“Tarzan the Ape-Man,” starring Denny Miller, was released in 1959 but I don’t think it was ever shown at the Fox Theatre in Centralia or I probably would have seen it back then, since I liked Tarzan and I was a regular theater-goer. But I did go to see Elvis Presley and Juliet Prowse in "G.I. Blues" in the fall of 1960 and I had seen Juliet in her supporting actress role in the movie “Can-Can,” with Shirley MacLaine and Frank Sinatra, in the spring of that year.

  In 1965, I don’t think I ever saw an episode of the TV sitcom, "Mona McCluskey," in which Juliet played a Vegas dancer who married Air Force sergeant Mike McCluskey, played by Denny Miller. The show lasted for 26 episodes but, unfortunately, was doomed from the start, being up against the popular NBC Thursday Night at the Movies on one channel and Peyton Place on another.

  "What a time slot," wrote Denny in his autobiography, Didn’t You Used to be What’s His Name?  "On our opening night, we were up against 'Manchurian Candidate.' We could sense the TV audience out there. ‘What will we watch tonight, Frank Sinatra in a classic film or an $80,000 episode of an unknown sit-com?'"

  Nonetheless, Denny had fond memories of his time on "Mona McCluskey," his second major television role after his stint (under the name of Scott Miller) as scout Duke Shannon on "Wagon Train."

  The premise of the show was that Juliet earned thousands as a Vegas showgirl and actress, but her husband wanted them to get by on his Air Force salary.

  'Juliet Prowse. Does that name bring the vision of the Olympics of legs?" wrote Denny. "Legs? Juliet danced all over Europe on hers. She danced in Vegas in her own show. She danced in musicals and summer stock all over the U.S.  She even danced in the pilot episode for ‘Mona McCluskey.’ When old guys sit around and praise ladies legs and no one mentions Juliet Prowse, you know you're with a bunch of amateur leg watchers or old geezers in need of guide dogs."

  After her appearance in "Can-Can," Juliet was predicted to become a big star, and her followup film with Elvis was another feather in her cap. However, Hollywood is fickle, and mega-stardom did not materialize.

  "Things generally happen for the best," she said.  "I never worry about what happens in my career, because I can always do something else." She did have plenty of other show business roles, such as in Las Vegas, winning "Entertainer of the Year" for her role in "Sweet Charity." She also displayed her dancer’s legs  in a series of lucrative nationwide commercials for a number of advertisers, including L'eggs hosiery and Mannington flooring.

  She was the first guest to appear on an episode of "The Muppet Show."

  In the late 1980s, she was mauled by an 80-pound leopard -- twice. Once, while filming a scene for "Circus of the Stars" in 1987 and later that same year rehearsing a promotional stunt on "The Tonight Show," when the same leopard attacked her. The later attack was more serious, requiring  twenty stitches to reattach her ear.

  Denny had his own encounter with a leopard during filming of "Tarzan the Ape-Man." He was leery enough of the prospect of wrestling a real leopard, though, that he asked for the stunt man to show how it was done. When the stunt man himself got a severe rip from the “tame” animal’s talons, the idea was scrapped.

  "They took the stuntman to the hospital and brought out the ridiculous stuffed toy cat and a rubber knife," said Denny,  "and I had at it -- to create one of the most hilarious scenes ever filmed."

  Like Juliet, Denny spent some of his later years doing commercials, serving as the Gorton’s Fisherman in television spots for the company.

  Elvis and Denny, both of whom had served with the U.S. Army in Germany, went different directions after their encounters with Juliet. Elvis, of course, was a world famous singer and starred in a string of movies as well. Denny was in several movies and also a frequent guest star in popular television shows over the years, both in comedy roles in shows like "Gilligan’s Island" and "The Brady Bunch" and as a heavy in law enforcement dramas like "Charlie’s Angels" and "Knight Rider."

  Elvis passed away in 1977 at the age of 42; Juliet died in 1997 of pancreatic cancer and Denny kept his Tarzanic figure all his life, though overtaken by Lou Gehrig’s Disease and passing away in 2014 at age 80.

John "Bridge" Martin
EDGARDEMAIN: Celebrating the literary legerdemain of Edgar Rice Burroughs

LEGS


Juliet Prowse

Denny and Juliet in "Mona McCluskey"
Legs are good. Well, some legs are. I like legs. Chicken legs are up there on my list, right next to turkey legs. I'm not much interested in any other animal legs. Horse legs seem too skinny for all that weight and speed. You can tell I'm not a real cowboy. Dogs' legs are usually too hairy to get a good look at. Turtle legs are special. Retractable, that's special.

Human legs get my full attention. I look with envy at a trackman's legs -- muscular, limber, well formed from ankle to hip, built for speed and jumping and vaulting. I've accused God of putting my legs on backwards. How can I be bow-legged, knock-kneed and have knobby knees all at the same time and not have my legs on backwards? On top of that, or I should say on he bottom of that, my feet are three sizes too big for my body and I'm pigeon-toed. People have told me I walk around with my nose in the air. It's just to avoid looking down. 

Ladies' legs, gams, stems, wheels -- long, shapely dancers' legs can be a distraction. They have caused me much pain. I've walked into lampposts, walls, other people, almost everything you can name while ogling at a pair of beautiful legs. 

Juliet Prowse. Does that name bring the vision of the Olympics of legs? I had to play her husband in a TV series called "Mona McCluskey" created by writer, producer, actor, and director Don McGuire. He also wrote the classic film about prejudice, "Bad Day at Black Rock" and the original script for "Tootsie."

I know playing Juliet's husband in a sitcom for twenty-six weeks was a dirty job but somebody . . . Anyway, the first day of rehearsal for the pilot arrived. The cast was there; Juliet and me and Elena Verdugo and Robert Strauss who played "Animal" in Stalag 17", and Herb Rudly.

The cameraman was there with his assistants. Roy Stork from make-up was there. Interesting guy, he had been on the "Dolittle Raid" in WWII. The prop department was well represented along with the sound department and the grips.

We were seated at a long table in the middle of a large sound stage. Two rather harsh lights provided enough light for everyone to read their scripts and take notes. Two rather harsh lights provided enough light for everyone to read their scripts and take notes. This oval of bright light dropped off in all directions so the group was surrounded by darkness. 

No Mr. Don McGuire, our director/producer and lead. Five minutes went by, ten minutes -- he was ten minutes late. People began to fidget in their seats.

The stage door opened off in the darkness and let a streak of light slice the black in two. We could see Don's silhouette in the doorway. The door closed behind him and he disappeared. We could hear his footsteps. He was in no hurry. He walked into our light and everyone sat up to greet him and begin.

He walked right by us. No hello, no nod. It was as if we didn't exist. And he walked into the dark beyond, We heard him stop and out of the silence., . . "Fudge!!!!!!!!!!!!" It bounced off the walls and us. 

Don appeared out of the darkness with a big smile on his face. 

"Now we can get started."

Don was like that. He used humour, which is based on surprise, to break the tensions in life. I miss him very much.

For twenty-six weeks it was a joy to come to work. George Burns. Right, the one and only George Burns, took over as producer. Richard Whorf, of the Orson Wells Actors' Group, directed every show. And Robert Strauss, "Animal," kept us laughing from morning till morning.

The show was up against "Thursday Night At The Movies." What a time slot. On our opening night , we were up against "Manchurian Candidate." We could sense the TV audience out there. "What will we watch tonight, Frank Sinatra in a classic film or an $80,000 episode of an unknown sit-com?"

We were ranked sixty-seventh out of sixty-four shows that night and never got any higher. Mom and Dad watched and my brother stood in for me. But everybody in the show had a great time.

We even broke the twin bed barrier for sitcoms. Up until then, even married couples were filmed ONLY in twin beds. I guess when you know your show is going to be canceled -- what the heck, bring on the king-sized bed. 

Legs? Juliet danced all over Europe on hers. She danced in Vegas in her own show. She danced in musicals and summer stock all over the U.S. She even danced in the pilot episode for "Mona McCluskey." When old guys sit around and praise ladies' legs and no one mentions Juliet Prowse, you know you're with a bunch of amateur leg watchers or old geezers in need of guide dogs.