Ripcord

These guys were the coolest for a seven-year-old kid! My Ripcord parachute man was one of the coolest toys too, until it floated off on an air current. At the time I had no idea the main characters were 'Festus' and 'Dash Riprock'. I've had fun looking back at these old shows and seeing who played in them, and trying to think where MY mind was in 1962.

I watched this show in reruns when I was a kid. Along with Lloyd Bridges "Sea Hunt" and the desert war show "Rat Patrol". These shows seemed to be perfect for young boys to watch to stir up their love of action and adventure. You'd watch them and then go outside and try to emulate them. Back when kids would go outside to play, and their parents didn't know where they were, or what they were doing. You were fine as long as you were back home in time for the next meal. Simpler times? Or just simpler kids? These shows were high quality, if you were 10 years old!

Rod Serling and one of the actors were former Rangers. I was inspired to become a paratrooper by them. Went to jump school at Fort Benning in 1966, at 17. Paratroops still sing "Gory, Gory". Some of the story lines were pretty bad but I waited for the jump scenes.

The camera work was superb and I often think about how u mainly cameras were then. Compared to a go pro. Imagine something weighing 25 pounds or so and no special attachment or perhaps a jury-rigged set up.

It was a good idea that needed better story lines. Could be rebooted now that we have such advanced technology. It would take someone with the vision of Rod Serling.

Being a pilot (9000+ hours) and former skydiver (216 jumps) I can tell you that this show is cool yet absurd. The actors are fine, the writing was often good, but sometimes the story lines simply departed reality. I guess the writers were just trying to come up with something exciting. To me, the best parts are the stunt work. You have to remember that to get the great aerial footage, they had to do it for real with a cameraman falling alongside. I think the cameraman were the best skydiver of them all.

when I did my first skydive from a Cessna 182 (in the 1980's) I was amazed that I flashed back to the show. The sound of that engine was exactly the same as in the show.

I wish I could find it on DVD. Get some popcorn, suspend reality and enjoy an often absurd, but always cools show!

PS: I think Larry Pannell was a better actor than Hollywood ever let him be.

The Ripcord series fit into a cunning and largely appreciated black and white 1960's TV niche. It was situated somewhere between the hybrid "Lassie" genre (which used formula after formula to keep the series going---with middling success, but without a comfortable continuity of characters and situations)...and Whirley Birds which recycled some of the stars and characters from the "Park Ranger Lassies". These Lassies became a real ordeal to watch even for kids.

Ripcord, proffering a welcomed outline--- bereft of non-western and non-private eye predictability--- mixed action, drama, mystery, humor and, well--- swagger to bring a fascinating weekly episode about the infant sport of skydiving to its dedicated viewer-ship of all age groups.

The adventures were of a compelling and happy-ending ilk. The dialog was cleverly written. It pretty much had to be. It was born of the necessity of familiarizing viewers with the intricacies and dangers attendant to a burgeoning sport...and, at the same time, putting forth a fresh plot which could be understood amid the defining of an interesting-if-unfamiliar activity.

The co-main character, Ken Curtis, who went on to play the ubiquitous and well-meaning bumpkin/buffoon on Gunsmoke did well in Ripcord---and, ultimately became an American "Prairie Trash" icon of the small screen---leaving small, grinding parts to follow for his counterpart, Larry Pennell. Pennell subsequently and interminably showed up in just about every type part that had to be auditioned for. See: Dash Riprock's character of The Beverly Hillbillies. A pity, as his talent and visage were quite worthy for their time.

How many within sight or hollering' distance of this piece know that in 1950, Larry "Bud" Pennell was the slick fielding and power hitting first baseman for the Jackson(MS)Senators. Well, he was. And, his exciting play filled-up the rickety green painted board seats of dilapidated League Park...at the fairgrounds...in my hometown. I was then a ten year old bat boy whose crew cut head Pennell rubbed for good luck prior to an at-bat. The Senators folded their tent upon completion of the season of 1950, by the way.

Pennell could hit a baseball farther than you could point. Would that his acting career had been such fodder for excitement. Bud Pennell could play, guys. Buddy Buchanan/Jackson,MS