Banacek

Polish-American Thomas Banacek, antiques collector, insurance agent, and amateur sleuth, appeared in this enjoyable series in the early 1970s. Played by the lovely George Peppard, pre-A Team. Each week he tries to solve a mystery, on commission of course, with the help of his rare bookseller friend, Felix (the peerless Murray Matheson), and his driver, Jay (the excellent Ralph Manza). Sometimes we got girl power too in the shape of feisty Carlie Kirkland (Christine Belford). Banacek slides his way through each case with ease - whether tackling disappearances, drug running, gold bullion disappearances, and the like. He usually ends up with a pretty girl as well who he's met while he's been investigating. Absolute rubbish but I loved it. And his catchphrase 'There's an old Polish proverb' must have suited Peppard as he wheeled it out again in his Chinatown TV movies some years later (as 'There's an old Chinese proverb', of course).

Banacek sexist? More a case of the show seeing men and women as they are before political-correctness forced us to publicly pretend otherwise. Very liberating to go back and watch it. The only real flaw with the show was too much outdoor shooting in obvious Southern California locations (mountains in the background, LA smog, semi-arid landscapes that would be at home on Columbo, industrial and small business areas with Emergency and Adam-12 written all over them, and signs with names like "Pacific Metal Company") and not enough in the Boston area. You get a heavy dose of real Boston footage in the opening credits (and it looks like they did some filming in the city) but a lack of studio money no doubt kept them from going east more than they did, but a great show otherwise! I still enjoy watching Banacek solve those cases while verbally dueling with Jay, Felix, and his competition from the insurance companies.

Okay, Banacek wasn't exactly a P.I.-he was an investigator for the Boston Insurance Company who tracked down stolen goods for a generous commission. This show starred the late George Peppard ten years before he entertained us all as Hannibal in the A-Team.

Before I first saw this series, I thought to myself, "An insurance investigator-how boring." This series proved me wrong. Yes, Banacek was an insurance investigator but it was the items he tracked down that provided the entertainment. They were never small relatively cheap items, always something costing millions of dollars. In one of my favourite episodes, Banacek tried to track down a missing football player (yes, really).

Fans of Columbo will like this show as Banacek solved his cases whilst the rest of us scratched our heads wondering what was going on. There was a fair bit of action at times but it was the way in which Banacek would systematically solve the case that provided the bulk of the entertainment.

All in all, a fantastic show.

"Banacek" was one of the four rotating show that came on during NBC's Mystery Movie Series that was produced in the 1970's. The show lasted from 1972-1975(three years),and it was rotated among the other mystery shows that came on before this including "Columbo","McMillian and Wife", "McCloud". I got the chance to see this seldom seen series recently and to me it was throughly enjoyable watching the late George Peppard ten years before he would go into his most entertaining roles as Hannibal in "The A-Team". Peppard's character wasn't your average run of the mill P.I. or police detective by the way,but he was an insurance investigator for a huge Boston firm who tracks down stolen merchandise for a generous commission. But the interesting part of the show is how the items were stolen and towards the end it was how the items were recovered,giving all the clues and necessary to solve the case and Banacek always had a knack of figuring out step by step how the items were taken,how the culprits planned their heist and how the left the clues behind to where the stolen items were located which Banacek systematically broke it down the premise into solving the case,and Peppard's character was a master of this that really provided the bulk of the entertainment,and also the brilliant strategy to every episode,even though the show ran for 90 minutes which was the best part of the show. By the way,every episode had a "Old Polish Proverb' that Banacek would recite to give the show some great humor.

The show had great plots,wonderful locations,even though the show's setting is in Boston,but in provided Banacek to travel to distant locations to solve baffling mysteries. Several episodes are very good including one intitled "Ten Thousand Dollars A Page",directed by Richard T. Heffron,and had special guest stars David Doyle,and George Lindsey (yes,Goober)as a police detective,and Ted Cassidy. Another one is titled "To Steal A King",directed by Lou Antonio. There is also fast work from other directors who contributed to this series as well including Jack Smight,Andrew McLaglen,Virgil Vogel,and Oscar Rudolph.

Banacek had it all,sense of style,extremely wealthy,always around a array of females which some were equal,and had the ability to solve the most impossible crimes for the reward money....it other words Banacek was the coolest!!!!

The show didn't last very long,because George Peppard walked away from this successful series because of the grind of the show and also contract disputes. It would have been nice enough if Peppard came back to the role but Peppard made the role,and made the show as well. Great series from the golden age of the early 1970's. Catch the episodes on the Hallmark Channel.

The theme song was written by Quincy Jones.

A great look back at TV show history and the times. Classic list of actors in every episode.