Cannon – Season One, Volume One (CBS DVD/1971)
Picture:
C Sound: C+ Extras: C Episodes: B
For
years, William Conrad was a distinct voice back in the glorious days of radio
drama and a formidable character actor in feature films, then when TV arrived,
became a narrator for many classic films, live-action and animated TV
shows. At the same time, he still had
time to be an actor and also became a TV personality. Then came the chance to take on a lead role
on a TV series. He had already enjoyed
that kind of success with the radio version of Gunsmoke, but Quinn Martin found a great role for him and the
result was one of the most successful Detective Crime Dramas in TV history, Cannon!
Like so
many of the great detective shows of the time, the idea of the main character
was to have someone unlikely as the hero be very effective, despite what might
traditionally seem like limits. Here was
a very heavy set man who could not move well, but at least could think fats and
use a gun well. He also developed a
personality that made him a genre classic and Conrad let loose what he was
holding back for years on camera, resulting in compelling viewing.
Actors
from this first half of the first season alone include Lynda Day George, Murray
Hamilton, Vera miles, Earl Holliman, Barry Sullivan, Keenan Wynn, Norman Alden,
John Fiedler, Lawrence Pressman, Ross Hagen, Tom Skerritt, Sharon Acker,
Vincent Van Patten, Lucille Benson, Mark Gregory, William Windom, Wayne Rogers,
Clu Gulager, Mark Hamill, Ford Rainey, Joan Van Ark, Gregg Palmer, Rodolfo
Hoyos Jr., Max Gail, Andrew Duggan, Ted Gehring, L.Q. Jones, Vic Tayback, Frank
Aletter, Andrew Prine, Martin E. Brooks, R.G. Armstrong, Roy Scheider, Paul
Mantee, Linda Marsh, Richard Anderson and Dack Rambo. The many writers include Paul Playdon and
Stephen Kandel, while directors include Don Taylor, Seymour Robbie, George
McCowan, Marvin Chomsky, Michael O’Herlihy and Richard Donner.
A great
show that has only become stronger with age, thanks in part to all that amazing
talent and more, you can imagine why the show is long overdue on DVD and worth
getting.
The 1.33
X 1 image a little softer throughout than I would have liked, for whatever
reason, though there are clean and colorful moments, but nothing that hints at
HD transfers. The Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono
is better, nice and clean enough for its age, sounding r. It does not seem to affect the laughs, but
the diehard fans will not be happy.
Despite some nice extras on the first set, there are zero here when they
should have increased the goodies.
- Nicholas Sheffo
