77 Sunset Strip was a TV show created by Roy Huggins (July 18, 1914 – April 3, 2002), an American novelist and writer/creator and producer of television series, including Maverick, The Fugitive, and The Rockford Files.
The series ran from 1958 to 1964 and was about two former spies turned private detectives. The title refers to their office address.
As with most of Huggins' shows, there was a comic-relief character in the main cast. In this case it was Gerald Lloyd "Kookie" Kookson III (played by Edd Byrnes), the rock and roll-loving, wisecracking, hair-combing, hipster and aspiring P.I. who worked as a valet parking attendant.
Oh, by the way Roy Huggins was a member of the American Communist Party in the 1930s. It didn't seem to hurt his career nearly as much as it did many other actors & directors ofthe era. Perhaps it's because he blew in 19 of his friends at the HUAC hearings in 1952?
Here is a story from Four Color #1211, Sept 1961
Story by Eric Freiwald and Robert Schaefer, art by Russ Manning
Oh, boy, I remember that comic and that story - very well.
ReplyDeleteThanks for making me smile.
A couple of points about the show.
Stu Bailey was a former college professor and later OSS agent while Jeff Spencer had served as a Marine in Korea and then worked for the CA State Crime Commission.
Roy Huggins may have been one of those people who joined the CPUSA in a misguided attempt to make a "statement" about his feelings about fascism without ideological affinity. Several others in show biz did for this reason, as well.
When WWII was over and the Communists made their first move in this country, a number of those who joined repudiated the Party and went to the government.
Huggins was married to actress Adele Mara (she was also under contract to Warners) for some 50 years
My jab at Huggins is more about his loyalty to his former mates.
DeletePS Huggins also made a name for himself re-creating TV series (reworking the theme and characters of a series already in production). He did this for "Cheyenne" and, especially, "The Virginian".
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