Shaft (TV film series)

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Shaft
Richard Roundtree Ed Barth Shaft (television version) 1973.JPG
Richard Roundtree and Ed Barth in "The Killing", 1973.
GenreDetective fiction
Based onShaft
by Ernest Tidyman
StarringRichard Roundtree
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes7
Production
Production companyMGM Television
DistributorTurner Entertainment Co.
Warner Bros. Television Distribution
Release
Original networkCBS
Original releaseOctober 9, 1973 (1973-10-09) –
February 19, 1974 (1974-02-19)
Chronology
Followed byShaft  (2000 film)

Shaft is a series of television films that aired along with Hawkins and other TV films during 1973–74 television season on The New CBS Tuesday Night Movies. Broadcast every third week, the series is a continuation of the three films beginning with Shaft (1971), starring Richard Roundtree as private detective John Shaft and Ed Barth as Al Rossi; Barth replaces Angelo Gnazzo, who portrayed the character in Shaft's Big Score! (1972).[1]

Because it was aired on over-the-air television, CBS felt that the narrative needed to be toned down. Now instead of opposing the police, Shaft worked with them, creating conflicts with Hawkins starring cinema legend James Stewart, another police series with a starkly different viewership. The show was cancelled after one season. Contemporary analysts suggested that since the two shows—Shaft and Hawkins—appealed to vastly different audience bases, alternating them only served to confuse fans of both series, giving neither one the time to build up a large viewership.[2][3][4][5] A further contributor to its ratings failure was competition from other crime drama series starring African-American private investigators, NBC's Tenafly and ABC's Get Christie Love!.[6] Richard Roundtree himself has publicly expressed his disdain for the small-screen version of Shaft.[7][8]

Films[]

Title Original air date
1"The Enforcers"October 9, 1973 (1973-10-09)
2"The Killing"October 30, 1973 (1973-10-30)
3"Hit-Run"November 20, 1973 (1973-11-20)
4"The Kidnapping"December 11, 1973 (1973-12-11)
5"Cop Killer"January 1, 1974 (1974-01-01)
6"The Capricorn Murders"January 29, 1974 (1974-01-29)
7"The Murder Machine"February 19, 1974 (1974-02-19)

Cast and characters[]

A private detective working with the New York Police Department (NYPD). Roundtree reprises his role from the theatrical Shaft film series.
An NYPD police lieutenant working with Shaft. Barth replaces Angelo Gnazzo, who portrayed the character in Shaft's Big Score! (1972).
List indicator(s)
  • This table only shows characters that have appeared in three or more films in the series.
  • A dark grey cell indicates that the character was not in the film or that the character's presence in the film has yet to be announced.
Character Films
The Enforcers The Killing Hit-Run The Kidnapping Cop Killer The Capricorn Murders The Murder Machine
1973 1974
John Shaft Richard Roundtree
Lt. Al Rossi Ed Barth
The Detective Rudy Doucette Rudy Doucette Rudy Doucette
The Hood Arnold Roberts Arnold Roberts
Laura Parks Judie Stein Judie Stein
The Pit Boss Nick Borgani
The Sportsman Robert Strong Robert Strong
Marshall Cunningham Robert Culp
Det. Sgt. Lew Turner Richard Jaeckel
Gerald Felk Kaz Garas
Juan Otero Rafael Campos
Charles Dawson Noah Keen
Judge McCormick Dean Jagger
Bobby Michael Gregory
Gordon Dana Charles Boyd
Walter Anderson Maurice Hill
Stan Burgess Harv Selsby
Dr. Helen Connors Jeanne Sorel
Sister Elizabeth Diana Webster
Jane Cunningham Barbara Babcock
Cathy Cunningham Melissa Sue Anderson
Court Member Dusty Cadis
Numbers Peter Elbling
Court Member Bill Hickman
Don Lewis Richard Lawson
Diana Richie Ja'net DuBois
Kyle Bruckner Leonard Frey
Sergeant Duff Michael Ansara
Sonny Bruckner Michael Pataki
Stanley Hollister Henry Beckman
Archie McGill Ron Soble
Victor Perrine Jared Martin
Captain Rigano Val Avery
Charley Vito Scotti
Jack Benjamin Louis Guss
Mrs. Richie Royce Wallace
Logan Albert Popwell
Selma Thomas Jacque Lynn Colton
Judge Graves Michael Fox
Judge Weinberg Jack Bernardi
Iggie Lou Kane
Bailiff Benjie Bancroft
Courtroom Spectator Al Beaudine
Court Clerk Billy Beck
Court Reporter Dick Cherney
Juror George Holmes
Passerby Kathryn Janssen
Workman Danny Sands
Gambler Eddie Smith
Detective Nico Stevens
Tom Oliver Howard Duff
Marcus Lowell Percy Rodrigues
Ann Lowell Judy Pace
David Oliver Tony Geary
Paul Hanson Don Matheson
Clifford Grayson Tony Curtis
Charles Harris Nicky Blair
Mona Pat Delaney
Secretary Paula Shaw
Pit Boss Ted Jordan
Jacquard Jason Wingreen
Mrs. Pattion Shirley Anthony
Hoods Fred Carson
Bill Catching
Croupiers Sig Frohlich
Joseph La Cava
Dealer Bob Harks
Club Patrons Eddie Garrett
Robert Hitchcock
Joe Pine
Bartender Shep Houghton
Eddie Simmons Charlie Picerni
Pit Boss Hank Robinson
Crouper George Washburn
Elliot Williamson Paul Burke
Nancy Williamson Karen Carlson
Matthew Potter Nicholas A. Beauvy
Beck Greg Mullavey
Hayden Timothy Scott
Leo Vic Brandt
Sheriff Bradley Frank Marth
Deputy Walter Philip Kenneally
Deputy Daley Erik Holland
Deputy Milton Frank Whiteman
Mr. Tolliver Stephen Coit
Debbie Jayne Kennedy
Potter Richard Stahl
Cab Driver Joseph Petrullo
Bank Customer Robert Casper
Wally Doyle George Maharis
Officer Charles Tyler James A. Watson Jr.
Tom Donegan Richard Schaal
Brock Arch Johnson
Marcia Tyler Kim Hamilton
Eve Talya Ferro
Capt. Brian Brewster Darren McGavin
Dr. Meyer Gene Elman
Helen Rossi Mitzi Hoag
Tony Max Gail
Marks Joseph George
Cargill Peter Canon
Bartender Vic Christy
J. L. Teague Don Knight
Gil Kirkwood David Hedison
Joanna Kirkwood Cathy Lee Crosby
Harry Praeger Robert Phillips
Fire Investigator Bert Freed
Frank Lucas Arthur O'Connell
Bank Clerk June Dayton
Bank Officer Dean Harens
Myrna Candice Rialson
Carol Thelma Pelish
Nicky Jo Ella Deffenbaugh
Police Officer David Armstrong
Franklin Carter George Bryson
Boermer Edward Colmans
Gunther Gil Perkins
Detective Ray Pourchot
Intern Walter Smith
Richard Quayle Clu Gulager
Louise Quayle Fionnula Flanagan
Henry Kassner Mills Watson
Gerald Wallace Joe Warfield
Frank Higget Sheldon Allman
Plainclothesmen John Garwood
Glenn Robards
Bookie Danny Wells
Moon Bill Walker
Girl Janice Durkin
Higget's Bodyguard Sid Haig
Corman Than Wyenn

References[]

  1. ^ Obenson, Tambay A. (2 October 2011). "Warner Bros Releasing Short-Lived "Shaft" TV Series Collection To DVD".
  2. ^ Serafino, Jason (28 June 2012). "The 10 Worst TV Shows Inspired By Movies". Complex.
  3. ^ Murray, Noel (9 November 2011). "Shaft: The TV Movie Collection". The A.V. Club.
  4. ^ Hicks, Chris (7 October 2011). "'Shaft' TV movies come to DVD". Deseret News.
  5. ^ King, Susan (30 October 1994). "Retro : Return of the Short Timers : SERIES THAT DIDN'T LAST MORE THAN A SEASON GET A SECOND SHOWING ON TNT". Los Angeles Times.
  6. ^ Walker, David F. (August 2020). "Fifty Years of Shaft". RetroFan. United States: TwoMorrows Publishing (10): 9.
  7. ^ Mooney, Joshua (August 15, 1997). "Scowling 'Shaft' In His Past, Roundtree's Even Taking On Comedy". Archived from the original on September 22, 2015.
  8. ^ "Richard Roundtree." Unsung Hollywood. Nar. Gary Anthony Williams. Exec. Prod. Frank Sinton, Arthur Smith, Kent Weed, and Mark Rowland. TV One, 25 Mar. 2015. Television.

External links[]

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