Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea
Dramatic headlines open the episode.
Classic
Episode
"Jonah
and the
Whale"
 Nelson and Katya look into a giant's eyes.
Effects test shot during the shooting of Jonah.
Animatronic whale built by the Fox mechanical effects department.  This special effects out-take has been computer manipulated and converted to black & white for presentation.  It's from an extremely red-shifted effects test photo.
September, 1965 - now in color, Voyage opened its second season with the special effects romp, Jonah and the Whale, penned by the very capable Shimon Wincelberg.  Herds of migrating whales have damaged a US/Russian undersea research station and Russian Scientist Katya Markhova and her associate Alexi are working with Nelson to retrieve information from the station and to discover what went wrong.  Alexi is killed on their first deep dive when the diving bell is struck by migrating whales.  Katya seems unmoved by the death, but not deterred in her obsession with finding out what went wrong below, in order to prevent it from happening again.
Apple One out on a sight-seeing mission
In this episode, Seaview's diving bell is finally given a name--Apple One--a finishing touch from writer Shimon Wincelberg.

Undersea research stations--a Russian invention!
Guest Gia Scala in publicity out-take.

         Over Nelson's objections, Katya insists on heading back down.  Kowalski confirms that the diving bell has been adequately repaired, so Nelson reluctantly agrees to accompany the anxious Russian scientist.   

You mean there's no facility on board the diving bell?
Katya and Nelson ready for dive.


Hey Riley, dig that crazy fish behind you.  
Gentlemen,
Behind You!

Damaged undersea research base--another fine undersea miniature from L.B. Abbott and company.
     When they arrive at the station, it is apparent that it too has succumbed to whale migration..  As Katya begins a photographic record, Chip informs them that a straggler whale--a giant--is barreling down on them..  Nelson orders: Get us out of here!  jonah_inside_bell.jpg - 10481 Bytes
Katya is singularly unimpressed with Nelson's
piloting of the diving bell and is slow to accept their predicament.

Sharkey gives order to pump out the shark repellant
The stuff decends and begins to engulf the diving bell.
Repellant surrounds the Apple One.
Shark repellant NOW!
Repellant descends. . .
and engulfs the bell.

     Seaview pumps out shark repellant, hoping to deflect the whale.  The repellant rapidly dispurses.  However, the whale somehow manages to swallow the bell, along with Katya and Nelson.  Crane pursues and knocks the whale out with anodyne.

Hmmmm...this looks tasty.
Going,
Now, just to chomp down a bit.
Going,
Good tasting paint.
Almost Gone!

Knocked out with Anodyne, the whale "beaches" on an undersea plateau.      Crane Leads a rescue party through the whale's mouth and into its stomach in what was for its time, a lavish, fast-paced and exciting hour of adventure and a tour-de-force of mechanical and miniature effects.  With all communication to the diving bell out, the race is on to see whether Crane can reach those trapped inside before they detonate an emergency escape charge, a last-ditch attempt which would likely kill anyone trying to reach them.  Amidst the stress of the situation, the iron-willed Katya breaks down, admitting that she and Alexi were to have been married. 

   As seen at right, art director William Creber's huge inflated vinyl bags give the impression of a whale's innards.  Some of the props used for the inside of the whale were "borrowed" from the 20th Century Fox production Fantastic Voyage, a film which Voyage special effects man L.B. Abbott was concurrently working on.  Truly an exciting episode, "Jonah" still holds water today.    Whale innards at the mid-60s best. No CGI available folks.
"Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea" ® is a registered trademark of Irwin Allen Properties, LLC.  © Irwin Allen Properties, LLC and Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. All rights reserved.