"The F.B.I." (1965) TV series 1965-1974

User Rating:

8.0/10   

Directors:

Carl Barth
Earl Bellamy

Writers:

Norman Borisoff (story)
Jonathan Box (writer)

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9

Release Date:

19 September 1965 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Crime

Plot:

The cases of the US Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Plot Keywords:

FBI | Based On Film | Police | Acronym In Title

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 2 nominations

Cast

Efrem Zimbalist Jr.	...	Inspector Lewis Erskine / ... (239 episodes, 1965-1974)
Philip Abbott	...	Arthur Ward / ... (163 episodes, 1965-1974)
Marvin Miller	...	Narrator (117 episodes, 1966-1974)
William Reynolds	...	Special Agent Tom Colby / ... (108 episodes, 1966-1974)

Runtime:

60 min (239 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Filming Locations:

Angeles National Forest, California, USA

Company:

Quinn Martin Productions (QM)

Trivia:

For this series, Efrem Zimbalist Jr., was provided with an FBI identification card that had a recent photograph of him, fingerprints from his Army service, and an identification number that was only one digit less than a genuine number.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Barney Miller: Atomic Bomb (#4.11)" (1977)

Soundtrack:

F.B.I. Theme

This show is appropriate for the post-9/11 generation

For years, this show ran opposite the Disney show and "Bonanza," yet I personally preferred watching this one because it seemed more realistic. Years later, it is clear this show is still VERY watchable. Watergate, the loss of faith in government it caused and the resulting trauma led to the show being canceled in 1974.

Never mind what went on in J. Edgar Hoover's life. The show is acted with a genuine sincerity, and reflects the decency of the majority of the FBI agents in the field. The acting is very good, and one can also see many interesting guest stars. Just seeing Efrem Zimbalist Jr. alone is a delight.

This was one show that may not have had the flash of "Batman," "The Avengers" or "The Smothers Brothers Show," but it had enough staying power to last nine years.

The first season focused more on the human element. While the late Stephen Brooks was a good actor, I loved what William Reynolds did as SAC Tom Colby from 1967 to 1973. Shelly Novack also did a great job, proving the show did not "jump the shark." Incidentally, Messrs. Zimbalist and Reynolds and Lynn Loring (who played Inspector Erskine's daughter, Barbara) are, as of 2008, the surviving lead cast members.

If the show itself did not fully reflect the reality of the Bureau, the stories told and the acting make up for it. It is a fun piece of film making from the 1960s and '70s. And I want to see this series on DVD.