Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea Episode Guide Year 2

Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea
Production information and notes by
Mark Phillips
Story synopses,
Mike Bailey

L.B. Abbot effects shot of sub under attack.

Killers of the Deep Airdate: January 2, 1966

An enemy sub is plucking missiles from the bottom of the ocean and Nelson and Crane go after them in the Flying Sub which the bad guys manage to shoot down.

FS1 hit by enemy missile.

Downed Crane about to be picked up by enemy sub.

Crane down in the water.

Downed Nelson about to be picked up by Macklin (surrounded by pieces of Flying Sub debris.

Likewise, the Admiral.

Crane winds up separated from Nelson and is taken captive by the enemy submarine's Captain Ruiz who tells Crane that he's already stolen three missiles and needs one more to make his country a major power. The luckier Nelson is rescued by the destroyer, USS Macklin, and proceeds, unaware of Crane's predicament, to pursue the enemy sub in cooperation with Macklin's captain. A game of cat and mouse ensues, with Captain Ruiz exacting first blood -- one of two torpedoes explodes, killing among others, the Macklin's captain.

Nelson welcomed aboard Macklin by Commander Lawrence.
Nelson taken aboard the USS Macklin.

Nelson takes over, managing to disarm a second torpedo (unexploded but armed), and then goes after the enemy sub. Crane meanwhile, handcuffed in storage, manages to escape and gets loose into the enemy sub's air duct system. He bangs away on pipes to give the Macklin a sound source to tracking her. And on board the Macklin, track her Nelson does. Though later torpedoed again, Macklin manages to ram the enemy sub, from which Crane escapes before it sinks. Crane's escape is told in harrowing footage skillfully blended from "The Enemy Below" a film which featured special effects by Voyage master L.B. Abbot and makeup by Voyage master Ben Nye, A perfect match of stock footage to story.

Ruiz and Crane battle it out as water pours in.

Enemy sub is hit and bleeds oil.

Macklin rams Ruiz' sub with Crane aboard.

Crane battles Ruiz at climactic finish.

Killers of the Deep

Michael Ansara
Publicity photo of Michael
Ansara much as he looked
in "Killers of the Deep."

Writers: William Read Woodfield,
Allan Balter
Director: Harry Harris
Guest Cast
Tomas Ruiz.....................Michael Ansara
Lt. Fraser.........................Patrick Wayne
Manola............................James Frawley
Cmdr. Richard Lawrence....John Newton
Enemy Sonar.......................Gus Trikonis
Sailor...................................Robert Yuro
Bosun’s Mate.......................Bruce Mars
American Sonar................Dallas Mitchell
Enemy crewman................Rick Warwick
Radio voices.....................Robert Easton
Bartell La Rue

Mark Says: This one worked better for me in the 1970s, when I first saw it. The juxtaposition of WWII maneuvers and sci-fi sub format don’t mesh as well today. It’s still reasonably entertaining and the stock footage from The Enemy Below is exciting and seamlessly edited into the show.

Fine L.B. Abbott footage from The Enemy Below

Great L.B. Abbott miniature photography of dying destroyer

Mike Says: It was a particular thrill in season two to encounter an episode of Voyage which returned to season one's level of dead-serious, gritty intensity. There were no outrageous schemes or villains to be found and the episode plays realistically once you get past the premise of stealing nuclear weapons with a basically obsolete world war two sub. William Read Woodfield turns in a tight script and the reliable Harry Harris directs this episode with punch. Great music culled from the Voyage library. The entire episode is loaded with fine L.B. Abbott miniature photography.

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