The Original "Law & Order"
During the Fall of 1963, a new police and lawyer show debuted on ABC. Titled "Arrest and Trial," this unique show was made for a 90 minute time slot. The first half of the show featured the "Arrest," with detectives Ben Gazzara and Roger Perry gathering the evidence and apprehending the suspect. The "Trial" portion starred Chuck Connors aided by Don Galloway as defense attorneys, with John Larch and John Kerr as prosecutors from the district attorney's office. Sound familiar?
There's no question that the basic structure and format of "Arrest and Trial" influenced the modern "Law & Order." But there's a major difference in the two shows. "Law & Order" is, essentially, a well written and acted police and judicial procedural. "Arrest & Trial," while retaining many of the procedural elements, is much more of a character study of the accused and those around him - friends and family - and how law enforcement and the judicial system affect their lives. Disc 2 of the set...
PRECURSOR TO "LAW AND ORDER;" EXCELLENT 60'S DRAMA
For those discriminating viewers who want to see top-flight TV drama from the heyday of the medium (1955-65) do yourself a favor and order this fantastic three-volume set, "Arrest and Trial." Nine 74 minute shows are included in this reasonably priced compilation. Ben Gazzara (Det. Sgt. Nick Anderson) and Roger Perry (Det. Sgt. Dan Kirby) bring the perceived lawbreakers to trial in the first 35-40 minutes; John Larch (Deputy Dist. Atty. Jerry Miller) and John Kerr (Asst. Deputy Dist. Atty. Barry Pine) then try the state's case, with the defendant most-often represented by Chuck Connors (John Egan). When the show aired in the fall of 1963, ABC sunk a tremendous amount of money into the development of the 90-minute series; to that end they did their best to sign on two or three "name" actors for every episode. These actors included Roddy McDowell, Mickey Rooney, Katherine Ross, Howard Duff, James Whitmore, Marlo Thomas, Leo Gordon, Tony Franciosa, Martin Sheen, Steve Forrest,...
ARREST & TRIAL
Sunday nights were special because my parents allowed me to stay up and watch "Arrest & Trial." My favorite show will always be "The Naked City" because of the prolific scripts by American screenwriter Stirling Silliphant, the live setting of the New York streets, and the realistic characters Silliphant created.
"Arrest & Trial" tried to copy that format in the first half and threw in a little "Perry Mason" in the second half. I enjoyed the shows. The first episode "Call it a Lifetime" with Anthony Franciosa as a truck driver turned cop killer, and Ben Gazzara as Sgt. Nick Anderson in hot pusuit is the hook for most of the show. Shot in what looks like the Mohave Desert it's a cat and mouse with Franciosa evading capture only to be caught by Gazzara. There's a human side to Sgt. Anderson in the second half: "The Trial" when he works with Defense Attorney John Egan (Chuck Connors)to give the truck driver/killer a second chance. This happens after they discover the...
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