Van Williams had a backdoor pilot for a Western show

The Green Hornet TV series and related topics

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BATWINGED HORNET
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Re: Van Williams had a backdoor pilot for a Western show

Post by BATWINGED HORNET »

gerryd54 wrote: Tue Oct 08, 2019 4:27 pm I'm well aware that the series was heavily merchandised, what I said was that it didn't sell. The hope was that it would hit as big as Batman and we all know that didn't happen. According to Billie Rae Bates book, which has some excellent information on the GH series, William Dennis who was head of merchandising for ABC had stated that it didn't sell.
From others I know who read Bates' book, they see some of its entries as not historically accurate as it should have been. I've not read it, so I cannot confirm it, but to your point, if the Dennis statement it what he actually said, then someone should have told Buzz Hazen and the rest at Sawyers/View Master that their GH reels' success must have been a figment of their imagination, because that was a major hit for the company. I've read the same about the Corgi diecast Black Beauty, the Captain Action uniform and Donruss' trading cards.

Can they all be incorrect?

The merchandising for the show was short-lived, but I've never come across any documents saying they were a failure (or close to it across the board), and the Buzz Hazen quote cannot be dismissed or denied. He was there and was part of creating a key piece of the TV series' merchandise.
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gerryd54
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Re: Van Williams had a backdoor pilot for a Western show

Post by gerryd54 »

I'm pretty well versed in the details and the history of the GH series and I didn't see anything in the Bates book that jumped out at me as being inaccurate. I'm not saying that there wasn't any merch that sold. The ones you mentioned were very popular brands in the '60's. However,according to the Martin Grams ,Terry Salomonson book, The Green Hornet William Dennis stated to George Trendle: "unfortunately, the Green Hornet merchandise is just not selling."
gerryd54
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Joined: Sat Jan 24, 2015 8:25 am

Re: Van Williams had a backdoor pilot for a Western show

Post by gerryd54 »

I'm pretty well versed in the details and the history of the GH series and I didn't see anything in the Bates book that jumped out at me as being inaccurate. I'm not saying that there wasn't any merch that sold. The ones you mentioned were very popular brands in the '60's. However,according to the Martin Grams ,Terry Salomonson book, The Green Hornet William Dennis stated to George Trendle: "unfortunately, the Green Hornet merchandise is just not selling."
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