What ships from the 1960's are these?

[bluemarble]

I watched an old episode of the TV show "Mission Impossible" with a plot that takes place on a ship. The episode is called "The Emerald". It first aired on January 21, 1968. My curiosity got the better of me when I noticed that episode appears to use a mixture of external shots of several different ships. Here are some screen grabs from that episode all pretending to show a ship named SS Queen of Suez on a voyage from Beicosia (which I assume is a made-up port name) to Tangier.

 

Scene 1

 

Scene 2

 

Scene 3

 

Scene 4

 

Scene 5

 

I'm pretty sure Scene 1 and Scene 5 are both showing RMS Queen Mary but I can't identify the others.

 

There's not a lot to go on in Scene 2 other than the logo on the gangway. Is that the logo of a real shipping line from the 1960's that anyone recognizes?

 

It's probably hopeless to identify the ship in Scene 4 but maybe someone recognizes that funnel color scheme to identify the shipping line at least.

 

My main question is what ship is being shown in Scene 3? There should be enough to go on there to identify that ship. The red funnels have me thinking that might be another Cunard ship, but I'm coming up empty so far trying to match it.

 

Can anyone confirm for me that Scene 1 and Scene 5 are indeed showing RMS Queen Mary and help me identify any of the other ships, especially the ship in Scene 3?

[cruisemom42]

Your image #3 sure looks like the Queen Elizabeth to me.

[neverbeenhere]

I’m with the Queen Elizabeth. Counting lifeboats and positions.

 

imdb says one is a freighter?

[bluemarble]

Thanks for the replies. I had discounted #3 as being RMS Queen Elizabeth because the funnels looked too short and squat to me. But maybe it's just the angle. The other details of the ship in #3 do look a lot like the original Queen Elizabeth.

 

I also saw that comment in IMDb about one of them being a freighter. Perhaps that's referring to #4 (or perhaps I missed a scene). Hard to tell one way or the other about #4, I suppose.

[crossingfan]

Number 3 is the French Line ship Liberte.  A former German liner of the 30's . She was war reparation for the loss of Normandie

[bluemarble]

42 minutes ago, crossingfan said:

Number 3 is the French Line ship Liberte.  A former German liner of the 30's . She was war reparation for the loss of Normandie

 

Thank you for that identification. Number 3 does indeed look like SS Liberté now that I know what to look for. Since Liberté was retired in 1962, that means they must have dug up some old stock footage to use in that episode of "Mission Impossible" first aired in 1968, but nothing too unusual about that.

[CGTNORMANDIE]

Scene 1:  looks like the stacks of the Cunard Mauritania...definitely not Queen Elizabeth.
Scene 2:  looks like ???

Scene 3:  definitely the French Liner Liberte’. 
Scene 4:  ???
Scene 5:  definitely the Queen Mary.

[Bigmike911]

Scene one QE or QM. QE had two funnels, QM three, Scene three Isle de France, Scene five QM. 

[Lanky Lad]

I think 4 could be MV Rotterham

[rkacruiser]

6 hours ago, Bigmike911 said:

Scene three Isle de France,

 

No.  It is the Liberte.  Even when the Isle de France had a funnel removed, that did not alter the forward two funnels.  

[rkacruiser]

Scene #4 is just too dark and too little to see to make an identification.  The 3 bands around the funnel make me wonder if it is a NYK line vessel.  But, those bands appear to be white and the ones that I have seen on Crystal Cruise vessels when they were under the NYK umbrella were black and they were around the mast, not the funnel.  

[bluemarble]

9 hours ago, Lanky Lad said:

I think 4 could be MV Rotterham

 

I'm intrigued. Can you tell me a bit more about MV Rotterham?

[bluemarble]

After reading the suggestions for the ship in Scene 1, I'm still thinking that's RMS Queen Mary. I'm basing that on the three large air ventilation scoops visible along side the funnels which appear to be square in the Scene 1 image. I don't think RMS Queen Elizabeth had air vents as prominent as those and I think those on RMS Mauretania were round. Does that make sense or am I looking at that incorrectly?

[Lanky Lad]

15 hours ago, bluemarble said:

 

I'm intrigued. Can you tell me a bit more about MV Rotterham?

It was very much like the Rotterdam but with a hint of pork.

[shipgeeks]

I'm intrigued by the script on the gangway in #2:  "-- Line", in a semi-cursive style.  My immediate thought was French Line, as it looks quite similar to our French Line posters and items.  But on further examination, I see some difference.

What line might it be?

[Lowiepete]

On 12/21/2020 at 9:54 PM, shipgeeks said:

I'm intrigued by the script on the gangway in #2:  "-- Line", in a semi-cursive style.  My immediate thought was French Line,

 

I agree, it _is_ French Line, which is what the company was known as in the USA. The port is definitely New York, at Pier 88

 

With Season's Greetings,

Steve

[Lowiepete]

I think the giveaway in scene 1 is the shelter boxes at the end of the bridge wings. Definitely fitted to the QM, definitely not on the Mauretania and which was painted in Cunard Cruising Green in 1961, dunno about the QE...

 

With Season's Greetings,

Steve

Edited December 25, 2020 by Lowiepete

[shipgeeks]

5 hours ago, Lowiepete said:

 

I agree, it _is_ French Line, which is what the company was known as in the USA. The port is definitely New York, at Pier 88

 

With Season's Greetings,

Steve

Thank you!  

Sometimes, on reading these posts, I fantasize that I am at a dinner table with all of you knowledgeable, interesting people.

Season's Greetings to all of you.

[rkacruiser]

5 hours ago, shipgeeks said:

Thank you!  

Sometimes, on reading these posts, I fantasize that I am at a dinner table with all of you knowledgeable, interesting people.

Season's Greetings to all of you.

 

Enjoying a HH or more might promote even more discussion!  Season's Greetings to you as well!

[CGTNORMANDIE]

12 hours ago, Lowiepete said:

I think the giveaway in scene 1 is the shelter boxes at the end of the bridge wings. Definitely fitted to the QM, definitely not on the Mauretania and which was painted in Cunard Cruising Green in 1961, dunno about the QE...

 

With Season's Greetings,

Steve

The Mauritania II was painted in traditional Cunard colors until 1961.  I think you’ve got it with the shelter boxes.  I’ll go with QM based on your expertise.  

Edited December 25, 2020 by CGTNORMANDIE

[CGTNORMANDIE]

34 minutes ago, CGTNORMANDIE said:

The Mauritania II was painted in traditional Cunard colors until 1961.  I think you’ve got it with the shelter boxes.  I’ll go with QM based on your expertise.  

I have now re-examined scene I and agree with Lowiepete.  It is the RMS Queen Mary I.  

[john watson]

On 12/20/2020 at 4:27 AM, CGTNORMANDIE said:

Scene 1:  looks like the stacks of the Cunard Mauritania...definitely not Queen Elizabeth

 

RMS Mauretania (1906) had four funnels which were much taller and thinner.  RMS Mauretania (1938) had funnels of this proportion and only two.  That does not mean that there is not a third one we cannot see.  If you look at the bridge wing there is a sentry box arrangement at the extremity. This type of set up was not the type of bridge wing  the 1938 ship had.  The picture is almost certainly RMS Queen Mary.

 

Regards John