Everyone on this message board has such specific memories of "Hennesey." All I remember is that it was one terrific program. Apparently it had broad appeal, because I can remember my mother, in her late 40s, and I, in my early 20s, both sitting down to watch it and enjoying it tremendously. Probably Abby Dalton had a lot to do with a young man's attraction to it. I wish it would be brought out on DVD -- I would be first in line to buy it -- or that TV Land would run it. I do remember James Komack as the wacky dentist, and the gravel-voiced Roscoe Karns. I wish I could remember the theme music, since so many here have praised it. One episode does stick in my mind, perhaps because I faced the draft at the time: A young sailor was a draftee, and he caused some kind of trouble, or got into some kind of trouble. That impressed me, because by that time the other armed services were not drafting, except in rare instances of not meeting their recruitment quotas. Draftees all went to the Army.

I remember this show vividly from my childhood -- I was in grade school when it was on and can remember watching it every week with my parents. (I think one of the reasons I liked it was that my dad was in the Navy during WWII.) I have a vague recollection that one of the episodes featured Jackie Cooper visiting Pearl Harbor and that that show aired around December 7th. Like others who've written things here, I also remember it as a serious show (I was a serious kid) and that the theme music was very unusual.I'd love to see the entire series on DVD -- or better yet, on network TV. I keep reading that the networks have given up on Saturday evenings -- why not ditch the junk they are airing that night (nobody's watching anyway) and re-run classic series like Hennesey or The Law & Mr. Jones or The Defenders or Leslie Nielsen as the Swamp Fox (which I believe was Disney.) I think Baby Boomers would love the chance to see these "lost treasures" from the 50s and 60s again. And a whole new generation of kids would be exposed to entertaining-but-intelligent programs on network TV every Saturday night.

The TV series "Hennesey" had the greatest theme tune in the history of television ... hands down, no exceptions, bar none. Unfortunately, the series itself was not especially remarkable ... although it was an intelligent series, different from the usual fare. Before I describe that brilliant theme tune, let me describe the series itself."Hennesey" was one of the very first examples of a now-common practice: a TV series in which the leading actor is also the executive producer. Former child actor Jackie Cooper was active for many years in the Naval Reserve as a pilot, and he put his real-life experience to work in this series. Cooper starred as Lieutenant Charles Hennesey, a Navy doctor stationed at an onshore Naval base in California. "Hennesey" was nominally a comedy, but all of the situations and characters were realistic ... unlike the supposedly realistic "M*A*S*H", "Hennesey" never introduced an implausible situation for the sake of a cheap laugh. Much attention was devoted to character delineation and interaction in a realistic (peacetime) military setting. The biggest problem with this series was that it took place in a U.S. military base in the early 1960s yet managed to avoid any mention of Vietnam.Although Cooper was the star and central character, this was an ensemble show. Arte Johnson (pre-"Laugh-In") had a good role as a wise-cracking, cynical "squid" (seaman first-class). James Komack played the least plausible character: a noncom who came from a wealthy family, and who therefore felt he didn't have to follow the same rules as everyone else. (So why didn't he buy his way out of military service?) I accept that people like this exist, but they're not normally found in the military. Komack's acting career never took off, but he later became immensely successful as a TV director and producer."Hennesey" was also innovative in its use of screen time. Each episode's dialogue typically began over the opening credits for that episode: this is commonplace nowadays, but "Hennesey" was the first TV series to do this.And now for that great, great, GREAT theme tune: In keeping with this show's naval theme, composer Sonny Burke wrote a jaunty ragtime hornpipe tune for tuba and piccolo (interesting combination!) to a syncopated jazz beat, with an entire Marine Band coming in after the first 16 bars. The tune had no lyrics, but it's extremely whistle-worthy. I can't understand why the "Hennesey" theme is never included in those compilations of all-time great TV theme songs. The "Hennesey" hornpipe is infinitely better than the overrated "Hawaii Five-O" theme which so many people make too much fuss over."Hennesey" is a good show that deserves to be revived, and its theme tune deserves to be much better known. It's an unusual series -- a comedy without belly laughs, a drama without serious crises; always intelligent -- and I can understand why it has been forgotten. Most people would rather watch endless repeats of "Gilligan's Island" or "The Brady Bunch", or some other piece of mindless stupidity.

I worked with Don at KHJ-TV in Hollywood in the early 70's, and he said he "controlled" 'Hennesy,' and would NEVER let it be re-run. Being a pretty contentious guy he said he didn't need a reason, but I watched every episode and, believe me, it would hold up VERY WELL by today's TV standards (is that an oxymoron?) But seriously, folks, Hennesy, even though it is black and white, could, of course, be colorized; and I sincerely hope that his estate, or whomever owns the show now, would consider releasing it; at least on video...I would be the first customer in line for all 96 episodes. Thanks for letting me put in my 2c worth.