Davey Jones

Not much to say or recommend regarding this unsold TV pilot. Buster Crabbe plays an ex-US Navy frogmen and underwater specialist now running his own post war salvage company and is conveniently named Davey Jones. A silly plot involving a plane crash in enemy waters, i.e. Too close to Asia for comfort, with important papers that cannot potentially fall into enemy hands. Crabbe, still looking as fit as when he played Flash Gordon, as Jones is hired to get the papers from the downed plane, but cold war espionage shenanigans threaten to sink (ha!) the whole operation. Pretty dull even at less than 30 minutes and though involving expert professional divers like Lamar Boren and Mel Fisher in the production, some very wonky underwater footage that makes much of the undersea scenes resemble a foggy day in London Town. Perhaps thrown together as some sort of challenger to the then great contemporary ZIV series SEA HUNT, this cheesy thing has little going for it. Crabbe is ok in the title role, but the rest of the cast was totally unknown to me and most appeared to be earnestly memorizing the cue cards between their line readings. Our hero has a reconditioned war submarine he uses in his salvage work, including "mechanisms" borrowed from former enemy subs, but has a dull, mostly non descript crew, except for good old Hal Smith as a seagoing cook beset with sea sickness (har har hardee har har!). In a few short years after this Smith would make his mark in television history playing Otis Campbell, "the town drunk" of Mayberry, North Carolina in THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW. Despite his gimmicky role in this pilot and the ho ho ho irony of a seasick sailor, his appearance here is actually a highlight of the show. Basically a dull, lethargic attempt at an adventure plot, this show hits bottom almost from the minute it starts. Very rare to see, I caught a beautiful print of it uploaded on YouTube, but even as a big fan of lost TV shows and underwater set stories, I don't recommend it. Stick with SEA HUNT or another great show from that era, ASSIGNMENT UNDERWATER.