To clarify, The Law Enforcers was one of the rotating shows featured on The Bold Ones. The Law Enforcers was also known as The Protectors, but I’m using the former title to keep it distinct from the spy show The Protectors.
THE LAW ENFORCERS (1969-1970) – Leslie Nielsen starred as Deputy Chief of Police Sam Danforth, a hard-nosed law enforcement veteran brought to a California city to help shape up the police department. Hari Rhodes co-starred as the much younger District Attorney William Washburn.
PILOT MOVIE: DEADLOCK (Feb 22nd, 1969) – This telefilm filled a 2-hour timeslot with commercials. Back when this was made, television cop shows didn’t bother trying to realistically depict the way law enforcement worked, unlike the countless police procedural programs of today. Think of McMillan and Wife, for instance. NO Police Commissioner (Rock Hudson’s role) personally investigates individual crimes, but the show’s gimmick had McMillan doing that with his wife (Susan St. James).
Similarly, Deadlock features the District Attorney character getting involved far too early in the investigative process just to spotlight the proposed series’ gimmick – the tension between Nielsen and Rhodes.
The story involves racial tensions in the unnamed city when the killing of a young black man is followed by the murder of a white newspaper man in a black neighborhood. Both killers are sought after as the city teeters on the edge of riots. The turbo-charged personalities of Danforth and Washburn (who plans to run for the Senate) are the best part of this production.
The guest cast included THE Ruby Dee, Aldo Ray, Beverly Todd, Dana Elcar, Max Julien, James McEachin and the legendary FRED WILLIAMSON. Continue reading
TETSUO THE IRON MAN (1989) – Director Shinya Tsukamoto hails from Japan and is noted for his surreal, nightmarish excursions into the darker side of transformative industrial technology … especially any technology that impacts the human anatomy. Long time readers of Balladeer’s Blog may recall that I cite this black & white film as one of my favorite sci-fi horrors ever. 
THE STORY OF THE HAUNTED SHIP (1825) – This tale was written by the German author Wilhelm Hauff, who died in 1827. 
HOUSEBOAT HORROR (1989) – “Mullets ahoy!” would make a good alternate title for this Shot on Video disaster from Down Under. Star Alan Dale of Neighbors fame leads a cast of untalented actors and barely adequate musicians who get chopped up by a disfigured slasher.
Text onscreen tells us it is October, which in Australia should be Spring, but the Aussie filmmakers for some reason have the characters keep saying it’s Winter. Guess they forgot what month they claimed it was. 
NUMBER SEVEN TAKES A FALL – In the NAIA, the 23rd ranked SOUTHWESTERN COLLEGE MOUNDBUILDERS visited the number 7 team in the nation – the FRIENDS UNIVERSITY FALCONS. By Halftime the Moundbuilders were on top 20-14, and 26-21 to end the 3rd Quarter. From there Southwestern College won the game 40-21. 
ENTER: THE DRAGONS – The NCAA Division 2 TIFFIN UNIVERSITY DRAGONS traveled to face the HILLSDALE COLLEGE CHARGERS. A 7-7 1st Quarter tie became a 21-7 Dragons advantage at the Half. After the break, the Chargers shut out Tiffin but still lost to them 21-14. 
PART 80 – As always, it’s fascinating to read the over 100-year-old opinions of James Larkin Pearson (and by extension his Fool Killer), including the opinions that one doesn’t agree with. Here are some of the Fool Killer’s targets in December 1915. 
MARVEL SPOTLIGHT Vol 1 #5 (August 1972) 
LA MALROCHE (1833) – By Louisa Stuart Costello. Halloween month continues here at Balladeer’s Blog with yet another look at a neglected work of Gothic Horror, this one dealing with witchcraft, a monstrous child and supernatural beasts. Louisa Costello, the female author of this eerie tale, deserves to be much better known.
