Martin Milner (1931-2015)

[Don H.]

Re: Martin Milner (1931-2015)

Not sure how this thread about the passing of Martin Milner devolved into a discussion about digital converters, co ax connections, transmission antennas, Mt. Wilson, reflective wire mesh in stucco, and EMI standards, etc.
But, for any still interested in Tod Stiles, Mr. Milner was honored Saturday at a memorial ceremony in Carlsbad CA, that was attended by the LAPD volunteer honor guard and bagpipers, Kent McCord, LAPD commanders, as well as many family and friends. To the best of my knowledge, George Maharis was not in attendance.

[Michael J.]

Re: Martin Milner (1931-2015)

Not sure how this thread about the passing of Martin Milner devolved into a discussion about digital converters, co ax connections, transmission antennas, Mt. Wilson, reflective wire mesh in stucco, and EMI standards, etc.
But, for any still interested in Tod Stiles, Mr. Milner was honored Saturday at a memorial ceremony in Carlsbad CA, that was attended by the LAPD volunteer honor guard and bagpipers, Kent McCord, LAPD commanders, as well as many family and friends. To the best of my knowledge, George Maharis was not in attendance.

Thanks for that Don, do you know if any Corvette enthusiasts paid their respects and came with a '62?

[Brad K.]

Re: Martin Milner (1931-2015)

I was so enthralled with the series that I purchased my 1959 Corvette in 1969, all the while fantasizing that I could actually BECOME like Martin Milner and begin experiencing the kind of activities and excitement they made so famous on "Route 66"....a couple of them actually did come true but we won't go into them at this time......As I watch the re-runs on METV, I am amazed at how differently I now perceive them to be.....Just as Micheal talks about in the above message. Anyway.....It's my sincere desire that Martin rests in peace in his eternal home......

[Richard S.]

Re: Martin Milner (1931-2015)

The first 3 seasons of route 66 are on HULU (internet based TV) and I have been watching them recently. I don't remember the original broadcast very well so it is like watching a new program. As Duke said above the writing and direction was ahead of its time and they are still very good to watch. I'm always surprised when I see a well known actor show up (Burt Reynolds, Ed Asner, Robert Duval). With the old black and white show you really can't tell the color of the Corvette and I haven't seen any mention of a new car arriving at the start of the new season. Being from the Boston area it is interesting seeing them driving through the city in 1961 the sky line has changed a lot since then.

I noted from James Rosin's book, "Route 66 the television series", that Chevrolet actually provided 3-4 new Corvettes each season. After one of the fawn beige vehicles reached 3000 miles it was replaced with an identical Corvette, seems that the cast actually spent more time driving the cars for fun on location than filming them. Also noted that the above mentioned Burt Reynolds was offered the roll of Buz Murdock after George Maharis left the series however, he turned down roll assuming that the series would not survive.

[Roger W.]

Re: Martin Milner (1931-2015)

I remember watching the new episodes of Route 66 as a teenager. One of the episodes had the guy's stock Vette run at some circle track and either come close to or match the track time record. Even as a teen ager I was a little skeptical.
The COZZI station was showing Route 66. Unfortunately my cable company got rid of that station on my tier.

[Richard S.]

Re: Martin Milner (1931-2015)

Riverside Raceway-"The Quick and the Dead" Season 1.

[Steven B.]

Re: Martin Milner (1931-2015)

Yep, the 61 with Daytons.

[Bill M.]

Re: Martin Milner (1931-2015)

Glad you guys brought martin up. I started watching Adam 12 a couple of months ago and love looking for vettes. When Reed was a probie he was driveing a 60?. Usually see 3 or 4 every show.

[Domenic T.]

Re: Martin Milner (1931-2015)

I might add that in the 70's I had a service center for RV's and he came in and bought one that I had to orient him on. There was no tv talk just a nice regular guy that I thought I knew, then we introduced ourselves and spent about a hout showing him how to operate things. What I noticed was that he came across as just another regular guy and was kind.

Dom

[Roger W.]

Re: Martin Milner (1931-2015)

Wow! Great research Rich.

[Mike B.]

Re: Martin Milner (1931-2015)

As a young boy I really enjoyed watching Route 66 when those shows were brand new. I've recently found a channel that shows reruns of all the classic adventures of Todd and Buzz. Great memories from long ago. Mike

Route '66.jpg

[Grant M.]

Re: Martin Milner (1931-2015)

Bought the complete series on DVD a few years back. Interestingly, the quality of the first episode is rather poor; dark and not too clear. I don't know whether it was the transfer to DVD or that's how it was filmed.

The episodes were filmed entirely on location; no studio work except post-production editing. The crew and regulars (Milner etc) travelled by road from location to location, about a week behind the writing and location crew. Sometimes the writing crew were still finishing the script for the previous episode after having moved on to the next location. As mentioned in an earlier post, many of the locations were nowhere near the old Route 66, including one, "A Long Way From St. Louie", which was filmed in my hometown of Toronto, Ontario. For me, it was great seeing the city as it was when I was growing up there, including the Canadian National Exhibition grandstand, the old city hall and new city hall under construction, and the Ontario Legislature. As was the practice, the script writers often included names of real local people in the dialogue, and during the Toronto episode, as the boys are riding down an escalator in the Toronto Telegram (newspaper) building, they mention "Mr. Bassett", who was the publisher of the now defunct Telegram and went on to found the Canadian Television Network (CTV) our largest private broadcaster.

Great series with a great car as co-star!

Grant

[Don H.]

Re: Martin Milner (1931-2015)

How about Season 3, Episode 25 at Weeki Wachee Water Park near Tampa Florida? They sure took a wrong turn off Route 66 to find themselves messing around with mermaids down there.

[Richard S.]

Re: Martin Milner (1931-2015)

Filming would start each June/July in the upper Northwest and then proceed across the country ending up in the Northeast. When the temperature would start to drop and the trees lost their leaves the production crew moved south and Florida, Texas and Arizona would be among the last locations each season. A crew of sixty traveled across the country each year traveling about 40,000 miles and transporting two Corvettes.

[Bert L.]

Re: Martin Milner (1931-2015)

Winter Blues Cure.....& gifts for the Boys!
Route 66 promo Christmas fixed.jpg