Ellery Queen

The show Ellery Queen was not only great to watch, but gave us what would be the format of other mystery programs such as Murder She Wrote. I remember watching Ellery Queen as a child, and it, along with Agatha Christie's books started my enjoyment of a good mystery. I only wish it were on video so I could watch it again! It also exposed me to actors that I would watch either in later tv series (such as Magnum PI) or movies (like Jim Hutton & Cary Grant's "Walk, don't run". An entertaining series, with the knack for making the audience think, the element of surprise and detail make this an act worth following (and in the case of Murder she wrote, a successful one).

Whoever chose the cast for this series knew what they were doing! No one could have filled Ellery Queens shoes better than Jim Hutton. He WAS Ellery.....Jim was taken from us much to soon. He was a great actor. David Wayne as Ellery's father was again a great choice. David & Jim made it seem real. Like they were really father & son. I heard rumor that Timothy Hutton (obviously Jim's son) would do a remake of Ellery Queen. Who better to fill his fathers shoes???? It's sad that Jim could not be here to be cast as the father! What a show that would be!

My wife and I really looked forward to watching this show every week during its all too short run. Jim Hutton was excellent as the boyish but shrewd Ellery, David Wayne was outstanding as his father, Inspector Queen and Tom Reese was terrific as the lumbering Sergeant Velie. John Hillerman, later Magnum's sidekick, was super as the arrogant Simon Brimmer, Ellery's rival, and Ken Swofford was good as the down to earth reporter, Frank Flanagan. The mysteries were enacted and the clues spread around so you could play at home. I don't think we got more than a couple right. Some of the shows were adapted from the Ellery Queen books and some were originals, but all were very fine quality. Very good guest stars were featured every week, some were up and coming, but many were old veterans. I would love to get this on DVD.

"Ellery Queen" was one of the most entertaining TV series ever aired. Part of the fun was that it took place in the Big Apple in 1947 and with one exception looked it to a "T." But the most fun was the moment near the end of the show when Ellery would get the all-important missing clue necessary to nab the killer is nothing short of classic TV.

Ellery would tell whoever else he was with that he'd be right with them, then stop, turn and face the camera. "Now that was an important clue! Did you get it? Now I know who killed the victim. Do you? Was it so-and-so, or so-and-so/ Or could it have been so-and-so? Let find out." So marvelously entertaining! And totally unique to television, regardless of era.

It's cast, stories, plots and guest stars made for a guaranteed good time at least one hour a week without fail.

Jim Hutton (Timothy's dad) was ideal as the absent-minded genius mystery novelist. Veteran David Wayne was letter perfect as Ellery's father, NYPD Homicide Inspector Richard Queen. The two made quite a team, playing off each other brilliantly. There was definite screen chemistry at work and, one get's the impression the actors shared a genuine friendship and respect for the other.

The only thing that didn't fit was star Jim Hutton's insistence on wearing clothes and hair far more in line with the years the show aired (1974-75)than post WWII. Cordoroy flair pants simply were not anywhere close to being in fashion back then, but they sure were in 1975.

If they'd only bring back shows that had that kind of pure fun! And what fun!

I just watched this show for the very time today on cable's TV Land (Sunday box set special), and I, too, agree with everyone else about how excellent a show this was. I happened to catch the episode with Eve Arden as a radio soap opera actress murdered, and through it's good writing as well as acting, I was immediately sucked in. Other guest cast members were Betty White and John Hillerman.

I look forward to seeing this show again and hope that someone out there gets the smarts to make this available on home video.