I'm going to skip the Dean Hess post just one more time here to tell about something fabulous that just happened. First of all, this man is a hero:
(click images for larger view)
Actor, hero and friend George Stover
Now George may not look like Steve Canyon (i.e. "the hero type") but he really is and I'm going to tell you why: You wouldn't be reading this blog nor seeing any of these Steve Canyon episodes if it weren't for George. Back in the 1990's my pal George kindly introduced me to the Steve Canyon TV series (by way of the pilot film OPERATION TOWLINE).
For some reason the show just rolled around in the back of my subconscious until 2005. That's when I became intrigued (obsessed perhaps) with the lack of information available on the series and thus began my winding flight-path to where we are now with the recovery, restoration and release of the series on DVD.
ANYWAY, George recently found and sent to me his copy of the pilot film, which is the ONLY existing decent quality copy we know of that has (among other things) this:
Here's an actual frame from Milton Caniff's introduction to the Steve Canyon Pilot Film.
It's a minute and a half intro by the man himself, Milton Caniff, that was filmed in the summer of 1958 and attached to a few 16mm prints of the pilot that were screened at Air Force Bases around the world. It is very rare, and it replaces the low quality copy we have used to screen at Comic-Con, Reel Fest and other places! Even Milton Caniff's personal copy of the unaired version in our archive doesn't have these materials! But now we have it for inclusion in Volume 3, and it's all thanks to George!
Another frame from the "Stover" Steve Canyon pilot film
AND like I said, none of this would have likely happened and we probably wouldn't be enjoying ol' Col. Steve if George hadn't been so kind to me way back when. So let's raise a big mug of Ovaltine to George who has impacted all of us so generously today and yesterday. Thanks George! Note that George has appeared in MANY movies, including two of mine (INVADER and TWILIGHT OF THE DOGS) and several of John Waters' films. Click here to visit George's Internet Movie Database page for his full list of credits, and here to find his Facebook page.
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For a clip this time, here's one of the more popular Chesterfield Commercials from 1958:
Titled TEST PILOT, this commercial was produced by the Liggett & Myers Tobacco Company (L&M) specifically for airing during the Steve Canyon series. Great planes in this one! This commercial can be found during the first commercial break of OPERATION JETTISON on THE COMPLETE STEVE CANYON ON TV Volume 1.
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Ok, to wrap things up...so we REALLY REALLY PROMISE...next time on the runup pad is Col. Dean Hess, who besides being a Korean War hero, and the subject of the 1957 feature film BATTLE HYMN (see below), was the USAF Official Liaison to the Steve Canyon TV series!
Poster for the 1957 Universal International motion picture about Col. Dean Hess. (Universal International studios is also the place where Steve Canyon was made)
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Please help us lift off with Volume 3 ... advance pre-order yours today! (scroll down)
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THE COMPLETE STEVE CANYON ON TV VOLUME 3!
RESERVE YOUR COPY NOW! ADVANCE ORDER VOLUME 3 NOW FOR ONLY $19.95 PER DVD WITH SHIPPING AND HANDLING INCLUDED ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD!!
This is a limited time offer and it includes worldwide shipping and handling!
Click button below to Pre-Order this DVD.
NOTE that you DO NOT need a PayPal account to purchase this item, there is an option to pay with any major credit card!
This DVD will be released and shipped to all pre-order purchasers approximately late summer, 2010 via US Postal Service First Class mail or Global First Class Mail (for Non-US customers).
REMEMBER this DVD will ONLY be available directly from us (for the time being)...so reserve your copy TODAY!
By purchasing this and/or other items from this site you are helping us to get the COMPLETE Steve Canyon TV series out on DVD and we thank you for your support.(NOTE that you must pre-order Volume 3 separately from any other items that we offer here...we apologise for the inconvenience but it is necessary for us to do it this way at this time)
(NOTE: that if you are viewing this in an email you'll have to visit our website at http://stevecanyondvd.blogspot.com for this button to work properly)
Email us at Ye Olde Caniff/Canyon Shoppe if you have any questions, comments, or are in need of any assistance. Thanks again for remembering Milton and for making this project possible.
