Crime with Father

Crime with Father
StarringRusty Lane
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
Production
ProducerWilbur Stark
Running time30 minutes
Original release
NetworkABC
ReleaseAugust 31, 1951 (1951-08-31) –
January 18, 1952 (1952-01-18)

Crime with Father is an early American police drama that aired on ABC on Friday nights from August 31, 1951, to January 18, 1952.[1]

Plot

The series centered on Captain Jim Riland of the homicide squad, and his daughter Chris, who "had a knack for crime-solving" and often helped him solve cases when the police were stymied.[2]

Personnel

Rusty Lane portrayed Captain Jim Riland, and Peggy Lobin played Chris Riland. The writer was Larry Menkin, the producer was Wilbur Stark, and the director was Charles S. Dubin.[3]

Production

According to columnist Terry Vernon, the show was filmed on actual streets without using stock clips or background projections, and showed the home life of the Rilands.[4]

Reception

A review in the trade publication Billboard said that the father-daughter crime solvers premise "has the making of a solid mystery-team trend", but the episode critiqued "was marred by trite scripting and melodramatic thesping".[5] The New York Times review of the first episode said it was "...an obviously low-budgeted series, has a far better than average quality of production, even if the pistol shots still sound like cap pistols".[6]

Broadcast history

The premier episode was broadcast on August 31, 1951 for the eastern United States, but its start was delayed two weeks on the West Coast.[4]

For its first three weeks, the program was sustaining. Thereafter, Block Drug Company became the sponsor, advertising Ammident, Minipoo shampoo, Pycope brushes, and other products.[7] Block's sponsorship ended in early November 1951.[8]

Episodes

No.
overall		No. in
season		TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
11"Premiere"Charles S. DubinLarry MenkinAugust 31, 1951 (1951-08-31)
A friend of Chris has mental issues and confesses to murder. Cast: [6]
12"The Baby-Sitter"Charles S. DubinLarry MenkinSeptember 7, 1951 (1951-09-07)
Cast:
13TBACharles S. DubinLarry MenkinSeptember 14, 1951 (1951-09-14)
Cast:
14TBACharles S. DubinLarry MenkinSeptember 21, 1951 (1951-09-21)
Cast:
15TBACharles S. DubinLarry MenkinSeptember 28, 1951 (1951-09-28)
Cast:
16TBACharles S. DubinLarry MenkinOctober 5, 1951 (1951-10-05)
Cast:
17TBACharles S. DubinLarry MenkinOctober 12, 1951 (1951-10-12)
Cast:
18"The Scissors"Charles S. DubinLarry MenkinOctober 19, 1951 (1951-10-19)
Cast: [9]
19"The Trigger Man"Charles S. DubinLarry MenkinOctober 26, 1951 (1951-10-26)
Cast: [10]
111TBACharles S. DubinLarry MenkinNovember 9, 1951 (1951-11-09)
Vigilantes cause problems for Capt Riland and Chris. Cast: [11]
112"The Third Brother"Charles S. DubinLarry MenkinNovember 16, 1951 (1951-11-16)
The Rilands deal with a close-knit family of criminals. Cast: [12]
113TBACharles S. DubinLarry MenkinNovember 23, 1951 (1951-11-23)
Cast:
114TBACharles S. DubinLarry MenkinNovember 30, 1951 (1951-11-30)
Cast:
115"The Perfect Woman"Charles S. DubinLarry MenkinDecember 7, 1951 (1951-12-07)
Cast: [13]
116"The Spree"Charles S. DubinLarry MenkinDecember 14, 1951 (1951-12-14)
Cast: [14]
117"Evidence for a Miracle"Charles S. DubinLarry MenkinDecember 21, 1951 (1951-12-21)
Cast: [15]
118"K as in Kill"Charles S. DubinLarry MenkinDecember 28, 1951 (1951-12-28)
Cast: [16]
119"The Woman Who Hated 1952"Charles S. DubinLarry MenkinJanuary 4, 1952 (1952-01-04)
Cast: [17]
120"The Storm Thieves"Charles S. DubinLarry MenkinJanuary 11, 1952 (1952-01-11)
Cast: [18]
121TBACharles S. DubinLarry MenkinJanuary 18, 1952 (1952-01-18)
Cast:

References

  1. ^ Brooks, Tim; Marsh, Earle F. (2009). The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows, 1946-Present. Random House Publishing Group. p. 299. ISBN 9780307483201. Retrieved 3 December 2017.
  2. ^ Romanko, Karen A. (2016). Television's Female Spies and Crimefighters: 600 Characters and Shows, 1950s to the Present. McFarland. p. 60. ISBN 978-0-7864-9637-2. Retrieved April 12, 2022.
  3. ^ Hyatt, Wesley (2003). Short-Lived Television Series, 1948-1978: Thirty Years of More Than 1,000 Flops. McFarland. p. 31. ISBN 9780786414208. Retrieved 3 December 2017.
  4. ^ a b Vernon, Terry (September 14, 1951). "Tele-Vues". The Independent. Long Beach, California. p. 40 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ Bundy, June (September 22, 1951). "Crime With Father (The Baby Sitter)". Billboard. p. 10. Retrieved April 13, 2022.
  6. ^ a b V. A. (September 1, 1951). "Detective Series in Video Premiere". New York Times. New York, New York. p. 18 – via NYTimes.com.
  7. ^ "Drug Firm Buys 'Father-Crime'". Billboard. September 29, 1951. p. 8. Retrieved April 13, 2022.
  8. ^ "Client Drops ABC Whodunit". Billboard. November 10, 1951. p. 4. Retrieved April 13, 2022.
  9. ^ "Today's Television Program". Newsday (Suffolk Edition). Melville, New York. October 19, 1951. p. 61 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Today's Television Program". Newsday (Suffolk Edition). Melville, New York. October 26, 1951. p. 31 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Friday Television Highlights". Detroit Free Press. Detroit, Michigan. November 9, 1951. p. 37 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "Free Press TV, Radio Digest". Detroit Free Press. Detroit, Michigan. November 16, 1951. p. 35 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ "Today's Television Program". Newsday (Suffolk Edition). Melville, New York. December 7, 1951. p. 61 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ "Today's Television Program". Newsday (Suffolk Edition). Melville, New York. December 14, 1951. p. 92 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ "Today's Television Program". Newsday (Suffolk Edition). Melville, New York. December 21, 1951. p. 65 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ "Today's Television Program". Newsday (Suffolk Edition). Melville, New York. December 28, 1951. p. 19 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ^ "Today's Television Program". Newsday (Suffolk Edition). Melville, New York. January 4, 1952. p. 35 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. ^ "Today's Television Program". Newsday (Suffolk Edition). Melville, New York. January 11, 1952. p. 54 – via Newspapers.com.