Forgotten TV: Catch-22 (1973)

Joseph Heller's Catch-22 had first been adapted into a feature film by Paramount & Filmways in 1970, the same year that 20th Century Fox had adapted M*A*S*H for the big screen. ABC was hoping it had their own M*A*S*H. Uh, no.

Before becoming a cinematic icon with films such as "Jaws" & "Close Encounters of The Third Kind", Richard Dreyfuss was paying his dues doing television. Catch-22, I think, was one of his last TV projects. The cast also includes Nicholas Hammond ("The Sound of Music", later of The Amazing Spider-Man), Dana Elcar (later of Black Sheep Squadron, Baretta, & MacGyver), and Frank Welker, better known now for his cartoon work (i.e. Scooby-Doo, Transformers, etc.).

While I've never seen the movie, the pilot lacks the star power of it, including writer-actor Buck Henry, and, in a rare acting role, Art Garfunkel (whose role was filled by Hammond). I think Bob Newhart's self-titled series was on the air by this point, too.

Rating:  B-.