| The Man Behind the Badge | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Genre | Police drama |
| Developed by | Prockter Television Enterprises |
| Directed by | John Peyser, Paul Landres |
| Starring |
Norman Rose (1953-1954)/ Charles Bickford (1955) (Host) |
| Theme music composer | Melvyn Lenard |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 2 |
| No. of episodes | 52 episodes (live, 1953-1954) 38 episodes (filmed, 1955) |
| Production | |
| Executive producers | Bernard J. Prockter, Jerome C. Robinson |
| Editor | Fred W. Berger |
| Running time | 30 mins. |
| Production companies | Prockter Television Enterprises Revue Studios MCA TV |
| Original release | |
| Network |
CBS Syndicated |
| Release | October 11, 1953 – September 24, 1955 |
The Man Behind the Badge is a half-hour American television police drama series which aired on CBS from October 11, 1953, to October 3, 1954, [1] originally hosted by Norman Rose. In its second syndicated season, the host became character actor Charles Bickford. [1] Jerry Robinson was the producer. [2]
The CBS version was broadcast from 9:30 to 10 p.m. Eastern Time on Sundays. [1] It replaced Arthur Murray Party [3] and was replaced by Honestly, Celeste!. [4] The sponsor was Bristol Myers. [3] Everett Rosenthal was the executive producer, with Arthur Singer as director. [5]
Beginning in January 1955, [1] a filmed version of the program was syndicated to local stations by MCA TV. [6]
In an interview with Kliph Nesteroff, assistant director Arthur Marks stated the filmed episodes were shot at the same time and on the same sets as Treasury Men in Action. [7] Bernard J. Prockter produced the series in Hollywood. [6]
Synopsis
The series is based on files from agencies of law enforcement. [8] In addition to police, the subjects of episodes included judges, park rangers, parole officers, and public defenders. Topics of episodes included divorce, life in a boys' home, and rehabilitation. [1]
Recurring roles and notable guest stars
| Actor | Role | Appearances |
|---|---|---|
| Norman Rose | Himself | 52 episodes |
| Charles Bickford | Himself | 38 episodes |
| Charles Bronson | Ralph | "The Case of the Invisible Mark" (1955) |
| Paul Brinegar | 3 episodes | |
| Sam Flint | 3 episodes | |
| Vivi Janiss | 2 episodes | |
| Carolyn Jones | Louise | "The Case of the Desperate Moment" (1955) |
| Ann McCrea | Laura | "The Case of the One-Armed Bandits" (1955) |
| Paul Newman | "The St. Paul Story" (1953) | |
| Leslie Nielsen | 2 episodes | |
| Anthony Perkins | Pedro | 2 episodes |
| Lillian Powell | 3 episodes | |
| Denver Pyle | Detective Lashley | "The Case of the Crying Lady" (1955) |
| Jason Robards | "The Case of the Last Escape" (1954) | |
| Lee Van Cleef | Floyd | "The Case of the Desperate Moment" (1955) |
| Jack Warden | "The Portland, Oregon Story" (1953) |
Critical response
Dwight Newton, writing in the San Francisco Examiner, said that the first episode "had possibilities but fell apart at the themes." [9] He mentioned transparent acting and too much use of narration in particular and referred to actors who "gesture like they did in the old silent movie days." [9]
References
- ^ a b c d e Brooks, Tim; Marsh, Earle F. (2009). The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows, 1946-Present. Random House Publishing Group. p. 844. ISBN 9780307483201. Retrieved 21 June 2019.
- ^ McNeil, Alex (1996). Total Television: the Comprehensive Guide to Programming from 1948 to the Present (4th ed.). New York, New York: Penguin Books USA, Inc. p. 513. ISBN 0-14-02-4916-8.
- ^ a b "(untitled brief)" (PDF). Broadcasting. July 20, 1953. p. 31. Retrieved March 4, 2023.
- ^ Leszczak, Bob (November 8, 2012). Single Season Sitcoms, 1948-1979: A Complete Guide. McFarland. p. 83. ISBN 978-0-7864-9305-0. Retrieved March 3, 2023.
- ^ "This Week (Cont'd)". Ross Reports on Television including The Television Index. October 4, 1953. p. 4. Retrieved March 5, 2023.
- ^ a b "MCA Tv to Distribute 'Lombardo,' 'Badge' Films" (PDF). Broadcasting. September 13, 1954. p. 46. Retrieved 21 June 2019.
- ^ Nesteroff, Kliph (15 April 2012). "Classic Television Showbiz: An Interview with Arthur Marks".
- ^ "Radio-TV Notes". The New York Times. July 16, 1953. p. 28. Retrieved March 3, 2023.
- ^ a b Newton, Dwight (October 26, 1953). "Day and Night with Radio and Television". The San Francisco Examiner. p. 30. Retrieved March 4, 2023.
