Solving A Major Steve Canyon TV Mystery
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| On-screen writing credits on the first aired Steve Canyon episode, a reworking of the pilot film (to fit the final broadcast format for the series). With 2 minutes removed and other changes, it aired on Saturday September 13, 1958 at 9:00 pm on NBC. |
Joseph Landon, who besides the pilot script, also wrote the episodes "Fear Of Flying", and "Pilot Error", as well as the movies "Von Ryan's Express" (1965), and "Stagecoach" (1966), and 24 other screenplays, and according to the Internet Movie Database (IMDB), also was a producer of such films as "Finian's Rainbow" (1968). Relatively well known in Hollywood at least, wouldn't you say?
So Joe Landon was the last-minute cleanup writer before they shot the pilot in January 1958.
But the other writer, Shelly Colbert, only has ONE credit, that of the Steve Canyon TV pilot episode, one the IMDB and nothing else. Which is weird. The plot thickens!
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| Slightly different end credits from the original pilot version. |
 Script cover for the pilot episode, which was shot at Hal Roach Studios for $38,184.00 in Culver City, California on January 30-31 and February 3-4 1958 |
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| Pilot script at Hal Roach Studios, as well as MANY other associated documents there, reveals that they just didn't get the memo concerning the writing credits |
Yep, it's AARON SPELLING!
Aaron Spelling is known as the most prolific producer in Hollywood, producing such hit TV series as Burke's Law, Honey West, Family, Charlie's Angels, The Love Boat, Hart to Hart, Dynasty, Beverly Hills, 90210, Melrose Place, 7th Heaven, and Charmed. He also served as producer of The Mod Squad (1968–1973), The Rookies (1972–1976), and Sunset Beach (1997–1999).
He also worked as an actor and screenwriter, and although he is sometimes listed as writing his first pilot episode script in 1957, has been unclear what that show was...until now. It was for Steve Canyon, in early August 1957!
AND if you don't yet believe me, how about this:
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| First page (of 5) of Aaron Spelling's contract for the Steve Canyon pilot script! |
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| Detail from Page 1 |
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| Page 5. |
Note that pages 2, 3 and 4 (not shown here) are standard "boilerplate" and nothing that relates specifically to Aaron Spelling in particular
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| Spelling (and Canyon Producer David Haft) ignatures from Page 5 |
THIS next scan explains the mystery of "Shelly Colbert":
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| IMPORTANT detail from page 5 - where the production is to credit him as ..."Shelly Colbert". |
David Haft and Milton Caniff were both represented by The William Morris agency, who put them together in May 1957, in an effort to make a Steve Canyon TV series. Aaron Spelling was also represented by the same talent agency, and was very early in his career as a screenwriter, but he had an advantage: he had served in the Army Air Corps during WWII!
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| Steve Canyon TV producer David Haft (left) and creator Milton Caniff |
So why the pseudonym? We don't know for certain, but I sus[rct he was under exclusive contract to another sxeries, and didn't want them to know he was freelancing...but your guess is as good as mine.
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| Aaron Spelling and first wife Carolyn Jones in Hollywood in 1957. |
So there you have it: with likely Spelling's first pilot script, he is the man that designed the Steve Canyon TV series...well, at least the first half of the series before the format was changed. He wrote MANY pilots, and designed MANY successful series afterward, so it's no surprise how beloved the Steve Canyon series was.
So when you watch the pilot, "Operation Towline", remember that it was Spelling that designed the format with that first story!
You can watch Steve Canyon for FREE on the following Streaming Networks:
Note also that 32 of the 34 Steve Canyon episodes have expert audio commentary tracks, only available on our Complete Steve Canyon DVD sets.
