Poseidon Quickies: On the "Hunt!"

We've been working on an upcoming post, but it's taking far longer than anticipated. I'm not giving up on it, but in the interest in keeping new content on the site, I give you a snack to chew on in the meantime. I'm a relentless viewer of vintage TV and not long ago stumbled onto a particular episode of Sea Hunt, a late-'50s/early-'60s ocean-set series which starred Lloyd Bridges. I've examined Mr. Bridges in this role before, but this one was new to me and I felt it had parts worth sharing. The whole 26-minute enterprise can be viewed here on YT in a clear print. 

 

Series star Bridges was put through his physical paces on this action-oriented show and was in fine fettle in or out of street clothes. (Fortunately, he often doffed his shirt and pants for a snug swimsuit.) He doesn't have washboard abs, but check out that washboard forehead! LOL 

 

We're only teasing... He was a great guy and his two sons Jeff and Beau, who appeared on Sea Hunt more than once, went on to long and prosperous screen careers of their own. And in the Underworld he is immortal for his work in Airplane! (1980.)

What really got our blood pumping to start with was this eps guest (with the sweater tied around his neck.) Recognize him?

It's the beauteous Robert Conrad, near the beginning of his career. (With him is Lisa Gaye.) Conrad hadn't had even a dozen screen credits at this point. He plays a trick performer in a water-skiing thrill show. 

Although he's dreamy, I couldn't help wondering if he didn't, soon after this, have his teeth gone over to make them more uniform in color and shape. His particular stunt has him parasailing with skis on, but when it goes wrong, it's up to Bridges to rescue him. 

Bridges also sets up an underwater camera for the occasion, affording us various glances at him in his trunks. 

Bridges fishes Conrad (and his soon-to-be-famous ass) out of the drink and reunites him with his wife Gaye in the stands.

As they are discussing, Bridges begins to undo his oxygen tank straps. 

Uh... hellluuurrrr! 

It's hard to know where to look in this sequence, but thank the lord we now have freeze-frame...!

Another attraction on hand is this cute fella, who is seen water-skiing on his bare feet. 

Later, Bridges and Gaye watch as, again, Conrad attempts his stunt, but goes down into the ocean. 

He dives in (with a mask, but no time for a tank) and fishes Conrad out again. 

This time, though, something's wrong. Conrad isn't coming to... 

This sequence was another eye-popper as we see Bridges emerging from the surf in his wet trunks while the hapless Conrad is slung over his shoulder in wet, white shorts. 

Every time we think that it's going to cut away and Bridges will not keep heading towards the camera with Bobby's ass in the air...

...he just keeps on coming!

What a way to make a living... Anyway, Conrad is dead and something is very amiss about that. 

I even thought that the police detective involved, William Boyett, was pretty handsome. Boyett would appear on countless TV shows, though I guess I probably know him best for several episodes of Emergency!

As it turns out, there was foul play involved and it falls to Bridges to take on the enemy. The result is a lengthy underwater skirmish in which Bridges and stuntman Courtney Brown engage in a combination water ballet/wrestling match, with all sorts of bodily contortions. As seen in the inset, Brown's dark trunks get yanked to the side, revealing the cup of his athletic supporter! 

See what I mean, Vern?

And Bridges' tank strap generates a bit of bulgery, too.

By the time Bridges' bulge, Brown's ball sac and this phallic disconnected oxygen hose are all in one shot, we needed to come up for air! Ha ha! One can only assume that these details were utterly innocuous at the time, but it makes for arresting viewing now. 

The rather old-fashioned formula of Sea Hunt won't be to everyone's taste, but if you're ever going to check it out, this is a good one with which to begin! Bridges' clingy white suit at times resembled a pale, bare behind with tan-lines underwater as you'll soon see. 

The End!