Twelve O'Clock High : S1E08 The Hours Before Dawn

Twelve O'Clock High is an American drama series set in World War II. This TV series originally broadcast on ABC-TV for two-and-one-half TV seasons from September 18, 1964, through January 13, 1967; was based on the motion picture Twelve O'Clock High (1949).

[@t.m.h.7962]

I watched the show from Sept 1964 until Dec 1965, reported for boot camp in Jan 1966. But I got to watch reruns when I got back to the states in July1968. After boot camp and some follow up training, I spent the time between on a wonderful vacation in south east asia, all at govt expense. Ain't uncle Sam generous ?

[@tonyadcock7347]

Look at what you fought for brother..

[@harridan.]

​@@tonyadcock7347basically nothing

[@omsaint1334]

​1àà@@tonyadcock7347

[@altoncrane9714]

Thanks to Robert Lansing, season 1of 12 O'clock High is the finest entertainment ever filmed.

[@eclay432]

Robert Lansing was robbed of this job. They chose to go with Paul Burke because they thought Lansing looked too old. Lansing was in fact younger than Burke and a much better actor for this show. Anyway nothing can be done now. Burke was good too but no Lansing but come on we can't go back to 65 unfortunately. It's a minor thing.

[@jeremybear573]

Yes. Lansing gave a Television masterclass in season 1 of this show!

[@MaveRick-on2cm]

@@eclay432 It was not a minor thing. I'd heard that Lansing was "difficult " to work with. I loved the movie, and felt that he worked hard to channel Gregory Peck. We lost 2 seasons of his excellent talent. I find it difficult to watch this show after the end of the 1st season. I think they were incredibly short sighted.

[@AdmiralNelson1000]

​@@MaveRick-on2cm The series had severe ratings problems during season 1. Even excellence doesn't = good numbers, that is, full acceptance by the General Audience. Back in the day the commercial requirement was minimum of 30% of that Audience. ABC didn't want to drop the show so they reformatted it and went for an early evening time period (730) and even more of the "General Audience". Contrary to current talk, the ratings responded to all the changes, enough for one more renewal. The 3rd year slot was back late-night but the show now faced CBS movies with 60% of the audience and which defeated just about everything programmed against them, including Star Trek Original. To this day, we're not really being told WHY Robert Lansing was "out" --- all kinds of cover stories used for years. Its obvious that he wasn't "the problem", but gaining a broader audience was.

[@brucep9729]

This is a great show! Well written, acted, directed, and Robert Lansing is terrific, always liked him! Very underrated actor

[@errolfan]

I don't know if he was underrated, unappreciated, overpriced or just couldn't care. This was his best work.

[@armandzottola1626]

Saw the movie but not the TV series. I was “…in the monastery “ working on a Ph.D. This offering …well , I have watched every episode twice … and then some. Thank you. These guys of The Greatest Generation raised me…a lucky guy. Wish the young of today had the same teachers.

[@charleskemp2037]

I watched as a little kid. Can't believe it was on for only 2 1/2 years.

[@MaveRick-on2cm]

Me too, the drone of the B.-17's was calming.

[@jerryjimeson1759]

Thank You for getting to watch 12 O'Clock High.

[@Legnerps]

I love the relationship between Savage and Crow !

[@meherbs36]

OMGGGGG, that sullen "FINE. But I'm not happy about it" face when Wiley tells him to straighten his tie is priceless. 😅🥰

[@Legnerps]

Lansing and Larkin just reek a deep war galvanized friendship. They're simply perfect together. I don't know how the series survived the loss of both of them. I suppose it's a testament to the writing and the era and the subject matter that so many ... even to this day can not get enough of. When the series was current, my mother used to say about my father: he's in the living room fighting the war again tonight.

[@MaveRick-on2cm]

I didn't know That they did that to John Larkin. You're right, about yhem being perfect together.

[@AdmiralNelson1000]

​@@MaveRick-on2cm John Larkin died just as season 1 closed. It was a blow to close friends like Richard Basehart who trained as an actor with him. Basehart mentioned this in a TV Guide article, summer 65.

[@dannyhonn973]

The home guard major played Basil Farrington, a con artist, on Adam 12. Another good show they should never remake

[@jeremybear573]

Wow! Savage is a gem! Absolute Masterclass in television film!

[@errolfan]

Lousy pic.

[@zerosparky9510]

Watched this way back as a kid in 65

[@dianeoneill5021]

Twelve O'Clock High S1 is my favorite. Great plots, well casted. Robert Lansing could say more by saying nothing, his facial expressions conveyed a mouthful. He played his part perfectly. My only complaint is the way he left the show. "The General's dead"period! at the start of season two didn't give him the respect he deserved.

[@jaymaxfield5056]

Very true! Almost like they ad-libbed him out

[@allandavis8201]

Maybe, as with many modern tv series, everything was not all sweetness and light between cast and crew, so he wasn’t accorded the “exit” his acting skill deserved, a pity, he was a fine actor.

[@dwightsmith4641]

Just read that he was difficult to work with and that producers wanted a younger looking actor playing the commander. What’s funny is his replacement was two years his senior. He was still under contract so he got a spot on the series the “Virginian” and later in “Branded” he played the lead as Custer. He continued working throughout the 70s. He died in 94.

[@MrShamus07]

@@dwightsmith4641 Yeah, they wanted a younger actor even though he was only 36 years old in season one.

[@lsmart]

The very definition of great acting is the ability to say a lot with few words and minimal expressions. The lesser actors must emote to show changing emotions.

[@DoudD]

There was some darn good acting in this series.

[@fuyu5979]

Big fan of Twelve 'O Clock High from its original broadcast ! Great writing, acting, actual films n the fantastic music @ the appropriate scenes ! Thanks for uploading the videos. Look forward to more.

[@johnmarlin7269]

Great episode. I'm starting to binge watch, something I've never done before!

[@williambrownlee4534]

Lansing was SO perfect for this role . His intensity , manner , toughness ....THE role for him .

[@albytaykn]

I love his voice

[@theresadelicot5104]

Amazing show. Robert Lansing was amazing .....

[@marjoriemickelson5772]

He could really play a General and he was a great actor.

[@RickyJr46]

Had General Savage been carrying his 1911 this episode would have been much abbreviated.

[@garymessina1609]

So many memories thank you

[@jasonfrew2394]

Great show...makes me glad that I never had to go through what guys in the Army Air Corps or RAF did. Must have been hell.

[@fuyu5979]

Fritz Weaver is such a excellent character actor ! Over the years seen him in, besides Twelve O' Clock High, such shows as Combat, Twilight Zone n Kung Fu ! He adds so much class n natural abilities to the roles he plays ! Kudos to him ! Watch those shows/episodes.

[@TheFishdoctor1952]

Twilight Zone also.

[@douglask.pennington2091]

Lansing always nailed it in this role. This was his part.

[@djsi38t]

Lansing became one of my favorite actors after this,even if he had to do roles in movies like empire of the ants...lol

[@johnrettig1880]

There are two people who I have watched time and time again in both first run and rerun . Robert Lansing and Christopher George The problem is that they died too soon from chain-smoking . Twelve o'clock High and Rat Patrol The loss of two underrated actors .

[@MrShamus07]

Yeah, Lansing had a butt going in every scene. Cigarettes are a terrible addiction. Too bad they killed him. They killed my father at 52 years old.

[@stevegiven6539]

This show is amazing. I always found it interesting the amount of then current, and future mainstream, actors who spoke pretty passable German, at least to my untrained ears. Good on 'em.

[@kevinp8212]

Yes,back then, Americans did speak other languages....now it just, :God damn, speak "merican!" we have become a country of idiots!

[@JFF35753]

I have more respect for the German than the woman. It's amazing how people back then and even today have no idea how precious freedom is. When it is gone then they will know.

[@eddean6663]

R.I.P. Robert Lansing

[@stevejauncey3086]

This reminds me of a scene from Mrs Miniver.

[@chrisswift9848]

Great ep!

[@crankychris2]

Great site for all 12 oclock fans, every episode complete, in HQ. Not too shabby JP. Like and subscribe, he only has 18k subs, there is over 60 hours of HIGH RIGHT HERE. Serious couch potato time here, no commercils so far in 8 episods! 🤣🤣

[@doug9990]

Love Savage

[@stevedandy973]

Okay. He was on a bomber and it crashed. Fritz Weaver is such a good actor.

[@gerrygrzywinskl6135]

Love this show

[@pilotnelson4507]

Dad's Army... Makes me wonder if this episode is where they got the idea from. Right down to the Major's car and his mannerisms.

[@WilliamSmith-yf6rp]

So the 37people that give this at humbsdown, likely never served in the military have unrealistic expectations for infotainment type shows and reside in Seattle, Portland, or San Francisco.

[@MaveRick-on2cm]

Olympia don't count!

[@oneoldcurmudgeon403]

I do believe a general, even a brigadier. would have a driver. He would not be driving himself.

[@bobbell1922]

Ordinarily yes. But I think they had him drive himself to emphasize the hush-hush nature of the mission. Plus the plot needed him to be solo and it saved the cost of another actor.

[@jackthereefer1]

The woman's staircase looked like the Munster's staircase.

[@motomark9736]

It did

[@lsmart]

And speaking of the Munsters, Fritz Weaver bears a lot of resemblance to Fred Gwynne - Mr. Herman Munster.

[@nofrackingzone2.057]

A subordinate barking at his commander is inexcusable.

[@MaveRick-on2cm]

A case of arguing Generals? The Colonels are running away!

[@mondonico2010]

Wow...right cross to the face to knock out hysterical woman. Good old tv. Then going out for the evening. Nice.

[@MrUhwoody]

Yep. Like to have smacked my ex like that. Never did. Fortunate bitch.

[@MaveRick-on2cm]

Probably back to Archbury to sleep before the mission. I think they should make a full sized G.I. Joe figure of Savage.

[@rotax636nut5]

The only thing I can fault Robert Lancing's portrayal of the USAAF General is the way he salutes his subordinates, to me his salute is a kind of 'throwaway' gesture, a half hearted kind of thing which to me fails to convey the sincerity and respect that in my mind a salute from a General should convey, thats just my $0.02

[@carlkalman1148]

Not sure about in real life, but if you look at films from the period, you’ll notice that for any US officers, the “sloppier” the returned salutes are. It’s called privilege of rank.

[@bleis9896]

Lower rank soldiers salute a few times a day at most. Imagine how many salutes a staff officer must make in a day. I'm sure it gets old.

[@MaveRick-on2cm]

Maybe, but I love the way he gets in a jeep!

[@raspano1]

What the hell a general would have had a driver and an armed guard

[@jstetzer01]

At least the one's I've been with. You should have seen the SACEUR entourage when our PATRIOT Battalion was deploying to Saudi Arabia. He toured 2 Bases we had the Batteries lined up by aircraft order. General Shinseki had 2 armored vehicle's, front and back while we rode in the BN. CO'S POS VW Van. The security guards were dressed as civilians, driving armored Suburbans and packing Uzi"s and pistols. That was one cool ride 😎

[@faithchapin8854]

💕💕Robert Lansing

[@johnrogan9420]

Great German lesson!

[@dontrotter1099]

and the award for best over actress goes to......

[@MaveRick-on2cm]

Angela Lansbury, doing her bit.

[@bobbates7343]

My Dad stayed in university until he finished . Then he join the navy . He was a Chaplin . I still think he should have done what many did and drop out of university and gone to war. I told him that once and he said I would not be here if he did go off to fight. I think we are all born regardless of who dies so his thinking was very much off to me

[@richardhead4951]

Glennis Johns still looks like a million at 92

[@johnrogan9420]

Then he punches the screaming english woman cold...she was hysterical..during the bombing raid...Frank Savage's idea of foreplay!

[@adamscott7354]

If its down to someones flip out vs the lives of others, KO time!

[@mariakelly5]

You are an idiot.

[@TheFishdoctor1952]

@@mariakelly5 Why is he an idiot? Were you like the woman on the show?

[@MaveRick-on2cm]

LOL!

[@deadandburied7626]

Glynis Johns before she became Mrs. Banks in "Mary Poppins".

[@danlamoreaux742]

I got a question: Why didn't general Savage just take the cab to his base after dropping off the lady? Besides for plot reasons, of course.

[@juanmonge8]

I think he was trying to call someone.

[@johnrogan9420]

Kraut speaks the King's English!

[@mariakelly5]

He mentioned that he went to school in England.

[@Ubique2927]

With an accent. My German wife spoke much better, grammatically correct, English than I do.

[@rodfirefighter8341]

Kool, just enjoy the film.

[@eileensalimbene4264]

One coment... the shows say US Air Force a few times- its Army Air Corp, the USAF was not started until 1947 ;)

[@rodfirefighter8341]

Like it in the old movies, you have to slap them when they get like that. What, can't you say that in this day and age?

[@johnrettig1880]

Mean while back at Stately Wayne Manor .

[@motomark9736]

Yesl the General smokes as did everyone before you millennials so give it a rest

[@mariakelly5]

Thank you!

[@MrUhwoody]

Bravo.

[@mariakelly5]

If I was Savage, I would have told Stoneman, "Well if you think this secret plan is so great General Stoneman, why don't YOU lead it?"

[@ardvarkkkkk1]

Maria Kelly no you wouldn't.

[@waynebender7720]

Because that's how the military work. The another word for it is call chain command.

[@stevetessier6568]

That would have been gross insubordination on your part, towards a superior officer.Which is an offense punishable by courtmarshal.

[@mariakelly5]

Well duh!

[@johnstewart3244]

28.21. In a few minutes Colonel, Captain Mainwaring will have this place surrounded! Private Godfrey will lead the attack!

[@Ed-pn9id]

The staircase looks like the one on the set of the Munster's. Same with the fire place.

[@SgtBooker44]

Ed 2168 I was thinking the same thing. The entire layout looks like their house.

[@rodfirefighter8341]

Already said.

[@stephensorenson6559]

was her appearance in this episode after glynis johns'role as the mother in disney's"mary poppins"?

[@MaveRick-on2cm]

And later in Bed knobs and Broomsticks.

[@AdmiralNelson1000]

About the same time.

[@johnrogan9420]

Fritz Weaver is a famous character actor who was sensational in this episode...initially a german speaking corporal...he transforms into an English speaking Oberst...German Colonel who was going to escape as an American General in an English cab!..except Frank killed him first!

[@robertwright7085]

They didn't have filter cigarettes' in world war II, that is a modern invention! Have a camel, lucky strike or Marlboro!

[@johnrogan9420]

Savage sure had his panties in a bunch in that opening scene...higher command came up with a brilliant diversion.. leaks about the Hamburg mission???Stoneman "brainstorms"...if I were stoneman I would make Frank write the change of plans on his forearms like tom Brady of the Patriots......got that committed to memory Frank...yeah...but I hate stoneman and his brainstorms...synthetic oil...now where did u say that was located again????

[@MaveRick-on2cm]

Nah.

[@keithnovak4317]

That car looks like vehicle from 101 Dalmatian?

[@ellisjames7192]

Why is a general always flying missions over Germany?

[@MaveRick-on2cm]

He's a Top Gun.

[@enrydejesusparedesaldana9745]

Se transmitio en Venezuela con el nombre de comando aereo

[@fmrgt12]

This German is " Unteroffizier" not obergefreiter or corporal. He is lowest grade of sergeants.

[@jaym2084]

Nobody smoked liked this guy! Apparently, he was such a jerk to work with that they killed him off and gave the role to Paul Burke in season 2. Great show. Notice how many direct clips of the 1949 movie are used in this series, and also direct quotes from the original movie's script.

[@jaym2084]

He died in 1994. He was killed off in the show.

[@jaym2084]

He probably holds some kind of record for number of cigarettes smoked on TV.

[@axxellein]

Upper Staff rated drivers¬

[@MaveRick-on2cm]

Plot device.

[@letunityblossom5733]

Ich schaue aus die Europäische Union, Litauen. Danke.

[@RickyJr46]

Bleib frei!

[@AdmiralNelson1000]

Glad you're with us.

[@raspano1]

Hey a cpl. Would not have a pistol and if he was in the Luftwaffe that would be the wrong uniform for a flight crew.

[@jamesmaultsby5588]

I'll bet there were more english speaking col's than cpl's in Germany at that time.

[@MaveRick-on2cm]

He was actually a col. wearing a cpl.'s uniform.

[@rodfirefighter8341]

Why all the talk about smokes but none about all the alcohol being dranked so freely? No alcohol commercials, no alcohol companies keeping the products dangers silent?? I think you focus on what you don't know firsthand about. Perhaps you can tell everyone that had cancer that it had to be cigarette smoke that caused it. Or you can ignore the millions of whole families torn down by alcohol and not say a single word about its use in the movie industry?!

[@b3j8]

You make a very good point. And truthfully, not all of those people who smoked even died of cancer let alone lung cancer.

[@carlawilson7863]

Twelfthclockhigh

[@MaveRick-on2cm]

I'm happy to report that both institutions are still in business!

[@errolfan]

3;20-325. I don't like the melodramatics True. Lansing loved them.

[@donlove3741]

Mans gotta.do his bit ! Amen if you're a Man !

[@mmccarrell]

Seems every episode he's smoking.

[@flightdok]

That's why he died from cancer!

[@mmccarrell]

Yea that's the sad part, I really admired him.

[@Moriarty22cent]

He was a chain smoker like a lot of Hollywood actors were back in those days. The tobacco companies kept it pretty much secret from what I gathered. I think the only show I saw him not smoking in was Assignment: Earth. It's very sad indeed. He was a great actor. :(

[@jamesaritchie1]

That has nothing to do with smoking in the Show. Even actors who didn't smoke in real life still smoked in the shows because that was real life. Almost ECERYONE smokes during those years. Nor did it have anything at all to do with tobacco companies keeping anything secret. What are you, twelve?

[@jamesaritchie1]

Yes, doctor, we know. No one who doesn't smoke ever dies of cancer. Oh. wait, yes they do. In fact, kung cancer is almost as common with none smokers as with smokers.

[@armandzottola1626]

Where are the rest of the episodes?

[@axxellein]

TRES Cool/Heavy

[@allandavis8201]

Unfortunately I don’t really like this storyline, it doesn’t have any real merit or an ounce of reality to it. Ok, I know it’s fictional but if you have a tv series about WWII then it needs some realism.

[@TheFishdoctor1952]

What part(s) didn't seem real?

[@MaveRick-on2cm]

Many more examples realism, such as actual U.S.A.A.F footage ahead. Can't get that anywhere else.

[@-khosroemamiahari2883]

Just Fantastic!

[@SusanKelly-ox2kk]

A really good series only spoiled by the complete disregard for women’s fashion, hairstyles and make up of the 1940s.

[@johnrogan9420]

Curtains...der hangers

[@DavidSmith-rn5rt]

slim is right!

[@stevemartin6144]

A "Corporal" wearing a Oberfeldwebel uniform. QM is clueless! Even worse, the plot is ridiculous. He's as German as Hirohito.

[@MaveRick-on2cm]

Nah.

[@artiemcc]

Time for a filter tip

[@MaveRick-on2cm]

Nah, Camels, Lucky Strikes, of Pall Malls likely.

[@johnrogan9420]

Frauline...bitte

[@buckeyesmith782]

13:10 United States Air Force?

[@rodfirefighter8341]

Nothing wrong with that. How do you think Germans would have refereed to the general?

[@motomark9736]

It was Army Air Corps at that time

[@Ubique2927]

Actually, United States Army Air Force. USAAF.

[@timothysowers685]

FRANK CIGARETTE SAVAGE

[@pjzdreamz]

That Crowe character is a stinker . . .

[@jeremybear573]

Live Crowe! Shame on you

[@-khosroemamiahari2883]

Robert Lansing was the best General Savage ever !