Having never seen The Untouchables tv series before--im enjoying it now.

[rwsmith]

"The Man Who Got Capone"?

I've never watched any of the TV show, but even though I'm generally not a Brian de Palma or Costner fan, I love the movie. Historically, it's not exactly how it all went down with Capone, but it's sure fun to watch. One of my favorite scenes: The Odessa steps shootout.

Odessa Steps Untouchables stairs - YouTube

To me what Ness did:

Being incorruptable was the first thing, they would never have gotten anywhere with an inside stoolie.

He put tremendous pressure on Capone causing them to try ever harder ways to disguise his operation, caused him to make mistakes and dried up a lot of his 'bribe money'. They also collected books, ledgers and other evidence that enabled Capone to be gotten on tax charges. Not, bootlegging, prostitution, racketeering, extortion, murder, gambling, 'protection' or anything else that they were involved in. Though Capone was put away, went nuts and died from tertiary syphilis, his operation continued to run.

I think that one lesson the gangs learned was not to overtly engage in terrorism and violence and stay under the public's radar to prevent backlash reprisals.

 

[Bat Guano]

In 1965 as a newbie I spent some time with ATF in Chicago. Two of the old bunch were still around. One was Al "Wallpaper" Wolff, later cited as a source for the movie. Still a salty old guy with some interesting stories even then!

 

[sigp220.45]

I've never watched any of the TV show, but even though I'm generally not a Brian de Palma or Costner fan, I love the movie. Historically, it's not exactly how it all went down with Capone, but it's sure fun to watch. One of my favorite scenes: The Odessa steps shootout.

Odessa Steps Untouchables stairs - YouTube

To make a hostage-saving headshot while holding a baby carriage in a crowded train station was on my law enforcement bucket list, but I never was able to pull it off.

I also wanted to find a Senator's daughter in a well after shooting a Python-armed guy with my Model 13, but I missed out on that one, too.

 

[Targets Guy]

A good show that I enjoyed watching as a youngster.

 

[les.b]

Like many of you, I watched the show when it was first aired. Ringo, Since you just turned 50, that must have been before you were born!!

I had such fond memories of the show that I kept hoping that it would be released on DVD.... Well, back about ten years ago, I was in Barnes and Noble, and there, lo and behold, was "The Untouchables", Season 1 Volume 1...!!!!!. I was thrilled, but it was like $40.00.

As time went on, they gradually released a half season at a time, all at $40.00, so over a period of years, I managed to get the whole set, but at a cost of about $320.00!!!

Now, they are releasing the version that Walmart sells for less, IIRC. But that's ok, I have been able to enjoy watching this great series over the years, and really enjoy each episode.

But, if you take the series literally, Eliot Ness and his boys were responsible for cleaning up not just Al Capone, but pretty much every bad guy known to the police back in those days.

I think I was imprinted with the image of the three piece suit, and the revolver carried in those great shoulder holsters. I used to think they were Lawrences, but I was later told that another company made them. I'll think of the name later and repost.

Anyway, enjoy one of the best series that I can recall watching when I was a kid, and which may have eventuall led to me choosing a career in law enforcement!!

How could you not want to be part of this bunch of guys, Fighting crime and looking cool at the same time? Remember, I was about 14 when the series started.



Look like maybe Colt Official Police.



Well, I did a "google search", and came up with my own post, here on the forum as a reference!!! What a memory I must have (not) !! Anyway, I used to think that they used the Lawrence no. 7 shoulder holster, but citing my own post....

Well, I hate to critique my own post, but doing a little more research online, and they might have used a holster from the A. E. Nelson Company, the #58-U ("U" for "Untouchables"?) I'm still researching, all these years I was under the impression that it was the Lawrence holster #7.

Well....a little more research, and I see that the A. E. Nelson Company has been in business since 1938, and have supplied holsters to many stores like Abercrombie and Fitch to be branded by the stores. They seem to have been the original suppliers of the holsters worn by the "Untouchables" (TV series) cast, and what is more, they are still making the (what they claim to be, and what sure looks like) same exact holster today, and at under a $100.00!!!

I have a screen shot of the holster, but not sure whether I can post it. But you can google the company name, and search for 58-U.

Best Regards, Les

 

[PALADIN85020]

I never missed this show as a kid! This show and Combat is what started my love and interest in the Thompson Sub Machine gun!

I used to watch Combat! religiously also. The show went to some lengths to keep things authentic. After the show ended, the Thompson that Vic Morrow used as "Sgt. Saunders" wound up in Curtis Earl's collection. He brought it to a gun show once, and I had the great pleasure of handling it.

John

 

[les.b]

Nice post, John!!!

Speaking of Vic Morrow, he appeared in Seson 2, Episode 11, the Tommy Karpeles Story, which aired on December 29th, 1960.

Synopsis from IMDb:

"Following the Hillsdale Express train robbery in which a million dollars was stolen and a mail clerk was killed, 'Tough' Tommy Karpeles is convicted and sentenced to life in prison. Eliot Ness has been tasked by the Post Office to recover the missing million and he begins to think that Karpeles may be innocent. Information from a dying hood puts him on the trail of Karpeles' former associate Arnie 'The Wolf' Mendoza, now a supposedly reformed cinema owner living under the name of Albert Maris. When Mendoza kidnaps Karpeles' daughter Sally to keep her from talking, Tommy decides to help Ness and rescue his daughter."

Here he is as Collier in the above episode:



At least one more time, he appeared in Season 3, Episode 20 of "The Untouchables": "The Maggie Storm Story", Which aired March 29th, 1963.

From IMDb:

"When junkie Benny Rivas is stopped by Eliot Ness and his men, he tells them in his dying breath that the source of his heroin is the 808 Club. Ness knows the club's hostess, Maggie Storm, quite well. She's married to the frequently absent owner and denies any knowledge of drugs being sold on the premises. In fact, she has set up a very clever trading floor where mobsters bid for anything from drugs to counterfeit money. She has a bigger problem however when Louis 'Lepke' Buchalter decides he wants to take over the club and sends his murderous henchman Vince Shirer (Vic Moreow) to eliminate anyone that might stand in his way. Ness decides to recruit a soon to be paroled mobster to infiltrate the organization."

That's another great thing about "The Untouchables"....all of those guest appearances!!

 

[loknload]

Funny thing about Combat, When the show started Rick Jason aka Lt. Hanley was suppose to carry the Thompson and Vic Morrow carried the M1 rifle. Jason complained about the weight of the Thompson so Lt. Hanley got the M1 Carbine and the rest is history....Sgt. Saunders carried the Thompson!
Now it was also stated that a wooden replica of the Thompson was produced for all the walking and patrol scenes. The real Thompson was substituted for all the fighting scenes.
And I always had to laugh that the smallest guy in the unit,Kirby got to carry the almighty BAR which he did very well!

 

[ParadiseRoad]

Funny thing about Combat, When the show started Rick Jason aka Lt. Hanley was suppose to carry the Thompson and Vic Morrow carried the M1 rifle. Jason complained about the weight of the Thompson so Lt. Hanley got the M1 Carbine and the rest is history....Sgt. Saunders carried the Thompson!
Now it was also stated that a wooden replica of the Thompson was produced for all the walking and patrol scenes. The real Thompson was substituted for all the fighting scenes.
And I always had to laugh that the smallest guy in the unit,Kirby got to carry the almighty BAR which he did very well!

...if you look closely...the "Thompson" in this photo is the wooden prop gun...

 

[the ringo kid]

Like many of you, I watched the show when it was first aired. Ringo, Since you just turned 50, that must have been before you were born!!

I had such fond memories of the show that I kept hoping that it would be released on DVD.... Well, back about ten years ago, I was in Barnes and Noble, and there, lo and behold, was "The Untouchables", Season 1 Volume 1...!!!!!. I was thrilled, but it was like $40.00.

As time went on, they gradually released a half season at a time, all at $40.00, so over a period of years, I managed to get the whole set, but at a cost of about $320.00!!!

Now, they are releasing the version that Walmart sells for less, IIRC. But that's ok, I have been able to enjoy watching this great series over the years, and really enjoy each episode.

But, if you take the series literally, Eliot Ness and his boys were responsible for cleaning up not just Al Capone, but pretty much every bad guy known to the police back in those days.

I think I was imprinted with the image of the three piece suit, and the revolver carried in those great shoulder holsters. I used to think they were Lawrences, but I was later told that another company made them. I'll think of the name later and repost.

Anyway, enjoy one of the best series that I can recall watching when I was a kid, and which may have eventuall led to me choosing a career in law enforcement!!

How could you not want to be part of this bunch of guys, Fighting crime and looking cool at the same time? Remember, I was about 14 when the series started.



Look like maybe Colt Official Police.



Well, I did a "google search", and came up with my own post, here on the forum as a reference!!! What a memory I must have (not) !! Anyway, I used to think that they used the Lawrence no. 7 shoulder holster, but citing my own post....



Well....a little more research, and I see that the A. E. Nelson Company has been in business since 1938, and have supplied holsters to many stores like Abercrombie and Fitch to be branded by the stores. They seem to have been the original suppliers of the holsters worn by the "Untouchables" (TV series) cast, and what is more, they are still making the (what they claim to be, and what sure looks like) same exact holster today, and at under a $100.00!!!

I have a screen shot of the holster, but not sure whether I can post it. But you can google the company name, and search for 58-U.

Best Regards, Les

Hi Les, I never got lucky to see the show til now on dvd. It ran from 59-to-63? I was hatched in 67. The only show aired first time from the 60s I ever got to see-was the last season of Daniel Boone. Now that I have a 3-season set--you can have my spare 1st half on dvd if you want? I dont need it for anything.

 

[Targets Guy]

Like many of you, I watched the show when it was first aired. Ringo, Since you just turned 50, that must have been before you were born!!

I had such fond memories of the show that I kept hoping that it would be released on DVD.... Well, back about ten years ago, I was in Barnes and Noble, and there, lo and behold, was "The Untouchables", Season 1 Volume 1...!!!!!. I was thrilled, but it was like $40.00.

As time went on, they gradually released a half season at a time, all at $40.00, so over a period of years, I managed to get the whole set, but at a cost of about $320.00!!!

Now, they are releasing the version that Walmart sells for less, IIRC. But that's ok, I have been able to enjoy watching this great series over the years, and really enjoy each episode.

But, if you take the series literally, Eliot Ness and his boys were responsible for cleaning up not just Al Capone, but pretty much every bad guy known to the police back in those days.

I think I was imprinted with the image of the three piece suit, and the revolver carried in those great shoulder holsters. I used to think they were Lawrences, but I was later told that another company made them. I'll think of the name later and repost.

Anyway, enjoy one of the best series that I can recall watching when I was a kid, and which may have eventuall led to me choosing a career in law enforcement!!

How could you not want to be part of this bunch of guys, Fighting crime and looking cool at the same time? Remember, I was about 14 when the series started.



Look like maybe Colt Official Police.



Well, I did a "google search", and came up with my own post, here on the forum as a reference!!! What a memory I must have (not) !! Anyway, I used to think that they used the Lawrence no. 7 shoulder holster, but citing my own post....



Well....a little more research, and I see that the A. E. Nelson Company has been in business since 1938, and have supplied holsters to many stores like Abercrombie and Fitch to be branded by the stores. They seem to have been the original suppliers of the holsters worn by the "Untouchables" (TV series) cast, and what is more, they are still making the (what they claim to be, and what sure looks like) same exact holster today, and at under a $100.00!!!

I have a screen shot of the holster, but not sure whether I can post it. But you can google the company name, and search for 58-U.

Best Regards, Les

That Scott Brady was a good actor as well.

 

[the ringo kid]

WM has the dvd set 1st half season 1--for around a sawbuck. After I got that six months ago--they released a 3 season set about 2 months ago.

 

[the ringo kid]

I used to watch Combat! religiously also. The show went to some lengths to keep things authentic. After the show ended, the Thompson that Vic Morrow used as "Sgt. Saunders" wound up in Curtis Earl's collection. He brought it to a gun show once, and I had the great pleasure of handling it.

John

I watched a now--some 20 year old interview with Rick Jason--who was hosting a Combat marathon one Thanksgiving. He was more gun savvy than Morrow. The producers offered him the Tommy gun-but he knew to take the carnine-so that was how Morrow got the Tommy. They had to eventually make that wooden mock-up-because Morrow got too tired carrying the other and almost walked off the show.

 

[les.b]

Thanks, Carl, but I now have all of the episodes, but I appreciate the offer.

I'm glad you are getting to enjoy the show. You can imagine the effect it had on me as a 14 year old kid!! I thought these guys were the best. I'm sure that it may have planted a seed that later grew into working in law enforcement.

Best Regards, Les

 

[the ringo kid]

That Scott Brady was a good actor as well.

If you like Brady?(I do) watch him as a detective chasing Richard Basehart in:"He Walked By Night."

 

[the ringo kid]

Thanks, Carl, but I now have all of the episodes, but I appreciate the offer.

I'm glad you are getting to enjoy the show. You can imagine the effect it had on me as a 14 year old kid!! I thought these guys were the best. I'm sure that it may have planted a seed that later grew into working in law enforcement.

Best Regards, Les

Quite welcome. Also, had I seen this show decades ago? id have tried Law Enforcement as a career. Combat got to me first-but I was deemed too sick for the military. My next step would have been a Pioneer, but seems like they dont need Frontiersmen anymore.

 

[rwsmith]

Where did he get....??

In 1965 as a newbie I spent some time with ATF in Chicago. Two of the old bunch were still around. One was Al "Wallpaper" Wolff, later cited as a source for the movie. Still a salty old guy with some interesting stories even then!

Where did he get that nickname?

 

[rockquarry]

Scott Brady was a character actor in many movies and TV shows over several decades. He may have done some work later, but the last series I remember him in was POLICE STORY in the '70s. He played a semi-regular role as "Vinnie", a retired cop who owned a beer joint that the cops hung out in.

 

[shouldazagged]

Stack parodying his tough-guy persona in the movie 'Airplane' along with Leslie Nielsen and Lloyd Bridges was more than funny. It was HILARIOUS!!!

I can't watch "Untouchables" reruns without seeing Stack in that part, with the two pairs of shades.

 

[BUFF]

"RICCO! YOUNGBLOOD! TAKE THE BACK!"

"Disss... isss Waltah Winchell speakin..."