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Long Live The King.
(Airdate: December 21, 1964)
STORYLINE:
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The week before Christmas, Nelson, Crane and
company must escort young Prince Ang back to his homeland
aboard Seaview. The boy's father, the
king, is dead, a victim of assassination. Accompanied by his valet,
governess and Col. Meger, the prince must return
home to assume rule. During the voyage, angry, scared and
inexperienced, he proceeds to act like a
royal pain. After
an on-board
murder attempt and a torpedo attack by another
sub (Crane orders a salvo and sends their pursuer to Davy Jones' locker),
it's apparent someone wants the prince dead. Coincidentally timed,
Seaview picks up a shipwreck survivor, an
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Interesting to see the Admiral's authority
transferred to
another character. Carroll O'Connor was up to it.
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enigmatic character name John whom prince
Ang becomes fascinated with. It is soon apparent that John has a positive influence on the
boy, conveying to him that he must grow up and stop throwing
tantrums – that he must arise to the challenge that awaits him when
he gets home. Obstacles are overcome, including a plotting
governess, and a rebel uprising back home after which the young
prince is proclaimed dead. A TV broadcast of the future king puts
paid to that idea, and Ang is returned home with Old John, who
mysteriously vanishes, leaving only his flute after the newly
confident prince is installed. Nelson later notes with a rueful
smile that they picked up Old John near the Christmas
Islands.
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Sage words and flute for the new king
from Old John.
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Written: Raphael Hayes
Directed: Laslo
Benedek
Guest Cast
Old John...............Carroll O’Connor
Countess des Roches.....Sara
Shane
Meger..........................Michael Pate
Prince Ang.....................Michel Petit
Georges............................Jan Arvan
Johnson........................Peter Adams
Cookie........................Tony Monaco
The King...........................Sol Gorss
Murdock.....................Robert Payne
O’Brien........................Derrik Lewis
Dignitary..................John
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Mark says:
An episode
where individual scenes are better than the whole - such as the crew
cheerfully anticipating shore leave, Cookie defending his kitchen with a
knife while Christmas music plays in the background and Chief Jones losing
a card game to Prince Ang. There’s also a great scene where Nelson and
Crane are trying to uncover the spoiled Prince’s would-be killer and Crane
says, "I know one person aboard this ship who wants to kill him!’ and
Nelson, thinking Crane has solved the mystery, says,
"Who?" and Crane says, "Me!" Nelson’s reaction, a guffaw
of relieved laughter, is spontaneous and genuine and it plays well.
Otherwise, slow going, although Carroll O’Connor’s singing certainly takes this show into a
different realm.
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Mike says: This episode is of interest, if for no other
reason, than that Voyage so seldom
recognized seasonal connections to the real world; certainly, this is the
series' only Christmas show. Although the script is
pedestrian, "Long Live The King"
retains the overall sense of quality inherent in the
black and white outings. And it's a relatively warm
episode in a fairly dark
season.
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A well placed wreath.
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