had a guy with the German semi-auto rifle. I love seeing it shoot.
Love that show , I think it and "Rat Patrol" were the primer for my continuing intrests today. If my wife knew how much money I've tied up ( errrr..invested) because of these guys , she'd prob'ly kick 'em in the shins!!!
Chris