Sword of Justice (TV series)
Encyclopedia
Sword Of Justice is an American action-adventure
television series that aired on NBC
for one season during 1978 and 1979. The series was considered a mix of The Saint
, It Takes a Thief, and The Rockford Files
.
stars Jack Martin Cole, who had emerged from an unjust prison sentence to become a rich playboy
by day and a troubleshooting mercenary at night, à la The Saint
. Bert Rosario played Hector Ramirez, a former petty crook who was Cole's junior partner and former cell-mate, and Alex Courtney played Arthur Woods, an attorney who had unsuccessfully defended Cole on criminal charges, who - from his involvement in that case - was motivated to head a special federal task force for the Justice Department to fight white-collar crime
. His associate and partner in the task force was a federal agent known only by the family name of Buckner (Colby Chester).
Cole had previously been a full-time playboy, but his family had enemies who framed him for embezzlement
. Arthur Woods defended Cole at his trial, but without success. After being wrongly convicted, he served a prison sentence for the crimes he had not committed, à la The Rockford Files
; Hector Ramirez became his cell-mate during this period. During his confinement, Cole's parents died, and his family fortune was almost totally destroyed by his enemies. Bitter and rage-filled as a direct result of his misfortunes, Cole swore revenge. To that end, once he returned to prison after attending his dead parents' funerals, he learned how to crack safes, break into banks, and most of the other secrets of the criminal trade. Upon his release, he decided to turn the tables on such above-the-law criminals as he blamed for his misfortunes by fighting them at their own game, à la It Takes a Thief, and using a unique way to leave his message: the "3" from a deck of cards, indicating how many years he spent behind bars. On these cards would be a written warning for the criminal(s).
The three of clubs would read: "The club is the sign of vengeance--it holds no man as friend." However, he would also leave clues for Woods to follow, not revealing his true identity. He would leave these with the three of diamonds. In the first installment of the series, "A Double Life," this card read: "A diamond's suit means, 'Fill your cup with wealth and worldly things.'" If there were persons Cole was assisting or protecting, he would leave the three of hearts with them. Presumably, the heart indicated compassion, concern, caring, and a wish not to see this person come to harm. The three of spades would mark the end of the game, and this card read: "The spade is the sword of justice--its rapier marks the end." In "A Double Life" the club was the sword; the spade, the vengeance sign. The second series installment, "Aloha, Julie Lang," reversed this.
The primary enemy Cole brought down in Sword Of Justice: "A Double Life" was acted out by Larry Hagman
, foreshadowing the mutual hostility of their respective characters on Dallas
.
, who later incorporated the ideas of the choice of a lead best known for daytime television and of a lone crusader protecting helpless, powerless, and/or innocent people against white-collar, above-the-law criminals into his more successful Knight Rider.
Both Sword of Justice and Knight Rider were sponsored by Universal Television
, which was then an MCA company.
Adventure (genre)
The adventure genre, in the context of a narrative, is typically applied to works in which the protagonist or other major characters are consistently placed in dangerous situations...
television 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...
for one season during 1978 and 1979. The series was considered a mix of The Saint
The Saint (TV series)
The Saint was an ITC mystery spy thriller television series that aired in the UK on ITV between 1962 and 1969. It centred on the Leslie Charteris literary character, Simon Templar, a Robin Hood-like adventurer with a penchant for disguise. The character may be nicknamed The Saint because the...
, It Takes a Thief, and The Rockford Files
The Rockford Files
The Rockford Files is an American television drama series which aired on the NBC network between September 13, 1974 and January 10, 1980. It has remained in regular syndication to the present day. The show stars James Garner as Los Angeles-based private investigator Jim Rockford and features Noah...
.
Synopsis
Dack RamboDack Rambo
Norman Jay Rambeau , professionally known as Dack Rambo, was an American actor, most notable for appearing as Walter Brennan's grandson Jeff in the ABC series The Guns of Will Sonnett, as Steve Jacobi in All My Children, as cousin Jack Ewing on CBS's Dallas, and as Grant Harrison on the NBC soap...
stars Jack Martin Cole, who had emerged from an unjust prison sentence to become a rich playboy
Playboy
Playboy is an American men's magazine that features photographs of nude women as well as journalism and fiction. It was founded in Chicago in 1953 by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from Hefner's mother. The magazine has grown into Playboy Enterprises, Inc., with...
by day and a troubleshooting mercenary at night, à la The Saint
The Saint (TV series)
The Saint was an ITC mystery spy thriller television series that aired in the UK on ITV between 1962 and 1969. It centred on the Leslie Charteris literary character, Simon Templar, a Robin Hood-like adventurer with a penchant for disguise. The character may be nicknamed The Saint because the...
. Bert Rosario played Hector Ramirez, a former petty crook who was Cole's junior partner and former cell-mate, and Alex Courtney played Arthur Woods, an attorney who had unsuccessfully defended Cole on criminal charges, who - from his involvement in that case - was motivated to head a special federal task force for the Justice Department to fight white-collar crime
White-collar crime
Within the field of criminology, white-collar crime has been defined by Edwin Sutherland as "a crime committed by a person of respectability and high social status in the course of his occupation" . Sutherland was a proponent of Symbolic Interactionism, and believed that criminal behavior was...
. His associate and partner in the task force was a federal agent known only by the family name of Buckner (Colby Chester).
Cole had previously been a full-time playboy, but his family had enemies who framed him for embezzlement
Embezzlement
Embezzlement is the act of dishonestly appropriating or secreting assets by one or more individuals to whom such assets have been entrusted....
. Arthur Woods defended Cole at his trial, but without success. After being wrongly convicted, he served a prison sentence for the crimes he had not committed, à la The Rockford Files
The Rockford Files
The Rockford Files is an American television drama series which aired on the NBC network between September 13, 1974 and January 10, 1980. It has remained in regular syndication to the present day. The show stars James Garner as Los Angeles-based private investigator Jim Rockford and features Noah...
; Hector Ramirez became his cell-mate during this period. During his confinement, Cole's parents died, and his family fortune was almost totally destroyed by his enemies. Bitter and rage-filled as a direct result of his misfortunes, Cole swore revenge. To that end, once he returned to prison after attending his dead parents' funerals, he learned how to crack safes, break into banks, and most of the other secrets of the criminal trade. Upon his release, he decided to turn the tables on such above-the-law criminals as he blamed for his misfortunes by fighting them at their own game, à la It Takes a Thief, and using a unique way to leave his message: the "3" from a deck of cards, indicating how many years he spent behind bars. On these cards would be a written warning for the criminal(s).
The three of clubs would read: "The club is the sign of vengeance--it holds no man as friend." However, he would also leave clues for Woods to follow, not revealing his true identity. He would leave these with the three of diamonds. In the first installment of the series, "A Double Life," this card read: "A diamond's suit means, 'Fill your cup with wealth and worldly things.'" If there were persons Cole was assisting or protecting, he would leave the three of hearts with them. Presumably, the heart indicated compassion, concern, caring, and a wish not to see this person come to harm. The three of spades would mark the end of the game, and this card read: "The spade is the sword of justice--its rapier marks the end." In "A Double Life" the club was the sword; the spade, the vengeance sign. The second series installment, "Aloha, Julie Lang," reversed this.
The primary enemy Cole brought down in Sword Of Justice: "A Double Life" was acted out by Larry Hagman
Larry Hagman
Larry Martin Hagman is an American film and television actor, producer and director known for playing J.R. Ewing in the 1980s primetime television soap opera Dallas and Major Anthony "Tony" Nelson in the 1960s sitcom I Dream of Jeannie.-Early life and career:Hagman was born in Fort Worth, Texas...
, foreshadowing the mutual hostility of their respective characters on Dallas
Dallas (TV series)
Dallas is an American serial drama/prime time soap opera that revolves around the Ewings, a wealthy Texas family in the oil and cattle-ranching industries. Throughout the series, Larry Hagman stars as greedy, scheming oil baron J. R. Ewing...
.
Production notes
The series was produced by Glen A. LarsonGlen A. Larson
Glen Albert Larson is an American television producer and writer best known as the creator of Battlestar Galactica, The Fall Guy, Magnum, P.I. and Knight Rider.-Career:...
, who later incorporated the ideas of the choice of a lead best known for daytime television and of a lone crusader protecting helpless, powerless, and/or innocent people against white-collar, above-the-law criminals into his more successful Knight Rider.
Both Sword of Justice and Knight Rider were sponsored by Universal Television
NBC Universal
NBCUniversal Media, LLC is a media and entertainment company engaged in the production and marketing of entertainment, news, and information products and services to a global customer base...
, which was then an MCA company.