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From Variety:
'Steve Canyon' To Get New Format
Tokyo, May 17th, 1960
The Steve Canyon series now in reruns on ABC, which was grounded after some 34 episodes on the NBC web, is being readied for returning by next January or September, 1961, according to Milton Caniff, the hero’s cartoonist creator.
Cannif told Variety that the new version will be a complete overhaul in an effort to surmount the problems that put the skids to the series the first time around. The Louis de Rochemont Studios will produce and a non-major will distribute. Caniff further disclosed that negotiations are in progress with a co-sponsor, one check lifter already being in the bag.
While the revised series will still be hamstrung by what Caniff termed “implied censorship” by the Air Force, one notable change in story construction will be the use of the cliffhanger gimmick. “It's the oldest trick in the world,” Caniff said, “ but that's what I do every day in the strip. It will be the same technique.” While the shows will tie in withe the general content of the strip, it will not have an identical storyline.
Canjff, here with spouse, is in these parts for the first time, preparatory to setting Canyon in Japan this fall.
The vet cartoonist feels that the climate will be more receptive to the Canyon show next year. "It is more than likely that the pointless brutality kind of film has lost its hold,” he said. “Brutality is fine if the story is strong,” he added, “but most of the films don't have a good enough story line. "
Caniff revealed that unlike the strip, the Air Force insists on okaying the scripts and finished film for the television, with an Air Force technical advisor standing in the wings. "You can go ahead and shoot a film without it,” he said, “but if you want to borrow a plane, it might just suddenly happen to be out. The pressure is all implied but,” he cited, “without them we couldn't do anything.”
It was that kind of problem that brought hesitant responses from potential sponsors and stations during the first run. On one occasion the Air Force pulled the show off air schedule at the 11th hour because the subject dealt too specifically with a current international situation.
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Note that though Milton Caniff tried to get film projects, both live action and animated, produced through the 60's, all came to naught. However, famed film producer Walter Mirisch (The Magnificent Seven), who had held a film option on Steve Canyon from the early 80's, set out to make a Steve Canyon movie in the early 2000's. The script was centered around the early days of Steve Canyon's HORIZONS UNLIMITED company and crew, thus a "period piece", written by (two names redacted here for legal reasons), one of which was also set to direct. The Caniff family and agent Toni Mendez, disagreeing with the late 1940's setting, unwisely put the kibosh on it, which resulted in them being sued AND the end of the project. Too bad we never got to see the film.
Welcome to all the new subscribers to our blog, nearly 500 at last count...I am assuming The availability on all the streaming services is responsible. We got over 200 new members on one day this last week! I will be trying to keep up the new posts and activity here. Let us know what path you took to find us!
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One last thing: my home has been a sanctuary for rescued animals for decades. Our mortgage company has been trying to illegally foreclose on it since our property has been re-zoned "commercial" earlier this year, so worth more to them as a commercial property. We survive mostly on minimal Social Security, so donations are appreciated and essential to help us fight this. Here's the link (at bottom) to our newest Go Fund Me...PLEASE HELP IF YOU CAN! EVERY contribution, no matter how small, helps and is needed!
https://gofund.me/fa5c95d28
See you next post!
