THE FEATHER AND FATHER GANG (1976-1977) FOR FATHER’S DAY

THE FEATHER AND FATHER GANG (1976-1977) – Happy Father’s Day, gentlemen! Back on Mother’s Day I reviewed Momma the Detective, so in that spirit here is a look at the short-lived detective series The Feather and Father Gang.

This program starred Stefanie Powers as attorney Toni “Feather” Danton and Harold Gould as Harry Danton, her charming, roguish conman father. Trying to keep her rascally dad on the straight and narrow, Feather hired him as a private investigator for her law firm.

In the tradition of Perry Mason and Matlock, Feather’s clients were always victims of frame jobs or bad circumstances, so her incorrigible father Harry inevitably resorted to extra-legal methods of clearing them. Papa Danton recruited some of his old conmen pals to help him in his efforts and dubbed the joint venture “the Feather and Father Gang.”

Harold Gould was clearly trading on his beloved character Kid Twist from The Sting in this role of a grifter with a heart of gold. Stefanie Powers was as capable as could be expected in the thankless role of the devoted daughter forever exasperated with her father’s repeated return to the underhanded tricks of his former trade. 

Another regular on the series was Edward Winter as the hapless Deputy D.A. J.C. Hadley, who always lost in court to Feather Danton. Fellow grifters of Harry Danton included Joan Shawlee as Margo, Lewis Charles as Lou, Monte Landis as Michael and Frank Delfino as Enzo.

Almost everything about the ill-fated Feather and Father Gang was sideways. The series kept getting bounced around from time slot to time slot, put on hiatus, etc. The network may have doomed the program from the start by not airing the 90-minute pilot movie – Never Con A Killer – until May 13th of 1977 despite the series debuting in primetime on December 6th, 1976.

Crucial elements of the chemistry and interaction among the characters were therefore not glimpsed by viewers until the series was already months old. Its final episode aired on July 30th, 1977.

Here’s a look at the pilot movie and thirteen episodes of The Feather and Father Gang:

Pilot: NEVER CON A KILLER – Attorney Toni “Feather” Danton’s latest client is a hockey player unjustly accused of murder. Her conman father Harry assembles some old colleagues to go beyond the law in order to provide Feather with evidence to clear the hockey player in court. Guest stars included John Forsythe, Camilla Sparv, Marc Singer and James Sikking.

TWO-STAR KILLER – A two-star general (William Windom) framed his aide for the murder of a figure who was blackmailing the general. Jerry Hardin and Diane Shalet guest starred.

THE APOLOGY – Gene Barry portrayed a shady shipping magnate who used his organized crime connections to kill a friend of the Danton family, making this mystery very personal for our heroes. Ray Danton, Bruce Glover and Jean Marie “Jeff” Donnell guested.

SUN, SAND AND DEATH – A land developer murdered his business partner and framed his late victim for stealing money from the company. Feather and her father clear the dead man’s name. Guest stars included Jon Cypher, John Larch and Tisha Sterling. 

THE PEOPLE’S CHOICE – A candidate for the U.S. Senate murdered his wife to try covering up a scandal which could wreck his election chances. The late wife was a friend of Feather, so she and her father’s gang go to work to solve the mystery.

FLIGHT TO MEXICO – George Maharis and Robert Donner costar in a tale about a stage director who is involved in a jewel theft and murder. The director slays a potential witness and it’s up to our heroes to clear their falsely accused client.

THE GOLDEN FLEECE – An evangelist killed off a woman who was about to expose various crimes he committed. The Feather and Father Gang become involved to make sure the real murderer goes to prison. Guest starring Pernell Roberts and Peter Donat.

FOR THE LOVE OF SHEILA – Robert Alda, James Darren and Maggie Wellman were along for the ride in this murder case in which an ex-con friend of Harry’s is framed for blackmail and murder.

HERE A SPY, THERE A SPY – Feather’s law firm and her father’s gang get mixed up in a complex murder mystery involving a dead spy. Clive Revill, Dennis Cole and Hamilton Camp guest starred.

MURDER AT F-STOP 11 – A photographer frames his assistant for murder, and it’s up to the Feather and Father Gang to clear the frame victim and solve a mystery involving rare coins at the same time. Robert Vaughn, Abby Dalton and Buddy Lester were the guest stars.

WELCOME HOME, VINCE – An ex-convict was about to expose police corruption before getting murdered, presenting our heroes with a very delicate situation in which they don’t know who they can trust. Guest starring Ron Masak and Elaine Joyce.

THE MAYAN CONNECTION – Another framed client needs saving in this mystery about the art world and organized crime. Michael Gazzo and Roddy McDowall guest starred.

THE JUDAS BUG – A sleazy private investigator fakes the theft of his own car as part of a plot to get away with murder. Feather and her father gather the gang to get to the bottom of things. Guest starring Jack Cassidy and John Pleshette.

THE BIG FRAME – Feather’s latest client was framed for murder and the theft of a Picasso painting, and the real murderer is one of the witnesses testifying against him. Simon Oakland and Lloyd Bochner guest starred as the once-promising series came to a close.

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