Thursday, August 17, 2017

What Might've Been: Harry O (1974)

David Janssen's final series brought him back to ABC in 1974 with Harry O. The O stands for Orwell, and I could imagine that they felt it easier if they went with just the initial, just so's not to confuse people with author George Orwell, whose Animal Farm had been adapted into an animated film that made the rounds on HBO that year, as memory serves.

Anyway, Harry O was the end result after 2 ABC Movie of the Week entries garnered sufficient ratings to warrant a regular series featuring the former police detective turned private eye. Orwell had been forced off the force after being shot by a hoodlum some years earlier. The series, however, lasted just 2 seasons. Why? Then programming head Fred Silverman, who came over from CBS, decided to take the network in a new direction, and decided to end Harry O, despite the fact the series was still generating decent ratings.

Halfway through the first season, the locale changed from San Diego to Los Angeles. Why? Can't really say, as I never saw the show. Anyway, Henry Darrow (ex-High Chaparral) was written out and killed off, and replaced by Anthony Zerbe, who would earn an Emmy for his work as Lt. K. C. Trench, Orwell's police contact in LA. An eclectic supporting cast over the course of two seasons included Mel Stewart (ex-Roll Out, later of Scarecrow & Mrs. King), G. W. Bailey, better known for his appearances on M*A*S*H, and Farrah Fawcett, who would move on to Charlie's Angels after 8 appearances in 2 seasons.

Warner Archive offers a sample clip:



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