Johnny Staccato is an odd duck in TV Land. It started in 1959, when Peter Gunn had been on the air for a year, and it seems to have given itself the challenge of out-Gunning Gunn. Thus while one show featured a private detective who hung out at a jazz club and dated the chanteuse, the other had a detective who actually sat in with the band. John Staccato, played by John Cassavetes, was the pianist at Waldo's, alternating with John Williams. Yes, that John Williams. And it was pretty vanguard jazz, aspiring to Dave Brubeck/Sonny Rollins levels of sophistication.
Cassavetes apparently didn't like the show, which may be one reason why its only season ended in March rather than May. It probably doesn't say much about the quality of the show, since he doesn't strike me as someone who'd want to be tied down to any TV show. He did still direct several episodes.
The quality of the episodes varies, but it has a pretty good batting average. Cassavetes's twitchy intensity was well suited to playing an eccentric gumshoe, believe it or not. They could also pull in some impressive guest stars. The second episode is an entirely obvious murder mystery, but features Martin Landau in a key role, providing a cool to Cassavetes's hot. And yes, offscreen wife Gena Rowlands shows up, in an episode that really drives home how different air travel was during the Eisenhower era.
2 comments:
This is one of those old tv shows that neither Jer nor I ever saw, never mind knew about. I watched the episode you mentioned that had the 1950s plane ride as part of the plot along with Gena Rowland as the femme fatale estranged wife. There she was flirting with Johnny Staccato, even had her head on his shoulder, until she learned he was doing a job for her husband when she got very angry. Of course at that point Johnny was left wondering what exactly was in the suitcase he was to open once the plane was over Arizona (!). He ran up to the front to tell the pilot to land. (I liked the handy landing lights in AZ) So the cops showed up, found the '12 sticks of dynamite' and were on their way to arrest Gena's husband. Boy, things sure were simple back then.
There are a number of crime series dating back to the 50s and 60s - Lee Marvin's M Squad looks pretty cool (there must have been other shows on tv that my parents preferred because I don't remember it either), The Naked City, and of course Dragnet - I never knew Jack Webb created the series and his own character Joe Friday.
For me Peter Gunn still wins over Joe Staccato for its charm and humor. Craig Stevens and Lola Albright made a great couple. Poor put upon Lt. Jacoby and Mother were wonderful too (both Mothers but I preferred the first). It's neat you're following up on a number of these classic programs.
The airplane episode was fun. Not too surprisingly, he and Rowlands had good chemistry. It's not like I'm exactly nostalgic for a time when a husband could try to blow up his wife and dozens of innocent strangers with a suitcase bomb, but it was refreshing to see a time before airlines were primed to think that every passenger could be a bomber and the ones that aren't are just stupid sheep to be ordered around. The other weird thing about it was the rivalry between modern jazz and rock & roll, with the rock songwriter being an out of touch fuddy duddy to Johnny's piano playing hipster. Maybe in fifteen years or so they were both Steely Dan fans.
I haven't seen any of M Squad yet. Maybe I will in the future. It looks like another show with an august musical background, with Count Basie writing the main theme song. Also, Lee Marvin. I've seen a little of Naked City, which must have been intense for its time. Dragnet I've only seen the color version, not Jack Webb's black & white original. From what I understand he had a background as a comedian before that.
I agree that Peter Gunn wins out on charm. Craig Stevens had a certain Cary Grant-ish quality. Edie and Lt. Jacoby were great supporting characters. They never really explain what happened to mother, although it's not too hard to believe she just retired. It's interesting to see what has changed and what hasn't through the years.
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