Television Anthology Series
PURSUIT was a short-lived American television anthology series from CBS, focussing on crime and suspense stories about people being pursued by others. The airwaves at the time were crowded with similar shows, such as Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Suspicion or Kraft Mystery Theatre, and Pursuit didn’t stay around for too long, only airing twelve episodes.
Too bad. Judging from some of the acting talent involved (Sal Mineo, Michael Rennie, Ann Sheridan, Dan Duryea, William Gargan, Frank Lovejoy, Joan Bennett, Barry Sullivan, Robert Alda, Neville Brand, John Cassavetes), the sources of some of the material (Ross Macdonald, Jonathan Latimer) and the writers themselves (Lorenzo Semple Jr., Rod Serling), this shoulda been a winner. And they dished up a few intriguing private eye tales in its short run.
Although I’m just guessing. I’m not even sure if any actual episodes of Pursuit still exist…
- PURSUIT
(1958-59, CBS)
Black & white
12 60-minute episodes
Premiere: October 22, 1958
Last episode: January 14, 1959
Executive producer Norman Felton
Producer Peter Kortner, Charles Russell
Writers: Lorenzo Semple Jr., Donald S. Sanford, Rod Serling
Adaptations from James M. Fox, Jonathan Latimer, Ross Macdonald, Daphne Du Maurier
Directors: Daniel Petrie, Paul Nickell, David Greene, Buzz Kulik
Starring Marie Windsor, Sal Mineo, Michael Rennie, Ann Sheridan, Dan Duryea, Linda Darnell, Lew Ayres, Jackie Cooper, Frank Lovejoy, Joan Bennett, Barry Sullivan, Robert Alda, Ralph Meeker, Rip Torn, Carol Lynley, Martin Balsam, Sally Forrest, Neville Brand, Chester Morris, Rick Jason, John Cassavetes, E.G. Marshall, Lew Ayres, Joan Caulfield, Whitney Blake, William Gargan- “Ticket to Tangiers”
(November 5, 1958)
Written by Irwin & Gwen Gielgud
Directed by David Greene
Starring Barry Sullivan as HENRY SAVAGE
Also starring Nina Foch, Martin Balsam, Zachary Scott, William Gargan
A former FBI agent turned special investigator for a major airline, Henry Savage, spots the man who once shot him boarding a plane, and follows him. Pilot for Savage is the Name, a potential TV show. - “Tiger on a Bicycle”
(November 12, 1958)
Original story by Jonathan Latimer
Adapted by Joan Scott
Directed by Paul Nickell
Starring Neville Brand, Laraine Day, Dan Duryea
A cop hunts down the the men who killed his partner during an armored car robbery. - “Epitaph for a Golden Girl “
(December 3, 1958)
Based on the short story “Find the Woman” by Ross Macdonald
Screenplay by Lorenzo Semple Jr.
Directed by Daniel Petrie
Screenplay by Michael Rennie as JOE ROGERS
Also starring Joan Bennett, Rip Torn, Sally Forrest, Rick Jason - “The House at Malibu”
(January 14, 1959)(Last episode of show)
Written by Joel Carpenter
Directed by Buzz Kulik
Starring Dane Clark as JOE JUPITER
Also starring Jan Sterling, Marie Windsor
Private eye Joe Jupiter is approached by the his girlfriend’s lawyer to investigate another man she’s interested in. Awkward!
- “Ticket to Tangiers”
Respectfully submitted by Kevin Burton Smith.
