Crime with Father is an early American police drama that aired on ABC on Friday nights from August 31, 1951, to January 18, 1952.[1]

Crime with Father
StarringRusty Lane
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
Production
ProducerWilbur Stark
Running time30 minutes
Original release
NetworkABC
ReleaseAugust 31, 1951 (1951-08-31) –
January 18, 1952 (1952-01-18)

Plot edit

The series centered on Captain Jim Riland of the homicide squad, and his daughter Chris, who "had a knack for crime-solving" and often helped him solve cases when the police were stymied.[2]

Personnel edit

Rusty Lane portrayed Captain Jim Riland, and Peggy Lobin played Chris Riland. The writer was Larry Menkin, the producer was Wilbur Stark, and the director was Charles S. Dubin.[3]

Production edit

According to columnist Terry Vernon, the show was filmed on actual streets without using stock clips or background projections, and showed the home life of the Rilands.[4]

Reception edit

A review in the trade publication Billboard said that the father-daughter crime solvers premise "has the making of a solid mystery-team trend", but the episode critiqued "was marred by trite scripting and melodramatic thesping".[5] The New York Times review of the first episode said it was "...an obviously low-budgeted series, has a far better than average quality of production, even if the pistol shots still sound like cap pistols".[6]

Broadcast history edit

The premier episode was broadcast on August 31, 1951 for the eastern United States, but its start was delayed two weeks on the West Coast.[4]

For its first three weeks, the program was sustaining. Thereafter, Block Drug Company became the sponsor, advertising Ammident, Minipoo shampoo, Pycope brushes, and other products.[7] Block's sponsorship ended in early November 1951.[8]

Episodes edit

No.
overall
No. in
season
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
11"Premiere"Charles S. DubinLarry MenkinAugust 31, 1951 (1951-08-31)
A friend of Chris has mental issues and confesses to murder. Cast: [6]
12"The Baby-Sitter"Charles S. DubinLarry MenkinSeptember 7, 1951 (1951-09-07)
Cast:
13TBACharles S. DubinLarry MenkinSeptember 14, 1951 (1951-09-14)
Cast:
14TBACharles S. DubinLarry MenkinSeptember 21, 1951 (1951-09-21)
Cast:
15TBACharles S. DubinLarry MenkinSeptember 28, 1951 (1951-09-28)
Cast:
16TBACharles S. DubinLarry MenkinOctober 5, 1951 (1951-10-05)
Cast:
17TBACharles S. DubinLarry MenkinOctober 12, 1951 (1951-10-12)
Cast:
18"The Scissors"Charles S. DubinLarry MenkinOctober 19, 1951 (1951-10-19)
Cast: [9]
19"The Trigger Man"Charles S. DubinLarry MenkinOctober 26, 1951 (1951-10-26)
Cast: [10]
111TBACharles S. DubinLarry MenkinNovember 9, 1951 (1951-11-09)
Vigilantes cause problems for Capt Riland and Chris. Cast: [11]
112"The Third Brother"Charles S. DubinLarry MenkinNovember 16, 1951 (1951-11-16)
The Rilands deal with a close-knit family of criminals. Cast: [12]
113TBACharles S. DubinLarry MenkinNovember 23, 1951 (1951-11-23)
Cast:
114TBACharles S. DubinLarry MenkinNovember 30, 1951 (1951-11-30)
Cast:
115"The Perfect Woman"Charles S. DubinLarry MenkinDecember 7, 1951 (1951-12-07)
Cast: [13]
116"The Spree"Charles S. DubinLarry MenkinDecember 14, 1951 (1951-12-14)
Cast: [14]
117"Evidence for a Miracle"Charles S. DubinLarry MenkinDecember 21, 1951 (1951-12-21)
Cast: [15]
118"K as in Kill"Charles S. DubinLarry MenkinDecember 28, 1951 (1951-12-28)
Cast: [16]
119"The Woman Who Hated 1952"Charles S. DubinLarry MenkinJanuary 4, 1952 (1952-01-04)
Cast: [17]
120"The Storm Thieves"Charles S. DubinLarry MenkinJanuary 11, 1952 (1952-01-11)
Cast: [18]
121TBACharles S. DubinLarry MenkinJanuary 18, 1952 (1952-01-18)
Cast:

References edit

  1. ^ Brooks, Tim; Marsh, Earle F. (2009). The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows, 1946-Present. Random House Publishing Group. p. 299. ISBN 9780307483201. Retrieved 3 December 2017.
  2. ^ Romanko, Karen A. (2016). Television's Female Spies and Crimefighters: 600 Characters and Shows, 1950s to the Present. McFarland. p. 60. ISBN 978-0-7864-9637-2. Retrieved April 12, 2022.
  3. ^ Hyatt, Wesley (2003). Short-Lived Television Series, 1948-1978: Thirty Years of More Than 1,000 Flops. McFarland. p. 31. ISBN 9780786414208. Retrieved 3 December 2017.
  4. ^ a b Vernon, Terry (September 14, 1951). "Tele-Vues". The Independent. Long Beach, California. p. 40 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ Bundy, June (September 22, 1951). "Crime With Father (The Baby Sitter)". Billboard. p. 10. Retrieved April 13, 2022.
  6. ^ a b V. A. (September 1, 1951). "Detective Series in Video Premiere". New York Times. New York, New York. p. 18 – via NYTimes.com.
  7. ^ "Drug Firm Buys 'Father-Crime'". Billboard. September 29, 1951. p. 8. Retrieved April 13, 2022.
  8. ^ "Client Drops ABC Whodunit". Billboard. November 10, 1951. p. 4. Retrieved April 13, 2022.
  9. ^ "Today's Television Program". Newsday (Suffolk Edition). Melville, New York. October 19, 1951. p. 61 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Today's Television Program". Newsday (Suffolk Edition). Melville, New York. October 26, 1951. p. 31 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Friday Television Highlights". Detroit Free Press. Detroit, Michigan. November 9, 1951. p. 37 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "Free Press TV, Radio Digest". Detroit Free Press. Detroit, Michigan. November 16, 1951. p. 35 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ "Today's Television Program". Newsday (Suffolk Edition). Melville, New York. December 7, 1951. p. 61 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ "Today's Television Program". Newsday (Suffolk Edition). Melville, New York. December 14, 1951. p. 92 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ "Today's Television Program". Newsday (Suffolk Edition). Melville, New York. December 21, 1951. p. 65 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ "Today's Television Program". Newsday (Suffolk Edition). Melville, New York. December 28, 1951. p. 19 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ^ "Today's Television Program". Newsday (Suffolk Edition). Melville, New York. January 4, 1952. p. 35 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. ^ "Today's Television Program". Newsday (Suffolk Edition). Melville, New York. January 11, 1952. p. 54 – via Newspapers.com.

External links edit