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The Bold Ones: The Protectors

  • TV Series
  • 1969–19701969–1970
  • 1h
IMDb RATING
7.3/10
51
YOUR RATING
Episode guide
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • IMDbPro
The Bold Ones: The Protectors (1969)
  • Drama
Sam Danforth is a big city deputy police chief whose old fashioned way of handling things didn't always work in the changing world. He teams with DA William Washburn, who is more adaptable i... Read allSam Danforth is a big city deputy police chief whose old fashioned way of handling things didn't always work in the changing world. He teams with DA William Washburn, who is more adaptable in dealing with crime.Sam Danforth is a big city deputy police chief whose old fashioned way of handling things didn't always work in the changing world. He teams with DA William Washburn, who is more adaptable in dealing with crime.
IMDb RATING
7.3/10
51
YOUR RATING
  • Creators
    • William Sackheim
    • Roland Wolpert
  • Stars
    • Leslie Nielsen
    • Hari Rhodes
    • Carl Byrd
Top credits
  • Creators
    • William Sackheim
    • Roland Wolpert
  • Stars
    • Leslie Nielsen
    • Hari Rhodes
    • Carl Byrd
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 1User review
    • 4Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Episodes7

    Browse episodes
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    1 Season

    Photos

    "The Bold Ones" (The Lawyers / The New Doctors / The Protectors) Leslie Nielsen, Burle Ives, E.G. Marshall, Joseph Campanella, John Saxon, James Farentino, Hari Rhodes, David Hartman
    The Bold Ones: The Lawyers (1969)
    Hari Rhodes in The Bold Ones: The Protectors (1969)
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    Top cast

    Edit
    Leslie Nielsen
    Leslie Nielsen
    • Deputy Police Chief Sam Danforthas Deputy Police Chief Sam Danforth…
    7 episodes7 eps • 1969–1970
    Hari Rhodes
    Hari Rhodes
    • District Attorney William Washburnas District Attorney William Washburn…
    7 episodes7 eps • 1969–1970
    Carl Byrd
    • Detectiveas Detective
    3 episodes3 eps • 1970
    Michael Bell
    Michael Bell
    • Sgt. Jack Milleras Sgt. Jack Miller
    2 episodes2 eps • 1969
    Frank Maxwell
    Frank Maxwell
    • Mayor Alesias Mayor Alesi…
    2 episodes2 eps • 1969–1970
    Peter Brocco
    Peter Brocco
    • Bishop Martinezas Bishop Martinez…
    2 episodes2 eps • 1969–1970
    S. John Launer
    S. John Launer
    • Chief Ray Yorkas Chief Ray York
    2 episodes2 eps • 1969–1970
    Fred Williamson
    Fred Williamson
    • Arnold Bartellas Arnold Bartell…
    2 episodes2 eps • 1969
    Charles Lampkin
    Charles Lampkin
    • Councilmanas Councilman
    2 episodes2 eps • 1969
    Edward Andrews
    Edward Andrews
    • Harris Conradas Harris Conrad
    1 episode1 ep • 1969
    Aldo Ray
    Aldo Ray
    • Edward Loganas Edward Logan
    1 episode1 ep • 1969
    Robert Drivas
    Robert Drivas
    • Martin Sitomeras Martin Sitomer
    1 episode1 ep • 1969
    Louise Sorel
    Louise Sorel
    • Nina Brunoas Nina Bruno
    1 episode1 ep • 1970
    Norma Crane
    Norma Crane
    • Mrs. Austinas Mrs. Austin
    1 episode1 ep • 1970
    Lynn Carlin
    Lynn Carlin
    • Sister Marie Theresaas Sister Marie Theresa
    1 episode1 ep • 1970
    Edmond O'Brien
    Edmond O'Brien
    • Warden Millbankas Warden Millbank
    1 episode1 ep • 1969
    Ruby Dee
    Ruby Dee
    • Lucindaas Lucinda
    1 episode1 ep • 1969
    Celeste Yarnall
    Celeste Yarnall
    • Ethel Milleras Ethel Miller
    1 episode1 ep • 1969
    • Creators
      • William Sackheim
      • Roland Wolpert
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

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    Storyline

    Edit
    Sam Danforth is a big city deputy police chief whose old fashioned way of handling things didn't always work in the changing world. He teams with DA William Washburn, who is more adaptable in dealing with crime.
    • police
    • Plot summary
    • Add synopsis
    • Genre
      • Drama
    • Parents guide
      • Add content advisory

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Connections
      Followed by The Bold Ones: The Protectors: Deadlock (1969)

    User reviews1

    Review
    Top review
    10/10
    Leslie Nielsen starts to get interesting
    I was never able to warm up to Leslie Nielsen in "The New Breed" and "The Swamp Fox", his first two series. Nielsen was just too muscular, unemotional and infallible. He was the same way in his guest star roles. But Nielsen became more interesting after he turned 40 and his hair started to go gray. He seemed to loosen up a little.

    Here Nielsen played the deputy chief of police in a volatile California city. He was a conservative law and order type who was brought in from Cleveland to try to keep the lid on. Nielsen often had run-ins with the city's idealistic, liberal black DA, played by Hari Rhodes.

    The pilot movie was called "Deadlock". It was produced by William Sackheim ("The Law") and directed by Lamont Johnson ("That Certain Summer").

    Jack Laird ("Ben Casey", "Kojak", "Night Gallery") was brought in to be executive producer of the series. Twenty-seven year old Jerrold Freedman ("The Psychiatrist") was the line producer.

    One startling innovation of this series was that there was no background music. The soundtrack just used the noises of the city and offices were it took place. This really made you realize how bad series music had become, particularly in creating false suspense prior to the commercial break. This lack of background music really gave the show a unique feel.

    The photography was also unusually fine. Vilmos Zsigmond ("Close Encounters of the Third Kind") was a cinematographer.

    Emmy winner Daryl Duke ("Payday", "The Senator") directed three of the six episodes.

    The show opened and closed with a radio call-in show where the issues of the day were discussed. The calls often reflected on the episode's themes.

    Guest stars included Edmond O'Brien, Charles Aidman, James Broderick, John Rubinstein, Robert Drivas and Louise Sorel.

    Hari Rhodes was very good, but he wasn't quite as strong as Nielsen. I would have preferred the older Ossie Davis as the DA. Or maybe Al Freeman, Jr. ("Dutchman", "My Sweet Charlie").

    This was the best of the three shows making up "The Bold Ones" in its first season, but it got the lowest ratings and was canceled. At least it made way for "The Senator" starring Hal Holbrook, which was superb. William Sackheim had also produced the pilot for "The Senator", but didn't produce the series. The most talented writers at Universal (such as Steven Bochco and Joel Oliansky) seemed to flock around Sackheim. The work he was associated with was always a cut above.

    "The Senator" didn't use background music either, also to great effect. But as far as I know, no show has gone without music since.

    Leslie Nielsen made a fine John Bracken the next season on "Bracken's World".

    Leslie Nielsen was a big favorite of Jack Laird, the very talented executive producer of this series. Nielsen worked for Laird in at least six TV movies: "See How They Run", "Dark Intruder" (a pilot for a Nielsen series), "Shadow over Elveron", "Trial Run", "Hauser's Memory" and the Charlie Chan pilot with Ross Martin. Laird also used Nielsen as a guest star on "Ben Casey", "Channing", "Night Gallery" and "Kojak".
    helpful•15
    2
    • Cheyenne-Bodie
    • Oct 7, 2006

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • February 22, 1969 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Deadlock
    • Filming locations
      • Universal Studios - 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA
    • Production company
      • Universal Television
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

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

    Related news

    R.I.P. Leslie Nielsen (1926-2010)
    Nov 29Flickeringmyth
    Leslie Nielsen obituary
    Nov 29The Guardian - Film News

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