''World of Giants'' (a.k.a. ''W-O-G'') is an American

black-and-white Black-and-white (B&W or B/W) images combine black and white in a continuous spectrum, producing a range of shades of grey. Media The history of various visual media began with black and white, and as technology improved, altered to color. ...

science fiction Science fiction (sometimes shortened to Sci-Fi or SF) is a genre of speculative fiction which typically deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts such as advanced science and technology, space exploration, time travel, parallel unive ...

spy-fi television series that aired in syndication from September 5, 1959 until November 28, 1959. It starred Marshall Thompson and Arthur Franz.

Premise

American spy Mel Hunter, while on a covert mission, is shrunk to a height of six inches after an accident. This series stars Marshall Thompson as Federal Counter-Espionage Agent Mel Hunter, who uses his small size to infiltrate areas that a full-sized man could not. When not on assignment, he lives in a specially outfitted dollhouse-like miniature. The series co-stars

Arthur Franz Arthur Sofield Franz (February 29, 1920 – June 17, 2006) was an American actor whose most notable feature film role was as Lieutenant, Junior Grade, H. Paynter Jr. in ''The Caine Mutiny (film), The Caine Mutiny'' (1954). Early life Franz ...

as his full-sized partner, Agent Bill Winters. Thompson set up the premise in the show's opening voiceover:

Cast

* Marshall Thompson as Mel Hunter *

as Bill Winters *John Gallaudet as Commissioner Hogg * Marcia Henderson as Miss Brown

Episodes

Production

''World of Giants'' was produced by Ziv Television Programs, the company responsible for such hit TV series as '' Highway Patrol'', '' Sea Hunt'', and '' Bat Masterson''. Not a success, this series only lasted through its initial production order of 13 episodes. Thompson later went on to star in the (much more) successful CBS TV series ''

Daktari ''Daktari'' ( Swahili for "doctor") is an American family drama series that aired on CBS between 1966 and 1969. The series is an Ivan Tors Films Production in association with MGM Television starring Marshall Thompson as Dr. Marsh Tracy, a veter ...

'' (1966-1969).

In popular culture

Nearly a decade later, in 1968, a similarly-themed Irwin Allen science fiction TV series, entitled '' Land of the Giants'', starring

Gary Conway Gary Conway (born February 4, 1936) is an American actor and screenwriter. His notable credits include a co-starring role with Gene Barry in the detective series '' Burke's Law'' from 1963 to 1965. In addition, he starred in the Irwin Allen sci ...

and Don Marshall, ran on

ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster ** Disney–ABC Television ...

. Two years prior to that series, an animated kids TV show called ''

Tom of T.H.U.M.B. , commonly referred to as ''The King Kong Show'', is an Anime-influenced animation, anime-influenced series produced by Rankin/Bass Animated Entertainment, Videocraft International and Toei Animation. American Broadcasting Company, ABC ran the ser ...

'', aired as a part of The King Kong Show. In 1973 the

Hanna-Barbera Hanna-Barbera Cartoons, Inc. ( ) was an American animation studio and production company which was active from 1957 to 2001. It was founded on July 7, 1957, by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera following the decision of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer to c ...

's animated series ''

Inch High, Private Eye ''Inch High, Private Eye'' is a short-lived American animated television series produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions and broadcast on NBC from September 8, to December 1, 1973. The character was modeled after Maxwell Smart, the main character o ...

'', about a similarly small detective, premiered on NBC, airing for only one season.

References

External links

* * *{{epguides, WorldofGiants 1959 American television series debuts 1959 American television series endings English-language television shows First-run syndicated television programs in the United States Television series by Ziv Television Programs Television series by MGM Television Television series about size change Television shows set in England