Troubleshooters

Seriously, I caught this show in second run on WGN in Chicago,(like at least one other poster), in the early 1960s. As I remember the opening, Keenan Wynn comes uphill towards the camera on a motorcycle, (make, unknown), and Bob Mathias comes down towards the camera riding a hook on a construction crane. They are, the troubleshooters ! Interesting look at the life of 'globe trotting' construction workers. Aside from their work, these two, naturally, get involved in the lives of the people who work for, with, or, around them. One episode had them, and their crew, build an iron lung for a young local/native lad who had apparently contracted polio, or a similar type of respiration paralysis. Another had them hold a carnival, subsidized by the construction company they work for, to raise funds for something or other. The highlight of this episode was a booth where each kid got a free ice cream cone, which they could either eat, or, throw at Keenan Wynn's face sticking through a canvas backdrop. Now, the telling part. As I remember, the name of the construction company was Corbett. At the same time, early 1960s, my uncle worked for a Corbett Construction Company, on the project to build what is now the Michigan Ave., Oak St. Lake Shore Drive interchange. Yet, I can't find it on Google.

This is a very obscure, essentially forgotten construction-based show from NBC from 1959-1960. My father, Chet Allen, played the role of "Slats" on the show. He has for many years tried to obtain VHS/DVD copies of the show but with no success. There is rumor that the archives were destroyed due to neglect over the years. I've never seen the show and would be delighted to be able to do so. Anyone out there with any concrete information about how to obtain copies of this show or who is in contact with former cast members or who have any memorabilia from the show, please feel free to contact me. My Dad would be really grateful if you have any information. Thanks. Thanks. Thanks. Thanks.

Yes, a simple TV show like Troubleshooters was one of my favorites. I've often wondered why they haven't done reruns on cable or satellite. Growing up loving heavy equipment, I would go anywhere earth moving or ditch digging equipment was operating. When Troubleshooters started, I was in Heaven! Solving situational problems with heavy equipment was a bonus. The one I remember the best is the episode where the push a pipe through a wall of dirt at a cave-in to get air to the trapped people in the cave. Of there were a few more involving personnel issues. But overall a decent show. You could set down and watch it with family and come away with a positive message. Keenan and Bob became favorite actors. Sorry, I can't right off recall the others. Maybe I will if I ever see a rerun. Let's hope that is soon!

I know Keenan Wynn was a character actor in the show, I seem to remember him riding a Harley or an Indian in the show. Does anyone out there remember if he did? I was just wondering, I would love to see tape of the show if anyone out there has one. I was very very young when the show aired, and I remember watching it. It always involved something to do with construction, and it seemed they were always traveling all over the world, and Wynn would at some point always end up riding a motorcycle in the show. I seem to remember as it being an early American Vtwin, either a Harley or an Indian. Like I mentioned I was extremely young when the show aired, so I don'r remember to much about the episodes.

This show was my very first recollection of TV. Through the power of the internet I was able to search on 'Kodiak', 'construction', and 'TV' and got a couple hits which brought me here. If this show aired in '59, then I would have been 3 years old at the time. Sort of amazing considering it was on for such a short time and I may have seen it only a few times. But I loved playing in the dirt and big machines. I actually was training to operate earthmoving equipment but then got my old job back and never went into construction. I too would like to see tapes of this show and see if it was really so cool that a three year old kid would remember it after 46 plus years.