Cool and Lam (1958)

Light-hearted pilot for a proposed CBS detective series featuring character created by Erle Stanley Gardner (under the pseudonym of A.A. Fair). Penny-pinching, rotund Bertha Cool runs a ... See full summary »

Director:

Jacques Tourneur

Writers:

Erle Stanley Gardner (characters), Edmund L. Hartmann (teleplay)

Stars:

Billy Pearson, Benay Venuta, Maurice Manson

Cast

Cast overview:
Billy Pearson	...	Donald Lam
Benay Venuta	...	Bertha Cool
Maurice Manson	...	Dr. Listig
Margaret Field	...	Marion Danton (as Maggie Mahoney)
Judith Bess Jones	...	Elsie Brand
Sheila Bromley	...	Flo Mortonson
Don Megowan	...	John Harbet
Movita	...	Carmen
Allison Hayes	...	Evaline Dell
John Mitchum	...	Bartender
Tristram Coffin	...	Thatcher
Alex Sharp	...	Plainclothes detective (as Alex Sharpe)

Storyline

Light-hearted pilot for a proposed CBS detective series featuring character created by Erle Stanley Gardner (under the pseudonym of A.A. Fair). Penny-pinching, rotund Bertha Cool runs a detective agency while her dimunitive junior partner Donald Lam provides the legs and padded expense account. In the pilot, Lam's investigation of infidelity leads to murder.

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Plot Keywords:

pilot | detective agency | hard boiled | tightwad | widow

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Genres:

Mystery

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

1958 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS), Paisano Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

30 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Creator Erle Stanley Gardner introduces the Cool & Lam pilot episode on the Perry Mason office set. He wrote a total of 29 Cool & Lam novels under the name A. A. Fair. The pilot is based on his 1940 book "Turn on the Heat".

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