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IMDbPro

Checkmate

  • TV Series
  • 1960–19621960–1962
  • 1h
IMDb RATING
7.7/10
291
YOUR RATING
Sebastian Cabot, Anthony George, and Doug McClure in Checkmate (1960)
CrimeDramaMystery
Don Corey and Jed Sills operate Checkmate, Inc., a very high-priced detective agency in San Francisco. Helping them protect the lives of their clients is British criminologist (once an Oxfor... Read allDon Corey and Jed Sills operate Checkmate, Inc., a very high-priced detective agency in San Francisco. Helping them protect the lives of their clients is British criminologist (once an Oxford professor) Carl Hyatt.Don Corey and Jed Sills operate Checkmate, Inc., a very high-priced detective agency in San Francisco. Helping them protect the lives of their clients is British criminologist (once an Oxford professor) Carl Hyatt.
IMDb RATING
7.7/10
291
YOUR RATING
    • Eric Ambler
  • Stars
    • Anthony George
    • Doug McClure
    • Sebastian Cabot
    • Eric Ambler
  • Stars
    • Anthony George
    • Doug McClure
    • Sebastian Cabot
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 10User reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Won 1 Primetime Emmy

    Episodes70

    Browse episodes
    TopTop-rated

    Photos86

    Buddy Ebsen and Paul Carr in Checkmate (1960)
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    Oscar Beregi Jr. in Checkmate (1960)
    Ellen Burstyn in Checkmate (1960)
    Macdonald Carey and Kathleen Crowley in Checkmate (1960)
    Don Taylor in Checkmate (1960)
    Bethel Leslie and Dan O'Herlihy in Checkmate (1960)
    Sebastian Cabot, Tod Andrews, James Hong, and Doug McClure in Checkmate (1960)
    Celeste Holm in Checkmate (1960)
    Suzanne Lloyd and Tom Reese in Checkmate (1960)
    Dana Andrews and Lori March in Checkmate (1960)
    James Coburn, Nick Adams, and Alan Napier in Checkmate (1960)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Anthony George
    Anthony George
    • Don Corey
    Doug McClure
    Doug McClure
    • Jed Sills
    Sebastian Cabot
    Sebastian Cabot
    • Dr. Carl Hyatt
    Ken Lynch
    Ken Lynch
    • Lt. Thomas Brand
    Jack Betts
    Jack Betts
    • Chris Devlin
    Donna Douglas
    Donna Douglas
    • Barbara Simmons
    Barney Phillips
    Barney Phillips
    • Capt. Holland…
    Ed Nelson
    Ed Nelson
    • Carson…
    Jeane Wood
    • Maid…
    Norman Leavitt
    Norman Leavitt
    • Bus Driver…
    Tyler McVey
    • Marine Major…
    Richard Conte
    Richard Conte
    • Manuel Alvarez…
    Diana Lynn
    Diana Lynn
    • Joan Emerson…
    Susan Oliver
    Susan Oliver
    • Gloria Kenyon…
    Julie Adams
    Julie Adams
    • Janet Evans…
    Tod Andrews
    Tod Andrews
    • Dr. James Low…
    Ilka Windish
    • Maria Richards…
    Henry Jones
    Henry Jones
    • Ed Thurston…
      • Eric Ambler
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Connections
      Featured in CBS Fall Preview Special: Seven Wonderful Nights (1961)

    User reviews10

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    Unique
    The 70 black and white hour-long episodes of "Checkmate" were originally broadcast from 1960-62 on CBS. Those who only remember Sebastian Cabot as the prissy butler "French" on "Family Affair" will be surprised at his superior acting talent, which was nicely showcased in this series.

    "Checkmate Inc." was an unusual organization based in San Francisco, a posh detective agency whose specialty was thwarting crimes "before" they occurred. The plot line for each episode was structured to resemble a chess game, which reflected the series title.

    Middle age detective Don Corey (Anthony George) operated the firm out of his elegant Nob Hill apartment. Young Jed Sills (Doug McClure) was the designated hunk of the series. Dr. Carl Hyatt (Cabot) was a trained criminologist who served as the organization's brain trust. The three mostly worked as a team and a lot of the humor came from Cabot's frequent frustration over the dimness of his two associates.

    Warner Brothers had hit on a successful formula for the intelligent detective series (insert "Surfside Six", "77 Sunset Strip", etc. here) and Jack Benny's "JaMco Productions" appropriated this and turned it into "Checkmate". At least they eliminated Warner's obligatory weird side-kick/informer and good looking but airheaded singer/girlfriend/etc.

    So they basically had a main character targeted at all age levels of the female demographic, with one of which almost any male viewer could identify. And each episode included some attractive young actress(s) and a couple has-been movie stars in the cast.

    The early John Williams' theme music was a memorable jazz instrumental for which he received a Grammy nomination. As often happens with these things they tried to get cute between seasons and added Jack Betts to the cast as investigator Chris Devlin and they moved the agency into a normal office suite. It limped through its second season until cancellation.

    15 episodes from Season One are now out in a DVD package with the misleading title "Best of Checkmate:Season One". It does not appear that any effort was made to actually cull out the "best" episodes for this release, it looks more like this group was included because they were the only ones to which Edi Video had the rights and/or the only ones in good enough condition for digital re-mastering. The DVD package has no special features and is a relatively low-budget but serviceable effort. A similar collection of Season Two episodes is due for release in March 2008.

    Then again what do I know? I'm only a child.
    helpful•18
    1
    • aimless-46
    • Feb 25, 2008

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • September 17, 1960 (United States)
      • United States
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Backlot, Universal Studios - 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA
    • Production company
      • Jamco Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

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    • 1 hour
      • Black and White
      • Mono

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