MCHALE'S NAVY: THE NOVOCAIN MUTINY (TV)
Summary
One in this series of comedies about an unusual Navy unit during World War II.
In this episode, Admiral Harris angrily informs Captain Binghamton that he will soon be arriving for a personal inspection, as Binghamton's men have been spending outrageously high amounts of time malingering in sick bay as of late. McHale lambasts his men, who protest that they were merely "amusing the shut-ins"; Binghamton barges in and sends them scattering. Fuji, however, begins complaining of a very real toothache, and the classic string-and-doorknob method fails to extract the offending molar. Knowing that they cannot take their POW to the dentist without endangering his life, the men scheme to obtain pain medication through deception. McHale brings Parker to the eccentric Lieutenant Frisby, claiming that he needs a quick fix because of a pressing "secret mission." But Binghamton declares Parker a faker. Frisby, however, finds several genuine cavities and, not wishing to hold up the "mission," hurriedly fills them without Novocain.
Still desperate to find a solution for Fuji, the men decide to disguise him with bandages and tell Frisby that their fellow soldier "Schroeder" has been badly sunburned. Harris arrives for the inspection, and when Binghamton tries to shoo everyone except Frisby's "final" patient from the ward, they are forced to sneak Fuji into the other man's place. They feign some loud gossip about Frisby's sadistic incompetence as a dentist, causing the patient to flee; a further series of mishaps result in a dazed Binghamton, not Fuji, landing in the dentist's chair. Fortunately, McHale's guys accidentally drop Fuji as they rush him from the scene in a burlap sack, and the painful tooth is finally knocked out. Includes commercials.
Details
- NETWORK: ABC
- DATE: 8:30 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:28:56
- COLOR/B&W: B&W
- CATALOG ID: B:13180
- GENRE: Comedy
- SUBJECT HEADING: Comedy; World War II; United States Navy; Dentistry
- SERIES RUN: ABC - TV series, 1962-1966
- COMMERCIALS:
- TV - Commercials - Camel cigarettes
- TV - Commercials - Gillette Right Guard spray deodorant
- TV - Commercials - Gillette razors
CREDITS
- Edward J. Montagne … Producer
- Si Rose … Associate Producer
- Sidney Lanfield … Director
- William Raynor … Writer
- Myles Wilder … Writer
- Axel Stordahl … Music by
- Ernest Borgnine … Cast, Lt. Cdr. Quinton McHale
- Joe Flynn … Cast, Capt. Wallace Binghamton
- Tim Conway … Cast, Ensign Charles Parker
- Carl Ballantine … Cast, Lester Gruber
- Gary Vinson … Cast, George "Christy" Christopher
- Billy Sands … Cast, Harrison "Tinker" Bell
- Edson Stroll … Cast, Virgil Edwards
- Gavin MacLeod … Cast, Joseph "Happy" Haines
- John Wright … Cast, Willy Moss
- Yoshio Yoda … Cast, Fuji Kobiaji
- Bob Hastings … Cast, Lt. Elroy Carpenter
- Paul Bryar … Cast, Admiral Harris
- Sandra Gould … Cast, First Nurse
- Tony Franke … Cast, Schroeder
- Richard Jury … Cast, Lt. Frisby