Sunday, April 10, 2016

The Untouchables (1961)



After unexpectedly storming to the top 10 in the ratings during its second season and earning star Robert Stack an Emmy for Best Actor in 1960, The Untouchables came under fire on a number of fronts in the latter half of its second season. As mentioned in our post on episodes airing in 1960, the series drew criticism for its violence, negative depiction of Italian-Americans, and the fictional content of stories based on the historical figure of Elliot Ness. The FBI had already complained that the fictional Ness was being credited for bringing down criminals such as Ma Barker, whom he had no dealings with in real life. But that paled in comparison to the heat brought by Italian-Americans. A $1 million lawsuit brought by Al Capone's son failed to stop the show's depiction of Italian-American criminals, but a boycott of the show's sponsor, Liggett & Myers, as reported in the March 25th edition of TV Guide, forced the company to drop its sponsorship at the end of its current contract, though the company claimed its decision was based on ABC's moving the show to an unfavorable time-slot. Still, the backlash was strong enough that on St. Patrick's Day 1961 Desi Arnaz, whose Desilu Studios produced the drama, issued a statement saying that there would be no more gangsters with Italian names, that Untouchable Enrico Rossi (in the press release called "Nick Rossi," confusing the character's first name with that of its actor Nicholas Georgiade) would be featured more prominently, and that the show would emphasize the positive contributions of Italian-Americans to American culture. 

But despite these promises, Rossi received only a little more camera time and not very many lines, and the show relied even more heavily on the character of Frank Nitti, Capone's successor in leading the Chicago crime syndicate. In a sense, the series had painted itself into a corner from the start: the two-part pre-pilot that aired on Desilu Playhouse in 1959 had already told in full the tale of Elliot Ness' greatest achievement in helping to bring Al Capone to justice. Where could the series go from there? The producers decided to use that event as a launching pad for a series of other crime waves and power plays said to have been created by Capone's absence. Into Capone's place steps Frank Nitti, The Enforcer, whose job it is to keep the Capone enterprise intact and thriving in the face of myriad attempts to undermine it. Though it did not become The Frank Nitti Show, Bruce Gordon, who played Nitti, appeared in 13 of the 31 episodes that aired during 1961, with 9 of those coming after Arnaz's St. Patrick's Day statement. The series began to have its share of Greek, Polish, and Russian criminals, but the November 2, 1961 episode "The Genna Brothers" focused solely on the empire built and then lost by 6 siblings from Sicily, though their criminality is balanced out by other Italian immigrants who help Ness and the Untouchables bring down the Gennas. In his autobiography Straight Shooting, Stack says that the ban against Italian criminals wasn't enforced until the series' final season. 

Perhaps regretting telling the entire Capone story before deciding to do an entire series based on Ness, the producers brought Capone back in another two-part installment "The Big Train" (January 5 & 12, 1961) that depicted an attempt to spring him during a cross-country train ride from Atlanta to the just-completed facility at Alcatraz. Neville Brand reprised his role as Capone from the pre-pilot, but the episodes only served to make another enemy for the show--the U.S. Bureau of Prisons, which objected to the depiction of corrupt prison guards conspiring to help Capone escape. According to a story in the January 21, 1961 edition of TV Guide, the Bureau threatened to appeal to the FCC to stop the broadcast of the second installment, and the head of the Bureau, James V. Bennett, wrote to 10 ABC stations and threatened to oppose their FCC license renewals if they aired the broadcast. In the end, the episode ran as scheduled, with a disclaimer at the end noting that the events were fictional and no attempt was made to impugn upstanding United States prison workers.

But the sticky issue of mingling fact and fiction, particularly events and persons not that far removed in time, continued to plague the series, which seemed to want to have it both ways. They were not opposed to having the series narrated by real newsman Walter Winchell and would splice in historical footage, such as in "The Antidote" (March 9, 1961), which takes place against the backdrop of the 1932 presidential election between Herbert Hoover and Franklin Delano Roosevelt, but they also wanted the freedom to make up facts and characters to suit their dramatic brand of entertainment. For example, most of the 1961 episodes take place after Capone was incarcerated, by which time Ness had dissolved his band of Untouchables, and he travels far beyond his Chicago beat to New York, New Orleans, and the Canadian border to track down his adversaries. The blur between fact and fiction was controversial enough that TV Guide ran a March 11 cover story written by Ness' widow and third wife Elisabeth in which she discussed the similarities and differences between her real-life husband and the character played by Robert Stack (apparently the real Ness smiled more and often worked from home). Ironically, of course, the cover photo shows Stack, not Ness, not smiling.

Stack remembers his work on the series fondly and speaks highly of the quality of material the show produced. He also recounts how dangerous some of the stunts were to give the realistic effects of shootings and explosions. One in particular involved New York theater actor Joseph Wiseman, who was supposed to use an axe to destroy a still, but in his zeal he then went after a metal pipe that was not meant to break away and wound up severing his Achilles tendon when the axe bounced off the metal pipe and hit him in the back of the leg. However, they then cast him as a crippled and greedy chemist in the aforementioned 1961 episode "The Antidote." When Ness finally captures him, he tries to justify his crimes by saying he had no other career options as a disabled person, but Ness slaps down a copy of a newspaper showing that Franklin Roosevelt was just elected President of the United States as an example of someone who didn't use his disability as an excuse. Stack doesn't spend any time in his autobiography explaining why the series was canceled after 4 seasons. Perhaps interest in the Prohibition era was a mercurial fad, as the viewing public turned to medical dramas like Dr. Kildare and Ben Casey and comedies such as The Beverly Hillbillies and The Andy Griffith Show. But perhaps the show had also made too many enemies and stirred up too much controversy to survive more than a brief moment of popularity. Like the scores of gangsters gunned down by Ness and his men, the television series that lives by the gun dies by the same instrument.

All four seasons have been released on DVD, two sets per season, by CBS/Paramount Home Video

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Actors

For the biographies of Robert Stack, Paul Picerni, Nicholas Georgiade, Steve London, and Abel Fernandez, see the 1960 post on The Untouchables.

Bruce Gordon

Hailing from Fitchburg, MA, Gordon made his Broadway debut at age 21 in The Fireman's Flame. His theatrical career continued through the 1940s and into the 1950s, supporting Boris Karloff in Arsenic and Old Lace, Charlton Heston in Antony and Cleopatra, and Julie Harris in The Lark. He made his feature film debut in an uncredited part in 1948's The Naked City and got his first credited role in the Marx Brothers' last film Love Happy, which also featured Marilyn Monroe. Though his television credits far outnumbered his film roles, he also appeared with Yul Brunner in The Buccaneer and Vincent Price in The Tower of London. Much later in his career he appeared in such exploitation fare as Piranha and Ernest Goes to Splash Mountain. But it was his career on television that made him a celebrity. Before appearing 28 times as Frank Nitti on The Untouchables, he had supporting roles on a number of television series and drama anthologies, with his first recurring role as host and character Commander Matson on the Cold War docu-drama Behind Closed Doors, which ran during the 1958-59 season. 

His success as Nitti on The Untouchables led to him being typecast as a heavy in many TV guest spots, but he landed a recurring role as Lee Grant's vengeful alcoholic father Gus Chernak on Peyton Place in 1965-66. He immediately followed that with another gangster role as Mr. Devere, out to get Jack Sheldon in the 16-episode sit-com Run Buddy Run in 1966. His final TV role came as one of multiple John Dillingers in a 1984 episode of Simon & Simon. But Gordon chose to embrace his Nitti persona rather than fight it: after retiring to Santa Fe he opened a dinner theatre called Frank Nitti's Place, in which he would greet patrons in costume and character, and he opened an identically named pizza parlor in Kansas City. He also appeared in a Bell Telephone TV commercial with Louise Lasser playing a similar mobster type who demonstrates how easy it is to dial long distance. Gordon passed away in Santa Fe on January 20, 2011 at the age of 94.

Oscar Beregi, Jr.

Born in Budapest, Hungary, Beregi, Jr.'s father was a star actor in their home country, which they both fled in 1939. However, while Beregi, Sr. was able to relocate to the United States, Jr. was forced to settle in Chile, where he ran a restaurant before finally being able to resettle in the U.S. thanks to the efforts of Texas Senator Lyndon B. Johnson. Upon his arrival, Beregi Jr. initially worked as a salesman for several years to learn English before re-entering the acting profession. His first acting credit in the States was in the Fred MacMurray feature The Oregon Trail in 1959. He also then began appearing frequently on TV programs, often as European-sounding criminals, including 8 appearances as crime syndicate leader Joe Kulak on The Untouchables, his only recurring role. Perhaps his finest dramatic performance was in the 1961 Twilight Zone episode "Deaths-Head Revisited" in which he plays a Nazi concentration camp commander haunted by the ghost of one of his victims. He played Nazi-related roles in feature films Operation Eichmann and Judgment at Nuremburg and in TV shows 12 O'Clock High, Garrison's Gorillas, and Hogan's Heroes. He played Eva Gabor's father in a 1970 episode of Green Acres and a sadistic jailer in the Mel Brooks feature Young Frankenstein. In all Beregi, Jr. amassed some 95 credits, the last being a 1976 episode of Kojak, the same year he died from a heart attack on November 1 at the age of 58.

Frank Wilcox

Frank Reppy Wilcox was born in DeSoto, Missouri but grew up in Atchison, Kansas and briefly attended the University of Kansas before transferring to Benedictine College, from which he graduated and much later served as a trustee. After he moved to Pomona, California to live with his grandparents, he worked in lemon groves, operated a tire repair shop, and helped found a community theater before taking his talents to the Pasadena Community Theater where he met fellow actor George Reeves of TV Superman fame, later serving as Reeves' best man at his wedding. His first feature film appearance came playing the Postmaster General in the crime drama Postal Inspector starring Bela Lugosi. In 1939 he signed with Warner Brothers, playing historical characters such as Henry Clay and Abraham Lincoln in several shorts before moving on to bit parts in feature such as The Sea Hawk, Sergeant York, and They Died With Their Boots On. In all Wilcox appeared in over 200 feature films in a career that stretched to 1971, including small parts in classics such as Gentlemen's Agreement, All the King's Men, The Greatest Show on Earth, and Annie Get Your Gun. In 1951 he began also appearing on television in both comic and dramatic roles. In 1954 he had a recurring role as Henry Van Buren on Waterfront, and he appeared in 16 episodes of The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show between 1953 and 1957. He played Luis Rico in 4 episodes of Zorro in 1958 before being cast as Federal District Attorney Beecher Asbury in the two-part pre-pilot of The Untouchables the following year. Though he is perhaps best remembered as oil executive John Brewster on The Beverly Hillbillies, Wilcox actually had more appearances on The Untouchables playing Asbury. He also appeared 8 times on Perry Mason as the courtroom judge, and appeared in the same role when Raymond Burr guest starred as Mason on the 1961 episode "Jack on Trial for Murder" of The Jack Benny Program. Coincidentally his last TV credit was playing a judge on a 1973 episode of Kung Fu.

Besides his acting work, Wilcox received five battle stars serving in the military during World War II; he was made honorary mayor of his hometown Granada Hills, CA; was honorary fire chief of Los Angeles; and served on the Board of Directors of the Screen Actors Guild. He died from a heart attack March 3, 1974 at the age of 66.

Notable Guest Stars

Season 2, Episode 12, "The Big Train, Part 1": Neville Brand (shown on the left, starred in D.O.A., The Mob, Stalag 17, Riot in Cell Block 11, and The Three Outlaws and played Reese Bennett on Laredo) plays world famous gangster Al Capone. Robert F. Simon (Dave Tabak on Saints and Sinners, General Alfred Terry on Custer, Frank Stephens on Bewitched, General Maynard M. Mitchell on M*A*S*H, and J. Jonah Jameson on The Amazing Spider-Man) plays District Attorney Cummings. Gavin MacLeod (starred in Operation Petticoat, The Sand Pebbles, and Kelly's Heroes and played Joseph Haines on McHale's Navy, Murray Slaughter on The Mary Tyler Moore Show and Rhoda, and Capt. Merrill Stubing on The Love Boat) plays Capone hitman Jack White. Lewis Charles (Lou on The Feather and Father Gang) plays Capone hitman Joe Giambatista. Bartlett Robinson (Frank Caldwell on Mona McCluskey) plays Federal Judge James H. Wilkerson. Ted Knight (Ted Baxter on The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Roger Dennis on The Ted Knight Show, and Henry Rush on Too Close for Comfort) plays Congressman Oliver. Richard Carlyle (Casey on Crime Photographer) plays corrupt prison guard Everett Lafferty. Frank London (Shad on Johnny Staccato and Charlie on Peyton Place) plays embezzler Benny Marcus. George N. Neise (Capitan Felipe Arrellanos on Zorro, Dr. Nat Wyndham on Wichita Town, and Colonel Thornton on McKeever & the Colonel) plays Capone lawyer Archie Devlin. Russ Conway (Fenton Hardy on The Hardy Boys: The Mystery of the Applegate Treasure, Gen. Devon on Men Into Space, and Lt. Pete Kile on Richard Diamond, Private Detective) plays Atlanta prison warden Hubbard. Russell Thorson (Det. Lt. Otto Lindstrom on The Detectives and William Kennerly on Peyton Place) plays federal agent Ferguson. Richard Bakalyan (starred in The Delicate Delinquent, The Cool and the Crazy, Juvenile Jungle, Hot Car Girl, Paratroop Command, and The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes) plays a prison inmate who stabs Capone.

Season 2, Episode 13, "The Big Train, Part 2": Brand, MacLeod, Charles, and Carlyle reprise their roles from Part 1. William Schallert (see the biography section for the 1960 post on The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis) plays federal agent Edward Garth. James Westerfield (appeared in The Shaggy Dog, The Absent-Minded Professor, and The Love God? and played John Murrel on The Travels of Jamie McPheeters) plays Western Gang leader Eric Hovig. Ron Hagerthy (Clipper King on Sky King) plays his partner Handsome Johnny Rollins. John Dennis (Dutch Schultz on The Lawless Years) plays a Western Gang gunman. Robert Foulk (Ed Davis on Father Knows Best, Sheriff Miller on Lassie, Joe Kingston on Wichita Town, Phillip Toomey on The Rifleman, and Mr. Wheeler on Green Acres) plays the Cloverville, CA sheriff. Woody Chambliss (Captain Tom on Yancy Derringer and Lathrop on Gunsmoke) plays telegrapher Burt. Charles Lane (Mr. Fosdick on Dear Phoebe, Homer Bedloe on Petticoat Junction, Foster Phinney on The Beverly Hillbillies, Dale Busch on Karen, and Judge Anthony Petrillo on Soap) plays an Alcatraz prison clerk.

Season 2, Episode 14, "The Masterpiece": Robert Middleton (Barney Wales on The Monroes) plays speakeasy boss Mayer Wartel. Rip Torn (shown on the right, starred in King of Kings, Sweet Bird of Youth, Tropic of Cancer, and The Cincinnati Kid and played Arthur on The Larry Sanders Show and Don Geiss on 30 Rock) plays hitman Harry Strauss. George Voskovec (appeared in The Iron Mistress, 12 Angry Men, BUtterfirld 8, and The Boston Strangler and played Petar Skagska on Skag and Fritz Brenner on Nero Wolfe) plays gunsmith Herman Kihn. Addison Richards (starred in Boys Town, They Made Her a Spy, Flying Tigers, and The Deerslayer and played Doc Calhoun on Trackdown and Doc Landy on The Deputy) plays newspaper editor Adcock. Alexander Lockwood (Judge Baker on Sam Benedict) plays ballistics expert Dr. Hinds.

Season 2, Episode 15, "The Organization": Richard Conte (appeared in A Walk in the Sun, 13 Rue Madeleine, Call Northside 777, Ocean's 11, and Lady in Cement and played Jeff Ryder on The Four Just Men) plays Capone lieutenant Arnie Seeger. Milton Selzer (Parker on Get Smart, Jake Winkelman on The Harvey Korman Show, Abe Werkfinder on The Famous Teddy Z, and Manny Henry on Valley of the Dolls) plays ex-con Maxie Schram. Susan Oliver (Ann Howard on Peyton Place) plays Seeger's girlfriend Roxie Plummer. Cyril Delevanti (Lucious Coin on Jefferson Drum) plays a flophouse manager. John Harmon (Eddie Halstead on The Rifleman) plays mobster Arno Schwager.

Season 2, Episode 16, "The Jamaica Ginger Story": Michael Ansara (appeared in Julius Caesar, The Robe, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, and Harum Scarum, played Cochise on Broken Arrow and Deputy U.S. Marshal Sam Buckhart on The Rifleman and the Law of the Plainsman, and voiced General Warhawk on Rambo) plays ginger alcohol kingpin Rafael Torrez. Alfred Ryder (appeared in T-Men, Hamlet(1964), Hotel, and True Grit) plays rival mobster Kerry LaCava. Brian Keith (shown on the left, starred in The Parent Trap, The Pleasure Seekers, With Six You Get Eggroll, and The Russians Are Coming, The Russians Are Coming and played Matt Anders on The Crusader, Dave Blassingame on The Westerner, Uncle Bill Davis on Family Affair, Steven Halliday on The Zoo Gang, Lew Archer on Archer, Milton C. Hardcastle on Hardcastle and McCormick, Professor Roland G. Duncan on Pursuit of Happiness, B.L. McCutcheon on Heartland, and Walter Collins on Walter & Emily) plays hitman Jim Martinson. James Coburn (starred in The Magnificent Seven, Charade, Our Man Flint, and In Like Flint and played Jeff Durain on Klondike and Gregg Miles on Acapulco) plays hitman Dennis Garrity. Clegg Hoyt (Mac on Dr. Kildare) plays Torrez's assistant Harry. Jean Inness (see the biography section for the 1961 post on Dr. Kildare) plays boardinghouse proprietor Judith Foster. Hank Patterson (Fred Ziffel on Green Acres and Petticoat Junction and Hank on Gunsmoke) plays flophouse desk clerk Wilkinson. Snub Pollard (prolific silent-movie comic actor who appeared in Keystone Cops comedies, dozens of Harold Lloyd shorts, Laurel and Hardy and Andy Clyde shorts, a series of his own shorts, and as Tex Ritter's sidekick Pee Wee in several 1930s westerns) plays wino Willie Marsden. Byron Morrow (Capt. Keith Gregory on The New Breed and Pearce Newberry on Executive Suite) plays Detroit Police Capt. Williamson.

Season 2, Episode 17, "Augie 'The Banker' Ciamino": Keenan Wynn (starred in Annie Get Your Gun, Royal Wedding, Angels in the Outfield, The Absent-Minded Professor, Son of Flubber, Dr. Strangelove, The Great Race, and Point Blank and played Kodiak on Troubleshooters, Williard "Digger" Barnes on Dallas, Carl Sarnac on Call to Glory, and Butch on The Last Precinct) plays whiskey mogul Augie Ciamino. Harry Dean Stanton (appeared in Kelly's Heroes, Dillinger, Cool Hand Luke, Repo Man, Pretty in Pink, Alien, Paris, Texas and played Jake Walters on Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman) plays his hitman Picolo. Bernard Fein (Pvt Gomez on The Phil Silvers Show) plays hitman Richie. Will Kuluva (Charlie Kingman on Primus) plays baker Enzo Rainieri. Lee Philips (starred in Peyton Place and The Hunters, and played Ellery Queen on The Further Adventures of Ellery Queen; also directed 60 episodes of The Andy Griffith Show and multiple episodes of Peyton Place, The Ghost and Mrs. Muir, The Doris Day Show, and The Waltons) plays his son Paul. Sam Jaffe (starred in Lost Horizon, Gunga Din, The Asphalt Jungle, and Ben-Hur and played Dr. David Zorba on Ben Casey) plays grocer Luigi Valcone. Bernard Kates (Lalley on The Asphalt Jungle) plays English teacher Mr. Lee. Roscoe Ates (appeared in Freaks, Cimarron, The Champ, and Alice in Wonderland, played Soapy Jones in 15 westerns, and played Ike Jenkins on Lawman) plays a drunk.

Season 2, Episode 18, "The Underground Court": Richard Devon (Jody Barker on Yancy Derringer) plays syndicate member Valentine Ferrar. Vic Perrin (the narrator on Sergeant Preston of the Yukon, was the control voice on The Outer Limits, and did voicework on Jonny Quest, Star Trek, Scooby Doo, Where Are You?, and Mission: Impossible!) plays his partner Inky Beggs. Joan Blondell (shown on the right, starred in The Public Enemy, Blonde Crazy, Topper Returns, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, Desk Set, and The Cincinnati Kid and played Lottie Hatfield on Here Come the Brides and Peggy Revere on Banyon) plays eccentric widow Hannah "Lucy" Wagnall. William Fawcett (Clayton on Duffy's Tavern, Marshal George Higgins on The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin, and Pete Wilkey on Fury) plays cabin lodge manager Cooley. Frank De Kova (Chief Wild Eagle on F Troop and Louis Campagna on earlier episodes of The Untouchables) plays underground court justice Judge Foley. 

Season 2, Episode 19, "The Nick Moses Story": Harry Guardino (starred in Houseboat, Pork Chop Hill, The Five Pennies, Hell Is for Heroes, Madigan, Dirty Harry, and The Enforcer and played Danny Taylor on The Reporter, Monty Nash on Monty Nash, and Hamilton Burger on The New Perry Mason) plays Nitti lieutenant Nick Moses. Jack Reitzen (Chopstick Joe on Terry and the Pirates and Flores on Not for Hire) plays rival lieutenant Vinnie Orcell. Michael Constantine (appeared in The Last Mile, The Hustler, The Reivers, and My Big Fat Greek Wedding and played Jack Ellenhorn on Hey, Landlord, Principal Seymour Kaufman on Room 222, Judge Matthew Sirota on Sirota's Court, and Gus on My Big Fat Greek Life) plays cab driver Gino. Dan Seymour (Ferrari on Casablanca) plays nightclub owner Jake Kurowski. Richard Bakalyan (see "The Big Train, Part 1" above) plays Moses henchman Monk. Peter Mamakos (Jean Lafitte on The Adventures of Jim Bowie) plays Moses henchman Sully.

Season 2, Episode 20, "The Antidote": Telly Savalas (starred in Cape Fear, The Birdman of Alcatraz, The Dirty Dozen, and Kelly's Heroes and played Mr. Carver on Acapulco and Lt. Theo Kojak on Kojak) plays Nitti alcohol supplier Wally Baltzer. Gale Robbins (shown on the left, singer who appeared in The Barkleys of Broadway, Three Little Words, and Calamity Jane ) plays his girlfriend Lorna. Joseph Wiseman (starred in Detective Story, Viva Zapata!, Les Miserables (1952), Dr. No, and The Valachi Papers and played Manny Weisbord on Crime Story) plays chemist Jacques Villon. Jeff Corey (appeared in My Friend Flicka, The Cincinnati Kid, In Cold Blood, True Grit, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, and Little Big Man and played Lawyer Sam on Hell Town and Bill McGregor on Morningstar/Eveningstar) plays chemist Max Frimmel. John Mitchum (see the biography section for the 1960 post on Riverboat) plays henchman Freddie. 

Season 2, Episode 21, " The Lily Dallas Story": Norma Crane (shown on the right, appeared in Tea and Sympathy, They Call Me Mr. Tibbs!, and Fiddler on the Roof and played Rayola Dean on Mister Peepers) plays ex-con mastermind Lily Dallas. Larry Parks (husband of Betty Garrett, starred in The Deerslayer, The Al Jolson Story, Down to Earth, and Love Is Better Than Ever) plays her husband George "Blackie" Dallas. Judy Strangis (Helen Loomis on Room 222 and the voice of Dyna Girl on Electra Woman and Dyna Girl) plays her daughter Arlene. Ed Nelson (Michael Rossi on Peyton Place and Ward Fuller on The Silent Force) plays bank robber Marty Stoke. James Chandler (Lt. Girard on Bourbon Street Beat) plays a handwriting expert.

Season 2, Episode 22, "Murder Under Glass": Dennis Patrick (Paul Stoddard on Dark Shadows and Vaughn Leland on Dallas) plays New Orleans gangster Gil Haller. Richard Reeves (Mr. Murphy on Date With the Angels) plays his partner Hugger Davis. Evelyn Scott (Ada Jacks on Peyton Place and Return to Peyton Place) plays Davis' wife. Paul Birch (Erle Stanley Gardner on The Court of Last Resort, Mike Malone on Cannonball, and Capt. Carpenter on The Fugitive) plays New Orleans Police Lt. Willard. Joseph V. Perry (Nemo  on Everybody Loves Raymond) plays a heroin addict. Norman Leavitt (Ralph on Trackdown) plays a customs clerk. George Selk (see the biography section for the 1960 post on Gunsmoke) plays an elevator operator.

Season 2, Episode 23, "Testimony of Evil": David Brian (starred in Flamingo Road, Intruder in the Dust, This Woman Is Dangerous, Springfield Rifle, and Pocketful of Miracles and played D.A. Paul Garrett on Mr. District Attorney) plays political boss Brian O'Malley. John Marley (starred in Cat Ballou, Love Story, and The Godfather) plays his top assistant Hennie Weiser. Ross Elliott (Freddie the director on The Jack Benny Program and Sheriff Abbott on The Virginian) plays opposition candidate David Mantley. Robert Cornthwaite (Professor Windish on Get Smart and Howard Buss on Picket Fences) plays Mantley's campaign manager Mr. Wendell. Johnny Seven (Lt. Carl Reese on Ironside) plays witness against O'Malley George Davas. Jack Elam (Deputy J.D. Smith on The Dakotas, George Taggart on Temple Houston, Zack Wheeler on The Texas Wheelers, and Uncle Alvin Stevenson on Easy Street) plays fellow witness Stan Wilinski. Fay Spain (shown on the left, starred in Dragstrip Girl, Al Capone, and The Gentle Rain) plays Davas' girlfriend Julie Duvall. Paul Genge (Lt. Burns on 87th Precinct) plays Deputy Police Chief Artie Bryson. Robert Brubaker (Deputy Ed Blake on U.S. Marshal and Floyd on Gunsmoke) plays crooked police Det. Thomas Drexel. John Zaremba (Special Agent Jerry Dressler on I Led 3 Lives, Dr. Harold Jensen on Ben Casey, Admiral Hardesy on McHale's Navy, Dr. Raymond Swain on The Time Tunnel, and Dr, Harlem Danvers on Dallas) plays an unnamed federal agent. Tom Fadden (Duffield on Broken Arrow, Silas Perry on Cimarron City, and Ben Miller on Green Acres and Petticoat Junction) plays a sweet shop owner. Michael Parks (starred in Bus Riley's Back in Town, The Bible: In the Beginning, The Return of Josey Wales, From Dusk Till Dawn, Kill Bill, and Argo, and played Jim Bronson on Then Came Bronson, Phillip Colby on The Colbys, and Jean Renault on Twin Peaks) plays Tommy the elevator operator.

Season 2, Episode 24, "Ring of Terror": Harold J. Stone (John Kennedy on The Grand Jury, Hamilton Greeley on My World and Welcome to It, and Sam Steinberg on Bridget Loves Bernie) plays boxing manager Barney Jarreau. Viveca Lindfors (shown on the right, starred in Adventures of Don Juan, Dark City, King of Kings, The Way We Were, and Stargate and played Hannah von Frankenstein in Frankenstein's Aunt) plays his wife. John Crawford (appeared in Zombies of the Stratosphere, John Paul Jones, Exodus, and The Americanization of Emily and played Chief Parks on Police Woman and Sheriff Ep Bridges on The Waltons) plays mobster Johnny Acropolis. Sheldon Allman (Norm Miller on Harris Against the World) plays fellow mobster Hymie Krugman. Walter Burke (starred in All the King's Men, Jack the Giant Killer, and Support Your Local Sheriff! and played Tim Potter on Black Saddle) plays boxing trainer Herbie Snow. Vaughn Taylor (starred in Jailhouse Rock, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Psycho, and In Cold Blood and played Ernest P. Duckweather on Johnny Jupiter) plays coroner Dr. William Voyt. Russell Collins (starred in Niagra, Miss Sadie Thompson, Bad Day at Black Rock, and Fail-Safe) plays coroner's office examiner Peabody. Olan Soule (Aristotle "Tut" Jones on Captain Midnight, Ray Pinker on Dragnet (1952-59), and Fred Springer on Arnie) plays police gun analyst Smitty. S. John Launer (Marshall Houts on The Court of Last Resort and the judge 33 times on Perry Mason) plays the boxing commissioner. Howard Caine (Schaab on The Californians and Maj. Wolfgang Hochstetter on Hogan's Heroes) plays boxing manager Blinky Rodriguez.

Season 2, Episode 25, "Mr. Moon": Victor Buono (shown on the left, appeared in Robin and the 7 Hoods, Hush...Hush, Sweet Charlotte, The Greatest Story Ever Told, and The Silencers and played King Tut on Batman and Dr. Schubert on Man From Atlantis) plays curio shop owner Melanthos Moon. Karl Swenson (Lars Hanson on Little House on the Prairie) plays engraver Hans Dreiser. Carleton Young (starred in Dick Tracy (1937), The Brigand, Thunderhead - Son of Flicka, and The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance and played Harry Steeger on The Court of Last Resort) plays opera house manager Mr. Levell. Bill Baldwin (the narrator on Harbor Command and Bat Masterson and the announcer on The Bob Cummings Show) plays a ticket agent. Byron Morrow (see "The Jamaica Ginger Story" above) plays the head of the Secret Service. Russ Conway (see "The Big Train, Part 1" above) plays law enforcement official Brookson.

Season 2, Episode 26, "Death for Sale": James MacArthur (starred in The Young Stranger, Kidnapped, Swiss Family Robinson, Battle of the Bulge, and Hang 'Em High and played Danny Williams on Hawaii Five-O) plays aspiring drug dealer Johnny Lubin. Ned Glass (MSgt. Andy Pendleton on The Phil Silvers Show, Sol Cooper on Julia, and Uncle Moe Plotnick on Bridget Loves Bernie)plays opium dealer Art Rele. Mario Gallo (Tomaso Delvecchio on Delvecchio) plays Lubin's bartender Chester. Carole Eastman (wrote the screenplays for The Shooting, Five Easy Pieces, and The Fortune) plays Lubin's new girlfriend Sondra Wiley. Jon Lormer (Harry Tate on Lawman, various autopsy surgeons and medical examiners in 12 episodes of Perry Mason, and Judge Irwin A. Chester on Peyton Place) plays paper supplier Clary. Michael Fox (Coroner George McLeod on Burke's Law, Amos Fedders on Falcon Crest, Saul Feinberg on The Bold and the Beautiful, and appeared 25 times as autopsy surgeons and various other medical witnesses on Perry Mason) plays Bradley, the government's accountant.

Season 2, Episode 27, "Stranglehold": Ricardo Montalban (shown on the right, starred in The Kissing Bandit, On an Island With You, The Singing Nun, and Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan and played David Valerio on Executive Suite, Mr. Roarke on Fantasy Island, and Zach Powers on The Colbys) plays New York mobster Frank Makouris. Kevin Hagen (John Colton on Yancy Derringer, Inspector Dobbs Kobick on Land of the Giants, and Dr. Hiram Baker on Little House on the Prairie) plays his hitman Kelso. Trevor Bardette (see the biography section for the 1960 post on The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp) plays fisherman Joe McGonigle. Adrienne Marden (Mary Breckenridge on The Waltons) plays his wife. Frank Puglia (starred in My Favorite Brunette, Road to Rio, and 20 Million Miles to Earth and played Bibo on To Rome With Love) plays his friend Carlo Feruzzi. Robert J. Wilke (appeared in Best of the Badmen, High Noon, The Far Country, and Night Passage and played Capt. Mendoza on Zorro) plays mobster Dutch Schultz.

Season 2, Episode 28, "The Nero Rankin Story": Will Kuluva (see "Augie 'The Banker' Ciamino" above) plays newly elected Chicago syndicate boss Nero Rankin. Jean Carson (Rosemary on The Betty Hutton Show) plays his girlfriend Sylvia Orkins. John Dehner (Duke Williams on The Roaring '20's, Commodore Cecil Wyntoon on The Baileys of Balboa, Morgan Starr on The Virginian, Cyril Bennett on The Doris Day Show, Dr. Charles Cleveland Claver on The New Temperatures Rising Show, Barrett Fears on Big Hawaii, Marshal Edge Troy on Young Maverick, Lt. Joseph Broggi on Enos, Hadden Marshall on Bare Essence, and Billy Joe Erskine on The Colbys) plays rival Huey Barker. Joanna Moore (mother of Tatum and Griffin O'Neal, appeared in Touch of Evil, Son of Flubber, and Never a Dull Moment and played Peggy McMillan on The Andy Griffith Show) plays Rankin's new girlfriend Althea. Barry Kelley (starred in The Asphalt Jungle, The Manchurian Candidate, and The Love Bug and played Mr. Slocum on Pete and Gladys and Mr. Hergesheimer on Mister Ed) plays syndicate member Pat Polofski. Murvyn Vye (Lionel on The Bob Cummings Show) plays syndicate member Lou Hyndorf. Dan Seymour (see "The Nick Moses Story" above) plays syndicate member Cy Brenner. Guy Raymond (appeared in Gypsy, The Reluctant Astronaut, Bandolero!, and It Happened at the World's Fair and played Cliff Murdock on Tom, Dick, and Mary, Karen, and Harris Against the World and Mr. Peevey on The Ghost and Mrs. Muir) plays a drive-by shooting victim. Byron Morrow (see "The Jamaica Ginger Story" above) plays U.S. District Attorney official Hartley Lester.

Season 2, Episode 29, "The Seventh Vote": Nehemiah Persoff (shown on the left, starred in The Wrong Man, Al Capone and Some Like It Hot) plays Nitti accountant Jake Guzik. Richard Reeves (see "Murder Under Glass" above)plays his right-hand man Levinsky. George N. Neise (see "The Big Train, Part 1" above) returns as Capone lawyer Archie Devlin. Howard Caine (see "Ring of Terror" above) plays Canadian rail station agent Edwin Ballin. Robert Cornthwaite (see "Testimony of Evil" above) plays Canadian border crossing Inspector Jim Goodrich. Charles Seel (the bartender on Tombstone Territory, Mr. Krinkie on Dennis the Menace, and Tom Pride on The Road West) plays a train baggage clerk.

Season 2, Episode 30, "The King of Champagne": Michael Constantine (see "The Nick Moses Story" above) plays bottle shop owner Edmund Wald. Barry Morse (starred in When We Are Married, Mrs. Fitzherbert, Daughter of Darkness, No Trace, and The Shape of Things to Come and played Lt. Philip Gerard on The Fugitive, Mr. Parminter on The Adventurer, Alec Marlowe on The Zoo Gang, and Prof. Victor Bergman on Space: 1999) plays champagne salesman Michel Viton. George Kennedy (shown on the right, starred in Charade, The Sons of Katie Elder, The Dirty Dozen, Cool Hand Luke, and The Naked Gun and played MP Sgt. Kennedy on The Phil Silvers Show, Father Samuel Cavanuagh on Sarge, Bumper Morgan on The Blue Knight, and Carter McKay on Dallas) plays Wald's strongman Birdie. Robert Middleton (see "The Masterpiece" above) plays Wald's uncle Barry Loomis. Robert Anderson (Park Street, Jr. on The Court of Last Resort and Aeneas MacLinahan on Wichita Town, and John Cliff) plays a warehouse worker. Cyril Delevanti (see "The Organization" above) plays a museum night watchman. Jason Wingreen (Dr. Aaron Clark on The Long, Hot Summer, Harry Snowden on All in the Family and Archie Bunker's Place, and Judge Arthur Beaumont on Matlock) plays Police Capt. Dorset.

Season 2, Episode 31, "The Nick Acropolis Story": Lee Marvin (shown on the left, starred in The Big Heat, Bad Day at Black Rock, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, Cat Ballou, The Dirty Dozen, and Paint Your Wagon and played Det. Lt. Frank Ballinger on M Squad) plays bookmaker Nick Acropolis. Constance Ford (starred in A Summer Place, Home From the Hill, All Fall Down, and The Caretakers and played Ada Lucas Davis Downs McGowan Hobson on Another World) plays his wife Stella. Leonard Stone (appeared in The Mugger, The Big Mouth, Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, and Soylent Green and played Doc Joslyn on Camp Runamuck, Packy Moore on General Hospital, and Judge Paul Hansen on L.A. Law) plays her brother Louis Manzak. Johnny Seven (see "Testimony of Evil" above) plays Acropolis torpedo Frankie Fershman. C. Lindsay Workman (Dr. Jim Higgins on The Donna Reed Show and Rev. Adams on Here Come the Brides) plays Acropolis accountant Harry Krafton. Francis de Sales (Lt. Bill Weigand on Mr. & Mrs. North, Ralph Dobson on The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet, Sheriff Maddox on Two Faces West, and Rusty Lincoln on Days of Our Lives) plays a federal accountant.

Season 2, Episode 32, "90-Proof Dame": Steve Cochran (starred in The Best Years of Our Lives, White Heat, and Private Hell 36) plays burlesque owner Nate Kester. Harry Dean Stanton (see "Augie 'The Banker' Ciamino" above)plays his torpedo Moxie. Warren Stevens (starred in The Frogmen, The Barefoot Contessa, Deadline U.S.A., and Forbidden Planet, played Lt. William Storm on Tales of the 77th Bengal Lancers, and was the voice of John Bracken on Bracken's World) plays his torpedo Alex Brosak. Steven Geray (appeared in Phantom of the Opera (1943), Spellbound, Gilda, All About Eve, and Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and played Dr. Herman ver Hagen on The Danny Thomas Show) plays French brandy-maker Etienne de Bouverais. Joanna Barnes (appeared in Auntie Mame, Tarzan, the Ape Man, Spartacus, The Parent Trap, and The War Wagon and played Lola on 21 Beacon Street and Katie O'Brien on The Trials of O'Brien) plays his American-born wife Marcie. Norman Burton (Joe Atkinson on Wonder Woman and Burt Dennis on The Ted Knight Show) plays elevator operator Wally Dagan.

Season 3, Episode 1, "The Troubleshooter": Vincent Gardenia (appeared in Murder Inc., Bang the Drum Slowly, Death Wish, Heaven Can Wait, and Moonstruck and played Frank Lorenzo on All in the Family, Ray Stoller on Breaking Away, and Murray Melman on L.A. Law) plays syndicate leader Jake Petrie. Ned Glass (see "Death for Sale" above) plays syndicate member Max Riegel. Peter Falk (shown on the right, starred in Robin and the 7 Hoods, Murder by Death, and The Cheap Detective and played Daniel O'Brien on The Trials of O'Brien and Columbo on Columbo) plays Riegel's troubleshooter Nate Selko. Murray Hamilton (appeared in No Time for Sergeants, Anatomy of a Murder, and The Hustler and played Steve Baker on Love and Marriage  and Capt. Rutherford T. Grant on B.J. and the Bear) plays newspaper columnist Harry Danigan. 

Season 3, Episode 2, "Power Play": Wendell Corey (starred in Any Number Can Play, Rear Window, The Bold and the Brave, and The Astro-Zombies and played Capt. Ralph Baxter on Harbor Command, Steve Peck on Peck's Bad Girl, Dan McGovern on Westinghouse Playhouse, and Dr. Theodore Bassett on The Eleventh Hour) plays special prosecutor Willard Thornton. Carroll O'Connor (shown on the left, starred in A Fever in the Blood, Cleopatra, Point Blank, Kelly's Heroes, and Return to Me and played Archie Bunker on All in the Family and Archie Bunker's Place, Sheriff William Gillespie on In the Heat of the Night, Jacob Gordon on Party of Five, and Gus Stemple on Mad About You)plays bail bondsman Barney Lubin. Albert Salmi (Yadkin on Daniel Boone and Pete Ritter on Petrocelli) plays enforcer Steve "Country" Parrish. Paul Genge (see "Testimony of Evil" above) plays cartel member Wally Jater. Mary Fickett (Ruth Martin on All My Children) plays Five Points diner owner Emmy Sarver. Bing Russell (father of Kurt Russell, played Deputy Clem Foster on Bonanza) plays Five Points policeman Pete Garrett. Richard Reeves (see "Murder Under Glass" above) plays a trucker.

Season 3, Episode 3, "Tunnel of Horrors": Martin Balsam (starred in 12 Angry Men, Psycho, Breakfast at Tiffany's, and Catch-22 and played Dr. Milton Orliff on Dr. Kildare and Murray Klein on Archie Bunker's Place) plays Nitti payoff man Arnold Justin. Don Gordon (appeared in Bullitt!, Papillon, and The Towering Inferno and played Lt. Hank Bertelli on The Blue Angels and Richard Jensen on Peyton Place) plays amusement ride operator Johnny Selkirk. Barbara Pepper (Doris Ziffel on Green Acres and Petticoat Junction) plays Selkirk's landlady. James Nusser (Louie Pheeters on Gunsmoke) plays a noisy drunk.

Season 3, Episode 4, "The Genna Brothers": Marc Lawrence (appeared in The Ox-Bow Incident, Tampico, Key Largo, The Asphalt Jungle, and The Man With the Golden Gun and directed 16 episodes of Lawman) plays family leader Mike Genna. Antony Carbone (appeared in A Bucket of Blood, Last Woman on Earth, The Pit and the Pendulum, and Creature From the Haunted Sea) plays his younger brother Angelo. Frank Pulgia (see "Stranglehold" above) plays store owner Carlo Giovanni. Arlene Martel (shown on the right, played Tiger on Hogan's Heroes and Spock's Vulcan bride on Star Trek) plays his daughter Stella. A.G. Vitanza (Ramon on The Flying Nun) plays an Italian immigrant whiskey cooker. William Tannen (Deputy Hal Norton on The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp) plays a harbor policeman. 

Season 3, Episode 5, "The Matt Bass Scheme": Telly Savalas (shown on the left, see "The Antidote" above) plays Nitti's former mentor Matt Bass. Milton Selzer (see "The Organization" above) plays his engineer and partner Jason Fiedler. Michael Constantine (see "The Nick Moses Story" above) plays speakeasy owner Seth Otis. John Harmon (see "The Organization" above) plays his partner Phil Grier.

Season 3, Episode 6, "Loophole": Jack Klugman (shown on the right, starred in 12 Angry Men, Days of Wine and Roses, and I Could Go on Singing and played Alan Harris on Harris Against the World, Oscar Madison on The Odd Couple, Dr. Quincy, M.E. on Quincy, M.E., and Henry Willows on You Again?) plays lawyer to the mob Morton Halas. George Tobias (starred in Sergeant York, This Is the Army, and Yankee Doodle Dandy and played Pierre Falcon on Hudson's Bay, Trader Penrose on Adventures in Paradise, and Abner Kravitz on Bewitched) plays speakeasy owner Mikhail Probich. Lorna Thayer (starred in The Beast With a Million Eyes and played the waitress in Five Easy Pieces) plays Probich's wife Connie LaVerne. Martin Landau (starred in North by Northwest, Cleopatra, The Greatest Story Ever Told, The Fall of the House of Usher, and Ed Wood and played Rollin Hand on Mission: Impossible!, Commander John Koenig on Space: 1999, Dr. Sol Gold on The Evidence, Bob Ryan on Entourage, and Frank Malone on Without a Trace) plays rising mob boss Larry Coombs. Gavin MacLeod (see "The Big Train, Part 1" above) plays Coombs henchman Whitey Metz. Vaughn Taylor (see "Ring of Terror" above) plays District Attorney Harker Wade. Alexander Lockwood (see "The Masterpiece" above) plays clinic physician Dr. Burley.

Season 3, Episode 7, "Jigsaw": James Gregory (see the biography section for the 1960 post on The Lawless Years) plays former Capone troubleshooter Walter Trager. Cloris Leachman (shown on the left, starred in The Last Picture Show, Charley and the Angel, Dillinger, and Young Frankenstein and played Ruth Martin on Lassie Rhoda Kirsh on Dr. Kildare, and Phyllis Lindstrom on The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Rhoda, and Phyllis) plays his sister Billie. Alan Baxter (appeared in Saboteur, Close-Up, and Paint Your Wagon) plays her husband Harry Mailer. Bernard Fein (see "Augie 'The Banker' Ciamino" above) plays informant Marty Wilger. Joseph V. Perry (see "Murder Under Glass" above) plays gunman Cully Grice. Harry Swoger (Harry the bartender on The Big Valley) plays Nitti doorman Battler. Paul Dubov (Michel on The Ann Sothern Show) plays Nitti councilman Charlie Banion. Ralph Moody (see the biography section for the 1961 post on The Rifleman) plays Billie's landlord.

Season 3, Episode 8, "Man Killer": Ruth Roman (starred in Jungle Queen, Always Leave Them Laughing, Strangers on a Train, The Far Country,  and Maru Maru and played Minnie Littlejohn on The Long, Hot Summer and Sylvia Lean on Knots Landing) plays cab company business manager Georgianna Drake. Mario Gallo (see "Death for Sale" above) plays Nitti defector Manny Kravitz. Anne Helm (Molly Pierce on Run for Your Life) plays nightclub singer Marian Keyes. Mario Alcalde (Yellow Hawk on The Texan and Chuck Atwell on Peyton Place) plays hitman Marty Gladwin. Joe Scott (see the biography section for the 1960 post on Mr. Lucky) plays Nitti hood Pinky Malone.

Season 3, Episode 9, "City Without a Name": Mike Kellin (appeared in At War With the Army, The Wackiest Ship in the Army, The Boston Strangler, and Midnight Express and played C.P.O. Willie Miller on The Wackiest Ship in the Army) plays small-town crime lord Lou Mungo. Theodore Marcuse (starred in Hitler, The Cincinnati Kid, and Harum Scarum and played Von Bloheim on Batman) plays his lawyer Oscar Symes. Vic Perrin (see "The Underground Court" above) plays garage mechanic Arnie Falken. Paul Richards (appeared in Playgirl and Beneath the Planet of the Apes and played Louy Kassoff on The Lawless Years) plays gambler Sebastian. Harvey Stephens (starred in Maid of Salem, Swing High, Swing Low, and Abe Lincoln in Illinois) plays small-town City Commissioner F. Scott Bodeen. William Boyett (Sgt. Ken Williams on Highway Patrol and Sgt. MacDonald on Adam-12) plays federal agent Gilbert Burke.

Season 3, Episode 10, "Hammerlock": Harold J. Stone (see "Ring of Terror" above) plays baker Adam Stone. Joan Staley (Playboy Playmate who appeared in Cape Fear, Roustabout, Valley of the Dragons, Johnny Cool, and The Ghost and Mr. Chicken and played Hannah on 77 Sunset Strip and Roberta Love on Broadside) plays his daughter Marcia. Robert Carricart (Pepe Cordoza on T.H.E. Cat) plays New York syndicate member Lepke Buchalter. John Larch (shown on the right, starred in The Wrecking Crew, Play Misty for Me, and Dirty Harry and played Deputy District Attorney Jerry Miller on Arrest and Trial, Gerald Wilson on Dynasty, and Arlen & Atticus Ward on Dallas) plays his lieutenant Bryan Hanlon. Will Kuluva (see "Augie 'The Banker' Ciamino" above) plays Stone's partner Max Turkin.