Pilot (28 Mar. 1967)

Citizens of San Francisco are stunned by the news that Robert Ironside, the city's hard-nosed, tough-talking chief of detectives, has been shot and left for dead while vacationing at his ... See full summary »

Director:

James Goldstone

Writers:

Don Mankiewicz (teleplay), Collier Young (story)

Stars:

Raymond Burr, Geraldine Brooks, Wally Cox

Cast

Episode credited cast:
Raymond Burr	...	Robert Ironside
Geraldine Brooks	...	Honor Thompson
Wally Cox	...	Scoutmaster
Kim Darby	...	Ellen Wells
David Sheiner	...	Doctor
Lilia Skala	...	Sister Agatha
Gene Lyons	...	Police Commissioner Randall
Don Galloway	...	Det. Sgt. Ed Brown
Barbara Anderson	...	Eve Whitfield
Don Mitchell	...	Mark Sanger (as Donald Mitchell)
Joel Fabiani	...	Dr. Schley
Ayllene Gibbons	...	Baby Peggy Marvel
Terrence O'Flaherty	...	Announcer
Eddie Firestone	...	Wheels Montana
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Joan Bradley

Storyline

Citizens of San Francisco are stunned by the news that Robert Ironside, the city's hard-nosed, tough-talking chief of detectives, has been shot and left for dead while vacationing at his friend the Police Commissioner's rural retreat. Ironside survives the murder attempt, but the bullet has damaged nerves in his spine, leaving him a paraplegic. Unable to gain reinstatement as chief of detectives, Ironside gets permission to continue investigating criminal cases as a citizen volunteer. With the assistance of two former protegees, Det. Sgt. Ed Brown and Officer Eve Whitfield, and a newly-hired aide/driver, Mark Sanger, Ironside sets out to solve his first case as a civilian by finding the people responsible for the attempt on his life.

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Plot Keywords:

police | private detective | police detective | wheelchair | san francisco california

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Mystery

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

28 March 1967 (USA)

Filming Locations:

San Francisco, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Harbour Productions Unlimited, Universal TV

Technical Specs

Runtime:

98 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Quotes

Det. Sgt. Ed Brown: [upset because Ironside might be dying] You know what he once told me? The only reason a cop should take a day off is for death. His own!

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Connections

Referenced in The Doris Day Show: A Small Cure for Big Alimony (1973)

User Reviews

"Pretty good pilot episode!"

Robert Ironside the chief of San Francisco's police force is gunned down causing him to be confined to a wheelchair for life, but he traps the attacker.

Pretty good pilot for a hugely successful TV series which ran between 1968-1974. The latter was always watchable and made something worth while out of the most routine story lines.