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Note: During the 2nd incarnation of the David
Hedison Fan Club they would put a quarterly journal. The September
offering was called the "Nostalgia" issue and was mostly about Voyage to
the Bottom of the Sea. The fans would write stories and send in
questions for David. Here are David's answers (sent to the
late Barbara Waggoner) that were published in September 1977.
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Q: Do you keep in touch with Richard Basehart
or
any of the other cast members?
A: Richard and I have lunch once every six
months in
order
to catch up with each other. It's always the
same restaurant -- the one we used to
go to on our
lunch break from
Voyage. Richard hated the studio
commissary so we'd hop in a car and dash off a
restaurant. Try that
some time on a one hour lunch.
It was
always more fun when we weren't involved in
the
scene following lunch. Very rare, though.
Q: If you could have
changed or improved Voyage what
would you have altered?
A: I would have brought
more humor and humanity to
the part.
Q: How did you get the role of Captain Crane? Did
Irwin
Allen ask
for you personally or did you audition?
A:
I had played in the movie THE LOST WORLD for |
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Irwin Allen. Then
later he wanted me to play in the movie VOYAGE TO
THE
BOTTOM OF THE SEA as Captain Crane.
I thought it was too much like the
previous
film and nixed it. Robert
Sterling played the part (in the film) and was quite good.
Then
in 1963, the idea for the series
came up and Irwin was kind enough to ask for me.
I hesitated, I didn't think it would work
as a weekly series and besides, it was not the
kind
of series I was looking for at the
time. So I thanked him and passed. He then called
me
in New York and I passed
again. Then on my way back from a World Tour, I stopped
in
London to do a SAINT Roger Moore was
starring in. Irwin called again. I told him I'd
call him with an answer in the
morning. I walked around Hyde Park thinking about it,
wondering if it would really be the
right thing for me. I called Roger and he said, "Take
it, you fool!" So fool that I was, I
took it. But now that it's over and done with I'm glad I
played Captain Crane for 4 years.
And I have the utmost respect and admiration
for
Irwin Allen.
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Q: And how do you feel in the cold light of
day?
A: O dear God, what I
have I done???
Q: There are
"rumors" that a 2nd season
Voyage episode,
"The Surfers was
filmed but never televised
because
it was too violent -- the Crane
character supposedly gets
killed.
A: You're right. The
Surfers segment was too violent and
also too expensive for the budget. So it was shelved -- but
never to be used. The Crane character was not killed --
messed up a bit -- but definitely not killed. Give me a
break.
Q: What was your favorite Voyage episode or episodes?
A: My favorites do not
necessarily mean they were the best.
Three that come to mind are Man
Beast and the two shows
about the
return of the German Submarine commander
that guest starred Alfred Ryder.
| Q: Do you
have any memorabilia or props that you managed to keep from Voyage?
A: A set of teeth that were made for me
to fit over my real teeth in Man Beast.
I used it at a
Halloween Party
last year. I didn't get first prize.
Q: Star Trek had it's blooper reel. Did Voyage have a
blooper reel as well?
A: After year one a blooper reel
was made to be shown at the annual Christmas Party.
But no one ever saw it. It's a mystery. [Other sources say
Irwin Allen had it destroyed.]
Q:
Did you do your own stunts? Fight scenes?
A: 50/50. If they were too dangerous, no. In Man Beast I
did it all, but a stunt man stood by.
I wanted him to get paid.
Q: Did you do your own underwater
sequences and where were they filmed?
A: I did several of the underwater scenes off Catalina
Island. During the later years at the
studio's big tank off the back lot.
Safer - but not as colorful.
Q:
On Voyage when the Flying Sub was dead on the bottom, how were you able to
get
through the bottom?
A:
You're asking me?
Q: Do you make
enough money to live on, so you don't have to work awhile? [sic]
A: Residuals - plus good
investments when I do make money. As you all know, living
carefully helps.
Q: Are you and Richard Basehart
very close friends now?
A: Yes.
Q: Which was your favorite show
to work on and why?
A: Actually
any of the shows that took me away from the Captain. It was more
fun. Don't
get me wrong. I liked the Captain - but not
every week.
Q: I noticed Voyage
[sic] that the first two seasons had actresses but not the last two.
Do you
know why?
A: It was cheaper not to
have them. With women you have to call them in earlier because
of
all
the fussing with makeup and hairdos. All of the mail to the producers
indicated that
they liked all male casts because the stories moved more
quickly. I was very
disappointed
that a running girl's role was never
included but all during second season we
were
promised one. Her name was to be
Tiffany but she never showed up. Hundreds of
actresses were interviewed, but the whole incident fizzled out.
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Q: Do
you have a favorite Studio?
A:
20th Century Fox. I really feel at home there.
Q: After 7 years of Voyage do your
paths cross
rambling
around Hollywood? [sic]
A: Voyage was on for four seasons,
not 7, and the
only person
I've seen is Richard.
Q: What do you consider the
greatest rewards in your
profession?
A: Entertaining. Keeping people happy. I
remember
once I was on a Voyage personal
appearance tour
during our third year. In the cities, I would go to
many hospitals, particularly
[to see] children who
were ailing. They would look forward
all day to see
Captain Crane, and when he did,
in fact, enter the
room and those little faces warmed and lit
up -- the
experience for me was
thrilling -- I felt that in my
work I was really doing something
worthwhile.
Q: What do you
think of the Nostalgia Issues? Do
they
bother you much?
A: They don't
bother me, but they are very nostalgic.
THE END
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