ARREST AND TRIAL (1963-1964) FORGOTTEN TELEVISION

ARREST AND TRIAL (1963-1964) – Decades before Law & Order came this forgotten television series which used one half of its 90-minute run-time to depict the police tracking down and arresting a suspect and the other half depicting the trial. Ben Gazzara, Chuck Connors and Don Galloway starred.  

This 30-episode series often kept viewers guessing, as sometimes it turned out the cops arrested the wrong person and they would be found not guilty. The trial portion also alternated between the prosecution winning and the defense winning, so neither side of the law was portrayed as infallible.

Arrest and Trial lasted just one season (yes, some shows did 30-episode and even 39-episode seasons back then). Audiences may have been too used to the comfort food of crime shows where they knew going in who was guilty and who was innocent. Cop shows like Dragnet always showed the police nabbing the guilty and lawyer shows like Perry Mason always showed the defendants being innocent. No such convenience on this show.   

Ben Gazzara played Detective Sergeant Nick Anderson, Chuck Connors portrayed Defense Attorney John Egan and John Larch was District Attorney Jerry Miller. Jo Anne Miya played Janet Okada. 

THE EPISODES:

CALL IT A LIFETIME – Tony Franciosa, Ruta Lee and Cliff Osmond guest starred in a story about a truck driver who winds up arrested for vehicular manslaughter in the death of a motorcycle cop.

ISN’T IT A LOVELY VIEW – A beach community voyeur is the only witness to a murder. Vera Miles, Howard Duff, Lyle Talbot and Barbara Nichols guest starred.

TEARS FROM A SILVER DIPPER – A G.I. is arrested for stealing narcotics and murdering a drug pusher. Madlyn Rhue, Harold J. Stone and Michael Callan appeared.

A SHIELD FOR HIDING BEHIND – James “Dan-O” MacArthur, Barry Sullivan and Marianne Stewart were the guests. James played the spoiled son of a wealthy and prominent family who goes on trial for killing a cop during a warehouse robbery.

MY NAME IS MARTIN BURNHAM – A man who has a history of accosting women faces criminal charges. The guest cast included James Whitmore, Nina Foch, Michael Constantine and Kenneth Tobey. 

A FLAME IN THE DARK – Broderick Crawford, Diane Mountford and Byron Morrow guest starred. A young man is in the center of a case regarding the sniper-killing of a tycoon’s wife.

WHOSE LITTLE GIRL ARE YOU? – An increasingly senile tool-worker is arrested and tried for murdering the younger man who was being brought in to replace him. Leif Erickson and Joan Freeman were among the supporting cast.

THE WITNESSES – The tale of a teacher, her married boyfriend and one of her students all caught up in a Lover’s Lane murder. Anne Francis, Robert Webber and Barbara Stuart appeared.

INQUEST INTO A BLEEDING HEART – Richard Basehart and Julie Adams were among the guest cast in this story about a former surgeon who tries to save the life of a victim at an accident scene, then faces manslaughter charges when the victim dies.

THE QUALITY OF JUSTICE – A mentally retarded man is tracked down, arrested and put on trial for killing a child. THE Robert Duvall, Jack Klugman and Beverly Washburn appeared.

SIGNALS FROM AN ANCIENT FLAME – Martin Balsam guest starred as a man who gets tried for the poisoning death of his wife. Katharine Ross and Diane Brewster had supporting roles.

WE MAY BE BETTER STRANGERS – The cops find and arrest a young man (Michael Burns) for assault and his father – a prominent judge – makes waves both before and during the trial. MARTIN SHEEN guest stars along with Everett Sloane.

JOURNEY INTO DARKNESS – The show’s writing staff goes on trial for using such a cliched title. I’m kidding! A writer with a superiority complex goes on trial for committing a supposedly “perfect” murder which left the police baffled for a long time. Roddy McDowall, Anjanette Comer and Nicholas “Coach on Cheers” Colasanto guest starred.

SOME WEEKS ARE ALL MONDAYS – A playwright (Kim Hunter) gets arrested and tried for the murder of her husband. Joey Heatherton guest starred.

RUN, LITTLE MAN – Shirley Knight, Wayne Rogers, Harold Gould, Kathie “Mrs. Kolchak” Browne and Clu Gulager provide a tv-trivia buff’s dream as the guest cast in this episode. A murder victim is found at a church bazaar and a veteran thief is suspected of the crime.

FUNNY MAN WITH A MONKEY – This is what all my business cards say, by the way. (Obviously I’m kidding. The monkey’s name comes first.) Mickey Rooney plays a comedian arrested and tried for killing a doctor and stealing drugs from him.

ONWARD AND UPWARD – The Shat himself, William Shatner, portrays a butt-kissing employee who agrees to get rid of the body of a dead woman his boss may have accidentally killed at an office party. Other guest stars are Diana Millay, Richard Carlson and Sharon Farrell. 

AN ECHO OF CONSCIENCE – We had Shatner last episode; this time we get his future Star Trek costar Grace Lee Whitney! A private investigator (Neville Brand) is suspected of murdering a woman who was blackmailing one of his clients. Hugh Marlowe and Shelly Fabares also appeared. 

SOMEWHAT LOWER THAN THE ANGELS – A reverend interferes when a woman he knows is arrested and tried for murder. Steve Forrest played the reverend, and Sandy Dennis played the woman.

PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN GLASS HOUSES – Two men (Dennis Hopper and Henry Silva) engage in an orgy of law-breaking – or do they? They’re up on armed robbery, shooting up a courtroom, stealing a police car and taking a hostage. Katherine Crawford also appeared.

THE BEST THERE IS – Egan (Chuck Connors) risks his career by refusing to defend a murder suspect. Alejandro Rey, Marianna Hill, Adam Roarke and Merry Anders were along for the ride in this episode.

A ROLL OF THE DICE – Nick Adams plays a man charged with embezzling from his employer to finance a gambling and partying jag with his girlfriend. A guest cast loaded with familiar faces like Kamala Devi, Whit Bissell, Joyce Bulifant, Michael Constantine, Virginia Gregg and Alvy Moore.

THE BLACK FLOWER – A tailor-made scenario for a crime of passion – a parolee suspects his wife of having an affair with the man he blames for his initial conviction. DAVID CARRADINE, Dabs Greer, Ray Danton, Patricia Crowley and Dewey Martin appeared.

A CIRCLE OF STRANGERS – A case of murder is complicated by the feud between the families involved. Among the guest cast were PETER FONDA, MICHAEL YORK, Joanna Barnes and Janet Margolin.

MODUS OPERANDI – A man is arrested and tried for a robbery and murder, the circumstances of which eerily resemble another case he was caught up in years earlier. Dorothy Malone and Charles Aidman guest starred.

TIGERS ARE FOR JUNGLES – Richard Conte appropriately guest starred in this episode about an organized crime figure accused of murdering another criminal before they could testify in court. Viewers also get appearances by MARLO THOMAS, BILLY GRAY, Diane McBain and Myron Healey.

THE REVENGE OF THE WORM – A truck driver stands accused of murdering men he thought were loan sharks who roughed up his wife while looking for him. TELLY SAVALAS, Edward Platt and Michael Dunn were along for the ride.

HE RAN FOR HIS LIFE – Coincidental title, since Ben Gazzara would go on to star in the series Run for Your Life. A parolee is accused of kidnapping his son from his ex-wife and her new husband. GEORGE SEGAL and Ed Nelson guest starred.

THOSE WHOSE LOVE HAS MADE – Did two cocky law students really murder one of their professors? MacDonald Carey, Mala Powers and Chris Robinson were among the cast.

BIRDS OF A FEATHER – Victoria Shaw portrayed a smitten socialite left to take the rap for a schmoozing womanizer (Cesare Danova) who recruited her in his con game. JIM BACKUS, Jack Weston and Donald Barry also guest starred.  

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