My love affair with the Harts
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I was over at The RollerBlog yesterday and she wanted to know, “Are there any seventies or eighties topics that you’d like to see covered in the RollerBlog?”
Immediately I thought of my favorite show in adolescence, “Hart to Hart.” I absolutely loved that show!
There they are with their patented looks. Jonathan has those raised eyebrows and a closed-lipped mouth. Not quite a smile, not quite a smirk. All business with a little bit of party behind those wide eyes.
And Jennifer has her come-hither look — eyes rimmed in black eyeliner her mouth open in a half smile as if she was gasping, but then realized the surprise was a sexy surprise. Or was that open mouth smile just a ploy to make her face look longer and thinner? Can’t tell.
And they’re both glamorous as evidenced by the tuxedo and the sparkly 1980s gown complete with plunging neckline and expensive earrings. Oh Jennifer, you high-class tease. Jonathan, I love your over sized bow tie; it’s almost stuck in Jennifer’s feathered hair.
The premise was simple, Jonathan Hart was a self-made millionaire and CEO of his own company, Hart Industries. I was never sure, as a 12-year-old, what his company did. But he had a huge office and a secretary. I was impressed and bought that back story without questioning its validity.
A little trivia learned at Wikipedia, “… the initial choice for the role of Jonathan Hart was Cary Grant. However, Grant (who was 75 years old at the time) had effectively retired from acting some years earlier. They then decided to find a younger actor who might embody the same style and persona that Grant was famous for and offered the role to Robert Wagner.”
Jennifer Hart, his wife, was a freelance journalist (something I had aspired to be. Can you feel the connection I felt to this character and the show?) They never had children, just a small dog named Freeway. Why Freeway? (Fake laughter, ala Jennifer Hart) “Because, darling, we found him wandering on the freeway, of course.”
Oh, right. Both Jonathan and Jennifer always called each other “darling.” As in, “He has a gun, darling, do whatever he says.”
So this extremely wealthy power couple, who drove matching convertible in the opening credits on the show — his was red and hers was pale yellow, I think — frequently found themselves in the midst of intrigue. Sometimes it was just a garden-variety mystery like embezzlement.
But more often than not there was a dead body in that hour long show.
I saw Jonathan wield a gun and throw a punch many a time. Jennifer was good at running away to safety and occasionally throwing her foot out to trip the killer while she was bound to a chair. Whatever the drama, the Harts always won.
I do remember one episode where the Harts were in a car chase on a winding mountain. I don’t remember if they were driving in one car together or if they both had separate cars and a third car, driven by the bad man, was chasing them down.
Whatever the case, they were able to shake the bad man, and the bad man paid the price of chasing down the Harts.
His car went hurtling over the side of the mountain and exploded in a fiery mess while Jennifer and Jonathan hugged and looked on. I think Jennifer murmured something like, “Mm-mmm.” And then with a little spring to her step, she turned away and they got into their car.
I do recall, at the age of 13 or so thinking, ‘What the f- Jennifer. You too, Jonathan. A man just died in a horrific crash. And now you’re just driving away? And you seem non-plussed regarding the craziness you just endured.’
But I always forgave that power couple. Because I loved them.
I loved them so much, that before the show aired on Wednesday nights at 10 pm (a little late for a seventh grader to stay up) I took my shower and dried and styled my hair — feathered just like Jennifer’s — to watch the show. I truly felt I had to get my hair just right before I watched.
It’s not like I wore an evening gown, though. Just pajamas and my wonderfully feathered hair as I imagined life as Jonathan Hart’s wife.
Complete with pale yellow convertible, darling.
Omg, I loved that show when it was on! I wonder if it’s on reruns anywhere? Didn’t they have a butler too? Or was that Magnum PI? I may have combined those two shows in my memory.
Nope, you’re not mixing shows. They had a butler/cook/housekeeper named Max — he of the gravelly voice. I don’t think it’s on re-runs, but I did find at Wikipedia that the first two seasons are out on DVD, baby!
Ah, yes, I was a regular watcher of the Harts — and loved Max, played by lovable but gruff Lionel Stander. Had a big old crush on Robert Wagner, a man born in a tuxedo, I believe.
Yeah, that Robert Wagner. I remember feeling so jealous FOR Stefanie Powers when I learned, in real life, Robert Wagner was dating and then married (I think) Jill St. John. Wench. Stefanie Powers had red hair, too. They had chemistry. Why did Jill have to muck that all up?
Oh wow, I am thinking I am too young again. I have heard of this show, but I have never seen it. I did watch copious amounts of Love Boat, Magnum PI, Knight Rider (my favorite when I was a kid — I so wanted a Kitt for myself), and Fantasy Island when I was still living with my real mom. Television watching was strictly curtailed when I went to live with Dad, so I could only watch ABC Nightly News with Peter Jennings, and then Highway to Heaven and Murder, She Wrote if I was good. Sometimes they even let me watch 3-2-1 Contact on PBS.
Oh blue, how old you make me feel. I can’t believe you’ve never seen the Harts! If I remember correctly, Love Boat and Fantasy Island were a two hour block one right after the other. I don’t remember what was on right before Hart to Hart. But it was awesome!
That sucks watching news and PBS with your dad.
Hi C-girl,
Yes, Hart to Hart was one of my favorites as well. Don’t know if you can still see any of the reruns or not?
They couldn’t have done much better for a sexy couple to attract both male and female viewers.
I haven’t caught any reruns, but as I told someone else, the DVD of the first two seasons is available now!
I remember Hart to Hart! Never missed it, and now of course, can’t remember a single thing about a single episode. But you left out Max! That was his name right – the butler/houseman/dogwalker kind of dude that never really did anything but complain?
Yes, good old Max was always left home with the dog to deal with the house. And he was always complaining.
Damn. I gotta learn to read your comment responses before I post my own. Hmpf.
No sweat, feel free to come back as often as you like :) Say whatever you want to say, Les. You know you’re my main shet bag.
I have never watched this but it sounds interesting. Reminds me of Dallas with the feathered hair and intrigue.
I always wonder how people really go around calling each other darling. Every once in a while I will think I should try and call Mr. S darling but I always end up feeling silly.
It is a silly word. Unless it’s said by Jennifer or Jonathan Hart. :)
Jennifer was good at running away to safety and occasionally throwing her foot out to trip the killer while she was bound to a chair
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God, this sums up so many tv shows/horror movies: Magnum PI, CHiPs, Remington Steele, Knight Rider, Miami Vice, The A-Team.
The only place you could regularly find a female asskicker was Dynasty. Joan Collins…shudder…
Yeah, I loved Joan Collins and Dynasty. That was stellar TV, baby!
I do recall, at the age of 13 or so thinking, ‘What the f- Jennifer. You too, Jonathan. A man just died in a horrific crash. And now you’re just driving away? And you seem non-plussed regarding the craziness you just endured.’
Totally!! That’s hilarious. And I remember watching that show, though 1979-1984 I was 4 to 9 years old. And even at that? I had a little girl crush on Robert Wagner. All my little girl crushes were dashing (at least in my mind), brunette, middle aged men. I don’t know WTF that was about hahaha.
I love remembering shows and movies from childhood. My sister was a big fan of nighttime soaps, even though she was only two years older than I was. We would watch Dallas and Falcon Crest every Friday, and then when it aired, Knot’s Landing at 9 on Thursdays. Good times. :P
Oh, that Jonathon with his smooth voice and cool demeanor. He was great. I never got into Falcon Crest or Knot’s Landing, but I did some time with Dallas.
Funny you should post about the Harts. Wife and I were in the doctor’s office yesterday, as we waited in an exam room we could hear another patient talking about his insurance, or lack of good insurance.
Carolyn mentioned how much the guy sounded like Robert Wagner.
I responded, Can’t be Robert Wagner, I bet he has better health insurance!
Yeah, I’ll bet Robert Wagner’s doctor even makes house calls.
Thank the Lord for cable, I still watch Hart to Hart movies to this very day!! Mike is NOT a fan. Don’t forget Max, the do all butler that really runs the show! (Fake laughter, ala Jennifer Hart) “Because, darling, we found him wandering on the freeway, of course.” — How great is that!
I’m not if it’s on the basic cable package we have. I do remember within the last two years catching one of the movies on some weird channel like the Hallmark Channel (which we no longer have).
But it was wonderful when I did watch that movie, darling!
[...] Under wife The following post over at Cardiogirl: My love affair with the Harts prompted me about something that happened at the doctor’s office yesterday, I neglected to [...]
Er…well…I guess a package of penii could get you many things!! hee Trust me…two words ain’t easy, just a test of your brain.
Want your own package? You can tell everyone they are lighthouses. Gummy lighthouses. Really, it says it right on the package! ;)
It’s so funny that you use that particular word “penii” because I *almost* used it at your place, but then got hung up on is it singular is it plural? Does it matter, Cardiogirl? It reads well.
I don’t want to make you mail me gummy lighthouses (wink, wink) but thank you for the offer :) I know you’d do it in a heartbeat.
I remember that show. I have one really vivid memory from it (I’m pretty sure it was from that show) – at the end of solving some case, Mr. and Mrs. Hart end up in a swimming pool and as they are plunging under, they kiss under water. For some reason (O.K., probably because I was always a hopeless romantic) that image has stuck with me to this day! Weird, the way our brains seize isolated images!
It seems to me they always ended the show with them sharing a kiss with the dangling implication that they would share “more.” At 13 that was about all I could handle. But I know what you mean. It is very weird the things our brains hold on to.
[...] And before you ask, yes, I’ve seen some actors who have piqued my curiosity. I already told you about Robert Wagner from Hart to Hart. [...]