Talk:Route 66 (TV series)

No longer a stub
Well, this is rapidly approaching the point at which the article can no longer be called a stub. I'd like to express my appreciation to everyone who added or edited bits over the past month. It's good to know other people remember this show fondly.

Still needed, to my mind, are brief character sketches for Tod and Buz and Linc. Also, is there a way to format the episode list so the numbering continues after the subheading? I searched for this, but to no avail. Karen 01:00, 4 June 2006 (UTC)

Episode guide tables
Well, obviously, I found out about episode guide tables. Many thanks for the second, third and fourth seasons! I was only halfway through compiling my version of the second season when your superior one was uploaded.

On the "series of strange misfortunes": the following options are grammatically correct:


 * "A series of strange misfortunes befalls Tod and Buz...." (Remove the dependent clause and you get "A series befalls," which has agreement in number.)
 * "Strange misfortunes befall Tod and Buz...."
 * "Tod and Buz suffer a series of odd misfortunes...."
 * "Tod and Buz suffer from a series of odd misfortunes...."

Any of the above work for me, but the last two are less passive. Karen 03:19, 8 June 2006 (UTC)

Sourcing
I really love all the great stuff that's gone in here, most of it from people other than myself. However, I'm a little worried about Wikipedia guidelines re: sourcing and original research. Can we try to get in some citations, beyond the show itself? I need to do better on this as well. Thanks! Karen 01:19, 25 June 2006 (UTC)

Main article satisfying
Overall, I find the main article satisfying, clearly written by a fan of the series it would not, I would imagine, qualify as an objective article on Route 66 but it works for me, as I'm hugely fond of the series and appreciate the obvious love that went into the piece. As to the larger issue of whether the piece belongs in an encylcopedia, albeit an on-line one, that's another matter. Objectively speaking, probably not, but it works on Wiki, and as it generates enthusiasm for the old TV series without violating its spirit or posing as a sales pitch of some kind, I think it's a solid piece of work and should remain. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Telegonus (talk • contribs) 09:30, 22 May 2013 (UTC)

Re: Completely Useless Trivia
Did you mean my reference to the Mad magazine parody? I'll delete it if you feel it's too irrelevant.--Toddpence 03:33, 25 June 2006 (UTC)

No, that's a really good one! (Makes me want to track down a copy.) But I thought the Conrad and Alda guest roles were a little too, uh, trivial. Most actors play cops and doctors at one time or another, methinks. Karen

That's true, but I thought that the circumstances of having both episodes occur so close together and the fact that Conrad's and Alda's roles were so famous in TV history merited it. --Toddpence 03:40, 25 June 2006 (UTC)


 * I remember the Boris Karloff/Lon Chaney Jr./Peter Lorre episode. In some tiny ways disappointing, old has-been monster movie stars playing the roles of old has-been monster movie stars.  Karloff got into quickie Halloween Frankenstein make-up which in no way could be mistaken for the very detailed cosmetics of his old films.  Chaney appears once in a get-up that clearly emulated his father's famous silent picture role as the Hunchback of Notre Dame (altho Jr's costume looked like it was more inspired by the Charles Laughton remake) ... and then, with Karloff, appears with quickie Halloween make-up for the Wolfman, which in no way could be mistaken ... etc.  I forget Lorre's outfit, maybe some medieval torturer/sorcerer thing.

.... And it cannot be over-emphasized that the real Route 66 runs from Chicago to Los Angeles, but they had episodes in Boston, Pittsburgh, Atlanta, etc. :}  —Preceding unsigned comment added by Sussmanbern (talk • contribs) 11:40, 27 July 2008 (UTC)

Re: Sourcing
I'd particularly like to find citations that support the "Emmy Awards Nominations" section. There doesn't seem to be a reliable source online that gives the names of Emmy nominees from the 1960's who didn't win. Although I'm 100 per cent sure that both Ethel Waters and Larry Marcus were nominated for Emmys as I stated in that section I'm not even sure in what exact category each was nominated in. There may be additional Emmy nominations for the show that I'm not aware of. --Toddpence 03:37, 25 June 2006 (UTC)

Got it! Didn't find Marcus, but the Acedemy lists Maharis and Waters as nomineees. I'll add it. Karen 03:46, 25 June 2006 (UTC)

Okay, I'm going to temporarily remove the Marcus reference until I can find accurate citation for it. There does seem to be some missing information at that Emmy site for the earlier years. I remember reading about the Marcus nomination in a hardcopy reference book years ago. Now that I think about it, it's possible that it might have been a Writer's Guild award or something like that. I KNOW the script was nominated for some kind of award, though. --Toddpence 04:09, 25 June 2006 (UTC)

I found the Marcus information at the library today! It turns out it WAS a Writers Guild award and not an Emmy. It also turns out that Marcus (credited as "Lawrence B. Marcus" won the category that year, which makes it possibly the only major award ever won by the series. I'm going to change that subject heading to awards in general to accomodate it. My particular source was the Facts on File publication book TV Facts, 1980 edition. --4.249.69.95 20:02, 25 June 2006 (UTC)

Re: Character Sketches
In response to your request earlier for character sketches, I'll work on rough drafts for those in the morning (after I've slept on it). It is also my (long-term) intention to write entries for each individual episode including excruciatingly detailed plot summaries. This series deserves no less a treatment. --Toddpence 04:17, 25 June 2006 (UTC)

Anybody know if Tod's father was ever given a first name during the series? I know his mother's name was once given as Martha, but I don't believe his father was ever named. --Toddpence 23:18, 29 June 2006 (UTC)

I'm sorry to say I don't have the answer to that. All I can say is, it's not mentioned in "Black November." I recommend going without that data bit, and adding it later if it turns up. Karen 04:58, 30 June 2006 (UTC)

Completed character articles for both Tod and Buz! Of course, they are both very sketchy at this point and probably could use some upshoring. But it's a start. --Toddpence 00:26, 1 July 2006 (UTC)

Nice job! I was surprised to see them as separate articles, though, rather in the body of this one.

Linc's article is now up! --Toddpence 22:35, 8 July 2006 (UTC)


 * Tod mentions his father's name as "Lee" in "I'm Here To Kill A King". 70.29.13.147 (talk) 19:02, 11 November 2013 (UTC)

Episode articles
On the "excruciatingly detailed" episode guide idea, I suspect that many Wikipedians would frown on this. Wikipedia tends to discourage individual episode articles except for "cult" shows with a large, current fandom, such as Star Trek and The Simpsons. Please see this discussion before you start tackling all that work; you may want to try expanding the guide that's on here a little instead. Alternatively, I'd love to see a detailed Route 66 series site online, but off Wikipedia. I'd even be glad to host and contribute to it. Feel free to email me from my talk page if interested. I have material that I can't use here (original research). Unfortunately, it's on Commodore 64 floppies somewhere. Karen 02:27, 1 July 2006 (UTC)

Nelson Riddle
I'm looking for a citation for the Nelson Riddle bit. He got two Grammy nominations in 1962 for the Route 66 theme, Best Instrumental Theme, Composer, and Best Instrumental Arrangement. So should that be in the theme heading, or the awards section?

Theme Music
What is the source of the statement that Nelson Riddle was commissioned to write original theme music because CBS did not want to pay royalties to Bobby Troup? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 76.188.44.161 (talk) 02:57, 22 August 2013 (UTC)

Robert Altman question
I've always wondered, and never been able to find out; does anybody (perhaps the person who made that episode guide with writing credits) know which episodes of this show Robert Altman directed? I'm trying to compile a complete list of television shows he did. Thanks ThatGuamGuy 03:46, 15 September 2006 (UTC)sean

The episode Altman directed was the second-season segment "Some of the People, Some of the Time", filmed in Carlisle, PA. Reportedly producer Herbert B. Leonard was dissatisfied with Altman's work on this episode and never asked him to direct for the series again.Toddpence 03:08, 19 October 2006 (UTC)

Picture legend
The names under the picture should be reversed, so that the names correspond, left to right, to the characters pictured.drh (talk) 01:19, 8 November 2008 (UTC)
 * Apparently the incorrect caption order does not matter since it's been just over three years and the problem has not been corrected yet. Yes, I could register and correct it myself. But if you (the wiki community that is) don't care, why should I?

what weed
was being smoked by the guy who wrote this: ''Tod and Buz...were essentially non-characters. We learn almost nothing about them over the course of the series.''? go watch the shows again and somebody who knows both the show and how to use this site remove those lines. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 24.20.120.197 (talk) 07:32, 24 December 2010 (UTC)

I agree with the above-stated criticism. Although their back stories are not doled out immediately in the first episode, we are told quite a bit about Tod and Buzz over the first two and a half seasons. Nevertheless, the episodes often depend very much on the values and "character" of Tod and Buzz. So, while there may not be extensive historical information about Tod and Buzz, their interactions with each other and with other actors are pivotal to the dramatic arc of most episodes. To describe them as "essentially non-characters" is not worthy of an encyclopaedic entry on the subject. Teo del Fuego —Preceding unsigned comment added by 174.16.133.235 (talk) 00:29, 8 March 2011 (UTC)

Missing Plot description
Ther should be a sentence about the main story of the series and a separate section describing it more closely. --Carbenium (talk) 15:03, 9 March 2011 (UTC)

Need professional cleanup
This article is too messy for me to either remove or cite. Somehow, I believe in unsourced material because... I'm too inept to judge. --George Ho (talk) 07:03, 6 February 2012 (UTC)


 * It's not so bad. The writing is a little over-evocative in it's stylistic descriptions at times but the total is roundly informative. Wwwhatsup (talk) 05:45, 9 February 2012 (UTC)


 * Ahem! There are insufficient footnotes to verify them, I'm afraid. --George Ho (talk) 05:47, 9 February 2012 (UTC)

The Inn on the Park
I know that one of the two Canadian episodes was shot at the Inn on the Park in Don Mills. Does anyone know where the other one was shot? SeMelmoth (talk) 00:25, 1 April 2013 (UTC)


 * Only one episode was shot in Canada: "A Long Way From St. Louie". It was shot entirely in Toronto, and features Tod and Linc at the Inn on the Park, Exhibition Stadium, the old Toronto Telegram building, etc.  There's also aerial stock footage of the provincial parliament buildings, Old City Hall, and New City Hall (which was then under construction).


 * Note that the episode "I'm Here To Kill A King" was shot and set in Niagara Falls, New York. A couple of establishing aerial shots of the Falls at the very beginning of the episode are taken from the Canadian side of the border, but otherwise, the entire episode is American.  70.29.13.147 (talk) 19:00, 11 November 2013 (UTC)

Tod Stiles
Martin Milner’s character “Tod Stiles” in CBS television’s Route 66 (1960-1964) is an excellent role model for men of all ages. Magazine and news articles about the show and actor written during the program’s production years give the impression that Tod was in most ways the same man Martin Milner is. Completely devoted to his wife and children and maintaining his personal integrity in his real life, much can be learned from the timeless stories that Mr. Milner as Tod lives in the series.

Tod’s strength of character is grounded in his secure understanding of who he is as a man. It is not bravado or machismo, but a solid and fully-realized masculine identity. His maturity and fidelity are balanced perfectly with his youthful spirit and energy. He possesses strong confidence and purpose but it expressed with sensitivity and consistency.

Tod’s recollections of his father indicate a strong and positive relationship which continue to inspire every aspect of his life. Clearly, he deeply loved and respected his father and lives to honor his legacy. Great examples of his potential as a father are found in the episode “Shoulder the Sky, My Lad“ as Tod seeks to comfort young Davey after his father is murdered. Tod tells Davey that there is no shame in crying as he did when his own father died. During Davey’s difficult adjustment to his loss, Tod pursues him and cares about his safety and future. In “Two on the House”, Tod discerns the broken relationship between Richie and his workaholic father. By becoming Richie’s friend, Tod is able to encourage the boy. During a crisis, the father experiences a break-through by Tod’s sharing the reality of the son’s desire to be close to his father.

Guided by strong convictions, Tod refuses food from those holding him and Buz Murdock (George Maharis) against their will in “Trap at Cordova.” But when it becomes evident their captors are victims of injustice, he stands with them becoming their advocate, effectively taking action to defend their rights. In “Once to Every Man”, Tod has an opportunity to manage in a ship-building business (one of his lifetime passions) and is engaged to marry the lovely woman who owns it. Tod works hard developing solid working relationships with all the men involved and has good plans for making the business prosper. His future bride, however, attempts to interfere and derail the fulfillment of his dream. At that point, Tod realizes he cannot forfeit his identity and will at her request, telling her “she’s taking away too much of what a man needs.” It is a sad ending, but he knows he must walk away with his integrity intact.

In that same episode, Tod demonstrates wisdom regarding his relationships, also. The manager and staff at the shipbuilders quickly respond positively to the respect and consideration he shows them. As a friend, Tod is faithful and true blue, especially to Buz, his traveling companion. In good times and bad, he stands by and always keeps the friend’s best interest in mind. Buz is challenged with his past as an orphan in “The Mud Nest” and Tod supports and helps him find the answers he needs to resolve the troubling mysteries of his childhood. Even a serious conflict that erupts in a fist fight between Tod and Buz in “Like a Motherless Child” is not beyond a solution and reconciliation. Though Buz walks away at the point of disagreement, Tod is not deterred from reaching out and reconnecting. Finally, the friendship is more important to both men than the argument.

There is a telling moment regarding Tod’s relationships with the opposite sex found in “How Much is A Pound of Albatross?”. Vicky, a beautiful wandering spirit, meets Tod and Buz at the scene of a traffic accident. Her spell-binding beauty impresses both men. Buz boldly steps forward first to capture her but Vicky is put off by his aggression. Upon being introduced to Tod, her expression changes to a warm, willing smile and admiring gaze. Tod’s expression visually returns the compliment. Buz’s continued pursuit fails, but Tod, offering empathy and admiration to Vicky, touches her heart. During “Fly Away Home”, Tod connects with a childhood friend who has transformed into a lovely young lady. Following a brief mutual appraisal of one another after years of separation, the girl’s simple comment speaks volumes: “I’ve dreamed about you.”

Tod Stiles reflects his privileged upbringing and Ivy League traditions in manner and speech. However, he has a modern, classic appearance which is youthful and timeless--a King of “Cool!”. Tod projects his virtues in a healthy, spirited way that is genuine. Those ways have a positive impact on the people in his life, making their lives better for having known him. A rich reward for a life well lived! — Preceding unsigned comment added by 24.220.236.26 (talk) 16:13, 26 June 2014 (UTC)


 * Feel better now that you got all that off your chest? I'm not a licensed therapist, but I suggest you get a life. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 118.212.150.162 (talk) 17:21, 2 March 2016 (UTC)

External links modified
Hello fellow Wikipedians,

I have just added archive links to 1 one external link on Route 66 (TV series). Please take a moment to review my edit. If necessary, add after the link to keep me from modifying it. Alternatively, you can add to keep me off the page altogether. I made the following changes:
 * Added archive https://web.archive.org/20060615182347/http://emmys.org:80/awards/awardsearch.php to http://www.emmys.org/awards/awardsearch.php

When you have finished reviewing my changes, please set the checked parameter below to true to let others know.

Cheers.—cyberbot II  Talk to my owner :Online 04:48, 11 January 2016 (UTC)


 * Archive link led to search page that didn't work. Have reworked citation. Dhtwiki (talk) 13:38, 11 January 2016 (UTC)


 * Resetting parameter to better reflect a failed link. Dhtwiki (talk) 22:11, 2 March 2016 (UTC)

Guest stars
An editor deleted the guest stars from the article. It is entirely reasonable to include them. Plenty of TV articles include noteworthy guest stars. There was no reason given for deleting them.Dogru144 (talk) 22:50, 16 February 2019 (UTC)
 * Agreed. Good or not, it's the standard (doesn't bother me), and to make a change in that you'd want a broader discussion. Herostratus (talk) 23:33, 16 February 2019 (UTC)

Removal of www.route66news.com citation
I have removed a citation to www.route66news.com. That site's About page specifies that the site is self-published ("But this is my site . . ."). Additionally, the link that I removed was a review of a self-published book. Eddie Blick (talk) 23:52, 28 September 2023 (UTC)