"Barnaby Jones" (1973) TV series 1973-1980

Writer:

William Kaye (writer)

Seasons:

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

Release Date:

28 January 1973 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Mystery

Plot:

The exploits of milk-swilling, geriatric private eye Barnaby Jones.

Plot Keywords:

Widow | Detective | Daughter In Law | Los Angeles California | Elderly

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Golden Globes. Another 2 nominations

Cast

Buddy Ebsen	...	Barnaby Jones (178 episodes, 1973-1980)
Lee Meriwether	...	Betty Jones (178 episodes, 1973-1980)
John Carter	...	Lt. John Biddle / ... (94 episodes, 1973-1980)
Mark Shera	...	Jedediah Romano "J.R." Jones (93 episodes, 1976-1980)

Series Directed by
Walter Grauman		(49 episodes, 1973-1979)
Michael Caffey		(23 episodes, 1973-1980)
Kenneth Gilbert		(12 episodes, 1976-1980)
Leslie H. Martinson		(9 episodes, 1974-1977)
Leo Penn		(9 episodes, 1975-1979)
Seymour Robbie		(8 episodes, 1973-1979)
Alf Kjellin		(5 episodes, 1973-1977)
Lawrence Dobkin		(5 episodes, 1973-1974)
Michael Preece		(5 episodes, 1978-1980)
Ralph Senensky		(3 episodes, 1973-1975)
Corey Allen		(3 episodes, 1974-1975)
Mel Damski		(3 episodes, 1976)
Dick Lowry		(3 episodes, 1978-1980)
Robert Sherman		(3 episodes, 1978-1980)
Marc Daniels		(2 episodes, 1973-1974)
William Hale		(2 episodes, 1973-1974)
Virgil W. Vogel		(2 episodes, 1973)
Robert Douglas		(2 episodes, 1974)
William Wiard		(2 episodes, 1974)
Richard C. Bennett		(2 episodes, 1975)
Joseph Manduke		(2 episodes, 1977-1979)
Bruce Kessler		(2 episodes, 1978-1979)
John Carter		(2 episodes, 1979-1980)
Graeme Clifford		(2 episodes, 1979-1980)

Series Writing credits
Edward Hume		(178 episodes, 1973-1980)
Gerald Sanford		(21 episodes, 1974-1979)
Robert W. Lenski		(16 episodes, 1973-1980)
Robert Sherman		(15 episodes, 1973-1980)
Calvin Clements Jr.		(11 episodes, 1973-1977)
Dick Nelson		(9 episodes, 1973-1979)
Larry Alexander		(8 episodes, 1974-1980)
B.W. Sandefur		(6 episodes, 1973-1975)
William Keys		(6 episodes, 1975-1979)
Mann Rubin		(6 episodes, 1976-1978)
Jack V. Fogarty		(6 episodes, 1977-1980)
Robert Heverly		(5 episodes, 1973-1977)
Norman Jolley		(5 episodes, 1978-1980)
Benjamin Masselink		(4 episodes, 1973-1974)
Larry Brody		(4 episodes, 1974-1975)
Paul Robert Coyle		(4 episodes, 1976-1980)
Robert C. Dennis		(3 episodes, 1973-1977)
Barry Oringer		(3 episodes, 1973-1975)
Joel Murcott		(3 episodes, 1974-1975)
Michael Fisher		(3 episodes, 1975-1976)
Martin Roth		(2 episodes, 1973-1975)
Lou Shaw		(2 episodes, 1973-1975)
Jack B. Sowards		(2 episodes, 1974-1979)
Larry Forrester		(2 episodes, 1974-1977)
Robert Pirosh		(2 episodes, 1974-1975)
Worley Thorne		(2 episodes, 1976-1977)
Margaret Armen		(2 episodes, 1977-1978)
Marc Brandell		(2 episodes, 1977-1978)
Robert Janes		(2 episodes, 1977-1978)
Brigitt Christiansen		(2 episodes, 1978)
Jon Christiansen		(2 episodes, 1978)
Robert I. Holt		(2 episodes, 1979-1980)
William Kaye		(unknown episodes)

Series Produced by
Quinn Martin	....	executive producer (131 episodes, 1973-1978)
Philip Saltzman	....	executive producer / producer (92 episodes, 1973-1980)
Gerald Sanford	....	associate producer (23 episodes, 1973-1974)
Adrian Samish	....	supervising producer / producer (18 episodes, 1973-1974)
Marty Katz	....	executive in charge of production (17 episodes, 1976-1977)
Robert Sherman	....	associate producer / producer (16 episodes, 1975-1980)
Gene Levitt	....	producer (12 episodes, 1973)
Russell Stoneham	....	supervising producer (11 episodes, 1974-1976)
B.W. Sandefur	....	associate producer (4 episodes, 1974-1975)

Series Original Music by
Duane Tatro		(12 episodes, 1973-1980)
John Elizalde		(9 episodes, 1973-1980)
Ralph Kessler		(8 episodes, 1978-1980)
Richard Markowitz		(4 episodes, 1974-1979)
Nelson Riddle		(4 episodes, 1974-1978)
Mauro Bruno		(4 episodes, 1975-1979)
John Carl Parker		(3 episodes, 1973-1978)
Robert Drasnin		(3 episodes, 1976-1979)
Hugo Friedhofer		(2 episodes, 1973-1978)
Willard Jones		(2 episodes, 1974-1975)
Lance Rubin		(2 episodes, 1978-1980)
Bruce Broughton		(2 episodes, 1978-1979)
Frank Denson		(2 episodes, 1978-1979)
Don Bagley		(2 episodes, 1979)

Series Cinematography by
William W. Spencer		(137 episodes, 1973-1980)
Ben Colman		(24 episodes, 1973-1974)
Harry L. Wolf		(4 episodes, 1973)
Michael P. Joyce		(3 episodes, 1973-1975)
Jack Swain		(2 episodes, 1973)
Donald H. Birnkrant		(2 episodes, 1975-1976)

Series Film Editing by
Harry Kaye		(18 episodes, 1973-1979)
Marston Fay		(11 episodes, 1973-1977)
Pembroke J. Herring		(8 episodes, 1973-1975)
Geoffrey Rowland		(8 episodes, 1978-1980)
Douglas Robertson		(7 episodes, 1973-1974)
Richard K. Brockway		(4 episodes, 1973)
Donald Hoskinson		(3 episodes, 1973-1975)
Howard Kunin		(2 episodes, 1973)
Saul Caplan		(unknown episodes)

Series Casting by
Tom Palmer		(1 episode, 1979)
Lane Allan		(1 episode, 1980)

Series Art Direction by
Gibson Holley		(24 episodes, 1973-1974)
Robert Kinoshita		(23 episodes, 1978-1979)
Alfeo Bocchicchio		(8 episodes, 1976-1977)
George B. Chan		(6 episodes, 1973)
Allen E. Smith		(6 episodes, 1973)
Richard Y. Haman		(6 episodes, 1974-1975)
John P. Bruce		(2 episodes, 1979-1980)

Series Set Decoration by
Carl Biddiscombe		(25 episodes, 1973-1975)
Ethel Robins Richards		(15 episodes, 1979-1980)
Hoyle Barrett		(7 episodes, 1973-1976)
John Franco Jr.		(7 episodes, 1973)
Ralph Nelson		(7 episodes, 1977-1980)
George Gaines		(4 episodes, 1974)
Pierre Ludlum		(2 episodes, 1973)
Herman N. Schoenbrun		(2 episodes, 1974)
Rick Gentz		(2 episodes, 1976)
Wally White		(2 episodes, 1979)

Series Production Management
Howard P. Alston	....	executive production manager / in charge of production (28 episodes, 1973-1976)
Arthur Fellows	....	in charge of production / executive in charge of production (22 episodes, 1973-1975)
Fred Ahern	....	production manager / in charge of production (11 episodes, 1973-1980)
Kent McCray	....	production manager (11 episodes, 1973)
Henry Kline	....	production manager (10 episodes, 1973-1975)
Ken Wilhoit	....	post-production supervisor (10 episodes, 1974-1976)
Dick Gallegly	....	production manager (9 episodes, 1977-1978)
Lloyd Allen	....	unit production manager (7 episodes, 1973)
Paul Wurtzel	....	production manager (6 episodes, 1975-1980)
Don Hall	....	post-production supervisor (6 episodes, 1977-1980)
Edward M. Hillie	....	unit production manager (5 episodes, 1973)
Marty Katz	....	in charge of production (5 episodes, 1977)
Charles R. Scott Jr.	....	production manager (2 episodes, 1979)

Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Charles R. Scott Jr.	....	assistant director (23 episodes, 1973-1977)
Paul Wurtzel	....	assistant director (9 episodes, 1973-1977)
Albert Shepard	....	second assistant director (8 episodes, 1979)
Ken Swor	....	assistant director (7 episodes, 1973-1974)
Gary LaPoten	....	assistant director trainee (4 episodes, 1974)
Richard Bremerkamp	....	assistant director (3 episodes, 1973)
Joseph M. Ellis	....	assistant director (2 episodes, 1974)
Fred Gammon	....	assistant director (2 episodes, 1974)
Bill Carroll	....	first assistant director (2 episodes, 1979)
Stanley E. Foster	....	assistant director (unknown episodes)
Charles Norton	....	first assistant director (unknown episodes)

Series Sound Department
Bill Henderson	....	sound re-recording engineer (1 episode, 1980)

Series Stunts
Michael M. Vendrell	....	stunt coordinator (68 episodes, 1977-1980)
Larry Holt	....	stunts (20 episodes, 1976-1980)
Carol Daniels	....	stunt double: Lee Meriwether (12 episodes, 1973-1974)
John Moio	....	stunt coordinator (unknown episodes)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
Allan Gornick Jr.	....	underwater cinematographer (1 episode, 1976)
Keith Peterman	....	first assistant camera (unknown episodes, 1980)

Series Casting Department
John Conwell	....	in charge of talent (6 episodes, 1977-1980)

Series Editorial Department
Richard K. Brockway	....	editorial supervisor / executive editorial supervisor (36 episodes, 1973-1980)

Series Music Department
Jerry Goldsmith	....	composer: theme music (178 episodes, 1973-1980)
John Elizalde	....	music supervisor (35 episodes, 1973-1979)
Will Schaefer	....	conductor (unknown episodes)

Series Transportation Department
Chris Haynes	....	driver (8 episodes, 1973-1976)

Series Other crew
John Conwell	....	assistant to executive producer / in charge of talent / ... (31 episodes, 1973-1980)
Robert Blees	....	executive story consultant (13 episodes, 1973)
Nancy E. Barr	....	assistant to producer (9 episodes, 1973)
Joyce Heftel	....	script supervisor (9 episodes, 1978)
B.W. Sandefur	....	executive story consultant (8 episodes, 1974)
Jack Clements	....	location manager (4 episodes, 1973-1974)
Norman Jolley	....	executive story consultant (2 episodes, 1979-1980)
Delia Circelli	....	location manager: 1980 (unknown episodes, 1980)
William Bowling	....	location manager (unknown episodes)
Karlene Gallegly	....	location manager (unknown episodes)
Frank Inn	....	animal trainer (unknown episodes)
Jonathan Giles Zimmerman	....	location manager (unknown episodes)

Production Companies

• Quinn Martin Productions (QM)
• Woodruff Productions

Distributors

• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1973-1980) (USA) (TV)
• Paramount Television (2004) (USA) (TV)
• Worldvision Enterprises

Other Companies

• Ford Marketing Corporation  cars
• Paramount Television  licensed by
• Samuel Goldwyn Studios  filming location

Also Known As:

Runtime:

60 min (178 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:PG

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Quinn Martin Productions (QM)

Trivia:

William Conrad appeared on many early episodes of the show as Frank Cannon. Barnaby and Betty had originally appeared on "Cannon" (1971) after Barnaby's son Hal, who was a good friend of Frank's, was murdered. Cannon helped Barnaby eventually track down his son's killers.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Dallas: The Red File: Part 1 (#2.17)" (1979)

Sleuthing Isn't Just For The Young

Although the physical constraints of age limited the action somewhat in Barnaby Jones, this senior citizen had none of his mental faculties impaired when on a case.

In a pilot that was an episode of the Cannon TV series, Frank Cannon is hired to investigate the death of Hal Jones a colleague. Hal had taken over the detective agency from father Barnaby who decided to retire as senior citizens are wont to do. But his fires are banked with the homicide of his son and Buddy Ebsen and daughter-in-law Lee Meriwether take over the agency with her as Ebsen's secretary. Thus a successful television series was born.

Ebsen was a cagey old bird who a lot of bad guys thought was past his prime. They'd always trip themselves up because they thought he was not really paying attention to what they said. The Medicare set loved Barnaby Jones.

But TV is always after that youth market and after a few seasons Mark Shera was added to the cast as J.R. Jones, a nephew gone into the business with the uncle. Now the rough stuff could be dealt with in house if needed.

Buddy Ebsen as a performer reinvented himself more than Madonna. Over his 95 year life we saw him as musical dancing performer, Georgie Russell companion to Davy Crockett, Jed Clampett of the Beverly Hillbillies, Barnaby Jones, and finally Roy Houston uncle of Matt Houston. And there are a lot more single roles than that, films like Attack and Breakfast At Tiffany's which was a different Ebsen all together from the rest. Was this man ever versatile.

An inspiration to senior citizens everywhere.