"McCloud" (1970) TV series 1970-1977

User Rating:

7.3/10   

Creator:

Herman Miller

Seasons:

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

Release Date:

16 September 1970 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama

Plot:

Sam McCloud is a rustic country sheriff from a rural part of the United States. He travels to the big city and joins the police force...

Plot Keywords:

Police | Criminal | Detective | City | Investigation

Awards:

Nominated for 6 Primetime Emmys. Another 1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Dennis Weaver	...	Sam McCloud (45 episodes, 1970-1977)
J.D. Cannon	...	Peter B. Clifford (45 episodes, 1970-1977)
Terry Carter	...	Sergeant Joe Broadhurst (40 episodes, 1970-1977)

Runtime:

120 min (20 episodes) | 60 min (6 episodes) | 90 min (19 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Netherlands:6

Filming Locations:

Golden Oak Ranch - 19802 Placerita Canyon Road, Newhall, California, USA

Company:

Universal TV

Trivia:

The 1970-1971 television series, "Four-In-One" (1970), rotated four separate shows: Rod Serling's "Night Gallery" (1970), "McCloud" (1970), "San Francisco International Airport" (1970) and "The Psychiatrist" (1971). Two series were renewed for the 1971-1972 season, with "McCloud" becoming the most popular and longest running.

Quotes:

Sam McCloud: If I was you, I'd find a trail out o' here before ya get me riled up.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: Gamera (#4.2)" (1991)

A long way from Clint Eastwood...

In "Coogan's Bluff," the movie that led to "McCloud," Clint Eastwood's Coogan came to New York to capture a villain, did so, and went back to New Mexico. Obviously this wasn't going to do for the series, so Sam McCloud was sent to New York to study how they did things in the Big Apple... and then proceeded to ignore them and do things his way.

Like practically every cop in the history of television, his boss didn't like his methods and would have loved to be rid of him (McCloud actually did grant his wish in one episode when he resigned, but needless to say he came back), but our horse-riding hero got results. Of course, it didn't hurt that his sort-of girlfriend was the Commissioner's cousin... it's what you know and who you know that counts.

So it went for seven years, first as part of "Four-in-One" (an hour-long revolving series with four instalments) then as part of the "NBC Mystery Movie" until its demise; the series had plenty of comedy (McCloud, trying to land a plane: "The big hand is on 3, the little hand is on 4!" Clifford: "You're looking at the clock, McCloud!") but it wisely took its central premise seriously, never going out of its way to be quirky a la "due South" - McCloud going horse riding down the streets notwithstanding. Dennis Weaver's had other series after this, but we're not going to remember him for "Stone" (and certainly not for the snooze-inducing "Buck James"); it'll be for "Gunsmoke," "Gentle Ben," and for (relatively) younger audiences Deputy Marshal Sam McCloud.

"There you go..."