THE GALLANT MEN: The Crucible 1963
"The Gallant Men" was an American television series that debuted on ABC in the fall of 1962. It followed a company of US soldiers from the Sept 1943 invasion at Salerno, and their battles up the boot of Italy. The series ran for a total of 26 episodes during 1962-63. Leading the cast is Robert McQueeney, who also narrates the story. McQueeney is a newspaper reporter who follows the company on their exploits. (Sort of an Ernie Pyle clone) The rest of the regulars are played by, William Reynolds, Robert Ridgely, Francis X Slattery, Eddie Fontaine, Roland La Starza, Roger Davis and Robert Gothie. There are the standard types sprinkled throughout, the joker, the card sharp, the loner etc. This is the 25th episode.
The Americans are trying to push the Germans up a mountain valley and out of the area. The Germans though are not inclined to go. They not only stop the American drive, but prepare a counter-attack themselves. HQ needs some prisoners to interrogate.
As luck would have it, a German soldier approaches the company lines looking to surrender. The man, Kurt Landen, is apparently disillusioned with the war and wants to see out the remainder in a p.o.w. camp. Landen however gets himself shot by one of the company soldiers, Eddie Fontaine. Fontaine had not heard about taking any prisoners.
The company commander, William Reynolds, rushes the wounded German back to the closest mobile hospital. He takes Fontaine along as a guard. At the hospital, the doctor in charge, Ed Nelson, goes to work and saves the wounded German. Nelson and Reynolds it seems know each other from their college days. They do not like each other.
Reynolds questions the German for info of a possible counter-attack. He decides that the man is lying about German troop movements etc. The doc, Nelson, tells Reynolds that he thinks the young soldier is just frightened. Reynolds contacts the regiment higher ups and tells them he is sure that an attack is coming. He also suggests that the mobile hospital be moved further back behind the lines. Of course this does not sit well with Nelson.
Needless to say, the Germans do launch an attack and it is headed right towards the hospital. All the patients are loaded up on trucks and hustled back to a new location. The wounded German, a driver, John A. Alonzo, a nurse, Suzie Carnell and Private Fontaine are on the last jeep to leave.
They end up trapped in a ruined Italian village by the German attack. Fontaine ends up having to defend the party with only a carbine and a couple dozen rounds. The man puts up a stiff fight with a group of SS troopers and manages to hold them off till rescue arrives. A pretty average episode of what has turned out to be a rather average series.
Of note here, is actor John A. Alonzo. Alonzo would give up acting in the mid -1960s and become a cinematographer of some stature. The Oscar nominated Alonzo was the director of photography on, VANISHING POINT, HAROLD AND MAUDE, LADY SINGS THE BLUES, BAD NEWS BEARS, NORMA RAE, THE CHEAP DETECTIVE and CHINATOWN.
"The Gallant Men" was an American television series that debuted on ABC in the fall of 1962. It followed a company of US soldiers from the Sept 1943 invasion at Salerno, and their battles up the boot of Italy. The series ran for a total of 26 episodes during 1962-63. Leading the cast is Robert McQueeney, who also narrates the story. McQueeney is a newspaper reporter who follows the company on their exploits. (Sort of an Ernie Pyle clone) The rest of the regulars are played by, William Reynolds, Robert Ridgely, Francis X Slattery, Eddie Fontaine, Roland La Starza, Roger Davis and Robert Gothie. There are the standard types sprinkled throughout, the joker, the card sharp, the loner etc. This is the 25th episode.
The Americans are trying to push the Germans up a mountain valley and out of the area. The Germans though are not inclined to go. They not only stop the American drive, but prepare a counter-attack themselves. HQ needs some prisoners to interrogate.
As luck would have it, a German soldier approaches the company lines looking to surrender. The man, Kurt Landen, is apparently disillusioned with the war and wants to see out the remainder in a p.o.w. camp. Landen however gets himself shot by one of the company soldiers, Eddie Fontaine. Fontaine had not heard about taking any prisoners.
The company commander, William Reynolds, rushes the wounded German back to the closest mobile hospital. He takes Fontaine along as a guard. At the hospital, the doctor in charge, Ed Nelson, goes to work and saves the wounded German. Nelson and Reynolds it seems know each other from their college days. They do not like each other.
Reynolds questions the German for info of a possible counter-attack. He decides that the man is lying about German troop movements etc. The doc, Nelson, tells Reynolds that he thinks the young soldier is just frightened. Reynolds contacts the regiment higher ups and tells them he is sure that an attack is coming. He also suggests that the mobile hospital be moved further back behind the lines. Of course this does not sit well with Nelson.
Needless to say, the Germans do launch an attack and it is headed right towards the hospital. All the patients are loaded up on trucks and hustled back to a new location. The wounded German, a driver, John A. Alonzo, a nurse, Suzie Carnell and Private Fontaine are on the last jeep to leave.
They end up trapped in a ruined Italian village by the German attack. Fontaine ends up having to defend the party with only a carbine and a couple dozen rounds. The man puts up a stiff fight with a group of SS troopers and manages to hold them off till rescue arrives. A pretty average episode of what has turned out to be a rather average series.
Of note here, is actor John A. Alonzo. Alonzo would give up acting in the mid -1960s and become a cinematographer of some stature. The Oscar nominated Alonzo was the director of photography on, VANISHING POINT, HAROLD AND MAUDE, LADY SINGS THE BLUES, BAD NEWS BEARS, NORMA RAE, THE CHEAP DETECTIVE and CHINATOWN.