It's not a movie, but this early '60s detective show had some amazing guest stars. I remember my parents wouldn't let me watch it (on too late). Finally, the first season (1963-64) is being released, at the end of April.
The guests on the first season alone include Suzy Parker, ZaSu Pitts, Ann Harding, Mary Astor, Za Zsa and Eva Gabor, Lizabeth Scott, Joan Blondell, Diana Dors, David Niven, Gloria Swanson, Una Merkel, Edward Everett Horton, Elsa Lanchester, The Lovely Carol Merrill, Spike Jones, Gloria Grahame, Rue McClanahan, Ed Wynn, Jayne Mansfield, Patsy Kelly, Don Ameche, John Cassevetes, Gene Raymond, Jeanne Crain, Betty Hutton, Buster Keaton . . .
"Burke's Law" finally on DVD
I'm looking forward to this as well. I got the recent FUGITIVE and ROUTE 66 releases, and was reminded how boringly formulaic they were.
But BURKES (and several others) continued a history of American TV that was littered with top-drawer guest stars. I don't think we've had anything comparable in decades. Tom Selleck's few apperances on FRIENDS, maybe the occasional Raquel Welch or pro ball player on SEINFELD...
But BURKES (and several others) continued a history of American TV that was littered with top-drawer guest stars. I don't think we've had anything comparable in decades. Tom Selleck's few apperances on FRIENDS, maybe the occasional Raquel Welch or pro ball player on SEINFELD...
I don't usually buy TV shows on DVD. I know of very few that deserve the "complete" treatment, but I have made exceptions in the cases of Alfred Hitchcock Presents and Twilight Zone.
However, after reading the flyer from VCI and watching the clips on their website, I think I may spring for Burke's Law. Ditto for their upcoming release of Honey West with Anne Francis later on this year (no exact release date yet).
However, after reading the flyer from VCI and watching the clips on their website, I think I may spring for Burke's Law. Ditto for their upcoming release of Honey West with Anne Francis later on this year (no exact release date yet).
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MissGoddess
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Hi Eve! I recently "discovered" this show which has been airing on The American Life Network and am happy to discover it's on dvd now. I will probably rent the discs first---if I'm happy enough I may get this show because the few I've seen were really excellent. I like it better than "Bat Masterson".
It's a "classy" show --- there have been many imitations since that have everything but the class...and the amazing guest stars.
It's a "classy" show --- there have been many imitations since that have everything but the class...and the amazing guest stars.
Why were these big-name Hollywood stars willing to be lured onto Little TV? So many shows did that during the '50s and '60s. Was it work alone? I wonder if the end of the studio system put everyone in a Dog Eat Dog position, taking whatever TV bone was thrown to them?
LUCY had a host of stars doing this - I had some belief that a lot of this was 'payback' for past friendships, but I'm sure "payment" was also an issue.
During the late '40s and early '50s, a lot of Hollywood stars created radio series almost solely because "we can't find scripts we like so we'll create our own and also maintain a weekly profile in American homes".
And the Variety Show Format helped this. One day, I'll have to scour the IMDB database to see how many TV shows were named after Hollywood stars? Lorette Young, etc. Dozens, I suspect. A hundred or more between 1950-1965?
LUCY had a host of stars doing this - I had some belief that a lot of this was 'payback' for past friendships, but I'm sure "payment" was also an issue.
During the late '40s and early '50s, a lot of Hollywood stars created radio series almost solely because "we can't find scripts we like so we'll create our own and also maintain a weekly profile in American homes".
And the Variety Show Format helped this. One day, I'll have to scour the IMDB database to see how many TV shows were named after Hollywood stars? Lorette Young, etc. Dozens, I suspect. A hundred or more between 1950-1965?
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moira finnie
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Hey, thanks for the heads up on Burke's Law. The guest stars and the goofy situations that Gene Barry and Regis Toomey observed were pretty amusing to me as a little kid. Most of all though was the sense of style that Barry tried to convey in a sixty minute show, as he continued to do in the more "with it" show of Name of the Game later in the '60s. The actor was probably one of the best dressed actors around this side of Cary Grant at the time.
Say, does anyone know if Run For Your Life with Ben Gazzara is ever going to be on dvd? I seem to remember it as something special (even if the lead character, who's supposed to have only 2 years to live, lived for three seasons!).
I'm surprised that Route 66 and The Fugitive weren't better, Ollie. Ah well, I think my nascent female instincts probably just found George Maharis, Glenn Corbett, and David Janssen appealing for some reason as a kid.
Say, does anyone know if Run For Your Life with Ben Gazzara is ever going to be on dvd? I seem to remember it as something special (even if the lead character, who's supposed to have only 2 years to live, lived for three seasons!).
I'm surprised that Route 66 and The Fugitive weren't better, Ollie. Ah well, I think my nascent female instincts probably just found George Maharis, Glenn Corbett, and David Janssen appealing for some reason as a kid.