MovieChat Forums > 12 O'Clock High (1964) Discussion > Was Paul Burke lined up to replace Rober...

Was Paul Burke lined up to replace Robert Lansing from the get go?

posted 10 years ago by MadTom
6 replies | jump to latest

I find it interesting and maybe more than coincidental that, while Joe Gallagher was a recurring character rather than a series regular in the first season, he was in the very first episode which was basically adapted from a subplot in the original 1949 Gregory Peck movie, in which the character was named Ben Gately and was a lieutenant colonel rather than a captain. Gallagher and Gately were both generals' sons, accused of cowardice by General Savage and banished to a crew of deadbeats in a plane named "The Leper Colony". At the end of the movie, after Gately redeems himself, Savage has a nervous breakdown and Gately takes over the 918th, and at the beginning of Season 2 of the series, after Gallagher has redeemed himself and has risen to lieutenant colonel, Savage is KIA and Gallagher takes over the 918th.

Did Quinn Martin and the rest of the production crew have Paul Burke lined up as a potential replacement for Robert Lansing from that first episode and have him waiting in the wings when Lansing and Martin had a falling out? Or did Martin decide to follow the movie and was Burke just lucky that essentially his character took over the 918th in the movie?

[–] Bruce7 10 years ago

I find it interesting, in reflection, the mood of the show was fast-forwarded after Lansing with Burke. Burke being high-strung. Lansing was slower-paced, thoughtful, a more laid-back mood, the show was then.

Can you fly this plane?
Surely you can't be serious.
I am serious,and don't call me Shirley

[–] Benicky 9 years ago

In this business people are being lined up to replace others all the time.
In this case it worked. Paul Burke who I really like had trouble with scenes where he does speak. Watch his mouth contortions when he is flying or crashing, it is pretty funny.

Great show

[–] Bruce7 9 years ago

Actors, being marketed, seek other offers. Lansing did some films.
Yea, I have noticed that.

Can you fly this plane?
Surely u cant be serious
I am serious,and dont call me Shirley

[–] jamesbwill 9 years ago

I watched the show as a boy and remember when Paul Burke replaced Robert Lansing. The story in TV Guide said the producers wanted to appeal to a younger audience and thought a younger series star would do that. So, they brought in Burke and let Lansing go, and it was something of a joke because Lansing was actually 2 years younger than Burke. But, it was believed that Burke was "younger looking" than Lansing.

[–] brux (14666) 6 years ago

According to Wikipedia that decision caused the show to tank and it got cancelled 2 after 2 seasons. But of course ... how could it go on forever. I watched the show as a boy too, along with Combat which were my favorite shows ... well, that and Gilligan's Island and Johnny Quest. It is a wonder I did not run off to sign up for Vietnam with all that military indoctrination.

[–] spotter-2 8 years ago

There was no falling out. In fact, ABC wanted the change. Here is a reprint of an article in TV Guide from 1965: http://www.bobheffner.com/b17/toh_rl.shtml