ABC Trailer

Green Hornet

ABC Trailer

ABC had given the go ahead for a series without a pilot in return for a share of merchandise rights. A brief trailer was filmed to promote the show in advance.

The ABC trailer began with viewers being invited to check out a new series 7:30 pm Friday. Dick Tufield provided a brief talkover and went on to appear occasionally in the series as the Sentinal TV announcer.

Contrary to popular belief, 'the Green Hornet' won the ratings for it's time slot and was cancelled due to ABC's reluctance to extend the shows running time to an hour.

The Black Beauty pulls up at a road barrier. Note the orange headlights.A flick of a switch and they revolved to be replaced by green ones.

Van Williams appears in character for the first time with Bruce Lee. The sign in the background reads 'Peyton Place'...They decide to 'move the barrier and go on through'.

It's not easy being costumed crime fighters but the Green Hornet and Kato are not afraid of a little lifting. As to whether they were ultimately successful, no one can say but it must have been some fight. They both needed new masks by the time the first episode was filmed.

A set of publicity photos exist with the actors wearing these masks. Events must have been moving very quickly as the designs were changed on two more occasions.There has been debate over the years as to which episode was actually filmed first which has finally been resolved by the discovery of some footage with the 'clapperboard' clearly visible. The date...29th of June 1966. The episode 'Programmed For Death'.