Missing Persons (TV series)
Encyclopedia
Missing Persons is an American
television show
set in Chicago
. The show is about a fictitious missing persons
unit. Each episode
usually following the investigation into three or more cases.
It was produced by Gary Sherman Productions in association with Stephen J. Cannell
Productions, and often used local Chicago-based actors, as well as occasional big-name guest stars such as Nina Foch
, Eddie Bracken
and Lois Smith
. Semi-regulars included Ian Gomez
(as Pete, the Morgue Technician), Irma P. Hall
(as Bobby's mother), Laura Cerón
(as Carlos's wife Anita) and Valerie Harper
(as an old flame of Ray's transferred into his department). Unlike most series from Cannell's company, he did not create or co-create this.
Missing Persons was run on Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC
apart from the feature-length pilot episode, which was broadcast as the Monday Night Movie from 9 p.m.-11 p.m. ET.
Episodes usually began with some sort of humorous exchange between the team as they all crowded round the coffee machine, eating doughnuts. Ray would then come out from his office and hand out the cases for the day.
Episode titles were all taken from a quote from their episode.
released Prime Time Crime: The Stephen J. Cannell Collection on DVD in Region 1. This special collection contains 54 episodes from 13 different shows produced by Stephen J. Cannell Productions including ALL 17 episodes of Missing Persons.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
television show
Television program
A television program , also called television show, is a segment of content which is intended to be broadcast on television. It may be a one-time production or part of a periodically recurring series...
set in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
. The show is about a fictitious missing persons
Missing Persons
Missing Persons is an American band who plays a blend of New Wave and Pop rock. The band was founded in 1980 in Los Angeles by guitarist Warren Cuccurullo, vocalist Dale Bozzio, and drummer Terry Bozzio. They went on to add bassist Patrick O'Hearn and keyboardist Chuck Wild. Dale's quirky voice...
unit. Each episode
Episode
An episode is a part of a dramatic work such as a serial television or radio program. An episode is a part of a sequence of a body of work, akin to a chapter of a book. The term sometimes applies to works based on other forms of mass media as well, as in Star Wars...
usually following the investigation into three or more cases.
It was produced by Gary Sherman Productions in association with Stephen J. Cannell
Stephen J. Cannell
Stephen Joseph Cannell was an American television producer, writer, novelist and occasional actor, and the founder of Stephen J. Cannell Productions.-Early life:...
Productions, and often used local Chicago-based actors, as well as occasional big-name guest stars such as Nina Foch
Nina Foch
Nina Foch was a Dutch-born American actress and leading lady in many 1940s and 1950s films.- Personal life :...
, Eddie Bracken
Eddie Bracken
Edward Vincent "Eddie" Bracken was an American actor.-Life and career:Bracken was born in Astoria, New York, the son of Catherine and Joseph L. Bracken. Bracken performed in vaudeville at the age of nine and gained fame with the Broadway musical Too Many Girls in a role he reprised for the 1940...
and Lois Smith
Lois Smith
Lois Smith is an American actress whose career in theater, film, and television has spanned five decades.Smith was born Lois Arlene Humbert in Topeka, Kansas, the daughter of Carrie Davis and William Oren Humbert, who was a telephone company employee...
. Semi-regulars included Ian Gomez
Ian Gomez
Ian Gomez is an American actor best known for his comedic TV work, the most notable of which are his series-regular stints as Javier on Felicity and Andy on Cougar Town.-Career:...
(as Pete, the Morgue Technician), Irma P. Hall
Irma P. Hall
Irma P. Hall is an African American actress who has appeared in numerous films and television shows since the 1970s. She is best known for playing matriarchal figures the films A Family Thing, Soul Food and The Ladykillers....
(as Bobby's mother), Laura Cerón
Laura Cerón
Laura Cerón is an Alma Award winning Mexican-American actress. Her most recognizable role is that of Nurse Chuny Marquez on the television series ER.-Early life:...
(as Carlos's wife Anita) and Valerie Harper
Valerie Harper
Valerie Harper is an American actress, known for her role as Rhoda Morgenstern on the 1970s television show The Mary Tyler Moore Show, and for her starring roles on the sitcoms Rhoda and Valerie.-Early life and career:Harper was born at the Good Samaritan Hospital in Suffern, Rockland County,...
(as an old flame of Ray's transferred into his department). Unlike most series from Cannell's company, he did not create or co-create this.
Missing Persons was run on Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET on 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...
apart from the feature-length pilot episode, which was broadcast as the Monday Night Movie from 9 p.m.-11 p.m. ET.
Episodes usually began with some sort of humorous exchange between the team as they all crowded round the coffee machine, eating doughnuts. Ray would then come out from his office and hand out the cases for the day.
Episode titles were all taken from a quote from their episode.
Regular cast
- Daniel J. TravantiDaniel J. TravantiDanielo Giovanni "Daniel J." Travanti is an American actor best known for his starring role as Captain Frank Furillo in the 1980s television drama Hill Street Blues.-Biography:...
: Lieutenant who heads the Missing Persons Unit Lt. Ray McAuliffe - Erik KingErik KingErik King is an American actor, perhaps best known for his portrayal of Sgt. Doakes on Showtime's television series Dexter.-Early life:King attended Morehouse College, where he won a varsity letter in track and field and graduated summa cum laude. For his honors thesis, he adapted the 1985 film...
: Missing Persons Unit Investigator Investigator Bobby Davison - Juan RamírezJuan RamírezJuan Ramírez or Juan Ramirez may refer to:*Juan Andrés Ramírez , Uruguayan politician and lawyer*Juan Andres Noguera Ramirez, Paraguayan football player who is currently playing for Pelita Jaya...
: Missing Persons Unit Sergeant Sgt. Carlos Marrone - Frederick WellerFred WellerFrederick Weller is an American actor.- Personal life :Weller was born in New Orleans and is a cousin of actor Peter Weller. He is a graduate of Jesuit High School, a Catholic all-boys high school in New Orleans, and the University of North Carolina. He married Ali Marsh on September 6, 2003...
: Missing Persons Unit Investigator Investigator Johnny Sandowski - Jorjan FoxJorja FoxJorja-An Fox , is an American actress, musician and songwriter. She first came to prominence as a guest star on the television drama ER, portraying the recurring role of Dr. Maggie Doyle from 1996 to 1999. This was followed by another critical success in the recurring role of Secret Service Agent...
: Missing Persons Unit Officer Officer Connie Karadzic - Robert Swan: Missing Persons Unit Secretary Dan Manaher
- Paty Lombard: Wife of Ray McAuliffe Barbara McAuliffe
Episodes
| Title | Original Airdate | # |
|---|---|---|
| Pilot | August 30, 1993 | 1x01 |
| Cabe... What Kind of Name Is That? | September 23, 1993 | 1x02 |
| People Don't Talk to Cops, People Lie to Cops | September 30, 1993 | 1x03 |
| I Can't Even Imagine | October 7, 1993 | 1x04 |
| That's My Sister, Pal | October 14, 1993 | 1x05 |
| The Man's an Emotional Termite | October 28, 1993 | 1x06 |
| Some People's Priorities | November 4, 1993 | 1x07 |
| I'm Gonna Miss Him Too... | November 11, 1993 | 1x08 |
| Sometimes You Can't Help Getting Involved... | November 25, 1993 | 1x09 |
| Right Neighborhood... Wrong Door | December 2, 1993 | 1x10 |
| How Hard Is It Just to Get Off at the Next Exit? | December 16, 1993 | 1x11 |
| If You Could Pick Your Own Parents... | January 6, 1994 | 1x12 |
| I've Got a Siren!... | January 13, 1994 | 1x13 |
| My Beautiful Son Is O.K... | January 20, 1994 | 1x14 |
| All They Had to Do Was Ask... | February 3, 1994 | 1x15 |
| Tell Me You Didn't Do It... I'll Go to the Wall for You | February 10, 1994 | 1x16 |
| What Do You Want... A Signed Confession? | February 17, 1994 | 1x17 |
DVD release
On July 27, 2010, Mill Creek EntertainmentMill Creek Entertainment
Mill Creek Entertainment is a home entertainment company that manufactures movie and television DVD compilation box sets at "value" prices. Nashville's Amity Entertainment is an affiliate to Mill Creek...
released Prime Time Crime: The Stephen J. Cannell Collection on DVD in Region 1. This special collection contains 54 episodes from 13 different shows produced by Stephen J. Cannell Productions including ALL 17 episodes of Missing Persons.