Happy 50th Anniversary, Green Hornet!

Happy 50th Anniversary to The Green Hornet! It premiered on September 9, 1966 and although it only stayed on for one season, it has endured as a cult classic.

Van Williams and Bruce Lee starred as the legendary duo Green Hornet and Kato. Gaining clues and insight into the criminal world as millionaire charismatic newspaper owner Britt Reid, it gives the Green Hornet the leverage he needs to be the villain that's really the hero. Britt Reid and Kato got a little help from Lenore Case and District Attorney Frank Scanlan while they all tried to keep Mike Axford from trying to cause trouble while investigating the Green Hornet.

Van Williams' calm and cool demeanor gave off the appearance that the Green Hornet was more dangerous and calculating than the average crook or villain. While Bruce Lee's martial art skills were on display making Kato one of the most dangerous sidekicks around. The portrayal of Lenore Case by Wende Wagner was amazing because she wasn't shown as a damsel-in-distress but instead as a smart, capable and confident woman.

Something that I always paid attention to was that this show had great fashion from Britt Reid's stylish suits to Lenore Case's entire wardrobe. The clothes were simply amazing, the styles are still very wearable even today. I also noticed that even the Green Hornet and Kato's costumes had fantastic details to them. This show was a win-win overall with the action and adventure, acting and fashion.

I first saw this show on one of the retro channels and instantly became a fan. Although The Green Hornet premiered several month after the Batman TV series, I thought it was interesting that it had a more grittier feel to it compared to the wonderful campiness of Batman.

The Green Hornet was a great show and definitely deserves more appreciation. I do hope one day that series will eventually be available on DVD/Blu-ray. So far there has been no information about it. Until then I will just enjoy the show whenever it's shown on one of the retro channels. And speaking of retro channels, the Decades TV channel is currently showing a block of The Green Hornet episodes throughout the day, so check your local listing for times.