Hong Kong

Rod Taylor became a star on both the big and small screens in 1960. Movie fame came along when he landed the lead role in George Pal's science fiction block buster "The Time Machine". He then got his first major chance in television the same year with the ABC drama series "Hong Kong".As Glenn Evans, a "two-fisted" news correspondent who had been assigned to cover the Orient, the hunky he - man was equally adept at solving crimes and romancing lovely ladies.

The show proved to be extremely popular here in Australia, aided no doubt by the star's local origins and also, perhaps, due to our geographical proximity to the title location. However, in a strange twist of fate, its Stateside reception was tinged with more than a touch of irony. Although it managed to win a Golden Globe award, American viewers did not cotton to its sophisticated, upmarket leanings and brought about its rapid demise by staying loyal to NBC's "Wagon Train".

The producers, 20th Century Fox, had another exotic, off - shore series going to air on ABC at the time that was also based around the Asia - Pacific region - namely "Adventures in Paradise". In fact, Fox music maestro, Lionel Newman wrote the theme for both shows.

Rod Taylor (A Gathering of Eagles, The Birds) played Glenn Evans, if my memory serves me well, was a journalist living in Hong Kong. He always wore those beautiful tailored suits. I guess the tailoring of nice clothes is one thing that Hong Kong is famous for. It was a black and white series. I watched it dubbed. I did not realize that the series was so short lived. My impression is that they kept showing the same episodes over and over and that is why it lasted a long time. I also had to go to bed early because I was in junior high, or early high school by the time the series got dubbed. I was not allowed to stay up late. That is why it seems that the series lasted years. It was a murder mystery type of series. Well, well, people like to make fun of Jessica Fletcher (Murder She Wrote), because she is a writer and every place she goes there is a murder, well Hong Kong was about the same. The leading person was a male. I guess some men do not realize how many murders there are in show like: NYPD Blue, Law and Order, Homicide, etc. This issue just cracks me up! There were other people in the cast such as: Lloyd Bochner (Dynasty), Neil Campbell, and Jack Kruschen (The Apartment, 'Til There Was You), Tully. Mai Tai Sing (Strange Portrait) Ching Mei, was the local help for those guys. I used to love watching the series. It seems like thousands years ago now, but I remember the landscape of Hong King, the boats and everybody biking. I have always wanted to go to China especially after watching this series. I was very young, and thought that Glenn was a genius at figuring out crimes. I am sure that today I would think that the series was predictable. I have great memories of the series as a whole, but I do not remember much detail.

The only reason I can figure that "Hong Kong" seems never to have been rerun is that it was shot in black & white.

I was a junior in High School when it aired on ABC (1960-61)and I've never seen it since. But "Hong Kong" left a lasting impression and I would love to see it again.

I'd been vaguely aware of Rod Taylor from some earlier TV appearances and had liked him in "The Time Machine", but it was "Hong Kong" that made me a fan (for life). The show had a wonderful look and feel to it, a real sense of place (despite the fact most of it was shot on the FOX lot).

To me, at seventeen, the show seemed wonderfully sophisticated and exotic. Rod Taylor (half the time in a white dinner jacket) made for an elegant and intelligent yet muscular hero - a variation on James Bond two years before "Dr. No".

I especially remember the music. Lionel Newman's work on "Hong Kong" was superb, as were all facets of the production for its day. The supporting cast, including Lloyd Bochner and Jack Kruschen, was uniformly excellent.

They thought back then at ABC and 20th-TV that it might be a blockbuster, their "Wagon Train" (NBC). Perhaps on another network it might have (ABC just didn't have the station lineup to compete). And if they'd shot it in color, it might now be considered a rerun classic.

rvc

I have memories of this show being one of the best series. Outstanding look and feel. I watched faithfully every episode. The music and casting was fantastic. I was amazed that it did not last longer. Assumed that it was too expensive to produce. Very surprised to find out that the fantastic scenes of Hong Kong streets were filmed on back lots. This series made me a Rod Taylor fan for life. I still watch "The Time Machine" every time it is on TV. Hong Kong was great and I wish I could find the series on DVD. Just finished watching Gathering of Eagles and had to come to IMDb for more information on Rod Taylor. I still wonder why we don't see more of him in movies and on TV.

Even viewing Hong Kong today, it has not lost any of it's charm and character! It certainly belongs to the Film Noir category The scripts were great, and the whole atmosphere reminded me of such movie greats as Casablanca and The Maltese Falcon. Every character in the series enhanced the series, and took it quite a lot of steps beyond what was on television at the time. Rod Taylor of course provided the perfect center piece!! No wonder the Brocelli Brothers wanted him to screen test for James Bond! Rod projected a suave sophistication, and had a rare combination of masculinity and tenderness that one is hard pressed to find in a lot of actors today. He was like Spencer Tracey, Humphrey Bogart and Cary Grant, all wrapped up in one parcel! As one reviewer pointed out, if this series had been made in color, I'm sure we would be watching re-runs now! Occasionly, a few episodes crop up on EBay. Do yourself a favor, and make a purchase, and see why this series is great!