Checkmate (TV series)
Encyclopedia
Checkmate is an American
detective television series
starring Anthony George
, Sebastian Cabot
, and Doug McClure
. The show aired on CBS Television from 1960 to 1962 for a total of 70 episodes and was produced by Jack Benny
's production company, "JaMco Productions" in co-operation with Revue Studios.
, the program involves the cases of the detective agency CHECKMATE INC. Anthony George and Doug McClure run the agency which specializes in preventing crimes before they happen from George's (Corey's) stylish apartment, supposedly at 3330 Union St. Sebastian Cabot portrays a PhD college professor whom they employ as an adviser. Dr. Hyatt's dacshund Bismarck also appears occasionally. Ken Lynch
is frequently seen as police dept. contact Lt. Thomas Brand. The atmospheric series ran for seventy episodes over two seasons and was an enormous critical favorite because of the intelligence of the scripts and the superb performances. Many exterior scenes were shot in San Francisco.
Gold Key Comics
published a short-lived (2 issues) comic book based on the series in 1962.
In 2007, several episodes from both seasons have been released on DVD.
during that network's initial season.
Timeless Media Group released Checkmate: The Complete Series on 14 DVDs on June 22, 2010
(Region 1).http://www.timelessvideo.com/dvds/checkmate14dvd.html
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
detective television series
Detective fiction
Detective fiction is a sub-genre of crime fiction and mystery fiction in which an investigator , either professional or amateur, investigates a crime, often murder.-In ancient literature:...
starring Anthony George
Anthony George
Anthony George was an American actor mostly seen on television. He is best known for roles of Don Corley in Checkmate, Burke Devlin and Jeremiah Collins on Dark Shadows, and Dr. Will Vernon on One Life to Live....
, Sebastian Cabot
Sebastian Cabot (actor)
Charles Sebastian Thomas Cabot was an English film and television actor, best remembered as the gentleman's gentleman, "Giles French," opposite Brian Keith's character, in the 1960s sitcom Family Affair. He was also known for playing Dr...
, and Doug McClure
Doug McClure
Douglas Osborne "Doug" McClure was an American actor whose career in film and television extended from the 1950s to the 1990s...
. The show aired on CBS Television from 1960 to 1962 for a total of 70 episodes and was produced by Jack Benny
Jack Benny
Jack Benny was an American comedian, vaudevillian, and actor for radio, television, and film...
's production company, "JaMco Productions" in co-operation with Revue Studios.
Synopsis
The series chronicled the adventures of a private detective agency set in San Francisco. Created by Eric AmblerEric Ambler
Eric Clifford Ambler OBE was an influential British author of spy novels who introduced a new realism to the genre. Ambler also used the pseudonym Eliot Reed for books co-written with Charles Rodda.-Life:...
, the program involves the cases of the detective agency CHECKMATE INC. Anthony George and Doug McClure run the agency which specializes in preventing crimes before they happen from George's (Corey's) stylish apartment, supposedly at 3330 Union St. Sebastian Cabot portrays a PhD college professor whom they employ as an adviser. Dr. Hyatt's dacshund Bismarck also appears occasionally. Ken Lynch
Ken Lynch
Ken Lynch was an American film and TV actor best known for his starring role as 'the Lieutenant' on the 1949-1954 Dumont detective series The Plainclothesman, on which his face was never seen, and for his co-starring role as Sergeant Grover on McCloud.-Career:Lynch appeared in numerous TV series...
is frequently seen as police dept. contact Lt. Thomas Brand. The atmospheric series ran for seventy episodes over two seasons and was an enormous critical favorite because of the intelligence of the scripts and the superb performances. Many exterior scenes were shot in San Francisco.
Gold Key Comics
Gold Key Comics
Gold Key Comics was an imprint of Western Publishing created for comic books distributed to newsstands. Also known as Whitman Comics, Gold Key operated from 1962 to 1984.-History:...
published a short-lived (2 issues) comic book based on the series in 1962.
In 2007, several episodes from both seasons have been released on DVD.
Distribution
The series was also seen in Canada from 1961 on CTVCTV television network
CTV Television Network is a Canadian English language television network and is owned by Bell Media. It is Canada's largest privately-owned network, and has consistently placed as Canada's top-rated network in total viewers and in key demographics since 2002, after several years trailing the rival...
during that network's initial season.
Cast
- Sebastian CabotSebastian Cabot (actor)Charles Sebastian Thomas Cabot was an English film and television actor, best remembered as the gentleman's gentleman, "Giles French," opposite Brian Keith's character, in the 1960s sitcom Family Affair. He was also known for playing Dr...
....Dr. Carl Hyatt - Anthony GeorgeAnthony GeorgeAnthony George was an American actor mostly seen on television. He is best known for roles of Don Corley in Checkmate, Burke Devlin and Jeremiah Collins on Dark Shadows, and Dr. Will Vernon on One Life to Live....
....Don Corey - Doug McClureDoug McClureDouglas Osborne "Doug" McClure was an American actor whose career in film and television extended from the 1950s to the 1990s...
....Jed Sills - Ken LynchKen LynchKen Lynch was an American film and TV actor best known for his starring role as 'the Lieutenant' on the 1949-1954 Dumont detective series The Plainclothesman, on which his face was never seen, and for his co-starring role as Sergeant Grover on McCloud.-Career:Lynch appeared in numerous TV series...
....Lt. Thomas Brand - Jack BettsJack BettsJack Richard Nelson Betts , also credited as Hunt Powers, is an American actor of film, stage, and television. A graduate of the Actors Studio, he started his career as a leading man in spaghetti westerns, before taking a career in supporting roles in American films.-Filmography:-External links:...
....Chris Devlin
Notable guest stars
- Anna Maria AlberghettiAnna Maria AlberghettiAnna Maria Alberghetti is an Italian-born operatic singer and actress.Born in Pesaro, Marche, she starred on Broadway and won a Tony Award in 1962 as Best Actress for Carnival! .Alberghetti was a child prodigy. Her father was an opera singer and concert master of the Rome Opera Company...
- Dana AndrewsDana AndrewsDana Andrews was an American film actor. He was one of Hollywood's major stars of the 1940s, and continued acting, though generally in less prestigious roles, into the 1980s.-Early life:...
- Anne BaxterAnne BaxterAnne Baxter was an American actress known for her performances in films such as The Magnificent Ambersons , The Razor's Edge , All About Eve and The Ten Commandments .-Early life:...
- Jack BennyJack BennyJack Benny was an American comedian, vaudevillian, and actor for radio, television, and film...
- Charles BickfordCharles BickfordCharles Bickford was an American actor best known for his supporting roles. He was nominated three times for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, for The Song of Bernadette , The Farmer's Daughter , and Johnny Belinda...
- Ellen BurstynEllen BurstynEllen Burstyn is a leading American actress of film, stage, and television. Burstyn's career began in theatre during the late 1950s, and over the next ten years she appeared in several films and television series before joining the Actors Studio in 1967...
- Richard ConteRichard ConteRichard Conte was an American actor. He appeared in numerous films from the 1940s through 1970s, including I'll Cry Tomorrow and The Godfather.-Life and career:...
- Russ ConwayRuss Conway (actor)Russ Conway was a Canadian-American character actor who appeared on film and television between 1947 and 1975.-Early years:...
- Joseph CottenJoseph CottenJoseph Cheshire Cotten was an American actor of stage and film. Cotten achieved prominence on Broadway, starring in the original productions of The Philadelphia Story and Sabrina Fair...
- Francis De SalesFrancis De Sales (actor)Francis A. De Sales was an American actor. He was known for his roles on two early television series: as police Lieutenant Bill Weigand on the CBS and then NBC drama Mr. and Mrs. North and as Sheriff Maddox in the syndicated western Two Faces West...
- Donna DouglasDonna DouglasDonna Douglas is an American actress best known for her role as Elly May Clampett, in the long-running television series The Beverly Hillbillies.-Early life:...
- Buddy EbsenBuddy EbsenBuddy Ebsen was an American character actor and dancer. A performer for seven decades, he had starring roles as Jed Clampett in the long-running television series The Beverly Hillbillies and as the title character in the 1970s detective series Barnaby Jones, and played Barnaby Jones in the movie...
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- Ron FosterRon Foster (actor)Ronald R. Foster, known as Ron Foster , is an American actor, whose longest-running role was as Dr. Charles Grant from 1991-1995 in the defunct CBS soap opera The Guiding Light....
- Peter HelmPeter HelmPeter J. Helm is an actor originally from Toronto, Canada, who appeared on American television from 1960-1971.-Early years:...
- Martin LandauMartin LandauMartin Landau is an American film and television actor. Landau began his career in the 1950s. His early films include a supporting role in Alfred Hitchcock's North by Northwest . He played continuing roles in the television series Mission: Impossible and Space:1999...
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- Janice RuleJanice Rule-Early life and career:Born in Norwood, Ohio, her career included stage, screen and television work. Rule studied ballet and began dancing in Chicago nightclubs in her teens. She soon attracted attention in Hollywood and made her film debut in 1951...
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DVD releases
Timeless Media Group has released two best-of collections on DVD in Region 1. Checkmate: The Best of Season 1 was released on October 30, 2009 and Checkmate: The Best of Season 2 was released on March 25, 2008.Timeless Media Group released Checkmate: The Complete Series on 14 DVDs on June 22, 2010
(Region 1).http://www.timelessvideo.com/dvds/checkmate14dvd.html