San Diego Comic-Con BIG News

I just have time for a brief post concerning Comic-Con. We (The Milton Caniff Estate) will be hosting a panel on Saturday July 28th from 2:30pm to 4:00pm, called REMEMBERING CANIFF/CANYON: 100th/60th (1907/1947-2007).

You'll not only get to meet Harry Guyton (Executor of the Estate and Milton's nephew), R.C.Harvey (author of Meanwhile...A Biography of Milton Caniff), Denis Kitchen (Steve Canyon Magazine publisher), Russ Maheras (Steve Canyon's 50th Anniversary comic strip author/artist), Diana Doalson (Milton Caniff's Grand-Niece who was put in the Canyon strip in 1969 by Milt), and myself (John Ellis, Caniff Estate Representative and Steve Canyon DVD Producer) in a rollicking remembrance of all things Caniff, but you'll also get to witness the first public screening of the restored 1959 NBC Steve Canyon episode "Operation Intercept" in over 40 years. This is arguably the best episode of the series and is not to be missed! Don't take my word for it, just google "Steve Canyon and B-47" and read what Time Magazine and others said about the episode.

We'll screen the show at the beginning of the time slot and will have over an hour to talk about it and anything else that rises to the surface!

It'll all be in Room 4 at 2:30PM.

I know all of that was a mouthful, but I had to get it out on this post while I have a quiet moment, as we are hard at work preparing a surprise for attendees of the convention (and readers of this blog). We are issuing a limited release Special edition featuring 4 excellent episodes of Steve Canyon that haven't been seen in the US since 1960. And a couple of extras...there'll be more info on this before the con.

The reason we are doing this is that we have begun to see the light that there is just WAY too much work yet to be done to see a full release of the series in 2007, and yet we wanted to commemorate the birth of Milton (1907) and of Steve Canyon (1947), and this is the logical way to do that. It will be moderately priced (to make it reasonably affordable) and will also provide us with a "shot in the arm" to help fund the restoral on the rest of the 34 episodes. So far we have been scrimping, saving and selling some original art to fund this project over a period of time, but this will help speed things up. As I have explained to a few people recently, The Estate doesn't have deep pockets, money hasn't "rolled in" since Milton passed away in 1988. This is a seriously expensive process and we don't have a major studio or conglomerate funding us, it's all just Harry and I doing this by our lonesomes.

And also let's not forget that 2008 is the 50th anniversary of the premiere of Steve Canyon on television...! So when you take that fact into account it all begins to make sense. I've been kind of down in the dumps recently over how long the work has been taking, and not wanting to disappoint everyone with news of the delay...but this is just obviously the path we were meant to take.

Harry and I are EXCITED about Comic-Con, and getting to meet everyone that attends...so mark your calendars and gather your questions. And buy R.C. Harveys bio-book "Meanwhile..." on Milt...it's double-plus-good!

Keep tha faith...more news shortly!

John Ellis

The Girls of Steve Canyon - Part 2

#9205-12 - Lt. Col. Steve Canyon (Dean Fredericks) promises Rita Bradshaw (Marion Ross) that her brother's experiment will not be abandoned in the STEVE CANYON episode, "OPERATION ZERO LAUNCH."

Yes, it's THAT Marion Ross, who played Marion "Mrs. C" Cunningham on Happy Days (16 years later for an incredible 10 year run on ABC). Now I always thought she was pretty hot on Happy Days, but wait 'till you see her in this show! She always has played "feisty" characters, hasn't she, hmm?

About this episode:

"OPERATION ZERO LAUNCH" - Show #3 (actually the second episode filmed)
Pegasus Production #9205
First Aired on NBC Saturday September 22, 1958
ABC Summer Rerun Thursday August 4, 1960
Photographed: July 14-15-16, 1958 at Universal-International Studios, Hollywood, California U.S.A.
When in Hollywood visit Universal Studios Tour. (Ask for Babs...)
Directed by Don Taylor
Written by Sidney Carroll
Synopsis: Steve is assigned to aid his friend, a test pilot, in a hazardous project to launch F-100 Super Sabres from mobile platforms with rocket boosters. When the man is injured. Steve agrees to fly the plane so that the experiments can continue.

Featuring:
Dean Fredericks.....................Lt. Col. Stevenson Burton Canyon
Ward Wood.............................Brad Bradshaw
Marion Ross............................Rita Bradshaw
Doro Merande.........................Mrs. Turton
Nelson Leigh...........................General Black
Doug Wilson...........................Crocker
Mike McCoy............................Sid

(Paul Frees narration) “The zero elevation launching of fully armed supersonic aircraft is an accomplished fact and is now being placed in use by the United States Air Force. This film is dedicated to the management and employees of North American Aviation Inc. who developed this capability.”

(text) In cooperation the Air Research and Development Command of the United States Air Force

ASIFA-Hollywood Animation Archive: Auction: Milton Caniff Steve Canyon Original Artwork

ASIFA-Hollywood Animation Archive: Auction: Milton Caniff Steve Canyon Original Artwork

The Hollywood Animation Archive is participating in an experiment with us (The Milton Caniff Estate) to auction off a small selection of original daily strips from our archive. Check out the story and the auctions on ebay by clicking on the links. (Click on the picture to see the article.)

Steve Canyon
NOTE that the ASIFA website appears to be no more, but here is a link to an archived copy of the original post on archive.org, click HERE.

New Steve Canyon Series Promo

Click on the image to see the clip (Quicktime Required).

Above, a shot from the newly created lead-in to the extended promo for the series, the first new material relating to the series in over 45 years.

This is a 3 minute and 53 seconds long Quicktime mp4 movie clip excerpt from the beginning of the new special promo we have been assembling for the last few weeks, which I thought I'd share. The whole promo at present is 23 minutes long and features clips from many different episodes. It is a marketing tool we are using to sell the series worldwide for DVD and broadcast. I left part of PROJECT U.F.O. at the end for you to see. This excerpt also features a newly modified title sequence which we will be using to promote the series. I will be posting more info very soon, but until then, enjoy this look into what we're doing.

This Promo and restored STEVE CANYON™ clip is Copyright © 2007 The Estate of Milton Caniff, and all rights are reserved. Any other use is strictly prohibited.

ASIFA-Hollywood Animation Archive: Theory: Parody- Whack Comics No. 2 (1953)

ASIFA-Hollywood Animation Archive: Theory: Parody- Whack Comics No. 2 (1953)

The Hollywood Animation Archive asked to borrow some of Milton's things to scan, and this is a particularly nice piece: Whack Comics #2 from 1953, featuring a parody of Milton's STEVE CANYON by his good friend William Overgard. Milton had several well-read copies of this and apparently got a big kick out of it. Follow the link to see the whole 6 page story and MORE. Thanks again to Steve and The Hollywood Animation Archive for their staunch support (staunch, staunch).

(Click on the picture to see the article.)

William Overgard)
NOTE that the ASIFA website appears to be no more, but here is a link to an archived copy of the original post on archive.org, click HERE.