Tom Selleck Pilots

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IslandHopper · #16 Post by **IslandHopper** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 10:41 pm

Thanks for posting that shot James. Golf, does that look like the same beach?

golfmobile · #17 Post by **golfmobile** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 10:45 pm

James,

Thanks.

Yes, and no. I'll post a picture from TCT tonight and you can compare.

But my memory right now says no.

golf

IslandHopper · #18 Post by **IslandHopper** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 10:56 pm

I think the difference from the shot provided above and the shot in the Chinese Typewriter is the vantage point. In the "CT" we see the three of them head-on from a distance with a wider view of the beach, and the shot provided from "Three Minus Two" is more from an angle, from their right so we don't get to see as much of the beach to their right. I'll take a look at "Three Minus Two" and see if there is a head-on shot of Magnum and Jan Kona, which shows more of the beach. I thought there was, but I'm not sure.

golfmobile · #19 Post by **golfmobile** » Tue Jan 08, 2008 1:53 am

IH,

Now that I look at it again, after viewing the beach in TCT, it could be! Just in TCT, they were down by the waterline, where Tom and Jill were up above the water line. But then, again, yes, the background sort of looks the same, but in TCT, the foliage to the left looks closer than it does in the 3-2 scene, plus the entire shoreline in TCT seems to slope more. ??? So I don't know -- I could go either way with a little convincing.

I have added a WHOLE bunch of pictures, so I don't want to take up the room and space putting them all here.

I've added pictures of the beach that may be the same beach as the one with Magnum and Jill St. John, the shower at the beach scene (duplicate of an MPI shot as mentioned above), the supposed back side of the villain's estate in the Caribbean, which we have determined is the Anderson estate when shown from the front or from above to set the next scene as taking place in this residence, but the back side certainly isn't ANYTHING like anything we ever saw in MPI -- there's even a swimming pool between the back of the TCT estate and the ocean. So this is obviously a different set from the Anderson estate. I even added a picture where TS gets up to leave the back lanai and go back through the house to go out the front door -- NOT the Anderson estate, just the other back exterior of some other big house.

Pictures of the JWJr trying to look Mideastern, the "Russian Embassy," Mark's Estate, KKC. Also pictures of the "Hollywood Arms" apartment building, with entrance to elevator, elevator tower, and exit from same.

So instead of putting them all here, you can look at your leisure at them on dropshots at (I've tried to put a caption on each picture to identify what it is, so read the captions):

The Chinese Typewriter Screenshots

If anyone has any particular questions about any particular picture, let me know, and I'll try to explain what it is.

IslandHopper · #20 Post by **IslandHopper** » Tue Jan 08, 2008 4:05 am

golfmobile wrote:-- there's even a swimming pool between the back of the TCT estate and the ocean. So this is obviously a different set from the Anderson estate. I even added a picture where TS gets up to leave the back lanai and go back through the house to go out the front door -- NOT the Anderson estate, just the other back exterior of some other big house.

I believe this is the house featured in "Novel Connection," where Higgins, Jessica, Thomas and the ladies attend that party, and the guy gets shot in the back. Look at the trees with the flowers on them. These were also present in "Novel Connection." Thanks for posting all of those screen shots Golf.

golfmobile · #21 Post by **golfmobile** » Tue Jan 08, 2008 2:22 pm

IH,

What do you think about the beach? Yes or no (same one)?

I'm leaning toward "no" after viewing both. But you always catch ALL the details the rest of us don't see.

golf

#22 Post by **J.J. Walters** » Tue Jan 08, 2008 2:53 pm

golfmobile wrote:The Chinese Typewriter Screenshots

Super cool golf! Thanks!

Wow, so the famous "beach shower" clip is from The Chinese Typewriter!

IslandHopper · #23 Post by **IslandHopper** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 3:27 pm

golfmobile wrote:IH,

What do you think about the beach? Yes or no (same one)?

I'm leaning toward "no" after viewing both. But you always catch ALL the details the rest of us don't see.

golf

Golf,

I was able to pause the beach scene from "Three Minus Two," and also on the DVR of the "The Chinese Typewriter," and after comparing the two beach scenes, I would have to say no they are not the same. Thanks for posting those shots of "TCT."

Kahunagirl · #24 Post by **Kahunagirl** » Sat Jan 12, 2008 12:52 am

OK, I give up! I've read this entire thread and still can't figure out which Tom Selleck pilot it's all about. Was it something called The Chinese Typewriter? I'm confused!

Kahunagirl

golfmobile · #25 Post by **golfmobile** » Sat Jan 12, 2008 1:31 am

Kahunagirl,

Yes, this all started with our viewing (or wanting to view) and discussing "The Chinese Typewriter," which aired on the Sleuth Channel. It's the only un-picked-up-Tom-Selleck-pilot, to my knowledge, that has aired on Sleuth or anywhere else. Now, "The Gypsy Warriors" is scheduled to air January 13. It is my understanding that it is also another failed pilot. So I will DVR it and burn it to DVD for anyone who wants it because he/she doesn't get the Sleuth Channel. I've already burned a couple of copies of "The Chinese Typewriter" (TCT) for a couple of folks here (and have already sent Mike his copy) and will also burn TGW for them too, so a few folks haven't gotten their TCT because I'm waiting to record the second one and send them both in one padded envelope to the folks who want to see both, and then they will get both from me.

Did I say all that coherently? Probably not . . . . but does this answer your question?

golf

Kahunagirl · #26 Post by **Kahunagirl** » Sat Jan 12, 2008 11:18 pm

Yes, Golf -- actually, quite coherently! I guess that not getting the Sleuth Channel was the really big missing link!

Thanks -
Kahunagirl

IslandHopper · #27 Post by **IslandHopper** » Mon Jan 14, 2008 6:01 am

The Gypsy Warriors (TGW) starring TS and James Whitmore, Jr., aired tonight on Sleuth. The acting by TS and JWjr was fine. In fact, you can see a lot of Magnum in TS's character, especially the way he delivers some of his lines. The movie was written and produced by Stephen J. Cannell. The music was done by Mike Post and Pete Carpenter. That being said, there is an obvious reason why this pilot never made it past that initial stage. The production was very low budget. I don't know how anyone thought it had a chance to become a series. The writing was okay. The plot was okay too, but it was a little slow in the beginning.

The TGW took place in France during June 1940 prior to the U.S. involvement in WWII. Narration was used at the beginning and end of the movie with the aid of paintings of WWII scenes in an attempt to explain some of the history in order to set the stage for the characters portrayed by TS and JWjr. Despite the fact that this story takes place before the U.S. officially got involved in WWII, the two stars, TS and JWjr are both U.S. Army Infantry officers stationed in England and are enlisted to undertake this secret mission in German occupied France. I don't recall, the movie addressing the dilemma of using U.S. Army officers in this mission, considering that the U.S. had not entered the war at that point.

The narrator's voice was grating as well. I can't place the name of the narrator, but he is familiar. It was very monotone. He may have been trying to recreate the effect of the "News Reels" from WWII.

At the beginning of movie, as the stars are introduced, we get to see photos of them from childhood to adulthood. One of the photos of TS is a close-up of him in an Army helmet (steel pot) and fatigues. They most likely used this because he was portraying an Army officer. However, I bet this is an actual photo of TS when he was in the California Army National Guard. It looks like the photo taken while in Basic Training, or Advanced Training. I had a similar photo taken when I was at Fort Benning during Basic Training, or Infantry School, I can't remember. One of the reasons why I believe it is an actual photo of TS during his military days, and not just a photo taken for the movie is because he is very young, has no mustache, and his steel pot has a camoflage cover that is the type used during Vietnam. That particular style wasn't around during WWII. I believe TS enlisted in the Army National Guard in 1964. The U.S. Army in Europe during WWII typically used netting to cover their steel pots in order to attach foliage to their steel pots for camouflage purposes. The Marines in the Pacific often used camouflage covers, but were of a different pattern.

There were some Magnum, P.I. alumni in TGW. Ted Gehring (Herm Dunbar-"By It's Cover" season 3) played General Winfield (U.S. Army). Kenneth Tigar (Milton "The Ripper" Collins-"Death And Taxes" season 7) played a German officer as an Aide to a German Colonel. Richard Sanders (Less Nessman-WKRP in Cincinnati) also played in this movie as a German scientist.

At the beginning of the movie there are several shots of German Patrol Boats and then we see a shot of what is supposed to be a French Port City. However, the city they show looks like New York City and the World Trade Center/Twin Towers.

Maybe I'm mistaken, but the two prominent buildings look exactly like the Twin Towers. This is what I mean by poor production. If you are going to use stock footage, at least use footage from the same era. The Twin Towers were built in 1974 and this movie is supposed to take place in France in June 1940. Maybe I can get a second opinion from someone. Maybe Golf will be able to post a screen shot of the shot I am talking about.

Despite the movie's shortcomings, it was still fun to watch. It is worth seeing at least once.

golfmobile · #28 Post by **golfmobile** » Mon Jan 14, 2008 2:17 pm

Will post screenshots tonight. This is SO annoying -- to have to WORK when I want to be playing with Magnum-Mania folks!!

More later,

golf

golfmobile · #29 Post by **golfmobile** » Tue Jan 15, 2008 1:02 am

Okay,

Here are a few screen shots. I'm working on getting more (still haven't found IH's Twin Towers), but I'm in the middle of several projects and this is just one of them, so I wanted to picture a few things IH mentioned.

TS' "helmet" shot:

Les Nessman (he didn't get guest-star billing)

The "Ripper" did (picture of him to follow soon):

Title shot with "baby" pictures of the "stars" (TS on the right):

TS young man photo in intro (dimples are starting to show up!!):

Another early military picture used in the intro:

Ted Gehring:

More later,

golf

IslandHopper · #30 Post by **IslandHopper** » Tue Jan 15, 2008 1:29 am

Thanks for posting those Golf. The shot I referred to as the Twin Towers is 5 min. and 54 sec. (DVR time) into the movie, just before we see the night scene of the "French Port" which is also subtitled as such. The shot of what looks like the Twin Towers is at dusk so it's difficult to tell for sure, but it appears that there is a bridge going across the harbor, and the two towers and other buildings in the background.