Review of Adventures in Paradise

"Adventures in Paradise" was one of the most attractive and swift=paced adventure series of the early 1869s. In its three seasons, it featured hundreds of fine actors, and took the viewers, myself among them, to exotic locations in the Pacific ocean. The series centered about skipper Adam Troy (attractive Gardner McKay), who found trouble, danger and romance aboard his schooner the Tiki. Nearly thirty directors ranging from movie veterans Roy del Ruth, Jacques Tourneur, Mitchell Leisen, James B. Clark, Robert Aldrich, and Tom Gries to Justus Addiss, Richard l. Bare, Paul Stanley, Felix E. Feist, Richard Florey, Gerald Mayer, Alvin Ganzer, James Lejtes, John Peyser and Sutton Roleydid outstanding work for the series; and almost 60 writers including principally Fred Freiberger, George W. George and Judy George ,John Kneubuhl, Edward J. Lakso, Richard Landau, Michael Pertwee, Alvin Sapinsley and Carey Wilber contributed to its fascinating stories. There were minor changes in the series through its three full seasons. Regulars in 1859-60 in addition to Gardner McKay were Weaver Levy as oliver Lee and George Tobias as Trader Penrose. During 1960-61, Linda Lawson played Renee, Henry Slate was Bulldog Lovey, James Holden was Clay Baker and Sondi Sonsai played Sondi with Lani Kai as Kelly. In 1861-52, Dean Stockwell's brother Guy Stockwell was added to the cast as Chris Parker along with talented Frenchman Marcel Hilaire as Inspector Bouchard. "Walk Through the Night" starring Brock Peters may have been the series' best show; but there were many fine ones, which featured outstanding guest stars including notably Hazel Court, Kurt Kasznar, Claode Akins, Robrrt Middleton, Ricardo Montalban, Pippa Scott, Viveca Lindfors, Vincent Price, Robert Douglas, Oscar Beregi, Jr;, Elsa Lanchester, Inger Stevens, Constance Towers, Martin Landau, John Van Dreelin, Thomas Mitchell, Gail Kobe, Dan O'Herlihy, Bruce Gordon, Edgar Barrier, Raymond Massey, Virgina Gregg, Cecil Kellaway, Kent Smith, Constance Ford and Bert Freed among others. Beyond obvious quality in these phases, the shows' technical artistries were all above average. Lloyd Ahern was the principal cinematographer, along with Perry Finnerman and a few others; the music for the show was composed by some great talents including Alex North, Hugo Friedhofer, Charles E. King, Lionel Newman, Henry Mancini. Daniele Amfitheatrof, and others uncredited such as Franz Waxman and Bernard Herrmann. Many intelligent producers carried out assignments for producers of the series, which remained for three years one of the highest-quality series in the history of series' television, expensive but worth every penny. This series concept which featured Troy as a Korean War veteran who stayed on in the Pacific; the wide-ranging format allowed him to sail practically anywhere and gave him many opportunities to be hired into, involved or accidentally available for danger and fascinating encounters. A cult favorite; unforgotten and first-rate through nearly 90 episodes.