"Car 43, Where Are You?" Debuts 50 Years Ago Today

Created and produced by Nat Hiken, whose greatest claim to fame is The Phil Silvers Show, one of my all-time favorites.

In its brief two-season run, "Car 54, Where Are You?" was regular Sunday night viewing in the Nelson household. OK, so I ruled the TV dial at 8:30. (Eastern time.)

"The Defender" Debuts 50 Years Ago Today

The Defenders, starring E. G. Marshall and Robert Reed as a father-and-son team of lawyers, debuted on CBS on Saturday, September 16, 1961, at 8:30 p.m. Eastern time. The show followed Perry Mason, in its 5th and what would turn out to be its most popular season.  In its 4-year run, The Defenders reached the Nielsen Top Twenty once, in its 2nd season.

The Defenders is especially notable for two things.  Its stories dealt with such controversial issues as abortion, civil disobedience, political blacklisting, capital punishment, custody rights, and euthanasia (or what was more commonly referred to at the time as 'mercy killing'.)  In addition, its guest star line-up featured a number of actors, relative unknowns at the time, who would to on to great critical and popular success in movies and theater:  Gene Hackman, James Earl Jones, Ossie Davis, Dustin Hoffman, Robert Redford, and Jon Voight.