Herbie J. Pilato

In 1972 a wandering Shaolin monk walked out of the Old West and into the imagination of an entire generation of TV viewers. The weekly Kung Fu series sparked a revolution of interest in Eastern philosophy and martial arts, a revolution that is still going on today through the new hit series Kung Fu: The Legend Continues.

The Kung Fu Book of Caine is the complete episode-by-episode guide to America's first mystical Eastern Western. Author Herbie Pilato had unprecendented access to materials previously unavailable to the show's millions of fans. He provides in-depth background information, behind he scenes photographs, and summaries of sixty-two weekly shows plus all the Kung Fu TV movies that not only capture the weekly plots but also explore the themes drawn from the Eastern philosophy of Masters Po and Kan. David Carradine, star of this remarkable series, offers his own thoughts on the Kung Fu phenomenon, nearly twenty years later, in the books foreword.

Author Herbie J. Pilato is an actor and songwriter. His previous book is Bewitched, about the popular TV sitcom.

Contents

Foreword by David Carradine
Preface
Acknowledgments
Part One The making of kung fu
Chapter One The appeal of grasshopper
Chapter Two Creations
Chapter Three The Shaolin way
Capter Four Kwai Chang Caine
Chapter Five Masters and other supporting characters
Chapter Six Behind the scenes
Part Two The stories of kung fu
Chapter Seven First season episodes
Chapter Eight Second season episodes
Chapter Nine Third season episodes… (more)

A collection of 45 short profiles of popular young actresses of the 1950s through the 1970s, from Elinor Donahue and Gale Storm to Goldie Hawn and Mary Tyler Moore to Loni Anderson and Suzanne Summers. Interesting facts about them (like Hawn's start in ballet and go-go dancing), some of the profiles are better than others which is to be expected. Based on personal interviews and a variety of published resources. Author Pilato made good selections, but you'll disagree over some exclusions. For me it was Batgirl Yvonne Craig who only rated an honorable mention on the last couple of pages. Definitely worth it for Hollywood fans.… (more)