See the Snake in Camp: Part 2, Season 7, Episode 2

Fred Stromsoe 

"Woods" had an interesting work history, being a stuntman and stunt coordinator, and having worked on Route 66. 

He was only a year and a half older than Marty, but he had that "old guy" vibe more, despite being in better shape. 

You got chocolate in my peanut butter here, Adam-12 writers. 

But not in a good way.

I come for the 211s in progress in North Hollywood. I will put up with the occasional woman with a pet snake, but this "turns a fatherless boy's life around" sentimental stuff.... Let Reed go back to reading riddles off candy bar wrappers if you're all out of 459s. 

Pete and the Kid:

Had Marty Milner enjoyed playing Lee Montgomery's father so much in "Runaway!" -- a TV disaster movie on a train -- that he wanted to keep the fatherly role going with this kid?
It's on Youtube for now.

Last we saw them together, Dad was trying to make the Boy jump off a moving train. 

Had casting already been done for Swiss Family Robinson and he wanted more acting work practice with kids? 

Speaking of wonderful guest star June Lockhart:

When (Irwin Allen's) Swiss Family Robinson aired, I thought from the title, it must have something to do with the Robinson Family of Lost in Space. You can imagine my disappointment. It wasn't on very long. The only character I remember is Jeremiah Worth, and in my memory he was a like a homeless pirate the kids would meet up with. I could not have named one actor from that show.

Let's check in with Reed:

A woman would have been a sexual assault victim if not for the protection of her snake.

Speaking of locations, the bus journey to the Youth Camp looks like the Santa Monica Mountains, Malibu area, but IMDB tells me the exteriors were Camp Paige in LaVerne, above the 210 (above Route 66, ha!) And Snake Lady alley address on Varna, just south of Sherman Way, in NoHo is given. I think producer Tom Williams provided most of the locations (?) God bless him. RIP.  Google maps shows this:

At least half of the Reed and Malloy duo were patrolling North Hollywood.

Meanwhile back at the boys camp:

June Lockhart turned 96 this year. Amazing woman. Anyone else catch her in She-Wolf of London on Svengoolie not long ago? 

I'm guessing that:

Marty took one look at the script that called for him to do a lot of running and was not happy.

Kent saw that he got to have some solo time and was well pleased.

The little kid asked his mom, "Is that the big freckly guy who smells like cigarettes?"

When the ratings came in, word came down from the network, "You'd better get back to doing some police work!"

Any fan letters that week were for the lady with the snake. 

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Studio City: Repeat it back, junior! Part 1 of 2 The Impossible Mission

 Valley Boys in Blue: The Impossible Mission, pilot episode

The great thing about the pilot is that it was shot in the fall of '67, so it captures parts of the Valley a bit earlier than the other first season episodes.

Make sure you watch the three videos with Adam-12 producer, the late Tom Williams, and mega fan Dave Skyler. Sadly his blog has disappeared into the void. (Any info, please share!) Invaluable work he did on recording locations then and now. 

The pilot episode is a must for Dragnet fans, with Jack Webb directing and actor Art Gilmore having a large role. 

Marty Milner does his best Sgt. Friday style delivery when explaining the features of the police car. I like that his name was Marty because mine is too. I don't share the MC1R mutation.

My favorite location shot in this episode is that glimpse of Henry's Tacos on Tujunga. 

Favorite lines: "Repeat it back, Junior" and "When I give you orders, boy, you obey 'em, understood?"

So let's back up to the whole story and throw in some location shots.
Having just lost his previous young partner, 7-year veteran and senior man on the watch Pete Malloy plans to hand in his resignation the next day. 

But today the surly walking ashtray starts off being as condescending and sarcastic as possible to the downright doe-eyed new rookie he'll be riding with. Young Jim Reed looks about 16, despite being 25, playing 23. In reality, "Malloy" is 35 at this point, but chances are he joined the force before 28, so I presume viewers are supposed to shave off a few years. 

Officer Surly and his victim, Officer Doe Eyes

Take a quick look at the car and then close your eyes and repeat the license plate number. I get "California Exempt... um...." Very impressed by people who can remember a plate at a glance.

Prevent Theft

Lock Your Car

Seems like the "DARE to keep kids off drugs" bumper sticker was on every patrol car forever. 

Innocent Reed thinks maybe he's supposed to drive. Officer Surly's eye acting:

Reed the Innocent:

The car and the view going out the driveway.  

So many gorgeous cars on the road. About now half the female viewers at the time were asking, "What happened to Buz? Is Buz finally coming back in this one?"

Then I lost it. Reed pulls out the THOMAS GUIDE!  

The Bible of Southern California drivers. Or it was until GPS and Google Maps on your phone. I still have Thomas Guides under my seat. 2019 I got turned around in El Monte -- the street signs are in Chinese! -- and I pulled over and pulled my 2002 Thomas Guide out from under the seat. Rotten thing is you can't enlarge it. Reading glasses in the glove box. Alas! 

Seriously. The Thomas Guide. I would love to have a 60s edition. Most of us used them until the pages were falling out.

At this point the show turns stupid. Will viewers declare, "Oh how dumb!" and switch over to the "Dating Game" on ABC? 

This was the first of silly women with pet snakes. Okay, it's her son's pet and it's a salamander, but same thing. A few shots of the stupid part. 

If you were trying to identify that spot, I guess the circular driveway would be your focus. I would rather edit this whole scene out.

I caught the dissolve. That motel is STILL THERE! Shout out to my dear friend Valley Haunts. See her modern pic here. Follow her Instagram of midcentury survivors around the San Fernando Valley.

I'm curious about that red barn there on Tujunga. Was it a restaurant? It reminds me of the Malibu Feed Bin on PCH at Topanga. That Shell station corner is now  Moorpark Plaza mini-mall.  There's still a gas station on the southeast side of the intersection, but the liquor store was demolished. 

Did a 1955 Chevy Bel Air just come around the corner??? Is that what that beautiful blue car is? Notice the Starlite sign is lit up back there behind Henry's Tacos (just off screen). The Starlite is still there, but not the cool sign. 

Blink and you'll miss the Dairy Queen. 

And with that, I shall start Studio City Page 2, so the page might load faster.

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