There are so many dramas that my generation saw on television in the 1950s and 1960s, it is interesting to note one that remains in our minds. The DUPONT SHOW OF THE WEEK alternated drama, comedy (in this case "black" comedy) and documentaries. His particular one remained in my memory because of it's cast and it's odd idea of a private individual who takes the law into his own hands in a creative manner. The idea was not a common one for screenplays or drama back in the 1960s (except, perhaps, in comic books with superheros, or in costume drams like ZORRO). JEREMY RABBIT's mad hero (or anti-hero) was not a superman, nor a masked swordsman of an earlier age. He was an insane, fed - up member of the public: a loner who saw that society was failing in getting rid of real pests. The pests here were some of the leaders of organized crime.
Before he played a costumed villain on BATMAN, and long before his acclaimed Broadway one man show as comedian George Burns, Frank Gorshin played Jeremy Rabbit. We see him at the beginning of the show watching television in his apartment while riding his exercise bicycle. Later on we realize Jeremy is pretty much by himself in the world - his closest friend being his neighbor Althea Krupp (Jennifer West). We later realize the equally lonely Althea loves Jeremy.
What is Jeremy watching on television? There are hearings in the U.S. Senate held by a Senator Grady Lyons (Franchot Tone), who is obviously based on Senator Estes Kefauver of Tennessee, who had skillfully made a nervous wreck out of Frank Costello on national television in the 1950s. Lyons is cross-examining mobsters Cheese Karopolis (Brian Donleavy), Tony Maruzella (Walter Matthau), and Jo Jo (Caroline Jones, as a clone of Virginia Hill, the gangland moll connected to Bugsy Siegel). None of them are fazed by Lyons' withering questioning, and are not revealing too much, but Lyons does produce enough material for the public to see that they are public parasites. As the Senator finds them stonewalling, Jeremy realizes only a secret enemy can be effective against them - himself. So he ends up "crazy eyed" saying, "Jeremy Rabbit - The Secret Avenger!"
The rest of the show is how Senator Lyons finds his pool of malefactors dwindling by misadventures of a peculiar kind. First, Cheese is approached on his weakness. While in his hotel, he admits to the hotel busboy (who looks like Gorshin in disguise) that he has nothing to worry about - his looks are very photogenic. He has one of the three most perfect set of dentures in the world. We last see Cheese about to use his electric toothbrush on those dentures. Suddenly we hear a really loud electric upsurge - and sure enough Cheese is electrocuted. Shortly afterward, Tony is enjoying his one passion: golf. He is a bit confused by the odd looking ground keeper, who insists that he set up the tee and ball for him, because of some problems on that green. Shortly afterward Tony is taking a swing, and the golf-ball explodes when hit. As for Jo Jo, always fully aware of the need to keep her good looks, she goes to her spa for a mud pack. Soon the police are busy with a hammer and chisel (who would have guessed they used cement on her face when covering it?).
Lyons is upset by the loss of the witnesses (although they were unfriendly) because he's losing publicity. Also it is very weird that they are dying so violently. Another person who is curious is the head of the mob, Buddy Foy (Jim Bachus). Three key figures in his organizations are dead, and he knows the government didn't order the hits - who the hell did?
Jeremy Rabbitt was amusing because of the star power of it's leads, and the bizarre idea of an unknown taking the mob on and damaging it because he was unknown. In the end Jeremy does succeed (with an unexpected ally). It was not the greatest comedy from Television's golden age, but it was rather amusing - and even a little thought provoking.
Before he played a costumed villain on BATMAN, and long before his acclaimed Broadway one man show as comedian George Burns, Frank Gorshin played Jeremy Rabbit. We see him at the beginning of the show watching television in his apartment while riding his exercise bicycle. Later on we realize Jeremy is pretty much by himself in the world - his closest friend being his neighbor Althea Krupp (Jennifer West). We later realize the equally lonely Althea loves Jeremy.
What is Jeremy watching on television? There are hearings in the U.S. Senate held by a Senator Grady Lyons (Franchot Tone), who is obviously based on Senator Estes Kefauver of Tennessee, who had skillfully made a nervous wreck out of Frank Costello on national television in the 1950s. Lyons is cross-examining mobsters Cheese Karopolis (Brian Donleavy), Tony Maruzella (Walter Matthau), and Jo Jo (Caroline Jones, as a clone of Virginia Hill, the gangland moll connected to Bugsy Siegel). None of them are fazed by Lyons' withering questioning, and are not revealing too much, but Lyons does produce enough material for the public to see that they are public parasites. As the Senator finds them stonewalling, Jeremy realizes only a secret enemy can be effective against them - himself. So he ends up "crazy eyed" saying, "Jeremy Rabbit - The Secret Avenger!"
The rest of the show is how Senator Lyons finds his pool of malefactors dwindling by misadventures of a peculiar kind. First, Cheese is approached on his weakness. While in his hotel, he admits to the hotel busboy (who looks like Gorshin in disguise) that he has nothing to worry about - his looks are very photogenic. He has one of the three most perfect set of dentures in the world. We last see Cheese about to use his electric toothbrush on those dentures. Suddenly we hear a really loud electric upsurge - and sure enough Cheese is electrocuted. Shortly afterward, Tony is enjoying his one passion: golf. He is a bit confused by the odd looking ground keeper, who insists that he set up the tee and ball for him, because of some problems on that green. Shortly afterward Tony is taking a swing, and the golf-ball explodes when hit. As for Jo Jo, always fully aware of the need to keep her good looks, she goes to her spa for a mud pack. Soon the police are busy with a hammer and chisel (who would have guessed they used cement on her face when covering it?).
Lyons is upset by the loss of the witnesses (although they were unfriendly) because he's losing publicity. Also it is very weird that they are dying so violently. Another person who is curious is the head of the mob, Buddy Foy (Jim Bachus). Three key figures in his organizations are dead, and he knows the government didn't order the hits - who the hell did?
Jeremy Rabbitt was amusing because of the star power of it's leads, and the bizarre idea of an unknown taking the mob on and damaging it because he was unknown. In the end Jeremy does succeed (with an unexpected ally). It was not the greatest comedy from Television's golden age, but it was rather amusing - and even a little thought provoking.