"Harry O" Such Dust as Dreams Are Made On (1973)

User Rating:

6.7/10   

Director:

Jerry Thorpe

Writer:

Howard Rodman (writer)

TV Series:

"Harry O" (1973)

Original Air Date:

11 March 1973 (Season 1, Episode 0)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Drama

Plot:

Harry Orwell is a LA cop who is retired due to a bullet in his back. Now a Private Detective, Harry O...

Plot Keywords:

Detective | Vietnam Vet | TV Series Pilot | Private Eye | Independent Film

Cast

David Janssen	...	Harry Orwell
Martin Sheen	...	Harlan Garrison
Margot Kidder	...	Helen
Will Geer	...	Len McNeil
Marianna Hill	...	Mildred
Sal Mineo	...	Walter Scheerer
Mel Stewart	...	Sgt. Arvin Granger (as Melvin Stewart)
Kathleen Lloyd	...	Marilyn Bedestrum (as Kathleen Gackle)
Lawrence Cook
Karen Lamm	...	Girl Clerk
Les Lannom	...	Library Assistant
S. John Launer	...	Pollicheff
Bill McLean	...	Wino
Cheryl Ladd	...	Teenage Girl (as Cheryl Jean Stoppelmoor)
Joe Hoover	...	Desk Sgt.

Runtime:

73 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Filming Locations:

Malibu, California, USA

Company:

Warner Bros. Television

Trivia:

This made-for-TV movie was the first pilot for _"Harry O" (1974)_. For some reason this pilot didn't sell the show, but someone at ABC saw enough in it that a second pilot was made seven months later: Smile, Jenny, You're Dead (1974) (TV).

Quotes:

Harry Orwell: How old are you?
Girl Clerk: I'm 20... almost 21.
Harry Orwell: Ever go fishing?
Girl Clerk: I'd LOVE to!
Harry Orwell: Sometimes when you go fishing you catch a little fish... You have to let them go and throw them back... 'cause they're too young.
Girl Clerk: Do you really have to let them go?
Harry Orwell: Yes... It's a pity.

Movie Connections:

Followed by "Harry O" (1973)

Harry O's adventures begin!

This made for TV movie was the first pilot for the "Harry-O" tv series, but didn't sell the show. Another pilot was commissioned (Smile Jenny, You're Dead) and aired a year later and it got "Harry-O" picked up as a weekly series. "Such Dust..." introduced Harry Orwell (PI, womanizer and curmundgeon) that we liked so much during the series; a guy you wanted to go out and have a beer with. Like in the TV show, Harry's little Austin-Healy sports car was perpetually broken down, and Harry used the bus to get around LA to solve his cases. In this instance Harry meets up with Harlan Garrison (Martin Sheen), the fellow who shot him (and caused Harry to have to retire from the police force) several years earlier. Harlan wants Harry's help to find the other fellow (played by Sal Mineo) who was involved in the shooting, who is also trying to kill him. Sounds sort of complicated, but it made for an interesting plot. This movie was far more dark than the second pilot, and the series for that matter, which may explain the second pilot with its retooling. I like it alot, and try to catch it when it is shown from time to time on sunday afternoons. Last note; it was originally a two hour movie, but was edited down to 1 1/2 hours for syndication.