Mike Kovac
Created by --

Mike used an array of cameras on his jobs, and sometimes carried a Minox IIIs mini-camera on his belt, and his use of the latest photographic technology was spot-on for the time -- he'd even converted the trunk of his car into a mobile darkroom. Another nice touches in the show was that he would often call upon his father, Anton, for help or advice.

The show was sponsored by General Electric,as a way of promoting their camera equipment, and while it proved reasonably popular, Bronson once grumbled that he often felt like he was "playing second banana to a flashbulb."

The character of Kovac was rather similar, in fact, to the 1951-52 series Crime Photographer, which in turn was based upon the Flashgun Casey novels by George Harmon Coxe.

TELEVISION

• MAN WITH A CAMERA
  (1958-60, ABC)
  29 30-minute episodes
  Black & white
  Produced by A.E. Houghton, Jr.
  Writers: Stanley Niss, Richard Bluel, James Edmiston, Steven Thornley
  Directors: Gerald Mayer
  Theme: "Man With A Camera Cues" composed by Herschel Burke Gilbert
  Starring Charles Bronson as MIKE KOVAC
  Also starring James Flavin as Lt. Donovan
  and Ludwig Stössel as Anton Kovac
  Guest stars: Fred Essler, Sebastian Cabot, Angie Dickinson, Grant Williams, Yvonne Craig, Harry Dean Stanton, Johnny Seven, King Calder, Audrey Dalton, Warren Douglas, Elaine Edwards, Elisabeth Fraser, Alberto Morin, Bert Remsen, Robert Carricart, Bill Erwin, Frank Faylen, Karl Lukas, Stephen Ellsworth, Don Durant, Tracey Roberts, Norma Crane, Grant Williams, Peter Walker, Morgan Jones, Jesse Kirkpatrick, David Whorf, Ann Morrison.

• Season One...Buy the complete series on DVD
• "Second Avenue Assassin" (October 10, 1958; pilot)
• "The Warning" (October 17, 1958)
• "Profile Of A Killer" (October 24, 1958)
• "Turntable" (November 7, 1958)
• "Closeup On Violence" (November 14, 1958)
• "Double Negative" (November 21, 1958)
• "Another Barrier" (November 28, 1958)
• "Blind Spot" (December 5, 1958)
• 'Two Strings Of Pearls" (December 12, 1958)
• "Six Faces Of Satan" (December 19, 1958)
• "Lady On The Loose" (December 26, 1958)
• "The Last Portrait" (January 2, 1959)
• "The Face Of Murder" (January 9, 1959)
• "Mute Evidence" (January 16, 1959)
  
  
• Season Two
• "The Killer" (October 19, 1959)
• "Eye Witness" (October 26, 1959)
• "The Man Below" (November 2, 1959)
• "Black Light" (November 9, 1959)
• "The Positive Negative" (November 16, 1959)
• "Missing" (November 23, 1959)
• "Live Target" (December 12, 1958)
• "Girl In The Dark" (December 7, 1959)
• "Girl In The Dark" (December 14, 1959)
• "The Bride" (December 21, 1959)
• "The Picture War" (January 4, 1960)
• "Hot Ice Cream" (January 25, 1960)
  
  
• I'm unsure when/if these aired:
• "Kangaroo Court"

VIDEO/DVD

• Chino/Man With a Camera .. Buy this DVD
  This Bronson-fest includes 1978 theatrical release Chino (1973, 98 min., Color) and one episode of Man with a Camera. Also a theatrical trailer for Kid Galahad, starring Bronson and Elvis Presley, and an introduction by Tony Curtis.
  
  
• Man with a Camera: Complete Collection....Buy this DVD set
  This 4-disk set captures all two seasons of the late fifties show, starring Charles Bronson as former combat shutterbug turned New York City freelance photographer Mike Kovac, in all its black and white glory. Say "cheese."
  

Respectfully submitted by Kevin Burton Smith. Thanks to Bob Huggins for the lead.