Casablanca is one of the most beloved movies in history. When the American Film Institute listed its top 100 movies, the film from 1942 came in second, behind Citizen Kane and just ahead of The Godfather.
So perhaps its not surprising that Hollywood tried to take another bite from that apple. In 1955 ABC aired a Casablanca television series built around the continuing adventures of freedom-loving cafe owner Rick Blaine in the age of the Cold War. The show was part of a rotating series of dramas presented under the aegis Warner Bros Presents. Warner Bros had been the studio that made the original movie.
But the magic of the movie could not be recaptured, and the series ran for only ten episodes. What went wrong?
According to the book Short-Lived Television Series 1948-1978: Thirty Years of More Than 1,000 Flops by Wesley Hyatt, the problems began with casting. Humphrey Bogart had no interest in playing Rick Blaine again. The show’s director, John Peyser, set his sights on Anthony Quinn, but the actor’s asking price proved too high. So they ended up casting Charles McGraw—who, according to Peyser, “couldn’t act his way out of a hat.” Also, according to Peyser, the scripts were terrible.
With the benefit of hindsight, it’s easy to see another issue. The movie Casablanca was not only the story of the resistance movement during World War II but also a romance between Rick Blaine and Ilsa Lund (played by Ingrid Bergman), the woman who broke Rick’s heart in Paris.
The television show couldn’t easily bring back the Ilsa Lund character because of the way the movie ended, with Rick sending Ilsa away in a grand moment of self-sacrifice for a larger cause. In a speech for the ages Rick declared that their problems didn’t amount to a hill of beans in this crazy world, but here’s looking at you, kid.
In the television show, Rick didn’t have a “kid” to look at—except for one episode. Anita Ekberg, who like Bergman was Swedish, made a guest appearance playing a character named Katrina Jorgenson. Ekberg’s character was the center of attention when LIFE staff photographer Loomis Dean visited the set for photos. In the shots where Ekberg poses with Clarence Muse, who portrays Sam the piano player, Ekberg looks like she is just about to ask Sam to play As Time Goes By.
Dean’s camera knew what the show’s creators did not, because they capture what the show was missing. If Ekberg had been in more than one episode, maybe that would have been the beginning of a beautiful TV series.
Anita Ekberg and Clarence Muse appeared in the television version of Casablanca, which ran for ten episodes from 1955-56.
Loomis Dean/Life Picture Collection/Shutterstock
Anita Ekberg and Clarence Muse appeared in the television version of Casablanca, which ran for ten episodes from 1955-56.
Loomis Dean/Life Picture Collection/Shutterstock
Anita Ekberg and Clarence Muse appeared in the television version of Casablanca, which ran for ten episodes from 1955-56.
Loomis Dean/Life Picture Collection/Shutterstock
The television series Casablanca ran for ten episodes from 1955-56.
Loomis Dean/Life Picture Collection/Shutterstock
Anita Ekberg appeared in the 1950s television version of Casablanca.
Loomis Dean/Life Picture Collection/Shutterstock
Anita Ekberg appeared in the 1950s television version of Casablanca.
Loomis Dean/Life Picture Collection/Shutterstock
