"The Untouchables" The Empty Chair (1959)

Director:

John Peyser

Writers:

David Karp (written by)
Ernest Kinoy (story)

TV Series:

"The Untouchables" (1959)

Original Air Date:

15 October 1959 (Season 1, Episode 1)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Drama

Plot:

With Capone in prison, Frank Nitti tries to grab the open top spot in the empire. But Capone's bookkeeper is giving him a run for his money.

Plot Keywords:

Organized Crime | Mafia | Federal Agent | Cult Favorite | Cult TV

Cast

  (Episode Complete credited cast)

Robert Stack	...	Eliot Ness
Barbara Nichols	...	Brandy La France / Barbara Ritchie
Bruce Gordon	...	Frank Nitti
Nehemiah Persoff	...	Jake Guzik
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Richard Benedict	...	'Fur' Sammons
Wally Cassell	...	Phil D'Andrea
Abel Fernandez	...	Agent William Youngfellow
Betty Garde	...	Norma Guzik
Nicholas Georgiade	...	Agent Enrico Rossi
Allen Jaffe	...	Nitti Henchman in Office (unconfirmed)
Peter Mamakos	...	Gus Raddi
Jerry Paris	...	Agent Martin Flaherty
Herman Rudin	...	Tony 'Mops' Volpe
Hugh Sanders	...	Investigating Officer in Barber Shop (unconfirmed)
Frank Wilcox	...	Beecher Asbury
Harry Wilson	...	Nitti Henchman in Office (unconfirmed)
Walter Winchell	...	Narrator (voice)

Runtime:

USA:60 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Filming Locations:

Desilu Studios - 9336 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Company:

Desilu Productions

"EXTRA! EXTRA! Al Capone Sentenced To Federal Prison!" So Who's Gonna Supply our Booze?

With the great success of the two part Untouchables presentation on the CBS Network's Desilu Playhouse, the world cried for more "G-Men" on TV. And, Presto, THE UNTOUCHABLES was born! The main problem with launching the new series lied with the fact that the Desilu Playhouse presentation dealt with the long and tedious investigation leading up to the Trial & Sentencing of Al Capone on an Income Tax evasion charge. What would the series do to continue the story? Well, a lot of embellishing goes into a Hollywood version of occurrences, but one thing for sure is true. Life goes on and so does crime. The ABC TV Network welcomed series with open arms.

THE EMPTY CHAIR is a neatly done hour episode that starts with Capone being sent off to prison. Elliot Ness observes Capone being taken from the Court House to his transportation to prison. Was this now the end of lawlessness in Chicago, the U.S.A. and the world? Well of course not.The UNTOUCHABLES Series would be all about Gangland's transformation after the Capone verdict. Who would run things in the organization (in Chicasgo Lingo we call it "The Outfit").

In the initial installment, THE EMPTY CHAIR, we have a lot of the characters from the Desilu Playhouse 2 Parter*, including Barbara Nichols as a former Strip Tease Artist, now long on morning her lost husband. Bruce Gordon reprised his role as Capone Lieutennant, Frank Nitti, who was known as "The Enforcer". Only now, Nitti's ambition leads him to start making a power grab for the Top Spot in the Syndicate.

Opposition comes West Side Gangster, Jake Guzik (Neamiah Piersoff). Instead of guns and muscle, he uses a pencil as he is and has been the bookkeeper for the Capone mob. He convinces Nitti that he should call off the war and use brains and the protection of hiding behind legitimate business.

The episode goes on to continue this unending war to keep America dry, a temporary platitude at best, for in a couple of years, The Volstead Act would be repealed and National Prohibition would be a memory.

The Series brought us adventures in fighting the underworld in Chicago. THE EMPTY CHAIR was a top rate episode and had everything that one could want to inaugurate this series.