Harry O

Harry-O was truely one of the greatest shows to ever grace the television medium. It combined superb acting (Janssen, Zerbe-who won an EMMY, Darrow, and guests), writing (Howard Rodman, Robert Dozier and others), direction (Jerry London, Russ Mayberry, Jerry Thorpe) and a brilliantly photographed San Diego and Los Angeles. Janssen took to this role like no others, and made Harry Orwell and understandable and beleivable character, someone you wanted to go out and have a beer with. This show lasted but two short years, (though it did have two pilot movies shown during the 1973/1974 season) and was cancelled in favor of "Charlie's Angels", a travesty of the greatest kind. Without a doubt TV's greatest detective, Harry O's adventures ended far too soon.

If ever a series deserved a better fate, it's this one. A quirky, three-dimensional main character, interesting plots and smart dialogue. It should have lasted

years, lasted 44 episodes. Janssen was terrific (better than in The Fugitive, a show where you only had to see the first episode and the last), his supporting players were almost as good and the writing, particularly by creator Howard

Rodman, was a cut above the typical TV fare. Yes, it was just another detective show and it did follow some of the typical cliches, but hey, it also provided a poignancy and adult (not X-rated, but intelligent) point of view rarely seen on the little screen. Hey, Warner Brothers (I think)! Where's the DVD collection?

This series was that rare thing in the 1970s - an original and intelligently constructed mainstream US TV series.

This was due to two factors, the personality and performance of David Janssen (the word unique is grossly over-used, but it truly applied to him), and the way that the character of Harry Orwell was constructed around Janssen's screen persona. The idea of an ex cop taking up private detection was not new, even then, but the details were what made this one special. For example, Harry often travelled by bus, being unable to drive because his car was always hosed. Imagine, Kojak or Jim Rockford doing that? No, neither can I. Harry also had a family history (ex-partner, money problems etc)that we actually saw him dealing with. Very little gloss on Harry's life.

So, an intelligently constructed premise, a great central performer, superb performances from the recurring characters - notably Anthony Zerbe as the acerbic Lt. Trench (replacing Lt. Manny Quinlan half-way through series 1, when the series' location moved from San Diego to LA at the behest of the studio suits). And then, we had some interesting and well written scripts - but yes, there were some clunkers too. Harry O was well directed, very well cut in the styles of the time and oh! - those Foley sounds, loud footsteps in longshots - I love it! The sound on just one of the series one episodes is appalling, but for all the rest, they look and sound great.

Perhaps because it came in at the middle or latter end of the US boom in detective series, Harry O ran for only two seasons. A great shame, it had a lot more potential to realise - and without Janssen it can never be recreated.

2013 UPDATE: The first series is available now as a box set from the Warners online shop!

2014 UPDATE: No longer a rare series! Warners have put out box set of both series now. You can buy on Amazon or direct from WBshop.

Excellent! Just ordered mine!

The television series,"Harry-O",which ran on ABC-TV from 1974 to 1976,was one of the best detective shows of the decade and for a very good reason. Watching the great David Janssen was a must-see for this would be his second best television series,and the most successful to add as well,his first was the drama series,"The Fugitive",which was on the same network(ABC)from 1963-1967.

The character that David Janssen portrayed is one of television's most memorable private detectives,which made it more engaging by David Janssen's extremely downbeat and weary portrayal of Harry Orwell,a man with very little in life to care about,who nevertheless cares very much. For once,the first person voice narration works in depiction to what is going on with the character in the story and the investigation into some of his cases. In other words,it helped Harry had something to say about the world around him and with good reason. A bullet lodged near his spine has gave this former police officer to seek new employment as a private detective to supplement his disability pension. He is always frequently in pain,it also limits his ability to engage in the usual combat situations when it comes to taking on the baddies. His means of transportation to and from crime scenes is by bus or taxi or on foot. He is a loner who lives in a beach house in San Diego and likes to spend his time re-building his boat "The Answer" in his yard. David Janssen made this character believable and it shows that Harry was understandable and he was someone who you could count on when the chips are down and the odds were against you in a time of crisis. And it shows in the Emmys that this show won including one for David Janssen for Best Actor In A Dramatic Series,and another for Anthony Zerbe for Best Actor In A Supporting Role.

I can recall during the first two seasons that the scripts were magnificent with some of the best writing ever produced for television and righteously so. Also to give credit to the direction as well(from Jerry Thorpe and Richard Lang)was without a doubt first-rate entertainment. It also had some of the most breathtaking photography ever witnessed and this is what made this show stand out from all the other "private eye" shows of the 1970's. And "Harry-O" was one of them. The series began as one of ABC's Movie Of The Week which was a two-hour pilot entitled "Smile,Jenny,You're Dead"(2/3/1973)and on the strength of that one came another titled "Such Dust As Dreams Are Made On",which was another ABC Movie Of The Week(3/11/1974). The series produced 44 episodes on ABC-TV from its premiere episode on September 12,1974 until the final episode of the series on April 29,1976. The guest stars that kept this show in check were first rate and some of the episodes are classics as well. Check out the guest star roster here from Jim Backus,Broderick Crawford,Sal Mineo,Robert Reed,Keye Luke,Martin Sheen,Margot Kidder,Cab Calloway to even Jodie Foster and Maureen "Marsha Brady" McCormick,and Dawn Lyn. This show also had two unknown actresses as well who after their stint who on go to bigger and bigger things(Farrah Fawcett and Loni Anderson). This show made have lasted two years,and when it was cancelled by ABC in the spring of 1976,it was replaced by a travesty of the greatest kind,"Charlie's Angels"(1976-1981). Harry-O's adventures ended too soon after the network executives pulled the plug on a show that was still in the top ten of the Nielsens in its final season.

NOTE: After years out of circulation,the series has returned after a two decade hiatus. The American Life TV Network has brought back the Emmy winning show from the 1970's,so every Monday evening "Harry-O" is broadcast in each episode and to see the great David Janssen is a welcome sight in one of his most famous roles.

This was one of the best shows on television. The writing and the photography was outstanding. David Janssen was one of my very favorite actors and I really miss him. He had "mumbling" down to an art form and his understated style of acting was second to none. Harry-O made me feel good every time I would sit down and watch. Harry Orwell was an everyman's type of guy. You could relate to him. I think it was because you could sense his vulnerability. Episodes did not always end on a happy note and that added some credibility to the character and his profession. Warner Brothers needs to hurry up and release this series to DVD. I would buy the entire series in a heart beat. A classic!!