Tales of the Vikings

I remember that scene with the magnetic mountain. Erik goes to swing his sword, and it sticks to a rock on a mountain pass wall. Or maybe it was an adversary swinging it at Erik. Too long ago to remember clearly.

There was also an episode where Erik had a villain's girlfriend as a hostage. He stood her on a wall, and cut the sleeves and skirt off her dress with his sword! It left her in a sort of Danskin affair, quite modest. He did it just to show he meant business, you see.

The bad guy was really peeved at that. He kept threatening Erik with awful tortures, when he caught him. But of course, Erik got out of it. Don't ask me how.

Even though I was only nine, that episode got me all hot and bothered. I dug Vikings before the show, but after that, they were my favorites.

I vaguely remember that Spanish episode, and boy, it was a drag! I knew that the Vikings would have needed a time machine to get to that version of Spain. They did that all the time on TV back then. Robin Hood would show up in Australia, Zorro would meet George Washington. Drove me crazy!

What they might have done was to show how a young (13!), Viking king Sigurd Jorsalfar, went to Palestine, just after the First Crusade, in 1107. Erik and the gang could have tagged along. His large fleet stopped off in Spain, and aided local Christians in one of their periodic wars with their Muslim neighbors. (Hey, it was a Crusade, okay?) Then they went to Palestine, did some fighting for the King of Jerusalem, and went home. I think they sailed into the Black Sea, and up the Russian rivers to the Baltic, to get there. Those guys got around! But I guess the show's writers weren't up on that.

And yes, The Thirteenth Warrior is damn good. It's based on a novel called Eaters of The Dead, by Michael Cricton, which is also quite good. It's the Beowulf story, with a new twist on Grendel. It's way cool!

So is the film The Long Ships, with Richard Widmark and Sidney Poitier, as the Emir of Morocco. Check out the giant scimitar slide. Nothing like that in any theme park these days! But the orgy scene is more fun.

And the bad guy in Viking film, that the TV show was based on, was named (Wait for it!)...Egbert! How many movie villains can claim that?

Though my recollections are vague, I clearly recall the use of a club as weapon. Neighbors and I (born in '53) all sought a fine wooden club, which for a while supplanted the handguns and spears we had previously used to "kill" each other in our warlike games. Previously we played as Yankees vs Rebels (in Baton Rouge, Louisiana) or cowboys and Indians, but something about the Vikings enthralled us all briefly. I'm surprised it lasted through only one season. it's impact on me as a young boy was significant. I recall the use of a long alpine type horn in the intro, the theme music, the beautifully-lined canoe like ship, and the club most of all.

There was this time where the Vikings got stuck on this magnetic mountain. And another time they went to Spain where everyone wore 16th century clothes and fought with rapiers. They all had knitted chain-mail and Fifties-style haircuts. It amazes me that Max (Jethro Clampett) Baer was in this and I didn't recognize him later on. I think the "Beverly Hillbillies" was a step UP for him.

The theme song began, "From out of the North came an icy wind" but I don't remember any more of it. I think it had a few notes out of something Wagnerian, but I don't know which opera it came from. If there were an MP3 somewhere, I'd love to hear it.

Les

We were just talking about the Tony Curtis and Kirk Douglas film, The Vikings, and that got me remembering the TV series.

I remember it was on Sunday nights here in St. Louis, and was sponsored by the local Laclede Gas company.

Let's see...

"From out of the North like an icy wind, came Odin's fair warriors free... With broadaxe and spear, they conquered...(something)

Don't remember much more!

I recall that Buddy Baer had a huge club carved into the shape of a woman which he called the "little maiden".

I'm wondering if this was only on kinescope, and no copies remain?

I don't exactly remember if we had "Blockbuster" type pictures in 1958; but if we did, then the Kirk Douglas, Tony Curtis, Janet Leigh, Ernest Borgnine Star Studded extravaganza THE VIKINGS, surely would have qualified as one. The epic celebration of pillaging, plundering and gang-rape was adapted from the Historical Novel of the same name by one Edison Marshall.

The Box Office success of this 'Major Motion Picture' (another anachronistic use of the Queen's English) led to the inevitasble development of either the sequel or the spin-off. In this case they opted for a sort of spin-off TV Series. The characters in it weren't exactly the same ones, but they were quite similar. The series featured the Father, a half-fast King or Chieftain named 'Firebeard', who was most likely, a red-headed dude like me-self! It was tamed down and adapted to the television series acceptable levels of "soft-core" violence, being that using swords, yet having no penetration. Their pillaging and plundering seemed to be more of the justified sorts, by their running into less than admirable adversaries, be they Frenchmen, English or others of their own Norse extraction.

The producers, Kirk Douglas' own Brynaprod Company with United Artists Television, managed to give just about all concessions required. Yet in the final analysis were still reviewed as being "…..of low Moral Tone.", by certain publications; such as The New World, the official newspaper of the Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago.

The storyline managed to walk that old tightrope between representing this 10th Century seagoing warrior story and giving us a ½ hour heroic adventure. With 'Firebeard' and his two sons, Leif* (star Jerome Courtland), older brother Finn (Walter Barnes) and the giant warrior, Haldar (portrayed by Peter Bull (?) or, as we remember, Buddy Baer**), the fearsome foursome looked sort of like a middle Ages' version of "BONANZA", with the Cartwrights.

We do recall the first episode. Being the series 'Pilot', there was a lot more ca$h allotted; which translated into more actors & actresses, greater and more frequent action/combat scenes and generally a richer look. We also incredibly recall an interaction where 'little brother', Leif, manages to save older brother, Finn, by watching his back and slaying an adversary via the "old thrown sword run-'em' thru" method. Finn later thanks his kid brother, adding: "You know that if anything happens to me, you're the one who will be Chieftain, some day." The props and costuming, being particularly important in a period piece like this were highly convincing; outstanding, even! ("And they are mild!") The hardware consisted of broad swords, long bows, shields and only the occasionally appearing helmet. (Leif had a really neat helmet, which he mainly just carried, kinda like an American football!)

All that and their use of a mast less & sail free Viking Ship, were doubtless leftovers from the movie. The scenery and location were adequate; but we don't that think it was done in Brittany, France; as was the feature. It was more than likely done in the good old U.S.A.'s Southern California beaches and studio back lots.

The show was with us for the 1959-60 season, when this writer was an 8th Grader. It was shown in the Networkless method, via Syndication. It was WGN, Channel 9, here in Chicagoland that carried it.

At seasons' end, the crew must've just packed up, and sailed off west to Iceland, Greenland, Vinland (the coast of present day Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Maine) and on to Thule and Valhalla! They were not seen again, even in re-runs!

NOTE: * A rendition of their Theme, from memory, only!

NOTE: ** We believe that listing this character as Leif "Ericson" is an error, as we don't recollect his being called that, ever!

NOTE: *** Former Heavyweight Boxer, Contender to Joe Louis' Crown, the huge Buddy Baer, younger brother of Heavyweight Champ, Max Baer, Sr., was the only guy we remember as the Warrior, Haldar.