The Manhunter
Encyclopedia
The Manhunter is an American
crime drama
that was part of CBS
' lineup for the 1974 - 1975 television season. The series was produced by Quinn Martin
and starred Ken Howard
as Dave Barret, a 1930s-era private investigator
from Idaho
. The series was executive produced by Quinn Martin
.
in Idaho to other parts of the Western
and North Central
United States to solve crime
s, after the death of his best friend during a bank robbery
. Using a car
which was well stocked with weapon
s, he would hunt down men who were wanted by the law
. The series also starred Hilary Thompson as Dave's sister Lizabeth Barret, Ford Rainey
as his father, James, Claudia Bryar as his mother, Mary and Robert J. Hogan
as Sheriff
Paul Tate.
Among the series' guest stars were Michael Constantine
, Joan Van Ark
, Denver Pyle
, Tom Skerritt
, Leslie Nielsen
, Sam Elliott
, Dabney Coleman
, Paul Carr
, a pre-Star Wars
Mark Hamill
, Linda Marsh, Parley Baer
, a pre-The Simpsons
Jo Ann Harris
and Barbara Rhoades. Already known for his portrayal of Thomas Jefferson
in 1776
, Howard would later become famous playing the main character on The White Shadow
.
The Manhunter pilot episode
was shown on February 26, 1974. It was then picked up as a regular series by CBS, with its first regular episode being shown on September 11. Although being ranked 19th for the week that it premiered, the series was cancelled by CBS because of stiff competition from ABC
's Get Christie Love!
and NBC
's Petrocelli
with its last regular episode being shown on March 5, 1975. Reruns of the series were then shown until April.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
crime drama
Police procedural
The police procedural is a subgenre of detective fiction which attempts to convincingly depict the activities of a police force as they investigate crimes. While traditional detective novels usually concentrate on a single crime, police procedurals frequently depict investigations into several...
that was part of 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...
' lineup for the 1974 - 1975 television season. The series was produced by Quinn Martin
Quinn Martin
Quinn Martin was one of the most successful American television producers. He had at least one television series running in prime time for 21 straight years , an industry record.-Early life:...
and starred Ken Howard
Ken Howard
Kenneth Joseph "Ken" Howard, Jr. is an American actor, best known for his roles as Thomas Jefferson in 1776 and as basketball coach and former Chicago Bulls player Ken Reeves in the television show The White Shadow...
as Dave Barret, a 1930s-era 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...
from Idaho
Idaho
Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
. The series was executive produced by Quinn Martin
Quinn Martin
Quinn Martin was one of the most successful American television producers. He had at least one television series running in prime time for 21 straight years , an industry record.-Early life:...
.
Synopsis
The series' premise would have Dave going from parents' farmFarm
A farm is an area of land, or, for aquaculture, lake, river or sea, including various structures, devoted primarily to the practice of producing and managing food , fibres and, increasingly, fuel. It is the basic production facility in food production. Farms may be owned and operated by a single...
in Idaho to other parts of the Western
Western United States
.The Western United States, commonly referred to as the American West or simply "the West," traditionally refers to the region comprising the westernmost states of the United States. Because the U.S. expanded westward after its founding, the meaning of the West has evolved over time...
and North Central
West North Central States
The West North Central States form one of the nine geographic divisions within the United States that are officially recognized by the U.S. Census Bureau....
United States to solve crime
Crime
Crime is the breach of rules or laws for which some governing authority can ultimately prescribe a conviction...
s, after the death of his best friend during a bank robbery
Bank robbery
Bank robbery is the crime of stealing from a bank during opening hours. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Uniform Crime Reporting Program, robbery is "the taking or attempting to take anything of value from the care, custody, or control of a person or persons by force or threat of...
. Using a car
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
which was well stocked with weapon
Weapon
A weapon, arm, or armament is a tool or instrument used with the aim of causing damage or harm to living beings or artificial structures or systems...
s, he would hunt down men who were wanted by the law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
. The series also starred Hilary Thompson as Dave's sister Lizabeth Barret, Ford Rainey
Ford Rainey
Ford Rainey was an American film, stage and television actor.-Early life:Rainey was born in Mountain Home, Idaho, the son of Vyrna , a teacher, and Archie Coleman Rainey. Rainey graduated from Centralia Junior College in Washington state and the Cornish Drama School in Seattle. He first acted on...
as his father, James, Claudia Bryar as his mother, Mary and Robert J. Hogan
Robert J. Hogan
Robert J. Hogan is an American actor. While not a stranger to the big screen or the stage, Hogan is best known to audiences for his highly prolific career in American television which began in 1961...
as Sheriff
Sheriff
A sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
Paul Tate.
Among the series' guest stars were Michael Constantine
Michael Constantine
Michael 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...
, Joan Van Ark
Joan Van Ark
Joan Van Ark is an American actress, most notable for her role as Valene Ewing, which she originated on the CBS series Dallas and continued for thirteen seasons on its spin-off, Knots Landing...
, Denver Pyle
Denver Pyle
Denver Dell Pyle was an American film and television actor. He is best remembered for playing Uncle Jesse in The Dukes of Hazzard .-Early life:...
, Tom Skerritt
Tom Skerritt
Thomas Roy "Tom" Skerritt is an American actor who has appeared in over 40 films and more than 200 television episodes since 1962.-Early life:...
, Leslie Nielsen
Leslie Nielsen
Leslie William Nielsen, OC was a Canadian and naturalized American actor and comedian. Nielsen appeared in more than one hundred films and 1,500 television programs over the span of his career, portraying more than 220 characters...
, Sam Elliott
Sam Elliott
Samuel Pack "Sam" Elliott is an American actor. His rangy physique, thick horseshoe moustache, and deep, resonant voice match the iconic image of a cowboy or rancher, and he has often been cast in such roles.-Early life:Sam Elliott was born in Sacramento, California, to a physical training...
, Dabney Coleman
Dabney Coleman
Dabney Wharton Coleman is an American actor, best known for his roles in 9 to 5, WarGames, You've Got Mail, Sworn to Silence, The Beverly Hillbillies and as the voice of Principal Peter Prickly in Recess and Recess: School's Out.-Early life:Coleman was born in Austin, Texas, the son of Mary...
, Paul Carr
Paul Carr (actor)
Paul Carr was an character actor who was born in New Orleans, Louisiana. Carr acted for some fifty years in television, film, and on-stage.-Beginnings:...
, a pre-Star Wars
Star Wars
Star Wars is an American epic space opera film series created by George Lucas. The first film in the series was originally released on May 25, 1977, under the title Star Wars, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, followed by two sequels, released at three-year...
Mark Hamill
Mark Hamill
Mark Richard Hamill is an American actor, voice artist, producer, director, and writer, best known for his role as Luke Skywalker in the original trilogy of Star Wars. More recently, he has received acclaim for his voice work, in such roles as the Joker in Batman: The Animated Series, Firelord...
, Linda Marsh, Parley Baer
Parley Baer
Parley Edward Baer was an American actor in film, television, and radio.-Radio:Born in Salt Lake City, Utah, Baer had a circus background, but began his radio career at Utah station KSL...
, a pre-The Simpsons
The Simpsons
The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
Jo Ann Harris
Jo Ann Harris
Jo Ann Harris is an American actress. Born in Los Angeles, she is known for her role in the film The Beguiled as the sultry 17-year-old Carol who seduces Clint Eastwood's character. Harris had a small singing role in Newsies as "Patrick's mother", the woman searching for her son in the first part...
and Barbara Rhoades. Already known for his portrayal of Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson was the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence and the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom , the third President of the United States and founder of the University of Virginia...
in 1776
1776 (musical)
1776 is a musical with music and lyrics by Sherman Edwards and a book by Peter Stone. The story is based on the events surrounding the signing of the Declaration of Independence...
, Howard would later become famous playing the main character on The White Shadow
The White Shadow
The White Shadow is an American drama television series that ran on the CBS network from November 27, 1978, to March 16, 1981.-Overview:...
.
The Manhunter pilot episode
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...
was shown on February 26, 1974. It was then picked up as a regular series by CBS, with its first regular episode being shown on September 11. Although being ranked 19th for the week that it premiered, the series was cancelled by CBS because of stiff competition from ABC
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...
's Get Christie Love!
Get Christie Love!
Get Christie Love! is a 1974 made-for-television film starring Teresa Graves as an undercover female police detective who is determined to overthrow a drug ring. This film is based on Dorothy Uhnak's crime-thriller novel, The Ledger...
and NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
's Petrocelli
Petrocelli
Petrocelli is an American legal drama which ran for two seasons on NBC from September 11, 1974 to March 31, 1976.-Plot:Tony Petrocelli was an Italian-American Harvard-educated lawyer who grew up in South Boston and gave up the big money and frenetic pace of major-metropolitan life to practice in a...
with its last regular episode being shown on March 5, 1975. Reruns of the series were then shown until April.
Episodes
| Episode # | Episode title | Original airdate |
|---|---|---|
| 1-1 | "The Ma Gantry Gang" | September 11, 1974 |
| 1-2 | "The Man Who Thought He Was Dillinger" | September 18, 1974 |
| 1-3 | "The Baby-Faced Killers" | September 25, 1974 |
| 1-4 | "Death on the Run" | October 2, 1974 |
| 1-5 | "Trackdown" | October 9, 1974 |
| 1-6 | "Terror From the Skies" | October 16, 1974 |
| 1-7 | "The Doomsday Gang" | October 23, 1974 |
| 1-8 | "The Deadly Brothers" | October 30, 1974 |
| 1-9 | "The Truck Murders" | November 6, 1974 |
| 1-10 | "Jackknife" | November 13, 1974 |
| 1-11 | "The Carnival Story" | November 20, 1974 |
| 1-12 | "The Lodestar Ambush" | December 4, 1974 |
| 1-13 | "A.W.O.L. to Kill" | December 11, 1974 |
| 1-14 | "Flight to Nowhere" | December 18, 1974 |
| 1-15 | "Web of Fear" | January 1, 1975 |
| 1-16 | "Day of Execution" | January 15, 1975 |
| 1-17 | "Man in a Cage" | January 22, 1975 |
| 1-18 | "The Seventh Man" | January 29, 1975 |
| 1-19 | "The Wrong Man" | February 5, 1975 |
| 1-20 | "The Death Watch" | February 19, 1975 |
| 1-21 | "To Kill a Tiger" | February 26, 1975 |
| 1-22 | "Trial by Terror" | March 5, 1975 |