On February 11, 2014, the Los Angeles Times reported that “The captain went down with his ship. The body of Captain Robin Walbridge, a stubborn and profane seaman who often said he feared no storm, was never found after the tall ship Bounty sank in the Atlantic Ocean after being pummeled by Hurricane Sandy on October 29, 2012. The ship’s sinking can now be laid at the feet of its dead captain. It was largely Walbridge’s fault that the ship was destroyed by the storm 110 miles off Cape Hatteras, N.C. according to a National Transportation Safety Board investigation… Walbridge, who had bragged to a Maine TV station two months earlier that he ‘chased hurricanes,’ exposed a leaky, poorly maintained craft -- a replica of an 18th century British Admiralty sailing ship -- to deadly risks by ignoring pleas not to sail into the path of the approaching storm. He ‘subjected the aging vessel and the inexperienced crew to conditions from which the vessel could not recover,’ investigators concluded.”
A sad ending indeed for any ship and hard to believe the very same schooner we had happily boarded back in 1987 in Cook’s Bay, Papete to film Bob Hope’s Comedy Special From Tahiti. Built by film director Dino de Laurentis in 1960 for “Mutiny on the Bounty” starring Marlon Brando, she was an exact replica of the Bounty -- but only above the waterline. Out of sight below decks was a luxurious sea-worthy yacht complete with plush lounges, spacious guest compartments, a huge kitchen, a well-stocked library and a spa. She also boasted the latest navigation and ommunication equipment. The vessel had cost de Laurentis $4 million and it showed.
Hope had rented the ship to use as the backdrop for our richly costumed period sketch that would feature Hope as the cruel, crew-beating Captain Bligh -- Howard Keel as the alcoholic ship’s doctor -- former Miss America Susan Aiken as his nurse -- Morgan Fairchild as the prim, school marm passenger -- John Denver as the young, Wahini-smitten Fletcher Christian and Jonathan Winters as his Tahaiian tribal chief, soon-to-be father-in-law.
Even under ideal studio conditions, accommodating such a large cast on the small screen is a tall order for any director, and Walter C. Miller one of the most experienced, had his hands full. While the ship had been ideal for de Laurentis who had the time (and shooting budget) to set up multiple camera shots, it was soon apparent that it wasn’t large enough to accommodate our sketch. She had been built from the blueprints of the original Bounty and everything was about three-quarter scale, perfectly adequate for an 18th century crew but not for our cast who appeared to be trapped in a sea-going telephone booth.
Walter tried setup after setup, attempting to create an illusion of size and depth. As a result, the shoot ran longer than planned; the entire company was scheduled to depart that evening. A few crew members were sent back to our hotel-on-stilts to pack for those who had to remain to get the sketch, such as it was, in the can. Finally, at about four in the afternoon, Walter yelled “Cut! That’s a wrap!” The cameras, lighting and sound paraphernalia were stowed into dockside trucks in record time. Electronic equipment hadn’t disappeared that fast since the L.A. riots. Everyone raced to the waiting busses which would convey us to the harbor where the swiftest picket boat on the island was standing by.
We arrived at the airport in Papeete with only minutes to spare, but as it turned out, our plane was grounded in New Zealand with mechanical problems and wouldn’t arrive until the next day.
At this point, Howard Keel entered panic mode. He was due on the
set of Dallas in less than forty-eight hours to film some key scenes. If he was delayed in Tahiti, it would cost the producers — and him after the lawsuit — hundreds of thousands of dollars. A smiling Quantas representative assured him that the plane would arrive
in the morning as promised. We were given our hotel assignments — a night’s free lodging for our inconvenience. They also threw in a phone call so we could notify our next-of-kin. “Swell,” responded a tired, hungry and Bounty-weary Jonathan. “I’ll call my brother. He’s dead.”
Our patched-up 747 arrived on schedule, and Howard made it to Culver City in a limo he had waiting with only minutes to spare. He told me later he filmed the first scene with sand in his shoes.
“According to testimony by the chief mate, Captain Walbridge delayed putting in a distress call to the Coast Guard as the ship was battered by 30-foot seas in cold and darkness. The foresail was shredded and fuel was leaking. The port engine and generator were failing. A deckhand had been tossed past the mainmast, breaking three ribs. Walbridge had been slammed against a bolted cabin table, wrenching his back. He could barely walk.
By the time a distress call was made on the night of October 28, it was too late. The engine room soon flooded. The port generator and main engine failed. The vessel was adrift, slammed helplessly against crashing seas. Shortly after 4 a.m. on October 29, the Bounty pitched violently on its starboard side, throwing the crew into the frigid Atlantic.
Captain Walbridge was presumed lost at sea.”
(Adapted from THE LAUGH MAKERS: A Behind-the-Scenes Tribute to Bob Hope's Incredible Gag Writers by Robert L. Mills. Published in 2009 by Bear Manor Media. Copyright 2009.)
(Material from the Los Angeles Times by Davis Zucchino.)
On the lighter side, I found your story about what happened in Tahiti quite entertaining, and do recall flight delays with failed 747s run by Pakistan International Airlines on my flight around the world. I like how you describe the disappearance of the electronic gear priceless!
I recall that I told our mother that my twin brother and I were going to see "Mutiny on the Bounty" when it came to town. Instead, we went to another theater with some girls to see a "B" movie that was forgettable. Don't even think I got a kiss. When my mother asked me, "How was the movie?"
I'll have to admit, that I lied when I said, "Oh, it was very good!" I was sure glad she didn't press me for details.
Ron