Anyone out there remember the 50's TV series The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin? Rusty & Rinnie - I used to race home from school to see them. I also had a fiction book of their exploits, which I read so quickly because I enjoyed it so much. Ah, Lt Rip Masters, Sgt O'Hara and Cpl Boone .... - I haven't seen the series since the early 60's - maybe on DVD one day ??
Crimson Collector (3/25/03 5:31 am)The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin aired from: Oct 1954
to: May 1959 on the ABC-TV Network. There were a total of 164 30-minute episodes in glorious black and white. Many of these have been made into "features" and were released to VHS video. No DVD as yet.
Lee Aaker as Rusty
James L. Brown as Lt. Rip Masters
Joe Sawyer as Sgt. Aloysius "Biff" O'Hara
Rand Brooks as Cpl. Randy Boone
In March '93, while visiting my parents, I attended the Rawhide Western Days in Scottsdale, Arizona. Met Will Hutchins, Linda Sterling, Chris Mitchum and Lee Aaker - Rusty from Rin Tin Tin. I asked him about the series, what he done after the series, etc. I took a photo and got his autograph. He even mentioned that he "just last week, was up flying around with James Brown's (Lt Rip Masters) in his airplane.
As we were talking I thought he sure has changed!!!
A year or so later I read in Classic Images that Lee Aaker finally brought suit against someone impersonating him at these kind of festivals.
I was duped ! ! ! Had I known -- I could have kicked him where it counts and given him a couple of "real Aakers."
As a kid I loved the show like every kid in America with a TV set.
Does anyone out there remember the 1970's version of this show? It was the same series but with a five minute color intro and closing that wrapped around each of the old episodes. Each wraparound used a some of the same actors from the original series and contained a story which would remind them about an adventure Rinty and Rusty once had. It would be at this point that the new show would flash back to the old show which was now sepia toned.
The 70's version must have been fascinating - a wonder if it exists out there ?
SQ4 (4/11/03 2:19 pm)Just been watching some episodes of The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin (its been 40 years since the previous time) and I've been impressed by the quality of this show. Good acting, actors, stories, scripts, outdoor location shooting etc.....
And Rinny actually tangling with Bears and Mountain lions.
Rusty (Lee Aaker) actually lived every boys dream in the 50's ...
Another great 50's TV series
Don't forget there was also a half hour series that ran on the former Family Channel in the 90s, "Rin Tin, Tin Canine Cop" This Canadian series also ran under the title "Katts and Dogs". Katts or Katz being the name of RTT's police handler. Not a bad show at all as I recall. Used to watch it after getting home from work followed by the "The New Zorro" another Family Channel show I enjoyed. Sure the ideas weren't too original, but these were decent, family shows that carried on a great tradition. I don't see many shows like them today.