Casey Jones
Casey Jones
| 08 October 1957 (USA)
SEASON & EPISODES
  • 1
  • Reviews
    Lucybespro It is a performances centric movie
    Ceticultsot Beautiful, moving film.
    Cleveronix A different way of telling a story
    Dynamixor The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.
    school_account I appear to be the only person from the UK with a review for this superb show. It was shown in the UK in the 60's about 9 years after it was first produced. I was 7 years old then and remember the show with burning clarity . I still can't believe that they only made 32 episodes, and only 26 were ever shown in the UK, the show seemed to run forever ! I suppose when you're 7 years old, time seems to stretch out into infinity. Even now when I spot Alan Hale Jr. on a rerun of a film such as "Young at Heart" or a TV show such as the "Land of the Giants" I say to myself there goes Casey Jones. He played the role so brilliantly. Even when I spot his Dad, Alan Hale Snr. On one of the many films he made with Errol Flynn, I say to myself there goes Casey Jones's Dad ! If he had made another season of shows typecasting would have inevitably followed. It seems that he didn't, because of a prior commitment to another show at the time. How strange show business is. When you're 7 it's not show business though. Alan Hale Jr. really was Casey Jones, riding the Cannonball Express, and always will be.
    Enoch Sneed It's great to be able to add to the other comments which reflect the affection felt for this show. Obviously 'Casey Jones' meant a lot to boys growing up in the late 50's and early 60's, and it's something we've never outgrown. I saw the show in the UK. It was repeated a couple of times but, unlike 'Robinson Crusoe' or 'White Horses', seemed to disappear after about 1972. Maybe the BBC see lost the broadcast rights. At any rate, 36 years later I am the proud owner of all 32 episodes on 4 DVD's (admittedly they seem to be recorded from a cable channel or something). I never realised there were so many.The verdict after such a lapse of time? Obviously the plots seem obvious and the characters are very basic, but this is a kids' show so there's no fault there. On the whole the show holds up well. The basic premise is very moral: doing the right thing is always the right thing to do; family life is central to everything; a real man is honest and lives up to his responsibilities. Alan Hale projects these virtues very well, without any hokeyness at all, he makes Casey a solidly dependable figure.Other aspects are interesting from the point of view of the time they were made. In one episode Casey delivers supplies to an army fort where the commanding officer has just ordered two Native Americans (whom he calls "savages") to be shot without trial. My heart sank, but the plot turned - what did I just say about them being obvious? - on the fact that the officer was incompetent and unfit for command (a touch of the Captain Queegs) and a regime based on mutual respect is shown as the way forward. Another nice moral tied up in 25 minutes of TV.The supporting cast give good value (look out for Lee Van Cleef in one episode), especially Dub Taylor - a lovely character actor. He often seems to be a prototype Engineer Scott from 'Star Trek'. When Casey asks for more steam he says the Cannonball is "ready to bust wide open" already - "She'll no' take much more, Captain!" Long may Casey continue "steamin' and a-rollin'"!
    neilrb Casey Jones was just the best program on TV. i would like the series. does anyone know if it is available? This program was about a train driver played by Alan Hale. it was about the adventures he had while driving the cannonball express, a steam engine in America. i grew up watching this show, and it was quite good for young folk. the adventures were exciting and interesting.i would like this program to be repeated on television these days so the young people of today could understand what great programs we watched in Australia as we were growing up. all boys love trains, and some continue through their life enjoying them. i am one of these.Summary. A great show for all.
    gregg lenton As I read the former comments,they brought back at lot of memories for me and I for one am certainly glad for these heart warming words.Casey Jones was my favorite TV show as a kid growing up in the 1950s.I had a Lionel train set and with Casey Jones on the TV,well could it get any better?.Recently I came across a fellow who will be lending me a recording of some of the episodes and what a joy it will be to see my childhood heroes again after almost 47 years!I think it is really interesting too ,to follow the other actors as many of them went on to do more work and provide people like me with hours of entertainment.Dubb Taylor who played the part of the steam locomotive fireman is also another hero of mine,I can still hear his very unique voice as he talks to Casey(Alan Hale Jr).I hope that some day more of this show will come out to entertain another generation of kids and big kids too,like me.