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Assignment: Vienna

  • TV Series
  • 1972–19731972–1973
  • 1h
IMDb RATING
6.8/10
28
YOUR RATING
Episode guide
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Victor Buono in Assignment: Vienna (1972)
  • Adventure
  • Drama
The adventures of rugged American spy Jake Webster.The adventures of rugged American spy Jake Webster.The adventures of rugged American spy Jake Webster.
IMDb RATING
6.8/10
28
YOUR RATING
  • Stars
    • Robert Conrad
    • Charles Cioffi
    • Anton Diffring
Top credits
  • Stars
    • Robert Conrad
    • Charles Cioffi
    • Anton Diffring
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 1User review
    • 1Critic review
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Episodes8

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    1 Season

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    Victor Buono in Assignment: Vienna (1972)
    Victor Buono in Assignment: Vienna (1972)
    Robert Conrad and Victor Buono in Assignment: Vienna (1972)
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    Top cast

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    Robert Conrad
    Robert Conrad
    • Jake Websteras Jake Webster
    8 episodes8 eps • 1972–1973
    Charles Cioffi
    Charles Cioffi
    • Maj. Bernard Caldwellas Maj. Bernard Caldwell
    8 episodes8 eps • 1972–1973
    Anton Diffring
    Anton Diffring
    • Insp. Hoffmanas Insp. Hoffman
    8 episodes8 eps • 1972–1973
    Péter Vajda
    • Fritzas Fritz
    2 episodes2 eps • 1972–1973
    Skye Aubrey
    Skye Aubrey
    • Susan Loganas Susan Logan
    1 episode1 ep • 1972
    Joby Baker
    Joby Baker
    • Russellas Russell
    1 episode1 ep • 1972
    Arthur Brauss
    Arthur Brauss1 episode1 ep • 1972
    Victor Buono
    Victor Buono
    • Karafatmaas Karafatma
    1 episode1 ep • 1972
    Katherine Cannon
    Katherine Cannon
    • Cindyas Cindy
    1 episode1 ep • 1972
    Peter Capell
    Peter Capell1 episode1 ep • 1972
    John Ericson
    John Ericson1 episode1 ep • 1972
    Rosemary Forsyth
    Rosemary Forsyth
    • Annalisaas Annalisa
    1 episode1 ep • 1972
    Anne Francis
    Anne Francis
    • Aline Mastersonas Aline Masterson
    1 episode1 ep • 1972
    Eduard Franz
    Eduard Franz
    • Prof. Hayesas Prof. Hayes
    1 episode1 ep • 1972
    John Ireland
    John Ireland
    • Harry Duncanas Harry Duncan
    1 episode1 ep • 1972
    Paul Mantee
    Paul Mantee
    • Karafatmaas Karafatma
    1 episode1 ep • 1972
    Belinda Montgomery
    Belinda Montgomery
    • Julie Hayesas Julie Hayes
    1 episode1 ep • 1972
    Leslie Nielsen
    Leslie Nielsen
    • Floyd Macklinas Floyd Macklin
    1 episode1 ep • 1972
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

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    Storyline

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    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Aired on ABC as a segment of "The Men". The other segments were Jigsaw (1972) and The Delphi Bureau (1972).
    • Connections
      Spun-off from Assignment: Munich (1972)

    User reviews1

    Review
    Top review
    The Two Jakes
    Jake Webster was the owner of a Vienna club called "Jake's Place". But American intelligence was also forcing Jake to work as a spy. A superb set-up for a show, with intimations of "Casablanca", "Gilda" and "The Third Man". A romantic action hero with a shady past who has a secret. Jake Webster could have been a star making role.

    Brilliant Roy Scheider played the Bogart-like hero in the pilot movie called "Assignment Munich". But Sheider hit the big time with "The French Connection", and he wisely backed out of his commitment for the series. Sheider's performance as Jake was a little too self-satisfied anyway.

    A number of top actors were reportedly offered the lead in "Assignment Vienna" but turned it down. Talented, underrated Robert Conrad ("Hawaiian Eye", "The Wild, Wild West") wound up as the new Jake Webster. Conrad had done a Jack Webb series called "The DA" the previous season, but it was canceled after thirteen episodes. He then made an unsold pilot called "Nick Carter". Conrad was more appealing than Sheider. He was convincing as a spy but not terribly distinctive or magnetic. A TV Bogart was required, and that's a tall order. John Saxon, who had just been fired from "The Bold Ones", might have been fascinating. Pernell Roberts (without toupee), Anthony Quinn, Gerald Mohr, Jason Evers, James Olson, Rod Taylor, John Cassavetes, David Janssen or Ben Gazzara also might have given Jake Webster more gravitas than Conrad. Desi Arnaz had been surprisingly superb in a similar role in "Thunder in the Night", a Desilu Playhouse (1960).

    Charles Cioffi played Major Caldwell, Jake Webster's American contact. Richard Basehart played Caldwell in the pilot. A strong woman in the role would have added more flavor and tension, maybe Sharon Acker.

    Eric Bercovici and Jerry Ludwig were the creators/executive producers. They were a talented writing team who had done a number of strong episodes of "Hawaii 5-0" and "Mission: Impossible". This was their big chance, and they did a good job. But the production should have been more stylishly filmed, with a richer film noir feel that would have recalled the show's movie predecessors. The look of the show didn't really make it stand out, even with some nice on location filming in Vienna. And maybe if Jake narrated the story, it would have given some of the intimacy that Bogart's narration added to his movies.

    The show might also have injected more humor, along the lines of Blake Edwards' great "Mr. Lucky" (1959) - which was also a forerunner of this series. Maybe Jake should have had a droll partner like Mr. Lucky did, perhaps played by Michael Dunn.

    Guest stars included Maria Schell, John Ireland, Rosemary Forsyth, Anne Francis, Walter Slezak, Susan Strasberg, Leslie Nielsen, Cameron Mitchell and Joseph Campanella. It might have been interesting if they had hired some prior TV spies for guest stars like David McCallum, Diana Rigg, Patrick McGoohan, Steven Hill and Robert Culp.

    "Assignment Vienna" was one of three alternating series making up "The Men". The other two were "Jigsaw" with James Wainwright and "The Delphi Bureau" with Laurence Luckinbill.
    helpful•22
    2
    • Cheyenne-Bodie
    • Nov 2, 2006

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • September 28, 1972 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • ウィーン諜報網
    • Filming locations
      • Vienna, Austria
    • Production company
      • MGM Television
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.33 : 1

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