Forgotten TV: The Law & Mr. Jones (1960)

There are a number of actors who rightfully should've been more successful in television, but no matter how many series they had, or how hard they worked, they didn't catch enough breaks where it counted most----in the ratings.

James Whitmore falls into this category. In 1960, Whitmore was cast in the lead of Four Star's The Law & Mr. Jones, which lasted a grand total of 2 seasons, although there was a gap between seasons 1 & 2, which we'll get to. Lawyer Abraham Lincoln Jones (Whitmore) took on a number of clients for a variety of reasons. At the time, a lawyer-centric drama not named Perry Mason would be hard pressed to retain its audience.

Take a look at the episode, "A Very Special Citizen", from March 1961, and you'll see what I mean.

Edit, 8/16/24: Had to change the video again. Here's the intro:



Ok, let's recap. A doctor stops to treat a high school pitcher who's had an accident. The youth ignores the doc's advice, and when his condition worsens, his family sues. What's wrong with that picture? Ego and greed, one would guess.

So why the gap between seasons? The show was cancelled after the first season, but viewer mail turned that around, leading to a return in April 1962. Unfortunately, the series was cancelled for the final time that summer.

Rating: B.