Hong Kong (1960–1961) User Reviews

More exotica from ABC

[BruceCorneil · 8/10 · 21 January 2017]

Rod Taylor became a star on both the big and small screens in 1960. Movie fame came along when he landed the lead role in George Pal's science fiction block buster "The Time Machine". He then got his first major chance in television the same year with the ABC drama series "Hong Kong".As Glenn Evans, a "two-fisted" news correspondent who had been assigned to cover the Orient, the hunky he - man was equally adept at solving crimes and romancing lovely ladies.

The show proved to be extremely popular here in Australia, aided no doubt by the star's local origins and also, perhaps, due to our geographical proximity to the title location. However, in a strange twist of fate, its Stateside reception was tinged with more than a touch of irony. Although it managed to win a Golden Globe award, American viewers did not cotton to its sophisticated, upmarket leanings and brought about its rapid demise by staying loyal to NBC's "Wagon Train".

The producers, 20th Century Fox, had another exotic, off - shore series going to air on ABC at the time that was also based around the Asia - Pacific region - namely "Adventures in Paradise". In fact, Fox music maestro, Lionel Newman wrote the theme for both shows.

A superb detective-story film

[jcvpenna · 9/10 · 1 April 2011]

That was a time of great TV series, such as Route 66, The Invaders, and The Fugitive. Hong Kong was a very well done, elaborate and intelligent film, with the great charm of Black & White photography... I was anxious waiting for the 9 o'clock pm show at the Brazilian TV at that time, to appreciate the adventures and "embroglios" in which Mr. Glenn Evans, a reporter, plunged in old and exotic Hong Kong. Evans was interpreted by Rod Taylor, an Australian actor, catapulted to the movie world after playing under the direction of Hitchcock, in "The Birds". Although I remember it quite well, I was never able to find the beautiful music-theme composed by Lionel Newman for the series, nor I was ever able to find a DVD version for this marvelous TV series.

A Lost But Memorable Series

[RayC · 29 October 1999]

The only reason I can figure that "Hong Kong" seems never to have been rerun is that it was shot in black & white.

I was a junior in High School when it aired on ABC (1960-61)and I've never seen it since. But "Hong Kong" left a lasting impression and I would love to see it again.

I'd been vaguely aware of Rod Taylor from some earlier TV appearances and had liked him in "The Time Machine", but it was "Hong Kong" that made me a fan (for life). The show had a wonderful look and feel to it, a real sense of place (despite the fact most of it was shot on the FOX lot).

To me, at seventeen, the show seemed wonderfully sophisticated and exotic. Rod Taylor (half the time in a white dinner jacket) made for an elegant and intelligent yet muscular hero - a variation on James Bond two years before "Dr. No".

I especially remember the music. Lionel Newman's work on "Hong Kong" was superb, as were all facets of the production for its day. The supporting cast, including Lloyd Bochner and Jack Kruschen, was uniformly excellent.

They thought back then at ABC and 20th-TV that it might be a blockbuster, their "Wagon Train" (NBC). Perhaps on another network it might have (ABC just didn't have the station lineup to compete). And if they'd shot it in color, it might now be considered a rerun classic.

rvc

A tragedy it's not available on DVD!

[girvsjoint · 10/10 · 13 April 2006]

The 'Hong Kong' series, starring Rod Taylor remains one of the all-time best ever to appear on TV, even though it was made back in 1960/61, it still stands up as a great show. This series was the one that catapulted handsome, rugged Aussie Rod Taylor to top movie stardom. The worst thing about this series is that it only went for 26 episodes! But what a shame 20th. Century Fox haven't put them out on DVD. I know many fans around the world would love to own this series, and I'm sure many 'new generation' fans would cotton on to it also. Every 'reality' show and junky series made today seems to automatically be released on DVD, whilst a true classic series like 'Hong Kong' languishes in the Fox vaults! But, we live in hopes!!

Rod Taylor's best role: "Hong Kong" foreign correspondent Glenn Evans

[Cheyenne-Bodie · 10/10 · 27 March 2006]

Foreign correspondent Glenn Evans (Rod Taylor) lived in an amazing bachelor pad on Victoria Peak. I always wished more scenes took place in Glenn's apartment, especially at night when you had that great view of Hong Kong. My other favorite TV bachelor pads were the ones on "Checkmate", "Bourbon Street Beat" and "Peter Gunn".

The female guest stars on "Hong Kong" were beautiful, sexy, and sophisticated: Patricia Barry, Rhonda Fleming, Inger Stevens, Dina Merrill, Nancy Gates, Julie London, Joanna Moore, Felicia Farr, Suzanne Pleshete, and Bethel Leslie come immediately to mind. Rod Taylor worked well with all these elegant woman, and I wonder if he got to romance any of his guest stars off screen.

Although Rod dominated the show and was in almost every scene, his co-stars Lloyd Bochner (Chief Inspector Neil Campbell) and Jack Kruschen (Tully) also managed to score, and both went on to long, distinguished careers.

"Hong Kong" was loosely based on the movie "Soldier of Fortune", which had Michael Rennie in the Lloyd Bochner role and Tom Tully in the Jack Kruschen role.

The most startling scene in the series had guest star Taina Elg as a leggy, blond stewardess who Glenn Evans tries to help. But at the end of the episode, Taina is thrown out of a plane at night to her death. A chilling, unsettling scene.

Another good episode had Felica Farr playing two sexy, stacked singer twins, one good and one a murderer. One of the twins shows up unannounced at Glenn's apartment to spend the night, but is it the good twin or the bad one? Glenn is a gentleman and apparently sleeps on the couch.

Patrica Barry also had a sexy turn as a confidence women who tries to entice Glenn into not turning her in to the police.

Herbert Hirschman, who had worked with Rod Taylor on Playhouse 90, did a fine job as producer. Roy Huggins ("The Rockford Files", "Maverick", "77 Sunset Strip", "Run For Your Life") was the head of TV production at 20th Century Fox at the time, and he probably contributed to the show's high quality.

ABC cancelled "Hong Kong" after one season in 1961 (its competition was "Wagon Train" and "The Aquanauts"/"Malibu Run"). But "Hong Kong" made Rod Taylor a hot commodity. He appeared in only two guest star roles after this show ended ("Bus Stop" and "Dupont Show of the Week") and then left TV for the movies for eleven years. Rod starred in "The Birds" just two years after "Hong Kong" ended. "Hong Kong" being cancelled after one season was the best possible thing that could have happened to Taylor career-wise.

ABC knew it had a winner in Rod Tayor. They wanted to bring the character of Glenn Evans back the next season in a show called "Dateline: San Francisco", but it never happened. I wonder if anyone can find the lost pilot episode of that promising series. I would love to see what Glenn Evans' posh San Francisco bachelor pad looked like. And I wonder who played his friend on the force.

Rod Taylor came back to TV in 1971 in a western adventure series called "Bearcats". The series bore a strong resemblance to the Lee Marvin movie "The Professionals". Rod might have been shrewder to go back to Roy Huggins and try to rework the Glenn Evans character, perhaps as a private detective rather than a reporter. Roy Huggins might have wound up creating "The Rockford Files" for Rod in 1971 rather than for James Garner in 1974.

But I think Glenn Evans was Rod Taylor's most appealing performance.

I Agree!

[rodmael · 10/10 · 4 February 2007]

I have memories of this show being one of the best series. Outstanding look and feel. I watched faithfully every episode. The music and casting was fantastic. I was amazed that it did not last longer. Assumed that it was too expensive to produce. Very surprised to find out that the fantastic scenes of Hong Kong streets were filmed on back lots. This series made me a Rod Taylor fan for life. I still watch "The Time Machine" every time it is on TV. Hong Kong was great and I wish I could find the series on DVD. Just finished watching Gathering of Eagles and had to come to IMDb for more information on Rod Taylor. I still wonder why we don't see more of him in movies and on TV.

a great Television Series

[galaxy472 · 10/10 · 9 January 2007]

Even viewing Hong Kong today, it has not lost any of it's charm and character! It certainly belongs to the Film Noir category The scripts were great, and the whole atmosphere reminded me of such movie greats as Casablanca and The Maltese Falcon. Every character in the series enhanced the series, and took it quite a lot of steps beyond what was on television at the time. Rod Taylor of course provided the perfect center piece!! No wonder the Brocelli Brothers wanted him to screen test for James Bond! Rod projected a suave sophistication, and had a rare combination of masculinity and tenderness that one is hard pressed to find in a lot of actors today. He was like Spencer Tracey, Humphrey Bogart and Cary Grant, all wrapped up in one parcel! As one reviewer pointed out, if this series had been made in color, I'm sure we would be watching re-runs now! Occasionly, a few episodes crop up on EBay. Do yourself a favor, and make a purchase, and see why this series is great!

Hong Kong

[sgtlainie-2 · 10/10 · 7 March 2009]

I couldn't wait for Wednesday nights when Hong Kong was on. My younger brother and I would fight(he for Wagon Train), so I didn't see all the episodes. I still have Lionel Newmans' soundtrack of the show on LP. I don't know who played the trumpet in the orchestra, but, the horn sounded very haunting.

In my opinion, it was a great show, and it died too soon. I still wish I had the auto Glenn drove. The Sunbeam Alpine has always been my elusive dream. The color of it seemed to be white.

Lloyd Bochner played the police inspector, and worked well with Glenn. Whenever "Glenn" had some romantic scenes, I was very upset. It should have been me. Of course, I was 13 at the time.

Glenn Evans was "The Man"

[dhines5703 · 30 December 2000]

Rod Taylor as Glenn Evans was "the man". Very charming and sophisticated. Could really handle himself in a good fight! This series was initially on when I was about 6 years old but remember seeing it in reruns years later and I was hooked. The look and feel of the show is outstanding. Managed to get my hands on 4 episodes and really am in awe of the location shooting that was done. Beautiful!! The story lines and guest stars were first-rate. Don't understand why this only ran for one season. I guess the audience at the time was way too into westerns to give this show a chance. What a gem!!

I was very young, and thought that Glenn was a genius at figuring out crimes.

[macpherr · 28 September 1999]

Rod Taylor (A Gathering of Eagles, The Birds) played Glenn Evans, if my memory serves me well, was a journalist living in Hong Kong. He always wore those beautiful tailored suits. I guess the tailoring of nice clothes is one thing that Hong Kong is famous for. It was a black and white series. I watched it dubbed. I did not realize that the series was so short lived. My impression is that they kept showing the same episodes over and over and that is why it lasted a long time. I also had to go to bed early because I was in junior high, or early high school by the time the series got dubbed. I was not allowed to stay up late. That is why it seems that the series lasted years. It was a murder mystery type of series. Well, well, people like to make fun of Jessica Fletcher (Murder She Wrote), because she is a writer and every place she goes there is a murder, well Hong Kong was about the same. The leading person was a male. I guess some men do not realize how many murders there are in show like: NYPD Blue, Law and Order, Homicide, etc. This issue just cracks me up! There were other people in the cast such as: Lloyd Bochner (Dynasty), Neil Campbell, and Jack Kruschen (The Apartment, 'Til There Was You), Tully. Mai Tai Sing (Strange Portrait) Ching Mei, was the local help for those guys. I used to love watching the series. It seems like thousands years ago now, but I remember the landscape of Hong King, the boats and everybody biking. I have always wanted to go to China especially after watching this series. I was very young, and thought that Glenn was a genius at figuring out crimes. I am sure that today I would think that the series was predictable. I have great memories of the series as a whole, but I do not remember much detail.