Pioneers of Television (2008–…): Season 2, Episode 3 - Crime Dramas - full transcript

Narrator: CRIME DRAMAS REMAIN

ONE OF TELEVISION'S
MOST POPULAR GENRES,

RETELLING AGE-OLD STORIES
OF GOOD AND EVIL,

CRIME AND PUNISHMENT.

Connors: THE SHOWS
THAT WERE SUCCESSFUL

IS WHERE THE AUDIENCE
REALLY SAID

"GET THAT NO GOOD SON OF A"...

YOU KNOW, "GET HIM,
I CAN'T STAND HIM!"

Dickinson: A WOMAN?
"POLICE WOMAN"?

A WOMAN COP?

NOBODY THOUGHT
IT WOULD BE A HIT.



THE WHOLE IDEA WAS
TO MAKE IT ORDINARY.

THE END OF THE SHOW,
THE GOOD GUYS WIN,

THE BAD GUYS LOSE,
AND THE IDEAL MISSION

WAS OUT GETTING IN
AND GETTING OUT

WITHOUT ANYONE EVER
KNOWING WE WERE THERE.

Bain: WE NEVER SHOT ANYBODY.

EVER...

EVER!

I ADMIRED IT
AND I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE

INTERESTING TO DO ALL THESE
VARIOUS CHARACTERS.

Powers: LITTLE DID I KNOW I WAS
GOING TO MAKE

TELEVISION HISTORY.

Graves: BY GOLLY,
THEY WERE WELL DONE.

I CONSIDER THAT



A VERY FORTUNATE THING
TO HAVE DONE IN A CAREER.

Narrator: TOGETHER,
THEY TOOK A FAMILIAR GENRE

AND BROUGHT IT TO LIFE
FOR A NEW GENERATION

IN A FORM WE KNOW AS
THE TELEVISION CRIME DRAMA.

THEY ARE THE PIONEERS
OF TELEVISION.

OH, LISTEN, ONE MORE THING,
IT'LL JUST TAKE A SECOND.

Narrator: THEY CREATED
THE CHARACTERS

WE LOVED TO WATCH.

PETER WAS SO CHARMING,
AND YOU SAW HIM JUST

TAKING ALL THESE
BAD GUYS RIGHT DOWN,

YOU LOVED IT.

Connors: WELL, ABOUT EIGHT
OUT OF TEN TIMES,

I'D ENTER A ROOM AND THE GUY
WOULD STEP FROM BEHIND THE DOOR

AND HIT ME ON
THE BACK OF THE HEAD.

AND FRIENDS AND FANS WOULD
ALWAYS SAY, "JEEZ, JOE,

"YOU OUGHT TO LOOK
BEHIND THE DOOR

WHEN YOU GET INTO A ROOM,"
AND I'D SAY, "HEY,

IF I LOOKED BEHIND A ROOM,
THE STORY WAS OVER."

YOU DON'T KNOW
WHERE THIS MAN LIVES,

HOW TO GET
IN TOUCH WITH HIM?

Narrator: THEY
DEVELOPED NEW WAYS

TO TELL STORIES,
CAPTURING OUR ATTENTION

WEEK AFTER WEEK.

Friday: 7:48 P.M...
FRANK AND I PULLED

MILLER OFF THE JOB
AT THE COFFEE SHOP

AND TOOK HIM DOWNTOWN
TO THE OFFICE.

TO GO ON, MILLER.
YOU EITHER COME UP WITH

A SOLID STORY WE CAN CHECK ON,
OR YOU'RE

GONNA BE RESTING
YOUR BACK IN MAIN JAIL.

WHAT WAS REALLY GREAT ABOUT HIM
WAS THAT HE WAS ONE OF A KIND.

GET YOUR HANDS UP.
WHAT'S GOING ON?

STAND STILL.
WHAT'S THE BEEF?

I'LL CHECK 'EM, JOE.
PUT HIM DOWN.

GET 'EM UP.

IT WAS FRESH WHEN
IT CAME ON THE AIR.

IT WAS, LIKE, STARTLING TO SEE
PEOPLE DOING THIS KIND OF WORK.

Man: THIS TAPE WILL
SELF-DESTRUCT IN FIVE SECONDS.

GOOD LUCK, JIM.

WHEN I READ A SCRIPT, I SAID,
"NOW, WHERE DO WE END UP

"IN THIS CRAZY THING?

"AND HOW ARE WE
GOING TO GET THERE?

WOW, THIS IS INGENIOUS."

WE PLAYED MIND GAMES.

IT WASN'T AN
ACTION-ADVENTURE SHOW AT ALL.

IT WAS A PUZZLE.

IT'S THE WRITING.

WITHOUT THE WRITING,
YOU'RE GOING NOWHERE.

WHAT ARE YOU
WORRIED ABOUT?

WE'RE DOING WHAT
WE WERE TOLD TO DO.

WE'RE IN THE RIGHT PLACE
AT THE RIGHT TIME.

Narrator: THEY BROKE NEW GROUND,
HELPED US

SEE THE WORLD DIFFERENTLY.

WAIT A SECOND,
HOLD THE PHONE, WHOA.

HE WASN'T THE JACKIE ROBINSON
OF TV.

HE WAS JACKIE ROBINSON, PERIOD.

BECAUSE IF I MADE
SUCH A TREMENDOUS IMPACT

ON THINGS, IT WASN'T ENOUGH.

Man: 290 OUT OF
A POSSIBLE 300, PEPPER.

NOT BAD FOR A LADY COP.

THANKS, I TRY.

WE WERE GROUNDBREAKERS,
AND THAT'S FUN TO KNOW THAT.

THE STORY YOU ARE ABOUT
TO HEAR IS TRUE.

THE NAMES HAVE BEEN CHANGED
TO PROTECT THE INNOCENT.

BROUGHT TO YOU BY FATIMA.

THE DIFFERENCE IS QUALITY.

Narrator: 1949,
JUNE 3rd, 9:30 P.M...

A TURNING POINT
FOR THE CRIME DRAMA

AS AN OBSCURE NEW RADIO PROGRAM
PREMIERES ON NBC.

YOU ARE
A DETECTIVE SERGEANT.

YOU'RE ASSIGNED
TO HOMICIDE DETAIL.

A 38-YEAR-OLD
WOMAN DISAPPEARS.

SHE LEAVES HER SISTER
AND FOUR CHILDREN BEHIND.

THERE'S EVIDENCE
OF FOUL PLAY.

YOUR JOB... FIND HER.

Webb: IT WAS MONDAY,
JUNE 3rd.

IT WAS OVERCAST
IN LOS ANGELES.

WE WERE WORKING THE DAY WATCH
OUT OF HOMICIDE DETAIL.

MY PARTNER'S ED JACOBS,
THE BOSS IS THAD BROWN,

CHIEF OF DETECTIVES.

MY NAME'S FRIDAY.

SO, DO YOU HAVE
ANY IDEA WHERE...

Narrator: THIS SERIES TAKES
A RADICALLY DIFFERENT APPROACH.

THE SCRIPT HAS NO GUNSHOTS,
NO FIST FIGHTS,

AND NO ROMANCE.

INSTEAD, THE PROGRAM
FOLLOWS REAL STORIES

OF ACTUAL
POLICE DETECTIVE WORK.

IT'S NOT GLAMOROUS,
BUT IT'S AUTHENTIC.

I DON'T KNOW
WHAT SHE DOES

WHEN SHE GOES OFF
ON THOSE THINGS.

I DON'T WANT TO KNOW...
GETS DRUNK, I SUPPOSE.

WHAT ABOUT LAST TUESDAY,
THE NIGHT SHE DISAPPEARED?

DID YOU NOTICE IF
SHE'D BEEN DRINKING THEN?

YEAH, I HAD HER FOUR KIDS
TO RAISE, YOU KNOW.

Narrator: THE RATINGS...

WERE AWFUL,
BUT THE CRITICS LOVED IT,

AND NBC KEPT IT ON THE AIR.

GRADUALLY, AUDIENCES BEGAN
TO WARM TO THIS NEW APPROACH.

CASHED THE CHECK
THAT NIGHT

AND SAID SHE WAS
GOING TO KEEP ON...

Narrator: AND THEY'D
STICK WITH IT FOR DECADES.

WE ARGUED
AND I KILLED HER.

YEAH, WELL, I'M SORRY,
MA'AM, WE'LL HAVE TO GO.

Narrator: THE CREATOR OF THIS
NEW KIND OF DRAMA WAS JACK WEBB.

HIS RADIO SERIES
WAS CALLED "DRAGNET."

YOU'VE BEEN LISTENING
TO "DRAGNET,"

THE DOCUMENTED DRAMA
OF AN ACTUAL CRIME.

PRODUCED IN COOPERATION WITH

THE LOS ANGELES
POLICE DEPARTMENT.

YOU'VE TRAVELED STEP BY STEP
WITH THE LAW THROUGH

AN ACTUAL CASE TRANSCRIBED
FROM OFFICIAL POLICE FILES.

Narrator: IN 1951,

JACK WEBB ADDED A TELEVISION
VERSION OF "DRAGNET."

THE SERIES NOW HAD PICTURES,

BUT THE UNIQUE RHYTHM
WAS UNCHANGED.

WHERE ARE YOUR PALS?
WHAT PALS?

CLIFF SMALL AND GEORGE SHEM,
WE NOW YOU'RE RUNNING WITH THEM.

IF YOU KNOW THAT THEN
YOU KNOW WHERE THEY ARE.

HOW OLD ARE YOU?
18.

WHAT'S YOUR NAME?
JULIUS CARVER.

IT WAS TOTALLY DISASSOCIATED
FROM ANY KIND OF ACTING REALITY.

IT WAS... AND THAT'S
THE WAY THEY WANTED IT.

THEY WANTED IT FLAT,
THEY WANTED IT...

THEY WANTED THAT
KIND OF DELIVERY

THAT SUGGESTED THERE WASN'T
ANY ACTING GOING ON.

IT WAS SEMI-DOCUMENTARY STYLE.

Narrator: MANY ACTORS FOUND

THE "DRAGNET" CADENCE
CHALLENGING,

BUT JACK WEBB KNEW
HOW TO GET WHAT HE WANTED.

Cannell: JACK'S IN FRONT OF
THE WHOLE CREW, HE SAYS, "CUT!

WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"

AND THIS POOR ACTOR GOES,

"WELL, MR. WEBB,
I'M DOING THE DIALOGUE."

HE SAYS, "NO, YOU'RE NOT
DOING THE DIALOGUE.

"YOU'RE MAKING
A HAM SANDWICH.

BRING IT DOWN,
BRING IT DOWN."

SO JACK SAYS,
"ANYBODY GOT A NEWSPAPER?"

SO SOMEBODY HANDS HIM
THE L.A. TIMES,

AND HE HANDS IT TO THIS GUY
AND SAYS, "READ THAT."

AND THIS ACTOR GOES, "HUH?"

"READ THAT."

"DATELINE PARIS.

AT 6:00 THIS AFT..."

"THAT'S WHAT I WANT!"

SO IF YOU WERE PLAYING
A MURDERER, YOU MIGHT SAY,

"YEAH, I KILLED 'EM.

"I THINK THERE WAS
SEVEN OF 'EM, YEAH.

"NO, I SHOT THREE OF 'EM
AND STABBED THE REST,

"AND, YEAH, THAT'S ALL...
I DON'T KNOW.

"I DIDN'T... NO, I...
DID I KNOW THEM?

NO, I DIDN'T KNOW THEM,"
YOU KNOW, JUST...

YOU COMMITTED THE ROBBERY?
YEAH, I'LL TELL YOU.

ISN'T MUCH TO TELL, THOUGH...
PRETTY SIMPLE.

I WENT IN AND HELD THE PLACE UP,
TOOK THE MONEY.

THAT'S ABOUT ALL
THERE IS TO IT.

WERE YOU ARMED WHEN YOU
WENT INTO THAT GROCERY STORE?

YEAH, YEAH, I HAD A GUN.
WHAT KIND OF A GUN?

.32 AUTOMATIC,
HAD EIGHT BULLETS IN IT.

WHERE'S THE GUN NOW?
THREW IT AWAY.

WHERE?
ONE OF THE PONDS
UP IN FERNDALE.

YOU MEAN GRIFFITH PARK?
YEAH, JUST A LITTLE UP
THE CANYON THERE.

YOU KNOW WHERE IT IS?
SURE.

Narrator: JACK WEBB'S INSISTENCE
ON DEADPAN DELIVERY

MEANT HE WOULD BE AMONG
THE FIRST TO ADOPT

THIS NEW TECHNOLOGY
CALLED THE TELEPROMPTER,

WHICH ALLOWED ACTORS
TO READ THEIR DIALOGUE

AS THEY WERE ACTING.

WELL, I DIDN'T KNOW
THAT "DRAGNET"

WAS ALL DONE
BY TELEPROMPTERS.

I MEAN, EVERYTHING WAS ON
A YELLOW STRIP OF PAPER,

AND THEN IT WOULD
JUST SORT OF GO,

AND JACK WEBB READ EVERYTHING.

SO HE SAYS TO ME, "YOU'RE NOT
READING IT OFF OF THE TELE..."

YOU KNOW, "YOU'RE SUPPOSED
TO BE READING IT."

AND I SAID, "OH, WELL,
I KNOW MY LINES.

I LEARNED THEM."

HE GOES, "YOU READ IT OFF
OF THE TELEPROMPTER."

SO I STARTED SAYING THE LINES,
BUT OF COURSE MY EYES

WERE GOING BACK FORTH 'CAUSE
I'M LOOKING AT THIS TELE...

HE GOES, "IT LOOKS LIKE
YOU'RE READING IT."

I SAID, "WELL, I AM READING IT.

YOU JUST TOLD ME TO READ IT."

SO HE SAYS, "FORGET IT,
JUST DO WHAT YOU WERE DOING,"

SO I SAID, "OKAY,"
AND HARRY MORGAN

COMES UP TO ME,
"YOU'RE THE FIRST PERSON

"THAT HAS EVER BEEN
ON THIS SHOW

THAT'S BEEN ABLE TO GET AWAY
WITH MEMORIZING THEIR LINES."

Narrator: TELEPROMPTERS HAD
ANOTHER ADVANTAGE

JACK WEBB LIKED...
THEY SAVED MONEY.

BECAUSE ACTORS NO LONGER
HAD TO MEMORIZE THEIR LINES,

PRODUCTION COULD MOVE
MUCH MORE QUICKLY.

AN EPISODE THAT PREVIOUSLY TOOK
UP TO FIVE DAYS TO SHOOT

COULD NOW BE DONE IN JUST
A DAY AND A HALF,

AND THE INNOVATIONS
DIDN'T END THERE.

WATCHING AN OLD WESTERN,
WEBB REALIZED THAT

BIG MOVIE PANORAMAS DIDN'T WORK
ON THE TINY TVs OF THE ERA.

WEBB'S ANSWER WAS ONE OF

THE GREAT INNOVATIONS
OF EARLY TELEVISION...

THE CLOSE-UP.

Woman: SERGEANT?
YES, MA'AM?

THAT WAS JOHNNY JUST THEN.

HE WANTED TO MAKE SURE
I WAS GOING TO MEET HIM.

WHEN?
5:30, IN LAKE PARK.

WHICH SIDE, MISS?

Narrator: UNLIKE ANY
PREVIOUS SERIES,

"DRAGNET'S" CAMERAS WENT

CLOSE IN ON THE ACTORS' FACES
FOR THE WHOLE SHOW.

SUDDENLY, EMOTION WAS VISIBLE
ON EVEN THE SMALLEST SCREEN.

IT WAS A TECHNIQUE
THAT QUICKLY BECAME

A STAPLE OF TELEVISION
FOR DECADES TO COME.

BY 1953, DRAGNET WAS
A CULTURAL ICON

BURNED INTO THE NATIONAL
CONSCIOUSNESS,

BUT JACK WEBB DIDN'T POPULARIZE
HIS MOST FAMOUS LINE.

INSTEAD THAT HONOR GOES TO
SATIRIST STAN FREBERG.

Freberg: JACK WEBB
WALKS OVER TO ME

AND HE SAYS, "FREBERG,
I WAS WONDERING WHEN

YOU WERE FINALLY GOING TO
GET AROUND TO ME."

Narrator: FREBERG HAD APPROACHED
WEBB TO ASK PERMISSION

TO DO A "DRAGNET" PARODY RECORD.

WEBB AGREED, AND THE RECORD
IMMEDIATELY TOPPED THE CHARTS...

THE FASTEST-SELLING SINGLE
OF THE ERA.

I HAPPENED TO USE THE LINE,

"WE JUST WANT TO GET THE FACTS,
MA'AM," YOU KNOW?

'CAUSE I'D HEARD IN
ONE EPISODE OF "DRAGNET"

THAT HE USED THAT LINE.

Freberg: NO, MA'AM,
I DIDN'T SAY THAT.

JUST ROUTINE, MA'AM,
WE JUST WANT TO GET THE FACTS.

WE JUST WANT TO GET
THE FACTS, MA'AM.

WEBB SAID TO ME, "FREBERG,
I ONLY USED THAT IN ONE SHOW.

"NOW BECAUSE OF YOU I HAVE TO
PUT IT IN EVERY SHOW,

ABOUT THE FACTS,
'JUST GET THE FACTS, MA'AM. ""

Narrator: JACK WEBB'S
SUCCESS IN TELEVISION

LASTED NEARLY 30 YEARS
IN THREE MAJOR SERIES.

WEBB'S SHOWS FOCUSED ON
THE EFFECTS OF CRIME,

NOT THE CRIME ITSELF.

THAT MEANT WEBB'S CHARACTERS
ALMOST NEVER USED THEIR GUNS.

IT WAS A STARK CONTRAST
TO MOST OTHER CRIME DRAMAS.

Man: DON'T WATCH THE MAN
STROP THAT RAZOR.

WATCH THE MAN IN THE CHAIR.

HE'LL NEVER BE SHAVED.

IN TEN SECONDS,
HE WILL BE DEAD.

FIVE, FOUR, THREE,

TWO, ONE.

Narrator: ELIOT NESS
WAS AN AMERICAN HERO,

THE FBI MAN WHO PUT
MOBSTERS IN JAIL.

ONE ENTERTAINMENT EXECUTIVE
THOUGHT THE ELIOT NESS STORY

WOULD MAKE GREAT TELEVISION.

THE EXECUTIVE'S NAME
WAS DESI ARNAZ.

THE PROJECT WAS
"THE UNTOUCHABLES,"

THE MOST VIOLENT TV SHOW
OF THE ERA.

DESI ARNAZ WAS WELL KNOWN
TO AMERICANS AS THE STAR

AND PRODUCER OF "I LOVE LUCY."

WHAT MOST DIDN'T KNOW WAS THAT
DESI'S BEST FRIEND IN SCHOOL

WAS SONNY CAPONE...
AL CAPONE'S SON.

AFTER ELIOT NESS
WROTE HIS MEMOIR,

ARNAZ BOUGHT THE RIGHTS
AND CREATED A SHOW

THAT OUTRAGED MANY.

Man: STARRING ROBERT STACK
AS ELIOT NESS.

Narrator: EVERY EPISODE OF
"THE UNTOUCHABLES" WAS

SATURATED WITH GUNFIGHTS,

CAR EXPLOSIONS,
AND LOTS OF DEAD BODIES.

CRITICS DECRIED THE VIOLENCE.

THERE WAS EVEN
A CONGRESSIONAL INVESTIGATION.

BUT THE AUDIENCE LOVED IT.

IT WAS REFLECTIVE
OF WHAT WENT ON.

IT WASN'T...
GRATUITOUS VIOLENCE.

YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT
THE CHICAGO MOBS.

I REMEMBER LEWIS CHARLES AND I
WERE BEATING SOMEONE UP.

IT WAS VERY VIOLENT BECAUSE
YOU NEVER SAW HIM.

YOU JUST SAW OUR FACES
AND OUR BODIES.

AND YOU NEVER SAW WHAT WAS

HAPPENING TO THE PERSON.

FOR ME, THAT'S FAR MORE VIOLENT
THAN WHAT...

SOME OF THE THINGS YOU'RE SEEING
TODAY WHICH ARE SO GRAPHIC.

Narrator: TO PRODUCE
"THE UNTOUCHABLES,"

DESI ARNAZ PROMOTED AN EDITOR
FROM "I LOVE LUCY"

NAMED QUINN MARTIN.

IT WAS A TOUGH JOB.

MARTIN KNEW THE SHOW'S VIOLENCE
WAS THE KEY TO GOOD RATINGS,

BUT HIS WRITERS SOON RAN OUT OF
WAYS TO KILL PEOPLE.

HIS MEMOS REVEALED THE PROBLEM.

Man: "I WISH YOU COULD COME UP
WITH A DIFFERENT DEVICE

"THAN RUNNING THE MAN DOWN
WITH A CAR,

"AS WE HAVE DONE THIS NOW
IN THREE DIFFERENT SHOWS.

"I LIKE SADISM,

BUT I HOPE YOU CAN COME UP WITH
ANOTHER APPROACH TO IT."

Narrator: AFTER TWO SEASONS
OF "THE UNTOUCHABLES,"

QUINN MARTIN LEFT THE SERIES
TO STRIKE OUT ON HIS OWN.

BUT THE STUDIO, DESILU,

PUSHED ON SUCCESSFULLY
WITHOUT HIM.

IN 1967, DESILU PREMIERED
WHAT WOULD BECOME

ONE OF THE LONGEST-RUNNING
CRIME DRAMAS OF THE ERA...

"MANNIX,"
STARRING MIKE CONNORS.

"MANNIX" WAS PRODUCED
BY BRUCE GELLER,

WHOSE FIRST CONTRIBUTION
WAS SPEEDING UP THE PACE

OF THE TELEVISION CRIME DRAMA.

BRUCE TOLD ME, HE SAYS,
"YOU KNOW"... HE SAID,

"OVER THE YEARS, I'VE BEEN
WATCHING COMMERCIALS,"

AND HE SAID, "A COMMERCIAL IN,
LIKE, 30 SECONDS

"TELLS YOU A WHOLE STORY.

"THE WAY THEY DO THAT IS
THEY DON'T

SPELL EVERYTHING OUT."

Man: SUN COUNTRY...
THE NEW AIR FRESHENER

WITH THE OUTDOORS SCENT
YOUR MAN WILL REALLY GO FOR.

Connors: HE SAID, "I WANT
TO DO THAT WITH OUR SHOW."

THE AVERAGE SHOW WOULD HAVE
MAYBE 30 SET-UPS A DAY.

HE WOULD HAVE 50 SET-UPS A DAY,
SO WE WERE ABLE TO GET

MORE STORY IN
IN A DAY'S SHOOTING,

AND IT SEEMED LIKE
THE SHOW MOVED.

AND THAT WAS ALL
BRUCE'S THINKING ON IT.

HE WAS A VERY INNOVATIVE GUY.

HE WAS A TERRIFIC PRODUCER.

Narrator: THE MANNIX CHARACTER
WAS A BREAK FROM

THE UNFLAPPABLE,
ALL-BUSINESS CRIME SOLVER

OF "DRAGNET"
OR "THE UNTOUCHABLES."

MANNIX HAD EMOTIONS.

I MAYBE SHED MORE TEARS THAN
THE AVERAGE PRIVATE EYE.

I HIRED YOU
TO FIND A MURDERER,

NOT TO DIG UP
A WHOLE LOT OF DIRT!

IT GOES WITH THE JOB,
MRS. KOVAC.

Connors: AND I THINK
THAT SET "MANNIX"

OFF A GREAT DEAL FROM
THE OLD-TIME TV SHOWS.

PEOPLE SAID, "YOU KNOW,
IT'S A VERY REAL...

THERE'S SOMETHING VERY REAL
ABOUT THIS SHOW,"

AND I THINK IT...
THAT'S WHAT MADE IT CATCH ON.

Narrator: BUT "MANNIX" DIDN'T
CATCH ON RIGHT AWAY.

AFTER LOW RATINGS
FOR THE FIRST EPISODES,

THE SERIES WAS SET
TO BE CANCELLED.

ONCE AGAIN,
IT WAS A DESILU EXECUTIVE

WHO WOULD DICTATE THE FUTURE
OF A MAJOR CRIME DRAMA.

BUT THIS TIME, IT WASN'T DESI...
IT WAS LUCY.

Connors: SHE SAID,
"I WOULD LIKE TO

GIVE IT A LITTLE MORE TIME."

WELL, SHE HAPPENED TO BE
THEIR BIGGEST STAR,

AND WHAT LUCY WANTS,
LUCY GETS.

Narrator: GIVEN A SECOND CHANCE,
"MANNIX" WENT ON TO BECOME

AN EIGHT-YEAR SUCCESS
FOR CBS

AND PRODUCER BRUCE GELLER.

BUT IT WASN'T GELLER'S
BIGGEST HIT.

HE WAS SIMULTANEOUSLY
PRODUCING ONE OF

THE MOST INNOVATIVE
CRIME DRAMAS TV HAD EVER SEEN,

AND ONE OF THE BIGGEST HITS EVER
FOR DESILU STUDIOS.

LUCILLE BALL WAS
THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE

OF DESILU STUDIOS IN 1966.

THAT MEANT SHE COULD PICK
ANY SCRIPT SHE WANTED

AND CBS WOULD FUND THE PILOT.

BUT WHICH ONE?

LUCY COULDN'T DECIDE.

HER OPTIONS INCLUDED

AN UNCONVENTIONAL PROJECT
FROM BRUCE GELLER...

A CRIME DRAMA THAT PLAYED OUT
LIKE A CON GAME.

LUCY SAID SHE DIDN'T
UNDERSTAND IT,

BUT SHE GAVE
THE GREEN LIGHT ANYWAY

IMPOSSIBLE."

Man: THIS RECORDING WILL
SELF-DESTRUCT IN FIVE SECONDS.

GOOD LUCK, JIM.

LUCILLE BALL,
WHO PUT THE SHOW ON AT DESILU

WHEN WE FIRST WENT ON THE AIR,

I REMEMBER A CONVERSATION
I HAD WITH HER.

SHE SAID, "I DON'T
UNDERSTAND THE SHOW."

AND I SAID, "WELL,
DO YOU WATCH IT?

"DO YOU GO TO THE LADIES' ROOM,

OR DO YOU ANSWER
THE PHONE, OR..."

SHE SAID, "YEAH, WHY?"

I SAID, "YOU CAN'T DO THAT
WITH THIS SHOW."

AND SO I SAID,

"WHY DON'T YOU JUST
WATCH ONE THROUGH

WITHOUT BOUNCING
AROUND THE ROOM?"

AND ABOUT SIX MONTHS LATER,
SHE SAID TO ME,

"I UNDERSTAND IT NOW."

I SAID, "THAT'S BECAUSE YOU
PROBABLY STAYED SEATED,"

AND SHE SAYS, "YEAH."

Narrator: LUCILLE BALL NEVER
SECOND-GUESSED ANY

OF BRUCE GELLER'S DECISIONS,
EXCEPT ONE.

LUCY WANTED TO
APPROVE THE ACTRESS

WHO WOULD PLAY CINNAMON CARTER.

Bain: I WALKED IN,

SHE TOOK A LOOK AT ME,

SHE LOOKED AT ME HEAD TO TOE,

"LOOKS OKAY TO ME," SHE SAID.

THAT WAS IT!

SO I LOOKED OKAY TO HER

AND WALKED OUT OF THERE
WITH THE ROLE.

NOW, THE STATE DEPARTMENT
HAS BEEN ALERTED

TO GIVE YOU THE V.I.P. TREATMENT
WHEN YOU ARRIVE.

THIS IS YOUR INVITATION TO
THE FOREIGN MINISTRY RECEPTION.

ALL RIGHT.

WELL, THAT'S IT, THEN.

THE CREW OF THE B-52 MADE IT
SAFELY ACROSS THE BORDER.

WE'RE KEEPING THEM UNDER WRAPS

WHILE WE BRING BACK
THE PILOT TO BE CAPTURED.

GOOD LUCK, JIM.

Narrator: "MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE"
WAS DIFFERENT ON MANY LEVELS.

CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT
WAS MINIMAL.

THE INTRICATE PLOTS
WERE EVERYTHING.

AND THERE WAS NO
HUMOR ALLOWED,

NOT EVEN A SMILE.

I REMEMBER THE VERY FIRST
MISSION I DID.

AS WE CONQUERED THE VILLAINS,

I LET THE SLIGHTEST SMILE

JUST CREASE ONE SIDE
OF MY FACE.

THE NEXT DAY, BRUCE GELLER
WAS DOWN ON THE SET, SAYING,

"DON'T EDITORIALIZE."

HOW'S THAT?

"WALK AWAY, DO THE DEED,
WALK AWAY."

"HMM, OKAY, THAT'S DONE."

HE WAS VERY CLEAR ABOUT
WHAT HE WAS DOING.

AND THAT WAS AN INCREDIBLY
COMFORTING FEELING

TO KNOW THAT.

THAT... THAT IN ESSENCE
WE WERE IN GOOD HANDS.

WONDERFULLY,
IT WAS A CON GAME.

OUR JOB WAS TO CONVINCE
OUR OPPONENTS

TO DO WHAT WE WANTED THEM TO,

WHEN WE WANTED THEM TO,
HOW WE WANTED THEM TO,

BUT MAKE THEM THINK
IT WAS THEIR IDEA.

THAT'S IT IN A NUTSHELL.

TRY WRITING IT.

Narrator: "MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE"
EVEN DEVELOPED ITS OWN LANGUAGE,

CALLED "GELLERESE,"
ON THE SET.

THE GOAL WAS TO MAKE
THE ENEMIES SEEM SOVIET

BUT TO NEVER SAY THAT
OUT LOUD.

WE HAD A RUSSIAN REPORTER
ON THE SET ONE TIME.

HE WAS A RUSSIAN...

HE WAS A JOURNALIST
FROM PRAVDA.

AND HE SAID,
"WHY ARE YOU USING ALWAYS...

"YOU'RE NOT NAMING,
BUT YOU'RE USING RUSSIAN ACCENT.

WHAT IS THIS YOU ARE DOING?"

"I HAVE A 12-YEAR-OLD SON
WHO IS VERY BIG FAN

"OF YOUR SHOW.

"I LET HIM STAY UP SUNDAY NIGHTS
TO WATCH YOUR SHOW.

BUT IT'S VERY EMBARRASSING."

"WHY ALWAYS HAVE TO TELL SON
THAT BAD GUYS ARE LIKE ME?"

"YOU ARE TEASING US OR YOU ARE
AGGRESSOR OR SOMETHING."

I SAID, "I DON'T KNOW
ANYTHING ABOUT THAT.

"THAT SCRIPT SAID THAT
WE WERE IN RURITANIA.

NOW, THE ACCENT MIGHT BE
SIMILAR, I DON'T KNOW."

SO WE HAD FUN
WITH THOSE THINGS.

IN THE HEIGHT OF THE COLD WAR,

IMPOSSIBLE"
AS AN IDEALIZED VIEW

OF AMERICAN KNOW-HOW,
A FANTASY, THAT MAY HAVE

DRIFTED CLOSER TO REALITY
THAN ANYONE KNEW AT THE TIME.

Bain: I'M NOT SURE

I'M FREE TO TALK ABOUT THIS.

I'M REALLY NOT, BUT I HAVE BEEN
APPROACHED BY MANY A PERSON

WHO ASKED ME... LET ME PUT THIS
WITH SOME INTELLIGENCE...

WHO ASKED ME
HOW I KNEW ABOUT SOMETHING.

IT CHANGED A BIT ONCE THE...
ONCE THE YOUNG KIDS

DISAPPROVED OF THE VIETNAM WAR
AND SO FORTH

AND THOUGHT WE WERE MEDDLING
IN PLACES WHERE WE SHOULD NOT,

AND THAT SCARED THE NETWORK,

AND THEY SAID, "OKAY,
NEXT WE'VE GOT TO STOP

"GOING TO FOREIGN COUNTRIES
AND DOING TRICKS ON THEM.

"IT'S... WE CAN'T
DO THAT ANYMORE.

THAT'S NOT NICE."

AND SO IT WAS DECREED
THAT THE NEXT SEASON

WE WOULD ONLY FIGHT ORGANIZED
CRIME IN THE UNITED STATES.

AND THAT'S WHAT WE DID,
AND THAT'S WHEN I FELT

THE SCRIPTS STARTED TO LOSE
SOME OF THEIR POWER.

Narrator: FOR AN ACTOR,
"MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE"

MAY HAVE BEEN TV'S
BEST PLAYGROUND,

AN OPPORTUNITY
TO PUT ON A NEW FACE...

LITERALLY...

AND PLAY A DIFFERENT CHARACTER
EVERY WEEK.

Landau: OLDER, YOUNGER,
DIFFERENT DIALECTS,

YOU KNOW, GERMAN...

AH, SO,
YOU KNOW, YOU PLAY A GERMAN.

AND THEN NEXT WEEK A RUSSIAN,

A RUSSIAN FELLOW
WHO TALKS LIKE THIS.

OR A GANGSTER,
YOU KNOW, HEY, CHARLIE,

YOU KNOW, YOU NEVER KNOW
WHAT THE HECK YOU'RE

GONNA BE SAYING AND HOW
YOU'RE GONNA SAY IT,

YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?

SO IT GAVE YOU

A KIND OF FIELD DAY
AS AN ACTOR.

IMPOSSIBLE"
WAS MINIMAL DIALOGUE,

LOTS OF VISUAL EXPLANATION
OF THE PLOT,

AND I ADMIRED IT
AND I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE

INTERESTING TO DO
ALL THESE VARIOUS CHARACTERS.

I REALIZED THAT IT WAS

THE EXACT OPPOSITE OF
MY "STAR TREK" EXPERIENCE.

PLAYING SPOCK HAD BEEN ALL ABOUT
MY INTERNAL LIFE,

AND I COULD LIVE WITH THAT
AND WORK WITH THAT,

AND, AS AN ACTOR, IT WAS GREAT
MATERIAL TO DEAL WITH.

I HAD NONE OF THAT ON "MISSION."

IT WAS ALL SUPERFICIAL.

ONCE I GOT
THE DIALECT DOWN RIGHT

AND WE GOT THE MAKEUP
DOWN RIGHT,

IT WAS DONE... IT WAS OVER.

PEOPLE IN MANY OF THE SHOWS
THAT I WAS IN, PEOPLE WOULD...

THEY DIDN'T REALIZE
I WAS IN THE SHOW

BECAUSE I WAS HIDDEN BEHIND
SO MUCH MAKEUP, YOU KNOW?

THE FUN OF IT WAS THAT
I GOT TO PLAY

SOMEBODY DIFFERENT EACH WEEK
AS WELL AS JIM PHELPS.

I HAD THE BEST POSSIBLE ROLE

FOR A YOUNG ACTRESS
ON TELEVISION.

I GOT TO LOOK GREAT,
WEAR WONDERFUL CLOTHES,

AND THEN BE THROWN IN
A PRISON CAMP

AND BEG FOR MY LIFE.

WHAT DO YOU WANT?

LET ME OUT OF HERE!

PEOPLE WERE ALWAYS KIND OF
DOING THAT WHEN THEY MET ME.

"IS THAT REALLY YOU?"
YOU KNOW,

AND... 'CAUSE I HAD
A PARTICULAR WAY OF PEELING IT.

I DIDN'T DO THAT, I SORT OF
LIFTED IT FROM THE SIDE.

Narrator: "MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE"
WAS JUST ONE OF A RAFT

OF SPY-THEMED CRIME DRAMAS
IN THE MID-1960s.

MOST WERE JUST GOOD FUN.

BUT ONE AIMED MUCH HIGHER.

I'VE GOT ONE LETTER
DOWNSTAIRS FOR YOU

FROM MY MOTHER.

ALL RIGHT.

YOU DON'T MIND IF I
READ IT, DO YOU?

Narrator: TODAY, THIS SCENE
APPEARS... UNREMARKABLE,

UNTIL YOU REALIZE
YOU'RE SEEING SOMETHING

NEVER BEFORE PORTRAYED
ON TELEVISION.

OR IN THE MOVIES.

OR EVEN ON THE STAGE...

AN AFRICAN-AMERICAN MAN
AND A WHITE MAN

PERFORMING TOGETHER
AS EQUALS.

ARE YOU GOING TO BE
OUT LATE TONIGHT?

YOU GET ONE LETTER FROM MOM,
AND YOU START TO SOUND LIKE HER.

NO ONE HAD EVER
DONE THAT BEFORE, EVER,

GOING ALL THE WAY
BACK TO THE GREEKS.

END OF STATEMENT.

THAT'S HOW MUCH OF
A GROUNDBREAKER BILL WAS.

Narrator: BILL COSBY TAKES
A MORE MODEST VIEW OF HIS IMPACT

AS THE FIRST
AFRICAN-AMERICAN MAN

IN A LEADING ROLE
ON TELEVISION.

BECAUSE IF I MADE SUCH
A TREMENDOUS IMPACT

ON THINGS, IT WASN'T ENOUGH.

Narrator: "I SPY," STARRING
ROBERT CULP AND BILL COSBY,

WENT INTO PRODUCTION
IN MID-1965,

JUST WEEKS AFTER
THE MARCHES ON SELMA.

RACIAL TENSIONS
WERE AT A BOILING POINT.

Cosby: SEE,
I'M JUST FROM A TIME WHEN

WE HAD TO THINK ABOUT WHAT
A NON-BLACK PERSON WAS DOING

AND WHETHER IT WAS AGAINST US,

AND SO THE FIGHT
WITH THE MARCHES

AND THE PEOPLE OF
ALL COLORS WHO JOINED

FOR THE ACTIVISM

TO BUST AS MUCH
AS THEY COULD.

Narrator: "I SPY" HELPED
BUST RACIAL STEREOTYPES

FOR MILLIONS OF AMERICANS,

BUT ACTING IN A SERIES WAS
A CHALLENGE FOR BILL COSBY,

AT FIRST.

A STAND-UP COMEDIAN,
COSBY HAD NO ACTING EXPERIENCE.

AFTER SHOOTING
THE FIRST EPISODE,

SERIES PRODUCER SHELDON LEONARD
WANTED TO FIRE HIM.

WHAT SHELDON WAS DOING
WHEN HE CALLED ME TO SAY,

"THEY WANT TO GET RID OF COS
AND REPLACE HIM,"

AND I SAID, "FINE, DO IT,
YOU'LL HAVE TO REPLACE ME TOO."

THAT'S QUOTE-UNQUOTE.

WE'VE LEFT HIM ALONE.

NOT EXACTLY.

NANCY.
NANCY.

WHY DID WE SAY THAT?

WE HAVEN'T
CHECKED HER OUT YET.

BECAUSE SHE'S AN ANGEL.

SHE WILL DO WHAT SHE MUST,
SHE TOLD ME SO.

"WHATEVER IT IS,"
SHE TOLD ME THAT TOO.

THE BELL JUST RUNG.

SHE WAS KIM'S IDEA.

Narrator: COSBY QUICKLY REFINED
HIS ACTING TECHNIQUE,

AND THE CHEMISTRY

WITH CULP FUELED
THE SERIES' SUCCESS.

THE TWO MEN AGREED
THAT THE BEST WAY

TO TALK ABOUT RACIAL ISSUES
WAS TO SAY NOTHING,

TO PORTRAY A WORLD
WHERE RACE WAS IRRELEVANT.

HE CAME IN AND HE SAID,
"LISTEN.

"OUR TELEVISION SERIES
IS A STATEMENT

BY BEING A NON-STATEMENT."

I SAID, "DONE."

AND WE SHOOK HANDS ON IT.

AND WE NEVER
TALKED ABOUT IT AGAIN.

Narrator: "I SPY"
WAS A BREAKTHROUGH

FOR AFRICAN AMERICANS,
BUT MANY OTHER RACIAL

AND ETHNIC GROUPS WERE STILL
ABSENT FROM TELEVISION.

THE PICTURE CHANGED IN 1969
WITH THE PREMIERE

OF "HAWAII FIVE-0."

SHOT ON LOCATION ON THE ISLANDS,

"HAWAII FIVE-0" FEATURED
MANY PEOPLE OF COLOR...

PACIFIC ISLANDERS,
JAPANESE, CHINESE,

PLAYING BOTH THE BAD GUYS

AND THE GOOD GUYS.

I'LL CALL IN,
TELL THE BOSS

THE GUY IN THE CLOTHING STORE
IDENTIFIED FRANKLIN.

HE MUST BE HOLED UP
IN THE BLOCK SOMEWHERE.

HOLD IT, KONO.

OVER THERE.

NAME'S TATO.

HE'S A TORPEDO
FOR BACA.

WHAT'S HE DOING HERE?

WELL, LET'S FIND OUT.

Narrator: AT THE CENTER
OF "HAWAII FIVE-0"

WAS JACK LORD,
AN EXPERIENCED ACTOR

WITH A REPUTATION FOR TAKING
THE ROLE OF STEVE McGARRETT

VERY SERIOUSLY.

I WOULD SAY, "LOOK, JACK,
WE CAN PUT A LITTLE BOX

TO HELP YOU GET OVER
CLIMBING OVER THIS WALL."

HE SAYS, "I WANT IT
TO LOOK HARD, YOU KNOW?"

AND HE WOULD SAY,
"McGARRETT IS SCARED.

"THIS GUY'S TRYING TO KILL HIM
AND HE DOESN'T KNOW

WHERE HE'S COMING FROM,
YOU KNOW?"

SO HE HAD A LOT OF GOOD STUFF,

BUT YOU ALSO HAD TO STAGE
SO THE TRADE WINDS

WERE BLOWING INTO HIS FACE,

NOT BLOWING HIS HAIR UP
FROM THE BACK.

Narrator: BEFORE
"HAWAII FIVE-0,"

JACK LORD HAD STARRED IN
A LONG LIST OF FEATURE FILMS

AND TV WESTERNS,

OFTEN PLAYING TOUGH,
INTENSE CHARACTERS,

FORESHADOWING THE ROLE
THAT WOULD MAKE HIM FAMOUS.

I'M AN EYEWITNESS TO
THE WHEREABOUTS OF A PERSON

WRONGFULLY SUSPECTED
OF MURDER.

NOW, WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES IT
MAKE WHAT COUNTRY IT IS?

LOOK, LIEUTENANT,
SHE'S INNOCENT.

SHE NEEDS SOMEBODY
TO STAND UP FOR HER.

Narrator: JACK LORD WAS ALSO
AN ACCOMPLISHED PAINTER,

LICENSED PILOT,

AND EXPERIENCED SAILOR,
A WORLDLY RESUME

THAT BROUGHT AUTHENTICITY
TO HIS CHARACTERIZATION

OF "HAWAII FIVE-0'S"
STEVE McGARRETT.

GET UP THE HILL,
BOTH OF YOU!

GO!

Narrator: JACK LORD'S
REPUTATION AS

A WORKAHOLIC AND PERFECTIONIST
GREW EVEN STRONGER

WHEN SERIES CREATOR
LEONARD FREEMAN

PASSED AWAY IN 1974

AND LORD TOOK GREATER CONTROL
OVER DAY-TO-DAY PRODUCTION.

LORD DEMANDED
EVERYONE'S BEST WORK,

RIGHT UP TO
THE VERY LAST EPISODE.

HE TOOK IT VERY SERIOUSLY.

YOU KNOW,
THIS WAS THE LAST SHOW.

HOW MANY YEARS HAD THAT BEEN ON?

BOY, YOU'D THINK
IT WAS THE FIRST SHOW.

YOU WOULD HAVE THOUGHT IT WAS
THE PILOT, HE WAS SO INTO IT.

YOU'RE UNDER ARREST.

FOR MURDER.

BOOK 'IM, DANNO.

Narrator: WHEN THE SERIES
FIRST PREMIERED,

HAWAII HAD BEEN A U.S. STATE
FOR ONLY NINE YEARS.

AUDIENCES ENJOYED
GETTING A GLIMPSE OF

THE EXOTIC LOCATIONS THAT VERY
FEW MAINLANDERS HAD SEEN BEFORE.

WHILE GUEST STARS WERE
FLOWN IN FROM HOLLYWOOD,

MOST OF THE SHOW'S PERFORMERS

WERE HAWAIIANS,
A FIRST FOR AMERICAN TELEVISION.

THE ASSISTANT DEAN OF WOMEN
CONFIRMED THE VICTIM'S IDENTITY.

MIRA BAI.

CHIN, GET OVER TO
THE WOMEN'S DORM

AND SEE HOW MANY FRIENDS
OF THE VICTIM YOU CAN FIND.

Narrator: DESPITE THE MANY ROLES
FOR PEOPLE OF COLOR,

"HAWAII FIVE-0'S"
PROGRESSIVE CASTING

DIDN'T EXTEND TO WOMEN.

THIS WAS A NEARLY
ALL-MALE SHOW.

BREAKTHROUGHS FOR WOMEN
WOULD HAVE TO COME ELSEWHERE.

IN "HONEY WEST,"
ANNE FRANCIS BECAME

THE FIRST WOMAN TO
HAVE THE LEADING ROLE

IN A TV CRIME DRAMA.

A FEW MONTHS LATER CAME
"THE GIRL FROM U.N.C.L.E.,"

STARRING STEFANIE POWERS.

WHEN I LOOK AT THEM,
THEY ALL LOOK LIKE

CARTOONS TODAY,
BUT THEY WERE...

THEY WERE KIND OF FUN.

Narrator: A SPIN-OFF
FROM THE POPULAR

"MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E." SERIES,

"THE GIRL FROM U.N.C.L.E."
TOOK A MORE CAMPY APPROACH,

CLOSET TO THE STYLE
OF "BATMAN."

BUT NBC DIDN'T LIKE
THE LIGHTER TONE

AND WANTED STEFANIE POWERS
TO PLAY IT STRAIGHT.

NBC KEPT SENDING NOTES
DOWN TO US TO SAY,

"THEY OUGHT TO TAKE THIS
MORE SERIOUSLY."

I SENT THEM A PHOTOGRAPH OF ME
HANGING UPSIDE DOWN IN

A HAREM COSTUME WITH MY HANDS
TIED BEHIND MY BACK

WHILE THEY DRIPPED
OIL ON MY FEET

TO TORTURE ME,
SAYING, "SPEAK, SPEAK,"

YOU KNOW, WE'RE SUPPOSED TO
TAKE THAT REALLY SERIOUSLY.

Narrator: ONE WAY
"THE GIRL FROM U.N.C.L.E."

MADE AN IMPACT
WAS ON FASHION.

STEFANIE POWERS' MOD OUTFITS
WERE THE FORERUNNERS

OF A MAJOR NEW TREND.

Powers: I WAS SPENDING
A LOT OF TIME IN ENGLAND,

VERY WELL ACCUSTOMED TO
THE LIFESTYLE IN LONDON

ON CARNABY STREET SHOPS.

I BROUGHT A LOT OF CLOTHES
BACK FROM CARNABY STREET,

SO I WORE A LOT OF
THOSE CLOTHES ON THE SHOW,

MY LITTLE BOOTS AND MY LITTLE
CAPS AND ALL THESE SILLY THINGS,

WHICH WAS VERY MUCH NOT
ON TELEVISION AT THE TIME.

Narrator: NEITHER
"THE GIRL FROM U.N.C.L.E."

OR "HONEY WEST"
CAUGHT ON WITH AUDIENCES.

BOTH LASTED JUST ONE SEASON.

IT WOULD BE SEVEN MORE YEARS
BEFORE A WOMAN WOULD

AGAIN HEADLINE
A TV CRIME DRAMA.

THIS TIME,
AUDIENCES WERE READY.

"POLICE WOMAN" WAS
AN IMMEDIATE HIT

WHEN IT PREMIERED IN 1974,

BUT ANGIE DICKINSON
WAS NO NEWCOMER.

SHE WAS AN ESTABLISHED STAR
WHO HAD PAID HER DUES,

STARTING BACK IN HER HOMETOWN
IN NORTH DAKOTA.

I LIVED IN THE PLAINS
OF NORTH DAKOTA,

AND WE WERE SO POOR,
WE DIDN'T EVEN HAVE SAND.

Narrator: IN HER EARLY 20s,
DICKINSON WASN'T SURE

WHAT TO DO WITH HER LIFE
UNTIL SHE WON A CONTEST

THAT LED TO HER FIRST
TV APPEARANCE.

Dickinson: I ENTERED
A BEAUTY CONTEST.

OUT OF THAT CAME A JOB
TO BE ON A SHOW,

AND WHAT OPENED MY EYES WAS,

"THIS ENVIRONMENT," I THOUGHT,
"THIS IS WHERE I WANT TO BE.

"AT LAST I KNOW WHERE
I WANT TO GO IN MY LIFE.

I WANT TO BE IN THIS BUSINESS."

I MEAN,
I WAS NOT STUPID.

ANYBODY ELSE WOULD HAVE
DONE THE SAME THING,

SEEING FRANK SINATRA
AND JIMMY DURANTE

REHEARSING A SONG.

IT WAS
"THE COLGATE COMEDY HOUR."

WHICH WAS ON EVERY SUNDAY.

Narrator: IN HOLLYWOOD,

DICKINSON'S CAREER
BLOSSOMED QUICKLY.

OH, BILL.

RIGHT WHEN I THOUGHT I HAD MY
LIFE ALL PLANNED AND ORDERED,

WHY DID YOU HAVE TO
COME ALONG?

Narrator: HER BREAKTHROUGH ROLE
CAME IN "RIO BRAVO,"

WHERE SHE PLAYED JOHN WAYNE'S
LOVE INTEREST.

AT A TIME WHEN
MOST YOUNG ACTRESSES

WERE EMULATING MARILYN MONROE,

ANGIE DICKINSON HAD
A VERY DIFFERENT PERSONA

AS A WOMAN WHO COULD BE
ONE OF THE GUYS.

Dickinson:
'CAUSE I DID PLAY POKER,

I DID GO TO BASEBALL GAMES.

I LIKED MEN,
AND I DO TO THIS DAY.

PEOPLE SAY, "YOU REALLY
LIKE MEN, DON'T YOU?"

AND I SAY, "YEAH, I DO."

AND SOME PEOPLE DON'T.

I MEAN, THEY... THEY ARE...

THEY'RE NOT
COMFORTABLE WITH MEN.

Narrator: BY THE EARLY 1970s,

DICKINSON WAS FOCUSED ON
RAISING HER DAUGHTER

AND HAD NO INTEREST
IN TELEVISION.

Dickinson: NO,
I DIDN'T WANT TO DO THAT.

I SAID, "I JUST CAN'T,
I HAVE A FAMILY."

AND HE SAID, "DON'T YOU WANT
TO BE A HOUSEHOLD NAME?"

AND THAT DID IT.
I DID WANT TO BE.

Narrator: ANGIE DICKINSON SIGNED
TO STAR IN "POLICE WOMAN,"

BUT EXPECTATIONS FOR THE SERIES
WERE NOT HIGH.

EVEN DICKINSON'S HUSBAND THOUGHT
THE SHOW WOULD FAIL.

Dickinson: I WAS MARRIED TO
A COMPOSER AT THE TIME,

BURT BACHARACH,

AND THEY ASKED HIM IF
HE WOULD DO THE SONG,

AND HE SAID, "NO,
I'M WORKING ON SOMETHING ELSE."

WELL, HE WASN'T.

HE JUST DIDN'T WANT
TO BE EMBARRASSED.

NOBODY THOUGHT
IT WOULD BE A HIT.

ANY GOOD?

AT WHAT?

WELL...

I ENJOY MYSELF.

Narrator: "POLICE WOMAN"
PLAYED OFF

DICKINSON'S ALLURING PERSONA.

THE WRITERS PUT HER IN

SEXY SITUATIONS
AS OFTEN AS POSSIBLE.

Dickinson: IF I WAS
A SEX SYMBOL,

I WAS VERY COMFORTABLE WITH IT
BECAUSE IT WAS JUST WHAT I WAS.

I DIDN'T HAVE TO EMBELLISH IT
OR WORK ON IT

OR CHANGE MY STYLE OR ANYTHING,
IT WAS JUST WHAT I WAS,

SO I DIDN'T HAVE A PROBLEM,

BUT I WAS THRILLED,
TO A POINT.

THEN I DIDN'T WANT TO BE
JUST A SEX SYMBOL.

I WANTED TO BE AN ACTRESS.

OFFICER DOWN.

IT WAS A HEROINE.

I LOVED BEING A HEROINE,

AND I LOVED THAT SHE WAS
ALLOWED TO BE SEXY

AND STILL A HERO.

IT'S NOT AN EASY COMBINATION.

WE WEREN'T OUT TO
BREAK DOWN ANY BARRIERS.

AS A MATTER OF FACT,

THE FEMINISTS DIDN'T LIKE
THAT I DIDN'T USE MY FORUM

TO BE MORE FEMINIST

AND MORE ACTIVE, YOU KNOW,
BE MORE OF AN ACTIVIST

ON THEIR BEHALF,
BUT I ALWAYS SAID,

"WELL, I'M FEMININE
AND I'M NOT A FEMINIST."

IN '74,
YOU STILL TURNED YOUR HEAD

WHEN YOU SAW A WOMAN
IN A UNIFORM.

AND IT, YOU KNOW,
"OH, THERE'S A...

OH, LOOK,
THERE'S A LADY COP."

IT STILL VERY MUCH WAS
OUT OF THE ORDINARY IN '74.

BUT I DIDN'T... I STILL DIDN'T
THINK I WAS A ROLE MODEL.

I ONLY THOUGHT, "I'M NOT
GOING TO GET HOME TILL 8:00."

Narrator: DICKINSON
AGREED TO EVERY STORY LINE

THE WRITERS CAME UP WITH
EXCEPT ONE...

THE ONE SCENE
SHE WOULD NOT DO.

I ONLY REFUSED TO DO ONE SHOW,
AND THAT WAS WHERE

THEY HAD ME DRIVING
AN 18-WHEELER,

AND I SAID,
"I JUST WON'T DO IT,"

BECAUSE SHE COULDN'T.

SHE JUST COULDN'T,
AND IF SHE COULD,

IT WOULD BE ABSURD.

I MEAN, I DON'T HAVE
MUSCLES LIKE THAT WOULD TAKE

TO JUST STEER THE DAMN THING.

Narrator: WHILE
THE "POLICE WOMAN" SERIES

WAS INNOVATIVE FOR PUTTING
A WOMAN IN THE LEAD ROLE,

ITS SCRIPTS DIDN'T VENTURE FAR
FROM THE STANDARD PLOT LINES.

Dickinson: DID 91 SHOWS.

USED TO RUN INTO AN ACTOR,

HE'D SAY, "OH, I DID
ONE OF YOUR SHOWS."

I SAID, "OH, WELL,
I'M SORRY, WHICH ONE?"

"THE DRUG BUST,"
I SAID, "OH, NO."

"NO, YOU'VE GOT TO BE A LITTLE
MORE CLEAR ABOUT IT THAN THAT."

WHEN YOU DO 22,
23 SHOWS A YEAR,

YOU... YOU HAVE TO REPEAT.

THERE ARE JUST
SO MANY STORIES.

AND THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS
TO A SERIES LIKE THAT.

IT JUST RAN OUT OF GOOD IDEAS
AND GOOD STEAM,

AND YOU CAN JUST, YOU KNOW,
SAVE THE WOMAN

ON THE RAILROAD TRACKS
SO OFTEN.

Narrator: LIKE MOST
CRIME DRAMAS,

"POLICE WOMAN" STORY LINES
FOLLOWED AN INVESTIGATION,

WITH THE AUDIENCE LEARNING FACTS
AS THE CHARACTERS DID.

BUT ONE CRIME DRAMA TURNED
THE FORMULA UPSIDE DOWN,

WITH GREAT SUCCESS.

HOW LONG HAS THIS
BEEN GOING ON?

FIRST TIME IN VEGAS,
HUH?

UH, WE WERE SUPPOSED TO COME
DOWN TWO YEARS AGO,

BUT MY WIFE SWITCHED SIDES
AND VOTED WITH MY IN-LAWS.

WE ENDED UP
IN ANIMAL LAND.

IT WAS NOTHING LIKE THIS.

Narrator: THERE WAS
NO MYSTERY TO "COLUMBO."

AUDIENCES KNEW FROM
THE OPENING SCENES

WHO HAD COMMITTED THE CRIME.

THE FUN WAS WATCHING CRIMINALS

UNDERESTIMATE THE SEEMINGLY
DISHEVELED

AND DISORGANIZED
LIEUTENANT COLUMBO.

HE WAS LIKE A MOSQUITO.

I MEAN, I THOUGHT OF HIM
AS A FLY

OR AN INSECT THAT
KEPT COMING BACK

AND BUZZING.

OH, BY THE WAY.

Narrator: THE COLUMBO CHARACTER
HAD MUCH IN COMMON

WITH THE ACTOR WHO PLAYED HIM,
PETER FALK.

THAT WAS THE PERFECT MARRIAGE,
FALK AND COLUMBO.

IT'S TRUE, HE WAS COLUMBO.

HE REALLY... HE BROUGHT HIMSELF
TO THAT ROLE.

HE LOOKED LIKE HE WAS SCATTERED.

HE WASN'T.

AND CONFUSED
AND ABSENT-MINDED.

HE WASN'T, EVER.

IT WAS ALL PERSIFLAGE,

AND IT WAS
THE CHARACTER'S PERSIFLAGE.

SO THAT WAS FUN WATCHING THAT.

WE HAD FUN ON SEVERAL LEVELS
WATCHING PETER FALK

PLAY COLUMBO.

Narrator: FALK UNDERSTOOD THAT
THE KEY TO PLAYING COLUMBO

LAY IN THE DETAILS.

HE BROUGHT THE TRADEMARK
TRENCH COAT FROM HOME.

HE PICKED OUT COLUMBO'S
CAR PERSONALLY.

AND IF A SCRIPT
CALLED FOR COLUMBO

TO REACT TO CARROT JUICE...

AND I SAID, "HEY, PETER,
ENOUGH OF THIS.

LET'S HIT THE ORANGE JUICE,
IT LOOKS LIKE CARROT JUICE."

HE SAID, "NO, NO,
I CAN'T REACT TO THAT.

I HAVE TO REACT
TO THE REAL DEAL."

AND I RESPECT THAT.

I'LL NEVER FORGET
ONE EPISODE...

HE WAS COMING TO WORK
IN THE MORNING,

THERE HAD BEEN A...
IT WAS COMING TO A CRIME SCENE,

AND HE'S WEARING THAT OLD,

DIRTY RAINCOAT,
THE COP IS FILLING HIM IN

ON WHAT'S HAPPENED HERE,
AND HE REACHES

INTO HIS POCKET
AS THEY'RE TALKING

AND HE PULLS OUT AN EGG,

AND HE TAKES THE COP'S
BILLY CLUB AND CRACKS

THE EGG ON THE BILLY CLUB
AND PEELS IT

AND STARTS EATING THE EGG,
AND IT'S JUST...

THAT'S WONDERFUL
AND SO HUMAN, YOU KNOW?

ONE PART THAT I REMEMBER
VIVIDLY ABOUT COLUMBO WAS...

WE WERE ON A GOLF COURSE
AND THE SCENE DIDN'T WORK,

AND HE SAID, "HOLD IT.

LET'S STEP INTO MY TRAILER."

AND WE WENT INTO HIS TRAILER
AND WE SAT THERE

AND I KEPT LOOKING AT MY WATCH
AND WE KEPT FIDDLING

WITH THE SCENE AND I KEPT
LOOKING AT MY WATCH,

AND IT'S LIKE 50 MINUTES
HAS GONE BY.

THERE'S 65 GUYS
STANDING OUT THERE.

I SAID, "PETER,

"THEY'RE WAITING
ON US OUT THERE.

I MEAN, CAN YOU REALLY"...

HE SAID,
"LISTEN, I TOLD THEM,

IF IT DOESN'T WORK,
I'M GOING TO KEEP AT IT

UNTIL I DO MAKE IT WORK."

Narrator: COLUMBO DEMONSTRATED
THAT STRONG CHARACTERS

ARE OFTEN THE KEY TO
A SUCCESSFUL CRIME DRAMA.

VIEWERS LIKE SEEING THEIR
FAVORITE HEROES WEEK AFTER WEEK,

BUT ONE CRIME DRAMA
REDEFINED THE HERO.

IN FACT, THE LEAD CHARACTER
WASN'T REALLY HEROIC AT ALL.

AND THAT'S WHAT
MADE HIM INTERESTING.

STEPHEN J. CANNELL
HAD A PROBLEM.

ABC HAD AN EXTRA HOUR TO FILL,
AND CANNELL HAD TO COME UP WITH

A NEW ONE-EPISODE
CRIME DRAMA FAST.

THE GENESIS OF
"THE ROCKFORD FILES"

WAS PROBABLY THE STRANGEST
CREATION OF A TELEVISION SERIES

THAT I WAS EVER INVOLVED WITH,
AND I'VE DONE 43 OF THEM.

Narrator: CANNELL'S BOSS,
ROY HUGGINS,

REALIZED THE FIRST STEP WAS TO
COME UP WITH A CATCHY NAME.

Cannell: WE GET BACK

TO HIS OFFICE,
HE GETS BEHIND HIS DESK,

HE TAKES OUT THE UNIVERSAL
PHONE DIRECTORY,

AND HE STARTS TO READ
THE NAMES IN THE DIRECTORY.

I'M THINKING,
"WHAT'S THIS GUY DOING?"

WE'RE IN MAJOR TROUBLE HERE,

HE'S READING
THE PHONE DIRECTORY.

HE SAYS, "TOM ROCKFORD,
DO YOU LIKE THAT NAME?"

IT WAS A GUY IN
THE GRIP AND ELECTRIC DEPARTMENT

AT UNIVERSAL.

I SAID, "YEAH, THAT'S FINE."

HE SAYS, "WELL, THIS THING IS
CALLED 'THE ROCKFORD FILES.""

Narrator: GIVEN
FREE REIN BY HUGGINS,

CANNELL DECIDED
TO HAVE SOME FUN.

HE'D CREATE A CRIME-SOLVER
WITH ALL THE FLAWS

OF A NORMAL PERSON,

AN ANTI-HERO WHO
AVOIDED CONFLICT,

LIVED IN A TRAILER,

AND WORRIED ABOUT
PAYING HIS BILLS.

Cannell: SO WE GO TO ABC,

WE SEND THE SCRIPT OVER.

THEY ABSOLUTELY HATED IT.

THEY SAID,
"YOU CAN'T HAVE A HERO

"THAT QUITS EVERY TIME
HE'S THREATENED.

"YOU CAN'T HAVE A HERO WHO RUNS
CREDIT CHECKS ON THE CLIENT.

"YOU CAN'T HAVE A"...
YOU KNOW, "HIS OWN FATHER

THINKS HE'S A JERK FOR BEING
A PRIVATE EYE, YOU CA..."

YOU KNOW, AND "TAKE ALL THAT OUT
AND WE'LL SHOOT IT."

Narrator: "THE ROCKFORD FILES"
MIGHT HAVE DIED RIGHT THERE,

EXCEPT THAT CANNELL HAD
THE SUPPORT OF

PRODUCER ROY HUGGINS
AND THE LEAD ACTOR,

WHO LOVED CANNELL'S SCRIPT...
JAMES GARNER.

HEY. HE'S A WRITER.

I'M NOT.

THERE'S A LOT OF ACTORS
THAT COULD LEARN THAT LESSON,

I THINK, BUT I DON'T...
I JUST SAID WHAT WAS PRINTED,

YOU KNOW, AND THAT WAS
MUCH CLEVERER THAN

ANYTHING I COULD
COME UP WITH.

AND WHEN YOU
CHANGE A WORD HERE,

YOU MIGHT CHANGE SOMETHING IN
THE NEXT TWO OR THREE SCENES.

AND WHEN YOU DO THAT,
YOU'RE MESSING WITH IT.

THAT'S NOT GOOD.

PRIVATE COP, HUH?

LOOK, YOU AREN'T
GOING TO SHOOT ANYBODY,

WE BOTH KNOW IT,
SO WHY DON'T YOU JUST

PUT THAT THING AWAY
BEFORE YOU HAVE AN ACCIDENT?

WHO ARE YOU WORKING FOR?

WELL, THAT'S CONFIDENTIAL.

LARRY KIRKOFF.

IT'S THE WRITING.

WITHOUT THE WRITING,
YOU'RE GOING NOWHERE.

WELL, LOOK,

TRAVIS.

YOU KNOW, I FELL FOR
THAT TRICK ONCE MYSELF.

WORKS PRETTY GOOD,
DOESN'T IT?

Narrator: "THE ROCKFORD FILES"
WOULD GET PRODUCED

EXACTLY AS WRITTEN.

CANNELL AND GARNER WOULD FORM
A LIFELONG FRIENDSHIP,

DESPITE AN AWKWARD
FIRST MEETING.

AND NOW HERE I AM AT AGE 29,
AND I'M ACTUALLY

WRITING FOR HIM,
AND I REMEMBER THE FIRST DAY

THAT WE WERE DOING THE PILOT,
I WENT DOWN... I DIDN'T KNOW

WHAT TO SAY TO HIM,
I WAS STAR-STRUCK,

AND I'M STANDING NEXT TO HIM
AND I'M GOING,

"YOU KNOW, JIM,
I'VE JUST GOT TO TELL YOU

"THAT IF I WAS REALLY GOOD
AND DID MY HOMEWORK,

YOU KNOW, I COULD STAY UP
AND WATCH 'MAVERICK. ""

AND HE LOOKED AT ME AND HE SAID,
"THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS

YOU COULD HAVE SAID TO ME
THAT WOULD HAVE BEAT THAT."

Narrator: "THE ROCKFORD FILES"
WAS AN INSTANT HIT.

VIEWERS LOVED THIS NEW TAKE
ON THE CRIME DRAMA,

AND THEY LOVED JAMES GARNER.

Moreno: I LOVED
DOING WORK WITH HIM.

EVERYTHING YOU SEE IS PRETTY
MUCH WHAT HE IS.

JIM DID HIS VERY FIRST SCREEN
TEST AT 20th CENTURY FOX

WHEN I WAS A CONTRACT PLAYER
THERE WITH ME.

THEY WERE STILL DOING THINGS
LIKE SCREEN-TESTING

GOOD-LOOKING KIDS, YOU KNOW,
TO PUT THEM UNDER CONTRACT

AND GROOM THEM.

HE WAS ONE OF THESE
GOOD-LOOKING KIDS,

AND HE WAS A HUNK.

HE WAS REALLY A GORGEOUS...

I THINK IT'S MY ATTITUDE,

'CAUSE I DON'T WANT PEOPLE
LAUGHING AT ME.

I WANT THEM TO LAUGH WITH ME.

I WANT THEM TO KNOW
I KNOW IT'S HUMOROUS.

Narrator: GIVEN HIS TALENT

AS AN ACTOR,
ONE OF JAMES GARNER'S

OTHER SKILLS IS
OFTEN OVERLOOKED.

HE WAS ONE OF THE BEST
STUNT DRIVERS IN HOLLYWOOD

AND PERSONALLY OVERSAW
THE SELECTION OF ROCKFORD'S CAR,

A PONTIAC FIREBIRD ESPRIT.

WELL, IT'S A CAR THAT YOU COULD
JUST DO TRICKS WITH, YOU KNOW?

IT'S THE RIGHT SIZE,
RIGHT LENGTH, RIGHT WHEELBASE.

YOU KNOW,
THE RIGHT ENGINE POWER.

YOU COULD JUST
DO THINGS WITH IT.

IT WAS FUN.

Narrator: GARNER'S STUNT-DRIVING
SKILLS WERE SO WIDELY RESPECTED,

ONE PARTICULAR MANEUVER WAS
NAMED IN HIS HONOR...

A TRICK THAT
STUNT DRIVERS NOW CALL

A ROCKFORD.

THE CAR CHASES

LOOKED SO GOOD,
CANNELL WORRIED

GARNER MIGHT GET HURT,
AND SO STUNT DRIVERS

WERE HIRED TO REPLACE HIM,

BUT THE NEW DRIVERS WERE TAME
COMPARED TO GARNER,

AND SO STEPHEN J. CANNELL

HAD TO REVERSE HIS DECISION.

Cannell: I WAS FORCED TO
SWALLOW MY PRIDE

AND GO DOWN TO THE SET
AND SAY, "YOU KNOW, JIM,

I THINK MAYBE YOU SHOULD
DRIVE THIS CAR."

HE WAS THAT MUCH BETTER,
'CAUSE, YOU KNOW,

HE'S ONE OF THE BEST...
ONE OF THE BEST STUNT DRIVERS

PROBABLY IN THIS BUSINESS.

AND HERE HE WAS,
HE WAS THE STAR OF MY SHOW,

SO I COULD TIE MY PRINCIPAL IN
TO ALL THOSE SHOTS.

Narrator: UNLIKE MODERN
ENSEMBLE SHOWS,

"THE ROCKFORD FILES" HAD
JUST ONE LEAD CHARACTER,

AND THAT MEANT JAMES GARNER
WAS IN NEARLY EVERY SHOT

OF EVERY EPISODE,
A GRUELING SCHEDULE

THAT EVENTUALLY
TOOK ITS TOLL.

BY THE SIXTH YEAR,
FLARE-UPS OF GARNER'S

OLD KNEE AND BACK INJURIES
FORCED AN END TO THE SERIES.

THE STARS OF TV'S EARLY YEARS
WERE NOW LEAVING THE STAGE,

BUT THEY WOULD BE
IMITATED OVER AND OVER

IN THE COMING DECADES.

MOST NEW CRIME DRAMAS WOULD
FOLLOW THE TEMPLATES

OF TV'S FIRST PIONEERS,

IMITATING THE TIGHT PROCEDURALS
OF JACK WEBB,

THE SHOCKING VIOLENCE
OF "THE UNTOUCHABLES,"

OR THE LIKABLE CHARACTERS
OF COLUMBO

AND ROCKFORD.

THE CRIME DRAMA IS
A WELL-REFINED ART FORM

THAT'S GROWN STRONGER
OVER TIME.

THE HEROES HAVE CHANGED
AND THEIR METHODS HAVE EVOLVED,

BUT VIEWERS STILL ENJOY WATCHING
THEIR FAVORITE GOOD GUYS

SOLVING CRIMES
AND CATCHING THE BAD GUYS.

GIVEN ITS STORIED PAST,
THE TELEVISION CRIME DRAMA

HAS A PROMISING FUTURE.

I'M ONE OF THE MULTITUDES
THAT LOVE CRIME DRAMAS.

IT REALLY... IT WAS ANOTHER LIFE
THAT YOU LIVED

THAT WAS FABULOUS, YOU KNOW?

I THINK IT'S LIKE
A KID IN A SANDBOX

GETTING TO DO ALL THOSE THINGS
THAT YOU WOULD LOVE TO DO.

I SIT DOWN AND I TRY REALLY HARD
TO DO SOMETHING

THAT I'LL BE PROUD OF,
THAT I'LL...

THAT I'LL WANT TO GO HOME
AND WATCH MYSELF.

AND I DON'T THINK ABOUT WHAT...
HOPEFUL...

BACK THEN, WE WERE
TRYING TO GET 30 MILLION,

40 MILLION PEOPLE
TO WATCH A SHOW.

HOW COULD I KNOW WHAT
30 MILLION PEOPLE WANT?

I DIDN'T, BUT I COULD KNOW
WHAT STEVE CANNELL WANTS.

WHAT'S THE MATTER?
I JUST DON'T LIKE THE WAY
THE NIGHT FEELS.

OH, WILL YOU HAVE SOME OF

THESE BAMBOO SHOOTS
AND STOP WORRYING?

WE WERE IN THE ZONE, MAN.

IT WAS LIKE DYING
AND GOING TO HEAVEN EVERY DAY

GOING TO WORK WITH HIM.

Powers: IT WAS JUST

DELICIOUS, ADORABLE.

WE HAD SO MUCH FUN.

SO WHEN YOU ARRIVE
IN VAITSIA,

YOU WILL BE CHARLES LANGLEY,
HIS WIFE JANET.

JANET LANGLEY, MD.

IT WAS JUST
AN EXTRAORDINARY TIME.

EVERYTHING ABOUT IT.

I WAS A WOMAN
IN A MAN'S WORLD.

IT WAS A MAN'S WORLD
UNTIL THE '70s AND '80s.

THERE WAS A REAL FEELING OF
SOMETHING IMPORTANT GOING ON.

I WANT THEM TO
REMEMBER ME AND SMILE.

THAT'S ALL.

Narrator: TODAY, CRIME DRAMAS
ARE MORE POPULAR THAN EVER,

BUT EVEN THE MOST SUCCESSFUL
SERIES OF RECENT YEARS

CAN TRACE ITS ROOTS
TO THE CRIME DRAMAS

OF AN EARLIER TIME...

SHOWS MADE POPULAR BY
THE PIONEERS OF TELEVISION.

FOR MORE INSIDER FEATURES
ABOUT YOUR FAVORITE TV STARS,

STORIES YOU WON'T HEAR
ANYWHERE ELSE,