Matt Houston
Encyclopedia
Matt Houston is an American crime drama series that aired on ABC
from 1982 to 1985. Created by Lawrence Gordon, the series was produced by Aaron Spelling
.
as a wealthy mustachioed Texas oilman named Matlock "Matt" Houston who worked as a private investigator
in Los Angeles in his abundant free time. The show also stars Pamela Hensley
as his lawyer sidekick, C.J., and George Wyner
as his continuously frustrated business manager. During the show's third and final season (1984–85), Buddy Ebsen
joined the cast as Matt Houston's uncle, Roy Houston.
Most episodes typically involved one of Matt Houston's close friends being murdered or involved in some criminal enterprise, requiring his assistance. Fortunately, C.J. had access to an Apple II
computer named "Baby" that contained a remarkable database on virtually all living and deceased persons, allowing her to provide all necessary information.
) released season 1 of Matt Houston on DVD in Region 1 for the first time.
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
from 1982 to 1985. Created by Lawrence Gordon, the series was produced by Aaron Spelling
Aaron Spelling
Aaron Spelling was an American film and television producer. As of 2009, Spelling's eponymous production company Spelling Television holds the record as the most prolific television writer, with 218 producer and executive producer credits...
.
Synopsis
Matt Houston stars Lee HorsleyLee Horsley
Lee Arthur Horsley is an American film, television, and theater actor known for starring roles in the television series, Nero Wolfe , Matt Houston , and Paradise . He starred in the 1982 cult film, The Sword and the Sorcerer, and recorded the audiobook edition of Lonesome Dove...
as a wealthy mustachioed Texas oilman named Matlock "Matt" Houston who worked as a private investigator
Private investigator
A private investigator , private detective or inquiry agent, is a person who can be hired by individuals or groups to undertake investigatory law services. Private detectives/investigators often work for attorneys in civil cases. Many work for insurance companies to investigate suspicious claims...
in Los Angeles in his abundant free time. The show also stars Pamela Hensley
Pamela Hensley
Pamela Gail Hensley is an American actress. She is best known for playing Princess Ardala on the 1979-1981 television series Buck Rogers in the 25th Century and C.J...
as his lawyer sidekick, C.J., and George Wyner
George Wyner
George Wyner is an American film and television actor. He is probably best known for his role as ADA Bernstein on the series Hill Street Blues. Wyner graduated from Syracuse University in 1968 as a drama major, and was an in-demand character actor by the early 1970s. To date, Wyner has made guest...
as his continuously frustrated business manager. During the show's third and final season (1984–85), Buddy Ebsen
Buddy Ebsen
Buddy 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...
joined the cast as Matt Houston's uncle, Roy Houston.
Most episodes typically involved one of Matt Houston's close friends being murdered or involved in some criminal enterprise, requiring his assistance. Fortunately, C.J. had access to an Apple II
Apple II
The Apple II is an 8-bit home computer, one of the first highly successful mass-produced microcomputer products, designed primarily by Steve Wozniak, manufactured by Apple Computer and introduced in 1977...
computer named "Baby" that contained a remarkable database on virtually all living and deceased persons, allowing her to provide all necessary information.
Cast
| Actor | Character |
|---|---|
| Lee Horsley | Matlock 'Matt' Houston |
| Pamela Hensley | C.J. Parsons |
| John Aprea | Lt. Vince Novelli (1982–83) |
| Paul Brinegar | Lamar Pettybone (1982–83) |
| Dennis Fimple | Bo (1982–83) |
| Penny Santon | Mama Rosa Novelli (1982–83) |
| Lincoln Kilpatrick | Lt. Michael Hoyt (1983–85) |
| Buddy Ebsen | Uncle Roy Houston (1984–85) |
| Wade Nicholson | Johnny 'Peacepipes' Mickleburg (1984–85) |
Season 1 (1982-1983)
| № | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Pilot" | September 26, 1982 |
| Matt Houston, an oil tycoon's son from Texas, comes to California to manage off-shore drilling. With plenty of cars, a helicopter, and lots of millionaire toys to choose from, Matt Houston finds plenty of time for his PI hobby. | ||
| 2 | "Stop the Presses" | October 3, 1982 |
| A rag magazine publisher is in danger after he decides to reveal plans | ||
| 3 | "Deadly Fashion" | October 17, 1982 |
| A famous fashion designer has been murdered and Matt's former girlfriend is under suspicion. | ||
| 4 | "Killing isn't Everything" | October 24, 1982 |
| A football player is being blackmailed by someone who says they have proof he killed the coach. | ||
| 5 | "Who Would Kill Ramona?" | October 31, 1982 |
| When an actor dies after drinking from a tainted glass, the star who it belonged to becomes a suspect. | ||
| 6 | "Recipe for Murder" | November 7, 1982 |
| A severed head in gelatin shocks a food critic who recognizes it as belonging to his partner. | ||
| 7 | "Shark Bait" | November 21, 1982 |
| Sharks have been attacking beachgoers, and Matt wonders if something sinister might be going on. | ||
| 8 | "The Kidnapping" | November 28, 1982 |
| A critically ill Arab prince has been abducted. | ||
| 9 | "Joey's Here" | December 5, 1982 |
| Matt tries to discover why a robot would murder the brother of its genius creator. | ||
| 10 | "The Good Doctor" | December 12, 1982 |
| During a party at Matt's, a research scientist is murdered. | ||
| 11 | "The Rock and the Hard Place" | January 2, 1983 |
| A champion boxer's physical ailments and his wife's addictions come into light after a murder. | ||
| 12 | "The Purrfect Crime" | January 9, 1983 |
| When a cat food mogul is found mauled to death by a domesticated tiger, his four ex-wives retain Matt's services so they can receive proceeds the from the will. | ||
| 13 | "The Yacht Club Murders" | January 16, 1983 |
| A yacht club is the target of a killer, concerning someone with ties to Matt. | ||
| 14 | "Whose Party is This Anyway?" | January 23, 1983 |
| Five famous folks are summoned to Matt's place through a murderous ruse. | ||
| 15 | "Get Houston" | February 20, 1983 |
| A psychopath orchestrates attacks on Houston from his padded confinement. | ||
| 16 | "The Visitors" | February 27, 1983 |
| A famous scientist suffers a fatal heart attack while witnessing an alleged extraterrestrial visit by an Unidentified Flying Object. | ||
| 17 | "Here's Another Fine Mess" | March 6, 1983 |
| Someone is targeting C.J. and her sorority sisters. | ||
| 18 | "The Beverly Hills Social Club" | March 13, 1983 |
| A gossip columnist is murdered after threatening to expose a high-class prostitution house. | ||
| 19 | "The Showgirl Murders" | March 20, 1983 |
| Matt's friend, who suffers from alcoholic binges and blackouts, is accused of murder. | ||
| 20 | "Fear for Tomorrow" | April 3, 1983 |
| When a special code predicts deaths, Matt hunts for clues to prevent them and expose the code's reality. | ||
| 21 | "A Deadly Parlay" | April 10, 1983 |
| Matt is charged with murdering a jockey whose body he happened upon. | ||
| 22 | "A Novel Way to Die" | April 17, 1983 |
| A mystery is revealed when a murder-mystery writer is found dead at a convention. | ||
| 23 | "The Hunted" | April 24, 1983 |
| A notorious crime leader kidnaps C.J. in order to force a trade for his son who is being held in connection with a terrorism plot. | ||
Season 2 (1983-1984)
| № | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 24 | "Heritage I, II" | September 9, 1983 |
| While investigating a land scam, Matt finds out a few unnerving things about his family and his past. | ||
| 25 | "The Woman in White" | September 16, 1983 |
| A former peace officer is jailed and under arrest for murder, but he might not have committed the crime. | ||
| 26 | "Love You to Death" | September 23, 1983 |
| Matt is the victim of a stalker one-night-stand. | ||
| 27 | "The Centerfold Murders" | September 30, 1983 |
| Three stunning women have been murdered, their connection: they are all top centerfolds. | ||
| 28 | "Needle in a Haystack" | October 7, 1983 |
| After witnessing a brutal crime, a diabetic is deported to Mexico, and his mother is concerned about his condition. | ||
| 29 | "Marilyn" | October 14, 1983 |
| As he lay dying from a fatal gunshot, an associate asks Matt to protect Marilyn. Only one problem: Matt has no idea who she is. | ||
| 30 | "The Ghost of Carter Gault" | October 28, 1983 |
| A man trying to expose dirty union tactics is murdered right after asking Matt to take the case. | ||
| 31 | "China Doll" | November 4, 1983 |
| Did Chinese drug smugglers murder C.J.'s former roommate? | ||
| 32 | "Butterfly" | November 18, 1983 |
| In the attempt to protect her little sister from a child prostitute ring, a teenage call girl is murdered. | ||
| 33 | "The Crying Clown" | November 25, 1983 |
| A talented art forger is found murdered, and the clues may rest one of his paintings, which is now missing. | ||
| 34 | "The Outsider" | December 2, 1983 |
| A self-proclaimed "Psychic" who is involved in a kidnapping scheme targets Matt. | ||
| 35 | "Target: Miss World" | December 23, 1983 |
| A sniper assassin kills an innocent girl to maximize his targeting location. | ||
| 36 | "The Monster" | January 6, 1984 |
| C.J. is left to deal with defending a man who has confessed to killing four teens. | ||
| 37 | "Waltz of Death" | January 13, 1984 |
| Someone thinks a renowned concert pianist is a mad strangler. | ||
| 38 | "Houston is Dead" | January 20, 1984 |
| While investigating the death of a nursing home nurse, Matt is shot. | ||
| 39 | "Criss-Cross" | January 27, 1984 |
| A retired Lieutenant Vincent Novelli is charged with stealing cocaine from a police evidence vault upon his return from vacation in Hawaii. | ||
| 40 | "The Bikini Murders" | February 3, 1984 |
| A secretary is murdered after uncovering a plot to blackmail her boss. | ||
| 41 | "Death Match" | February 24, 1984 |
| A serial killer who killed Matt's fiancee in the past reveals that he has struck again. | ||
| 42 | "Blood Ties" | March 2, 1984 |
| A hospital angel of death targets Matt's father. | ||
| 43 | "The Secret Admirer | March 9, 1984 |
| C.J. is stalked by an obsessed admirer who murders her beau. | ||
| 44 | "Cash and Carry" | March 23, 1984 |
| A thief has second thoughts after stealing a cool $3 million from the mob. | ||
| 45 | "On the Run" | March 30, 1984 |
| An amnesiac Matt wakes in his penthouse to discover a month is past and he is accused of murder. | ||
Season 3 (1984-1985)
| № | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 46 | "Wanted Man" | September 21, 1984 |
| Buddy Ebsen Buddy Ebsen Buddy 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... stars as Roy Houston, Matt's uncle who investigates the accusations against his nephew and uncovers a mind control plot. |
||
| 47 | "Vanished" | September 28, 1984 |
| Hoyt's young daughter is kidnapped by a child molester. | ||
| 48 | "Eyewitness" | October 12, 1984 |
| A TV newsman covers a kidnapping that he might be involved in to boost ratings. | ||
| 49 | "Apostle of Death" | October 19, 1984 |
| Whether it's a religious cult or a commune, Matt must rescue a girl who is being bilked out of a $3 million inheritance by the evangelist leader who plans to murder her after he has gained control of the cash. | ||
| 50 | "Caged" | October 26, 1984 |
| After getting amnesia after a car accident, C.J. finds herself in prison and uncovers a prostitution ring. | ||
| 51 | "Return to Nam" | November 2, 1984 |
| Matt discovers that his cousin, who was once believed dead in Cambodia, is still a POW. | ||
| 52 | "Escape from Nam" | November 9, 1984 |
| The Cambodian warlord who has imprisoned Matt's cousin might be getting a little help from someone close to Matt. | ||
| 53 | "High Fashion Murders" | November 16, 1984 |
| Two models have been murdered, and Matt can't accept the alibi of the most likely suspect. | ||
| 54 | "Death Stalk" | November 23, 1984 |
| An international assassin has a grudge against Matt. | ||
| 55 | "Blood Money" with Scott Marlowe Scott Marlowe Scott Gregory Marlowe was a versatile American actor of film, television, and stage, who was born and died in Los Angeles, California.-Early film career:... |
November 30, 1984 |
| Matt is dragged into a case involving international gem smuggling from a war-torn Vietnam. | ||
| 56 | "Deadly Games" | December 7, 1984 |
| The most dangerous game is revisited when a sporting goods mogul hunts athletes. | ||
| 57 | "Stolen" | December 21, 1984 |
| An actress, whose infant son had been kidnapped a year earlier, asks Matt to investigate a woman she saw in a park with a child who resembled her lost baby. | ||
| 58 | "The Nightmare Man" | January 4, 1985 |
| Matt believes that the man who abducted him as a boy is kidnapping again. | ||
| 59 | "Breakpoint" | January 11, 1985 |
| Matt rushes to the aid of a girl who is threatening suicide. | ||
| 60 | "Death Trap" | January 18, 1985 |
| A once prosperous oil town is now home to corruption and embezzlement. | ||
| 61 | "The Honeymoon Murders" | January 25, 1985 |
| Someone is targeting brides to be. | ||
| 62 | "Beach Club Murders" | February 1, 1985 |
| Matt investigates blackmail murders with the assistance of one of the victims sisters. | ||
| 63 | "New Orleans Nightmare" | February 8, 1985 |
| A stewardess accidentally happens upon and photographs the murder of Jeremy Nicholson and asks Matt to protect her. | ||
| 64 | "Company Secrets" | February 15, 1985 |
| Roy fakes his death to uncover a plot to murder his CIA squad members. | ||
| 65 | "Killing Time" | February 22, 1985 |
| Matt's new flame has a family secret; her brother is funding Irish terrorists. | ||
| 66 | "Death Watch" | March 15, 1985 |
| Matt and company investigate a drug ring. | ||
| 67 | "Final Vows" | March 29, 1985 |
| Elizabeth, the object of Matt's affections, returns. | ||
DVD release
On March 9, 2010, CBS DVD (Distributed by ParamountParamount Home Entertainment
Paramount Home Entertainment is the division of Paramount Pictures dealing with home video founded in late 1975.-History:...
) released season 1 of Matt Houston on DVD in Region 1 for the first time.
Award nominations
| Year | Award | Result | Category | Recipient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | Emmy Award Emmy Award An Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various... |
Nominated | Outstanding Film Editing for a Series | Bob Bring (For episode "The Showgirl Murders") |
| Edgar Award Edgar Award The Edgar Allan Poe Awards , named after Edgar Allan Poe, are presented every year by the Mystery Writers of America... |
Best Television Episode | Richard Christian Danus and Ken Trevey (For episode "Matt Houston") | ||
| 1985 | Young Artist Award Young Artist Award The Young Artist Award is an accolade bestowed by the Young Artist Foundation, a non-profit organization founded in 1978 to recognize and award excellence of youth performers, and to provide scholarships for young artists who may be physically and/or financially challenged.The Young Artist... |
Best Young Actor – Guest in a Television Series | Bumper Robinson Bumper Robinson Bumper Robinson is an American actor and voice artist. Robinson got his nickname because he repeatedly bumped into things while running through his home as a young child.- Life and career :... |