Slattery's People
Encyclopedia
Slattery's People is a 1964-1965 American
television series about local politics starring Richard Crenna
as title character James Slattery, a state legislator, co-starring Ed Asner
and Tol Avery
, and featuring Carroll O'Connor
and Warren Oates
in a couple of episodes each. James E. Moser was executive producer. The program, telecast on CBS
, was nominated for a Golden Globe Award
.
Slattery's People is mainly notable for having been one of the few American television series spotlighting the travails of local politicians, a topic that other programs of the period mainly avoided.
Many television critics highly praised the series. Many politicians also approved of the program. U.S. Representative James C. Corman
said in a Congressional Record
statement on September 30, 1964, “I am pleased that they have taken the high road to show a legislator’s life, and have not pandered to sensationalism or unreality to stimulate an audience following.”
Moser's script for the pilot
("Question: What is truth?") was printed as an appendix in Teleplay; an introduction to television writing by Coles Trapnell
.
Television composer Nathan Scott
wrote the theme music
for Slattery's People.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
television series about local politics starring Richard Crenna
Richard Crenna
Richard Donald Crenna was an American motion picture, television, and radio actor and occasional television director. He starred in such motion pictures as The Sand Pebbles, Wait Until Dark, Body Heat, the first three Rambo movies, Hot Shots! Part Deux, and The Flamingo Kid...
as title character James Slattery, a state legislator, co-starring Ed Asner
Ed Asner
Edward Asner , commonly known as Ed Asner, is an American film, television, stage, and voice actor and former president of the Screen Actors Guild, primarily known for his Emmy Award-winning role as Lou Grant on both The Mary Tyler Moore Show and its spin-off series, Lou Grant...
and Tol Avery
Tol Avery
Tol Avery was an American film and television character actor with more than a hundred screen appearances between 1950 and 1974...
, and featuring Carroll O'Connor
Carroll O'Connor
John Carroll O'Connor best known as Carroll O'Connor, was an American actor, producer and director whose television career spanned four decades...
and Warren Oates
Warren Oates
Warren Mercer Oates was an American actor best known for his performances in several films directed by Sam Peckinpah including The Wild Bunch and Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia...
in a couple of episodes each. James E. Moser was executive producer. The program, telecast on CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
, was nominated for a Golden Globe Award
Golden Globe Award
The Golden Globe Award is an accolade bestowed by the 93 members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association recognizing excellence in film and television, both domestic and foreign...
.
Slattery's People is mainly notable for having been one of the few American television series spotlighting the travails of local politicians, a topic that other programs of the period mainly avoided.
Many television critics highly praised the series. Many politicians also approved of the program. U.S. Representative James C. Corman
James C. Corman
James Charles Corman was a Los Angeles City Council member from 1957 to 1961 and a Democratic Congressman from California between 1961 and 1981.-General:...
said in a Congressional Record
Congressional Record
The Congressional Record is the official record of the proceedings and debates of the United States Congress. It is published by the United States Government Printing Office, and is issued daily when the United States Congress is in session. Indexes are issued approximately every two weeks...
statement on September 30, 1964, “I am pleased that they have taken the high road to show a legislator’s life, and have not pandered to sensationalism or unreality to stimulate an audience following.”
Moser's script for the pilot
Television pilot
A "television pilot" is a standalone episode of a television series that is used to sell the show to a television network. At the time of its inception, the pilot is meant to be the "testing ground" to see if a series will be possibly desired and successful and therefore a test episode of an...
("Question: What is truth?") was printed as an appendix in Teleplay; an introduction to television writing by Coles Trapnell
Coles Trapnell
Coles Trapnell was an American television producer, writer, and director most famous for a stint following Roy Huggins as the producer of the Warner Bros. Western series Maverick starring James Garner and Jack Kelly, beginning with the show's third season. Trapnell also wrote scripts for Yancy...
.
Television composer Nathan Scott
Nathan Scott (composer)
Nathan Scott was an American film score and television composer. He composed, conducted, arranged and orchestrated more than 850 separate credits in television, as well as the music for more than 100 films...
wrote the theme music
Theme music
Theme music is a piece that is often written specifically for a radio program, television program, video game or movie, and usually played during the title sequence and/or end credits...
for Slattery's People.
Guest stars
- Russ ConwayRuss Conway (actor)Russ Conway was a Canadian-American character actor who appeared on film and television between 1947 and 1975.-Early years:...
in "Question: Bill Bailey, Why Did You Come Home?" - Don KeeferDon KeeferDonald "Don" H. Keefer is a retired American actor known for the versatility of his roles. He was born in Highspire in Dauphin County near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Keefer's first role was as Bernard in the 1951 film, Death of a Salesman, based on the Arthur Miller play...
as George Farnum in "Question: What Did You Do All Day, Mr. Slattery?" - Joyce MeadowsJoyce MeadowsJoyce Meadows is a Canadian-American actress. From 1960-1961, she co-starred as Stacy in the syndicated western series Two Faces West with Charles Bateman and Francis De Sales...
as Gert in the episode "Question: Is Laura the Name of the Game?" - John M. PickardJohn Pickard (American actor)John M. Pickard was an American actor who appeared primarily in television Westerns.-Early life and career:...
as Vance Durant in "Question: How Long Is the Shadow of a Man?" - Judson PrattJudson PrattJudson Pratt was an American actor whose longest continuing work was in thirteen episodes of ABC's Walt Disney Presents and NBC's Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color. A native of Hingham in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, Pratt appeared in numerous television westerns and drama series from...
as Harry Daniels in "Question: How Impregnable Is a Magic Tower?" - Robert F. SimonRobert F. SimonRobert F. Simon was an American character actor, often portraying military or authority figure roles. Though his face was recognized by audiences, he was mostly unknown by name...
in "Question: What Did You Do All Day, Mr. Slattery?" - Joan TompkinsJoan TompkinsJoan Tompkins, legally known as Joan Swenson was an American actress of television, film, radio, and stage, who co-founded with her husband, Karl Swenson, an acting company in Beverly Hills, California...
as Dorothy Ralston in "Question: What Time Is the Next Bandwageon?" - Arthur HillArthur Hill (actor)Arthur Edward Spence Hill was a Canadian actor best known for appearances in British and American theater, movies and television...
as Dr. George Allison and Michael ConstantineMichael ConstantineMichael Constantine is a Greek American actor.He is probably now best known for his portrayal of Gus Portokalos, the Windex bottle-toting Greek father of Toula Portokalos , in the 2002 surprise hit film My Big Fat Greek Wedding.Prior to that, he was well-known for his extensive TV work, especially...
as Paul Hungerford in "Question: Remember the Dark Sins of Youth?" - Ed WynnEd WynnEd Wynn was a popular American comedian and actor noted for his Perfect Fool comedy character, his pioneering radio show of the 1930s, and his later career as a dramatic actor....
as Ezra Tallicott on "What Ever Happened to Ezra?"
External links
- Slattery's People at the Internet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...