Lanigan's Rabbi
Encyclopedia
Lanigan's Rabbi is a short-lived American
crime drama
series that aired on NBC
during the first half of 1977.
Based upon a series of novels by Harry Kemelman
, the series starred Art Carney
as Police Chief Paul Lanigan, who fights crime in a small California town with the help of his best friend, Rabbi David Small (Bruce Solomon
). Small's ability in this area was attributed to his "rabbinic mind", and his Talmud
ic training. However, an added element for the David Small novels and the Lanigan's Rabbi series was that Small was usually trying to balance his crime-solving assistance to Chief Lanigan with synagogue politics, usually involving some congregants who would be happy to see the rabbi lose his position. Co-starring in the series was Janis Paige
and Janet Margolin
as Mrs. Lanigan and Mrs. Small, respectively. Another regular on the series was Carney's daughter, Barbara Carney.
After a successful pilot film
based on Friday the Rabbi Slept Late
, the first novel in the Rabbi David Small series, aired in 1976, Lanigan's Rabbi was produced as a series of 90-minute telefilms beginning in January 1977. For the series, Bruce Solomon replaced Stuart Margolin
, who had played Rabbi Small in the pilot. The series was broadcast on a rotating schedule under the umbrella title NBC Sunday Mystery Movie
. Other series involved in the scheme were Columbo, McCloud, and McMillan (formerly McMillan & Wife). Lanigan's Rabbi was the last series added to the Mystery Movie format (it replaced Quincy, M.E.
at mid-season when that series was spun off into a weekly program); in the spring, NBC cancelled all four series and discontinued the Mystery Movie format. As a result, only four Lanigan's Rabbi episodes were broadcast.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
crime drama
Police procedural
The police procedural is a subgenre of detective fiction which attempts to convincingly depict the activities of a police force as they investigate crimes. While traditional detective novels usually concentrate on a single crime, police procedurals frequently depict investigations into several...
series that aired on NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
during the first half of 1977.
Synopsis
Harry Kemelman
Harry Kemelman was an American mystery writer and a professor of English. He was the creator of one of the most famous religious sleuths, Rabbi David Small.- Early life:...
, the series starred Art Carney
Art Carney
Arthur William Matthew “Art” Carney was an American actor in film, stage, television and radio. He is best known for playing Ed Norton, opposite Jackie Gleason's Ralph Kramden in the situation comedy The Honeymooners....
as Police Chief Paul Lanigan, who fights crime in a small California town with the help of his best friend, Rabbi David Small (Bruce Solomon
Bruce Solomon
Bruce Peter Solomon is an American television and film star, best known for the roles of Sgt. Foley in the TV show "Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman" and Kenny Zuckerman in Beverly Hills, 90210.-Television and film:...
). Small's ability in this area was attributed to his "rabbinic mind", and his Talmud
Talmud
The Talmud is a central text of mainstream Judaism. It takes the form of a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, philosophy, customs and history....
ic training. However, an added element for the David Small novels and the Lanigan's Rabbi series was that Small was usually trying to balance his crime-solving assistance to Chief Lanigan with synagogue politics, usually involving some congregants who would be happy to see the rabbi lose his position. Co-starring in the series was Janis Paige
Janis Paige
Janis Paige is an American film, musical theatre and television actress. Born Donna Mae Tjaden in Tacoma, Washington, she began singing in public from the age of five in local amateur shows...
and Janet Margolin
Janet Margolin
Janet Margolin was an American theater, television and film actress.- Early life :Margolin was born in New York City, the daughter of Benjamin Margolin, an accountant who was born in Russia and was founder and president of the Nephrosis Foundation, now the Kidney Foundation of New York...
as Mrs. Lanigan and Mrs. Small, respectively. Another regular on the series was Carney's daughter, Barbara Carney.
After a successful pilot film
Television pilot
A "television pilot" is a standalone episode of a television series that is used to sell the show to a television network. At the time of its inception, the pilot is meant to be the "testing ground" to see if a series will be possibly desired and successful and therefore a test episode of an...
based on Friday the Rabbi Slept Late
Friday the Rabbi Slept Late
Friday the Rabbi Slept Late is a mystery novel written by Harry Kemelman in 1964, the first of the successful Rabbi Small series.- Plot introduction :...
, the first novel in the Rabbi David Small series, aired in 1976, Lanigan's Rabbi was produced as a series of 90-minute telefilms beginning in January 1977. For the series, Bruce Solomon replaced Stuart Margolin
Stuart Margolin
Stuart Margolin is an American film and television actor and director.-Television:Margolin is best known for his role on the television show The Rockford Files, playing Evelyn "Angel" Martin, the shifty friend and former cellmate of Jim Rockford...
, who had played Rabbi Small in the pilot. The series was broadcast on a rotating schedule under the umbrella title NBC Sunday Mystery Movie
NBC Mystery Movie
The NBC Mystery Movie is the general name of an American television series, produced by Universal Studios, that was broadcast by NBC from 1971-77...
. Other series involved in the scheme were Columbo, McCloud, and McMillan (formerly McMillan & Wife). Lanigan's Rabbi was the last series added to the Mystery Movie format (it replaced Quincy, M.E.
Quincy, M.E.
Quincy, M.E., also called Quincy, is a United States television series from Universal Studios that aired from October 3, 1976, to September 5, 1983, on NBC...
at mid-season when that series was spun off into a weekly program); in the spring, NBC cancelled all four series and discontinued the Mystery Movie format. As a result, only four Lanigan's Rabbi episodes were broadcast.
Cast
- Art CarneyArt CarneyArthur William Matthew “Art” Carney was an American actor in film, stage, television and radio. He is best known for playing Ed Norton, opposite Jackie Gleason's Ralph Kramden in the situation comedy The Honeymooners....
- Chief Paul Lanigan - Bruce SolomonBruce SolomonBruce Peter Solomon is an American television and film star, best known for the roles of Sgt. Foley in the TV show "Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman" and Kenny Zuckerman in Beverly Hills, 90210.-Television and film:...
- Rabbi David Small - Barbara Carney - Bobbie Whittaker
- Janet MargolinJanet MargolinJanet Margolin was an American theater, television and film actress.- Early life :Margolin was born in New York City, the daughter of Benjamin Margolin, an accountant who was born in Russia and was founder and president of the Nephrosis Foundation, now the Kidney Foundation of New York...
- Miriam Small - Janis PaigeJanis PaigeJanis Paige is an American film, musical theatre and television actress. Born Donna Mae Tjaden in Tacoma, Washington, she began singing in public from the age of five in local amateur shows...
- Kate Lanigan - Reva RoseReva RoseReva Rose is an American actress of stage and screen, best known for playing Lucy van Pelt in the Off-Broadway production of Clark Gesner's You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown.- Stage :...
- Hannan Prince
Episode list
| Episode # | Episode Title | Airdate |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Corpse of the Year" | January 27, 1977 |
| 2 | "The Cadaver in the Clutter" | March 17, 1977 |
| 3 | "Say It Ain't So, Chief" | April 14, 1977 |
| 4 | "In Hot Weather, the Crime Rate Soars" | April 24, 1977 |