Combat! was ABC's highest
rated new show of the '62/'63 season. In addition to fan praise, the show garnered
critical acclaim by receiving two Emmy nominations: Vic Morrow for Outstanding Continued
Performance by an Actor in a Series (Lead) and Robert Hauser for Outstanding
Cinematography. Its sister show on ABC, The Gallant Men, was canceled in its
first year.
ABC felt confident enough in Combat! to finally assign the stars permanent
dressing rooms with complete furnishings. They promptly decorated their quarters at studio
expense. Rick Jason had an MGM set designer plan his decor. Vic Morrow created his own
the kindest way any of the actors described it, was garish. The love
nest was upholstered in red velvet. Lighting came from black velvet lamps crowned by
shades that had heart-shaped cutouts (with a crystal hanging from each) and gold
interiors.
Vics trailer (used on location shooting) had an open door policy, with drinks
usually flowing freely after filming was finished. He stocked everyones favorite
alcohol. Rick Jasons rooms had a bar and beer tap for his visitors.
Tom Lowell had been working for Combat! on a show-to-show basis. Gene Levitt
offered him a contract going into the second year, but at less than he was making as a
freelance artist. At the time, he was making about $1,200 a week on his other project, but
Combat! only offered him $750 per episode to be under long-term contract, the same
that he was being paid for each individual show. He opted to continue on a show-by-show
basis.
Jack Hogan was now signed to a five-year contract. I was first hired to be a bad
guy, says Hogan. Wed be in a script, pinned down by the Germans for ten
pages, and they had to have somebody to argue with Vic to create a little conflict. After
they decided they wanted me, I decided I better clean up that act if I was going to last
five years. Then, from that point on, it sort of evolved into playing with Peabody. That
was the fun part, while it was developing. After awhile though, toward the end, it got to
be he was good ol Kirby and you could always count on him. And they gave
all the good lines to somebody else and all I would say was What are you gonna to do
now, Sarge?
Dick Peabody had signed his five-year contract during Robert Altmans reign. Now
that Gene Levitt was the producer, Dick worried about being released from the show.
Neither he nor Tom Lowell felt that Gene Levitt wanted them on the series. Before
production ceased for the summer, Dick went to the main office and asked to borrow several
thousands dollars to buy a car. He figured they would refuse to loan money to someone they
were planning to fire. He got his loan, and had a worry-free hiatus.