A year before Michael Myers started terrorizing her in Halloween, Jamie Lee Curtis was part of the ensemble cast of "Operation Petticoat," a 1970's television comedy based on the movie of the same name. Curtis played Lieutenant Barbara Duran, a nurse who ends up traveling through the South Pacific in a pink submarine.

The sub in question, the USS Sea Tiger, is commissioned for duty during World War II, even though it definitely isn't sea-worthy. Because there wasn't enough gray paint to cover the hull, the Sea Tiger sets sail with just a few layers of pink primer paint. The pink becomes an oddly appropriate color after Captain Matthew Sherman (John Astin) rescues five stranded nurses, including the pretty Lt. Duran.

Much of the humor in "Operation Petticoat" comes from the battle of the sexes between the nurses and the sailors who share close quarters with them. One of the funniest ongoing battles occurs between Major Edna Hayward (Yvonne Wilder) and Chief Engineer Dobrich (Warren Berlinger). Typically, when Dobrich is stumped by a mechanical problem, Major Hayward finds a novel solution, such as using her girdle to keep the engine running.

"Operation Petticoat" sailed smoothly through its first season, especially with John Astin and Jamie Lee Curtis in the cast. One has to wonder, though, if Tony Curtis, who starred in the original 1959 movie, had anything to do with his daughter being cast in the TV series. The late, great comedian Jim Varney also had a supporting role as Seaman Broom.

For reasons that still aren't clear however, between the first and second seasons, most cast members were replaced with new characters, with Jim Varney and Melinda Naud surviving the change in command. Fresh off his stint on "Emergency," Randolph Mantooth started a tour of duty on the USS Sea Tiger as Lt. Mike Bender, but audiences didn't embrace the cast changes, sinking the show 10 episodes into the second season.

"Operation Petticoat" definitely was a quirky 1970's television show, and one that brings up fond memories for its fans. If you can find it on a retro TV station, it definitely is worth a look.