You might not think this actually happened, but Jack Webb had a lot more output, post-Dragnet, than you might remember.
For now, let's focus on the 1973 season. Webb already had three shows on the air. Adam-12 was in its 5th season. Hec Ramsey, with Richard Boone and Harry Morgan, was in its 2nd and final season. Emergency!, a mid-season replacement in 1972, was already in its 3rd. Because, at the time, Webb was to NBC what Aaron Spelling was to ABC and Quinn Martin to both ABC & CBS, a go-to producer for crime dramas (Martin's 1st sale to NBC, Banyon, was a 1971 frosh), the network asked for, and got, another show from Webb, whose last acting job was in, of all things, a sitcom (The Partners, with Don Adams), and otherwise had stayed behind the camera.
Chase was plugged in on Tuesdays on NBC, and if I remember correctly, it was the same night as Banyon. Anyway, co-creators R. A. Cinader, a long-time Webb associate, and Stephen J. Cannell came up with the idea of a specialized team of detectives who took on severely violent crimes. The gimmick? The cops would use different modes of transportation--an unmarked police car (of course), a motorcycle, which was also standard issue by then, and a helicopter.
Wayne Maunder (ex-Lancer, Custer) was the lone "name" in the cast. It turned out to be his last series, as he didn't headline another show after Chase was cancelled. About midway through, NBC moved Chase from Tuesdays, where it was getting pummeled by CBS' Maude & the original Hawaii Five-0, to Wednesdays, and overhauled the cast. Gary Crosby came over from Adam-12, but as a different character, rather than have him reprise as Officer Ed Wells. Didn't work, and the series was done after 1 year.
One of my teachers was a big fan of the show, as I recall, but back in those days, my folks were more into the trendy sitcoms, like, well, Maude. Go figure.
The Rap Sheet serves up the open.
If some of the melodies of Oliver Nelson's score sound familiar, well, he might've been swiping himself, since he also composed the music for another Universal entry, The Six Million Dollar Man, over on ABC.
No rating.
I loved CHASE and still do. Want to see it released on DVD, along with two other Jack Webb series: SIERRA and MOBILE ONE.
ReplyDeleteI don't think you're alone. NBC-Universal might need persuading.
ReplyDeleteIf it takes getting a petition to Universal, I'll be glad to sign it. Hope enough others will, too.
ReplyDeleteWhere do I find old videos if this show or where can I stream the show?
ReplyDeleteFound Chase on Google, a limited number of episodes anyway (12). Just type in Chase 1973 and it will take you to where you can order it.
ReplyDeleteBelatedly:
ReplyDelete- Mitchell Ryan had the title role on Chase; it was his cosiderable run as a leading man on daytime soaps (like Dark Shadows, early in its run) that built up his cred with Universal TV.
Afterwards, Mitchell Ryan worked almost non-stop in movies (like Magnum Force) and especially TV (his best series gig was as Greg's dryly funny father on Dharma And Greg).
- Oliver Nelson was a contract composer at Universal TV, contributing to many of their series and movies.
After Qunicy Jones left Ironside, Oliver Nelson composed much of the stock scores for that show; later on, he scored a number of Columbo TV movies as well.
Like many house composers, Oliver Nelson had certain instrumentations that he favored, and used often in his scores (all composers do this; listen closely enough and you can often spot the composer before you see the credits).
I agree with blue boy and hobbyfan would like to see "Chase" 1973 NBC on DVD but digitally mastered not cloudy VHS tapes copied to DVD. All episodes, including the 90 minute TV movie
ReplyDeletebefore the regular series.
Seems every other series Stephen J. Cannell has done is for purchase on DVD except this one.
What do we have to do to make this happen?
Part of the reason Chase is not on DVD is because of its 1 season run, and Universal seems to be in no hurry to release it, even with the 50th anniversary looming.
ReplyDelete