Ace Crawford, Private Eye
Encyclopedia
Ace Crawford, Private Eye is a 1983 television program that parodied
the “hard-boiled detective” genre; Tim Conway
starred as a trench-coated
private detective who always solved the case and caught the bad guy, despite his constant bumbling. Only five episodes were shown.
as Ace Crawford, the cast included:
as a “wire,” et cetera. In spite of the slapstick
results of his actions, Crawford would always emerge triumphant.
Every episode ended the same way: Crawford would leave The Shanty at night and walk along the wharf
, vanishing into the fog... and then audibly fall into the water.
Each episode was on film
(as opposed to videotape
), and had a laugh track
.
videocassette was released, containing the first three episodes. This videocassette is currently out of print, and this show has not yet been released on DVD
.
Parody
A parody , in current usage, is an imitative work created to mock, comment on, or trivialise an original work, its subject, author, style, or some other target, by means of humorous, satiric or ironic imitation...
the “hard-boiled detective” genre; Tim Conway
Tim Conway
Thomas Daniel "Tim" Conway is an American comedian and actor, primarily known for his roles in sitcoms, films and television. Conway is best known for his role as the inept second-in-command officer, Ensign Charles Parker, to Lt...
starred as a trench-coated
Trench coat
A trench coat or trenchcoat is a raincoat made of waterproof heavy-duty cotton drill or poplin, wool gabardine, or leather. It generally has a removable insulated lining; and it is usually knee-length.-History:...
private detective who always solved the case and caught the bad guy, despite his constant bumbling. Only five episodes were shown.
Cast and characters
In addition to Tim ConwayTim Conway
Thomas Daniel "Tim" Conway is an American comedian and actor, primarily known for his roles in sitcoms, films and television. Conway is best known for his role as the inept second-in-command officer, Ensign Charles Parker, to Lt...
as Ace Crawford, the cast included:
- Joe RegalbutoJoe RegalbutoJoe Regalbuto is an American actor and director known for his role as Frank Fontana on the CBS television comedy Murphy Brown. He also starred in the 1986 TV movie Fuzz Bucket and the short-lived series Street Hawk. He played a supporting role in the critically acclaimed film Missing in 1982...
as Toomey, a CPACertified Public AccountantCertified Public Accountant is the statutory title of qualified accountants in the United States who have passed the Uniform Certified Public Accountant Examination and have met additional state education and experience requirements for certification as a CPA...
and Conway’s assistant; he always saw Crawford as a hero, and thought that his bumbling was simply some kind of cunning strategy. - Billy BartyBilly BartyBilly Barty was an American film actor.-Biography:Barty, an Italian American, was born William John Bertanzetti in Millsboro, Pennsylvania...
as Inch, owner and bartender of The Shanty, a wharfside bar where Crawford hangs out. - Shera Danese as Luana, a singer at The Shanty who lusted after Crawford.
- Bill HendersonBill Henderson (actor)William Randall "Bill" Henderson is an American jazz vocalist and actor in television and film.Henderson was born in Chicago, Illinois. Henderson's acting credits have been numerous. Beginning in the mid-1970s, and continuing to this day, he has frequently appeared on television in supporting,...
as Mello, a blindBlindnessBlindness is the condition of lacking visual perception due to physiological or neurological factors.Various scales have been developed to describe the extent of vision loss and define blindness...
jazzJazzJazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
musician at The Shanty. - Dick ChristieDick ChristieDick Johnson is an American actor. He is best known for portraying Ted Lawson on the 1980s situation comedy Small Wonder....
as Detective Lieutenant Fanning, who was always mystified as to how Crawford solved every case.
Format
In each half-hour episode, Crawford would be hired for, or otherwise find himself involved in, a case in which criminals were taking advantage of innocent citizens. He would then approach the case using Conway’s trademark comedy style; in one episode he was disguised as a feeble old man, in another he was using a children's toy microphoneMicrophone
A microphone is an acoustic-to-electric transducer or sensor that converts sound into an electrical signal. In 1877, Emile Berliner invented the first microphone used as a telephone voice transmitter...
as a “wire,” et cetera. In spite of the slapstick
Slapstick
Slapstick is a type of comedy involving exaggerated violence and activities which may exceed the boundaries of common sense.- Origins :The phrase comes from the batacchio or bataccio — called the 'slap stick' in English — a club-like object composed of two wooden slats used in Commedia dell'arte...
results of his actions, Crawford would always emerge triumphant.
Every episode ended the same way: Crawford would leave The Shanty at night and walk along the wharf
Wharf
A wharf or quay is a structure on the shore of a harbor where ships may dock to load and unload cargo or passengers.Such a structure includes one or more berths , and may also include piers, warehouses, or other facilities necessary for handling the ships.A wharf commonly comprises a fixed...
, vanishing into the fog... and then audibly fall into the water.
Each episode was on film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
(as opposed to videotape
Videotape
A videotape is a recording of images and sounds on to magnetic tape as opposed to film stock or random access digital media. Videotapes are also used for storing scientific or medical data, such as the data produced by an electrocardiogram...
), and had a laugh track
Laugh track
A laugh track is a separate soundtrack invented by Charles "Charley" Douglass, with the artificial sound of audience laughter, made to be inserted into television programming of comedy shows and sitcoms.The term "laugh track" does not apply to the genuine audience laughter on shows that shoot in...
.
Episode titles and airdates
| № | Title | Airdate |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Murder at Restful Hills" | 1983·Mar·15 |
| 2 | "Bull Bates" | 1983·Mar·22 |
| 3 | "Inch in a Pinch" | 1983·Mar·29 |
| 4 | "The Microchip Caper" | 1983·Apr·05 |
| 5 | "The Gentleman Bandit" | 1983·Apr·12 |
Availability
In 1989, a VHSVHS
The Video Home System is a consumer-level analog recording videocassette standard developed by Victor Company of Japan ....
videocassette was released, containing the first three episodes. This videocassette is currently out of print, and this show has not yet been released on DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
.