Rediscovering Robert Stack's Other Work - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

diesteldorf · 11-18-2012, 10:09 PM

When I came of age in the 1980's, Unsolved Mysteries was my first introduction to Robert Stack. I haven't really been able to appreciate The Untouchables, since it doesn't seem to have the syndication life that other shows have.

However, I've always liked old movies from the 30's-50's and have always enjoyed Carole Lombard, so when I discovered 1942's To Be or Not to Be had both her, Stack, and Jack Benny, I had to give it a watch. It truly is a great film, but unfortunately was Carole's last. When she was killed in a plane crash prior to the film's release and he was devastated.

Everyone remembers Shirley Temple, but Deanna Durbin was a juvenile/teen star from the same era and few seem to remember her, yet I was intrigued when I read that she received her first on screen kiss from Robert Stack in 1939's First Love. I enjoyed this retelling of Cinderella, but haven't seen it for awhile.

Written on the Wind (1956) with Lauren Bacall and Rock Hudson is memorable because Stack received an Academy Award nomination. Anyone else care to comment on their other non-UM encounters with Stack.

During his film career he was quite the lady's man and much different from his UM persona.

thinwhiteduke74 · 11-19-2012, 09:29 PM

I don't think he was ever a great actor -- he was too straight and humorless -- but Douglas Sirk knew how to use him (Tarnished Angels, Written on the Wind). To his credit, though, he spoofed his own humorlessness in Airplane!

bigsir58 · 11-20-2012, 10:18 AM

Lets not forget a true classic: Beavis and Butt-head Do America!!!

MissFit29 · 11-20-2012, 02:14 PM

He had to have a sense of humor. How else do you explain the UM spoof in BASEketball?

unsolved1981 · 11-20-2012, 02:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigsir58

Lets not forget a true classic: Beavis and Butt-head Do America!!!

Full cavity searches all around!

bigsir58 · 11-20-2012, 02:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by unsolved1981

Full cavity searches all around!

Shazzammm!!

DP1 · 11-21-2012, 12:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by unsolved1981

Full cavity searches all around!

I don't want you to stop until you reach the back of their teeth!

Stack was also in The High and the Mighty, with John Wayne.

unsolved1981 · 11-21-2012, 05:22 PM

For those of us who are into firearms, Stack was also a well known Skeet shooting champion:

Couple of gun forums I post on had posters that ran into him at gun ranges over the years, said he was a real class act in person.

diesteldorf · 11-22-2012, 12:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by unsolved1981

For those of us who are into firearms, Stack was also a well known Skeet shooting champion:

Couple of gun forums I post on had posters that ran into him at gun ranges over the years, said he was a real class act in person.

Thank you for posting that. I didn't realize he was a champion shooter in 1972. However, I think he was also one previously during his college years as well. Whoever put up that clip also had sense of humor to queue the UM music just as Stack points the gun at the target and pulls the trigger.

It was also cool to see Arthur Ashe. I'd imagine this had to be from the late 1970's or early 1980s.

UMFaninMD · 11-23-2012, 12:15 AM

He was in a 1974 TV movie called The Strange and Deadly Occurrence, about a family terrorized by an unseen presence. It's like a full-length UM segment. It would be funny if someone would put his narration over some of the scenes, especially this one:

scm80 · 12-20-2012, 12:53 AM

Let's see who can guess this: Robert Stack actually taught me the d-word. Which was a bad word for a 6 year old. "Open d _ mn it, Open!"

thinwhiteduke74 · 12-20-2012, 10:26 AM

Ultra Magnus, of course.

11-18-2012, 10:09 PM	#1
diesteldorf Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Jan 12, 2002 Posts: 67	Rediscovering Robert Stack's Other Work When I came of age in the 1980's, Unsolved Mysteries was my first introduction to Robert Stack. I haven't really been able to appreciate The Untouchables, since it doesn't seem to have the syndication life that other shows have. However, I've always liked old movies from the 30's-50's and have always enjoyed Carole Lombard, so when I discovered 1942's To Be or Not to Be had both her, Stack, and Jack Benny, I had to give it a watch. It truly is a great film, but unfortunately was Carole's last. When she was killed in a plane crash prior to the film's release and he was devastated. Everyone remembers Shirley Temple, but Deanna Durbin was a juvenile/teen star from the same era and few seem to remember her, yet I was intrigued when I read that she received her first on screen kiss from Robert Stack in 1939's First Love. I enjoyed this retelling of Cinderella, but haven't seen it for awhile. Written on the Wind (1956) with Lauren Bacall and Rock Hudson is memorable because Stack received an Academy Award nomination. Anyone else care to comment on their other non-UM encounters with Stack. During his film career he was quite the lady's man and much different from his UM persona.

11-19-2012, 09:29 PM	#2
thinwhiteduke74 Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Mar 16, 2011 Posts: 386	I don't think he was ever a great actor -- he was too straight and humorless -- but Douglas Sirk knew how to use him (Tarnished Angels, Written on the Wind). To his credit, though, he spoofed his own humorlessness in Airplane!

11-20-2012, 10:18 AM	#3
bigsir58 Member Occasional Poster Join Date: May 11, 2012 Location: MA Posts: 77	Lets not forget a true classic: Beavis and Butt-head Do America!!!

11-20-2012, 02:14 PM	#4
MissFit29 Member Forum Regular Join Date: Mar 09, 2009 Location: Minnesota Posts: 526	He had to have a sense of humor. How else do you explain the UM spoof in BASEketball?

11-21-2012, 05:22 PM	#8
unsolved1981 Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Jun 28, 2012 Posts: 166	For those of us who are into firearms, Stack was also a well known Skeet shooting champion: Couple of gun forums I post on had posters that ran into him at gun ranges over the years, said he was a real class act in person.

11-23-2012, 12:15 AM	#10
UMFaninMD I love a mystery Senior Member Join Date: Apr 19, 2011 Location: Maryland Posts: 1,287	He was in a 1974 TV movie called The Strange and Deadly Occurrence, about a family terrorized by an unseen presence. It's like a full-length UM segment. It would be funny if someone would put his narration over some of the scenes, especially this one:

12-20-2012, 12:53 AM	#11
scm80 Scott UM Occasional Poster Join Date: Oct 21, 2003 Location: Canada Posts: 45	Let's see who can guess this: Robert Stack actually taught me the d-word. Which was a bad word for a 6 year old. "Open d _ mn it, Open!"

12-20-2012, 10:26 AM	#12
thinwhiteduke74 Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Mar 16, 2011 Posts: 386	Ultra Magnus, of course.