Longstreet (TV series)
Encyclopedia
Longstreet is an American
crime drama series
that was broadcast on the ABC
in the 1971-1972 season (see 1971 in television
). A 90-minute pilot
movie of the same name aired prior to the debut of the series as an ABC Movie of the Week
.
as insurance investigator Mike Longstreet. After a bomb (hidden in a champagne bottle) kills his wife, Ingrid, and leaves him blind, the title character pursues and captures the killers. He then continues his career as an insurance investigator despite his blindness. Longstreet's seeing eye dog was a white German Shepherd
called Pax. The series was set in New Orleans, but was actually filmed in Los Angeles
. Coincidentally, exactly a decade earlier, Franciscus had appeared as insurance investigator Russ Andrews in a 13-week CBS
series The Investigators, with James Philbrook
as his principal co-star. Both series aired at the same time, Thursday 9 PM (Eastern).
Mystery
novel
ist Baynard Kendrick
was credited in each episode as the creator of the source material for the series, although his character, Captain Duncan Maclain, had little in common with Longstreet aside from their both being blind private detectives.
Bruce Lee
appeared in four episodes as Li Tsung, an antiques dealer and Jeet Kune Do
expert who becomes Longstreet's martial arts instructor. Wikiquote has quotations from Li Tsung's teachings.
Twenty-three episodes of the show were aired before it was canceled in 1972.
Episode numbers marked with * are the episodes in which Bruce Lee appeared.
in 2005-2006. The series was released on commercial DVD in Japan (region 2) in late 2007, but has not yet been commercially released on DVD in the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
crime drama series
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...
that was broadcast on the ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
in the 1971-1972 season (see 1971 in television
1971 in television
The year 1971 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1971.For the American TV schedule, see: 1971-72 American network television schedule.-Events:...
). A 90-minute pilot
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...
movie of the same name aired prior to the debut of the series as an ABC Movie of the Week
ABC Movie of the Week
The ABC Movie of the Week is a weekly television anthology series, featuring made-for-TV movies, that aired on the ABC network in various permutations from 1969 to 1975.-History:...
.
Synopsis
The series starred James FranciscusJames Franciscus
James Grover Franciscus was an American actor, known for his roles in the series The Naked City and The Investigators, and in feature films.-Life and career:...
as insurance investigator Mike Longstreet. After a bomb (hidden in a champagne bottle) kills his wife, Ingrid, and leaves him blind, the title character pursues and captures the killers. He then continues his career as an insurance investigator despite his blindness. Longstreet's seeing eye dog was a white German Shepherd
German Shepherd Dog
The German Shepherd Dog , also known as an Alsatian or just the German Shepherd, is a breed of large-sized dog that originated in Germany. The German Shepherd is a relatively new breed of dog, with its origin dating to 1899. As part of the Herding Group, the German Shepherd is a working dog...
called Pax. The series was set in New Orleans, but was actually filmed in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. Coincidentally, exactly a decade earlier, Franciscus had appeared as insurance investigator Russ Andrews in a 13-week CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
series The Investigators, with James Philbrook
James Philbrook
James Philbrook was an American actor who appeared in supporting roles in three short-lived television series between 1959 and 1963: The Islanders on ABC and The Investigators and The New Loretta Young Show, both on CBS...
as his principal co-star. Both series aired at the same time, Thursday 9 PM (Eastern).
Mystery
Mystery fiction
Mystery fiction is a loosely-defined term.1.It is often used as a synonym for detective fiction or crime fiction— in other words a novel or short story in which a detective investigates and solves a crime mystery. Sometimes mystery books are nonfiction...
novel
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
ist Baynard Kendrick
Baynard Kendrick
Baynard Hardwick Kendrick wrote whodunit mystery novels about Duncan Maclain, a blind private investigator who worked with his two German shepherds and his household of assistants to solve murder mysteries. The novels were the basis for two films starring Edward Arnold, Eyes in the Night and The...
was credited in each episode as the creator of the source material for the series, although his character, Captain Duncan Maclain, had little in common with Longstreet aside from their both being blind private detectives.
Bruce Lee
Bruce Lee
Bruce Lee was a Chinese American, Hong Kong actor, martial arts instructor, philosopher, film director, film producer, screenwriter, and founder of the Jeet Kune Do martial arts movement...
appeared in four episodes as Li Tsung, an antiques dealer and Jeet Kune Do
Jeet Kune Do
Jeet Kune Do is a hybrid martial arts system and life philosophy founded by martial artist Bruce Lee with direct, non classical and straightforward movements. Due to the way his style works they believe in minimal movement with maximum effect and extreme speed. The system works on the use of...
expert who becomes Longstreet's martial arts instructor. Wikiquote has quotations from Li Tsung's teachings.
Twenty-three episodes of the show were aired before it was canceled in 1972.
Regular and recurring characters
- Mike Longstreet - James FranciscusJames FranciscusJames Grover Franciscus was an American actor, known for his roles in the series The Naked City and The Investigators, and in feature films.-Life and career:...
- Nikki Bell - Marlyn MasonMarlyn MasonMarlyn Mason is an American actress.Her acting credits include roles in My Three Sons, Burke's Law, Kentucky Jones, Bonanza, Ben Casey, Dr...
22 episodes - Duke Paige - Peter Mark Richman 20 episodes
- Mrs. Kingston - Ann DoranAnn DoranAnn Lee Doran was an American character actress.-Early life and career:Born in Amarillo, Texas, Doran began acting at the age of four. She appeared in hundreds of silent films under assumed names to keep her father's family from finding out about her work...
17 episodes - Li Tsung - Bruce LeeBruce LeeBruce Lee was a Chinese American, Hong Kong actor, martial arts instructor, philosopher, film director, film producer, screenwriter, and founder of the Jeet Kune Do martial arts movement...
4 episodes
Episode list
| Episode # | Production Code | Episode Title | Airdate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100 | "Longstreet" (Pilot movie) | February 23, 1971 | |
| 1* | 102 | "The Way of the Intercepting Fist" | September 16, 1971 |
| 2 | 101 | "A World of Perfect Complicity" | September 23, 1971 |
| 3 | 106 | "One in the Reality Column" | September 30, 1971 |
| 4 | 103 | "So, Who's Fred Hornbeck?" | October 7, 1971 |
| 5 | 105 | "Elegy in Brass" | October 14, 1971 |
| 6* | 109 | "Spell Legacy Like Death" | October 21, 1971 |
| 7 | 107 | "The Shape of Nightmares" | October 28, 1971 |
| 8 | 104 | "The Girl with a Broom" | November 14, 1971 |
| 9* | 110 | "Wednesday's Child" | November 11, 1971 |
| 10* | 112 | "I See, Said the Blind Man" | November 18, 1971 |
| 11 | 113 | "This Little Piggy Went to Marquette" | December 2, 1971 |
| 12 | 114 | "There Was a Crooked Man" | December 9, 1971 |
| 13 | 108 | "The Old Team Spirit" | December 16, 1971 |
| 14 | 111 | "The Long Way Home" | December 30, 1971 |
| 15 | 115 | "Let the Memories Be Happy Ones" | January 6, 1972 |
| 16 | 116 | "Survival Times Two" | January 13, 1972 |
| 17 | 117 | "Eye of the Storm" | January 20, 1972 |
| 18 | 119 | "Please Leave the Wreck for Others to Enjoy" | January 27, 1972 |
| 19 | 118 | "Anatomy of a Mayday" | February 3, 1972 |
| 20 | 120 | "Sad Songs and Other Conversations" | February 10, 1972 |
| 21 | 121 | "Field of Honor" | February 17, 1972 |
| 22 | 122 | "Through Shattering Glass" | February 24, 1972 |
| 23 | 123 | "The Sound of Money Talking" | March 2, 1972 |
Episode numbers marked with * are the episodes in which Bruce Lee appeared.
Syndication and DVD release
The series has rarely been re-aired, but appeared on Canada's Mystery TVMystery TV
Mystery TV is a Canadian English language Category A specialty channel which presents movies and television series of the mystery and suspense genres...
in 2005-2006. The series was released on commercial DVD in Japan (region 2) in late 2007, but has not yet been commercially released on DVD in the U.S.