"Most Wanted" (1976) TV series 1976-1977

Director:

Leslie H. Martinson

Seasons:

1

Release Date:

16 October 1976 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama

Plot:

Dan Stoddard, the mayor of Los Angeles, California, has created a special unit, "The Most Wanted" unit...

Plot Keywords:

Mayor | Special Unit | Police | California | Mayor Of Los Angeles

Cast

Robert Stack	...	Captain Linc Evers (21 episodes, 1976-1977)
Shelly Novack	...	Sergeant Charlie Benson (21 episodes, 1976-1977)
Jo Ann Harris	...	Officer Kate Manners (21 episodes, 1976-1977)
Hari Rhodes	...	Mayor Dan Stoddard (21 episodes, 1976-1977)

Runtime:

60 min (22 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Company:

Quinn Martin Productions (QM)

Trivia:

This was the first of four series from Quinn Martin Productions NOT to use announcer Hank Simms or to show pictures of the guest stars during the opening credits (although the main title would end with a grainy photo of the chief villain). The other shows were "Tales of the Unexpected" (1979), _"The Runaways" (1978)_, and _"A Man Called Sloane" (1979)_. Simms continued with "Barnaby Jones" (1973) until QM virtually shut down in 1980.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Behind the Camera: The Unauthorized Story of 'Charlie's Angels' (2004) (TV)

Good Cop Drama, Never Got A Chance

I remember this series from the Seventies as it was Robert Stack's third television series after The Untouchables and The Name of the Game. It was good, but did not get renewed after one season. That's a pity because it was never given a real chance to find its audience.

Mayor Hari Rhodes of Los Angeles creates an elite squad within the LAPD to apprehend the most dangerous criminals headed by Robert Stack and assisted by Shelley Novack and JoAnn Harris. Rhodes's character was based on real life Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley.

There was such a squad with the LAPD and it was disbanded later on when it got to thinking it was a law unto itself. That was dealt with in the Lou Diamond Phillips, Scott Glenn film Extreme Justice. That was long after this series was canceled.

No chance of it being revived with the sudden tragic death of Shelley Novack the following year. Robert Stack later did Elliot Ness for a TV film based on his Untouchables character, but no call to revive Captain Linc Evers.

I do remember Jo Ann Harris though, she was one beautiful and sexy woman. I'll bet she still is.

I'm glad I'm the first to review and remember Most Wanted. A good cop show that never got a chance to find its audience.