1961, Television: “Car 54, Where Are You?”

On September 17, 1961, the American sitcom “Car 54, Where Are You?” premieres on the NBC network. The series was created and produced by Nat Hiken. Main directors were Nat Hiken (21 episodes), Al De Caprio (20 episodes) and Stanley Prager (20 episodes). The leading roles, Gunther Toody and Francis Muldoon, were played respectively by Joe E. Ross and Fred Gwynne. Between 1961 and 1963 a total of 60 episodes were filmed on location or at Biograph Studios in The Bronx, New York.

Synopsis

The series pictures the (mis)adventures of two New York Police officers in the fictional 53rd precinct in the Bronx, assigned to Patrol Car 54. Gunther Toody (Joe E. Ross), the short, noisy, not so clever one and Francis Muldoon (Fred Gwynne), the tall, quiet, smart one...

Fred Gwynne as Francis Muldoon and Joe E. Ross as Gunther Toody

Joe E. Ross as Gunther Toody and Fred Gwynne as Francis Muldoon

The cars

Two Plymouth Savoys were used as the title vehicle during the series, a 1961 Plymouth Savoy during the first season and a 1963 Plymouth Savoy during the second.

Fred Gwynne as Francis Muldoon and Joe E. Ross as Gunther Toody

Main Cast

• Joe E. Ross as Officer Gunther Toody
• Fred Gwynne as Officer Francis Muldoon
• Ruth Masters as Mrs. Muldoon
• Hank Garrett as Officer Ed Nicholson
• Jim Gormley as Officer Nelson
• Albert Henderson as Officer Dennis O'Hara
• Bruce Kirby as Officer Kissel
• Al Lewis as Officer Leo Schnauser
• Beatrice Pons as Lucille Toody
• Charlotte Rae as Sylvia Schnauser
• Paul Reed as Capt. Paul Block
• Joe Warren as Officer Steinmetz
• Nipsey Russell as Officer Anderson
• Ossie Davis as Officer Omar Anderson
• Frederick O'Neal as Officer Wallace
• Patricia Bright as Mrs. Claire Block

Paul Reed as Capt. Paul Block and Al Lewis as Officer Leo Schnauser

Awards

• Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Comedy: Nat Hiken (1962)
• Writers Guild of America Award (TV) , Comedy/Variety, Any Length: Nat Hiken and Gary Belkin (1963) 

"Car 54, Where Are You?", opening credits (1961)

1960, Film: “Plein soleil”

The French-Italian coproduction "Plein soleil" (English: "Purple Noon", Italian: "Delitto in pieno sole") premieres on 10 March 1960 in France. The thriller, based on the 1955 novel "The Talented Mr. Ripley" by Patricia Highsmith, is directed by René Clément. The main cast includes Alain Delon as Tom Ripley, Maurice Ronet as Philippe Greenleaf and Marie Laforêt as Marge Duval. The music is written by Italian composer Nino Rota.

Trivia

Romy Schneider, Alain Delon's girlfriend at the time, appears briefly in an uncredited role as a friend of Freddie Miles.

Maurice Ronet, Marie Laforêt and Alain Delon

Marie Laforêt

Marie Laforêt and Alain Delon

Synopsis

Tom Ripley (Alain Delon) is sent to Italy by Mr. Greenleaf to fetch his spoiled playboy son, Philippe (Maurice Ronet), and bring him back home to the States to take over his father's business. Philippe intends to do no such thing...

Marie Laforêt and Alain Delon

Maurice Ronet, Billy Kearns and Alain Delon

Main cast

• Alain Delon as Tom Ripley
• Maurice Ronet as Philippe Greenleaf
• Marie Laforêt as Marge Duval
• Erno Crisa as Riccordi
• Frank Latimore as O'Brien
• Billy Kearns as Freddy Miles
• Ave Ninchi as Mevrouw Gianna
• Viviane Chantel as The Belgian Lady 

"Plein Soleil", English Trailer

1977, Music: David Soul with “Dont Give Up On Us”

In 1977 American-British singer David Soul scores with the hit single "Dont Give Up On Us". Soul, famous for his role in the Police television series "Starsky and Hutch", returned with this debut single to his earlier career as a singer. The song was written and produced by Tony Macaulay. The song on the B-side, "Black Bean Soup", was a duet song with his then girlfriend actress Lynne Marta.

"Dont Give Up On Us" reached number one in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, UK and US. It was the only top 1 hit scored by David Soul. The song was covered by Owen Wilson, Johnny Mathis, The Nolan Sisters and Donny Osmond.

Lynne Marta & David Soul in 1977

David Soul as Kenneth 'Hutch' Hutchinson in "Starsky and Hutch"

David Soul with Paul Michael Glaser in "Starsky and Hutch"

Video: David Soul with "Don't Give Up On Us"

1976, Belgian Comics: Rik Ringers - Ric Hochet

In 1976 the 22th "Rik Ringers" (French: "Ric Hochet") album, "Buitenaardse wezens vallen aan!" (Original title: "Alerte ! Extra-terrestres !") is published by Le Lombard. The series was created by Frenchman Tibet (Gilbert Gascard) (drawings) and Belgian André-Paul Duchâteau (scripts). The first short stories were published in 1955 in the Belgian comics magazine Tintin / Kuifje.

The series features the adventures of Rik Ringers (Ric Hochet), a reporter for the newspaper La Rafale in Paris. He is assisted by Commissioner Baardemakers (Commissaire Bourdon) and his assistant, inspector Kempers (Inspecteur Ledru). Several albums feature Nadine, the niece of Baardemakers and Rik's girlfriend. The series was also published in Germany (Rick Master), Finland (Riku Oksa), Sweden (Alan Falk / Rick Hart) and South India in Tamil (Reporter Johnny).

No 22 "Buitenaardse wezens vallen aan!"

• full-colour
• never published in English
• story by André-Paul Duchâteau and drawings by Tibet (Gilbert Gascard)
• Original French title: "Alerte ! Extra-terrestres !"
• German title: "Angriff der Ausserirdischen"
• Pre-published in Tintin/Kuifje from 13 november 1974 until 15 january 1975 (n° 46/1974 - n° 3/1975).

Synopsis

Frédéric Louaisil walks near the cemetery while the fog rolls. He hears a hissing sound and thinks, “yes, they came back!” The extraterrestrials he saw four years ago...

Commissioner Baardemakers, Bob Drumont and Rik Ringers

Mme Bodard and Commissioner Baardemakers

Maurice Chabert, Lisa Chabert, and Rik Ringers

Maurice Chabert, Rik Ringers and Frédéric Louasil

Main characters in this story are Rik Ringers (Ric Hochet), Commissioner Baardemakers (Commissaire Bourdon), Bob Drumont, Frédéric Louaisil, Mathias Louaisil, Maurice Chabert, Lisa Chabert, Dotor Richier, Doctor Norbert Génin, Yves Kernec, Albéric Lachaud and Mme Bodard.

Valéry Giscard d'Estaing and Michel Poniatowski

Bob Drumont and Ric Ringers

Yves Kernec and Albéric Lachaud

Trivia

• Maurice Chabert is a caricature of French actor Jean Gabin
• appearance of the President of the French Republic, Valéry Giscard d'Estaing and his interior minister, Michel Poniatowski

Frédéric Louasil and Yves Kernec

Mathias Louaisil and Bob Drumont

Dotor Richier, Doctor Norbert Génin and Rik Ringers

Cars

• Citroën DS21
• Porsche 911
• MGB
• Renault Estafette
• BMC Mini

Citroën DS21, BMC Mini and Porsche 911

MGB

Porsche 911

Porsche 911 and Renault Estafette