Like Dragnet, Tales of the Texas Rangers and 21st Precinct, The Lineup was a radio show about behind-the-scenes police work.
But unlike the other shows, there are no heroics, no "star" to be had. It's fascinating yet almost boring at the same time.
Bill Johnstone (of post-Orson Welles The Shadow fame) takes the lead. But (pardon the pun) you couldn't pick his voice out of a lineup. He blends in so well (perfectly?) with everyone else.
Certainly there are the voices of Raymond Burr and the ever-present Howard McNear but they are only 2 voices you are likely to recognize. As far as my ear goes, I never know when Johnstone was around and when he isn't when I listen to the show.
McNear plays small parts, usually some "tough" (used loosely) in the lineup on every show.
The lineup is how the show starts and an investigation proceeds from there.
As I stated earlier, this is both exciting and boring at the same time. If you like the line of police shows I stated at the beginning of this review, you are likely to enjoy this show as well. But you can never connect with the characters as there is a coldness - perhaps even a blandness - in their approach. And it's a different coldness than say, Dragnet, because on Dragnet, you know who the cops are. In The Lineup, you know they are cops and - well, you know they are cops - period.
Still, an interesting show but not as good as the other cops show listed here in the review. 2 and a half stars.
©Jimbo 2010/2011
Showing posts with label Raymond Burr. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Raymond Burr. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
One of the best: Fort Laramie
Fort Laramie was a Western in the late 1950's. It was a different kind of Western, in that it did not deal with cowboys but with the calvary in the Wyoming Territory. Fort Laramie was a real place but no one ever said these stories were based on real events.
Generally, men in the cavalry were there to get away from their hen-pecking wives or were there by choice to get away from society. But cavalry life didn't turn out to be much better - long hours of waiting, lots of terrible sickness and an occasional fight with the Indians.
The show got it's roots from producer Norman MacDonnell, the same man who turned Gunsmoke into a gigantic radio (and television) smash hit. The star of Fort Laramie was Raymond Burr, who did a great job as Lee Quince. Quince was second in command at Fort Laramie. Harry Bartell and Vic Perrin make up most of the rest of the regular cast as soldiers and they do an excellent job.
Fort Laramie, like all of the 1950's radio Westerns, came with huge bravado and backed it up, but only lasted a year; only 1950's Westerns Gunsmoke and Have Gun Will Travel lasted more than a year due to the rise of television.
There's more psychology at work in the scripts than there is guns a'blazing and makes for some interesting radio. While there are Indians around, the cavalry tried to placate them rather than annoy them; this often meant doing a lot of things most of the soldiers didn't want to do. But such was (is) Army life.
Don't be surprised to hear women on the show; many show up now and then looking for their husband's body or what-not.
It was a great show with just 40 something episodes but it's good radio with great sound quality.
If I had a five star rating, I'd rank it higher than Gunsmoke - 4 and 3/4 stars, due to the fact there are under 50 episodes and they are all very good ones.
Generally, men in the cavalry were there to get away from their hen-pecking wives or were there by choice to get away from society. But cavalry life didn't turn out to be much better - long hours of waiting, lots of terrible sickness and an occasional fight with the Indians.
The show got it's roots from producer Norman MacDonnell, the same man who turned Gunsmoke into a gigantic radio (and television) smash hit. The star of Fort Laramie was Raymond Burr, who did a great job as Lee Quince. Quince was second in command at Fort Laramie. Harry Bartell and Vic Perrin make up most of the rest of the regular cast as soldiers and they do an excellent job. Fort Laramie, like all of the 1950's radio Westerns, came with huge bravado and backed it up, but only lasted a year; only 1950's Westerns Gunsmoke and Have Gun Will Travel lasted more than a year due to the rise of television.
There's more psychology at work in the scripts than there is guns a'blazing and makes for some interesting radio. While there are Indians around, the cavalry tried to placate them rather than annoy them; this often meant doing a lot of things most of the soldiers didn't want to do. But such was (is) Army life.
Don't be surprised to hear women on the show; many show up now and then looking for their husband's body or what-not.
It was a great show with just 40 something episodes but it's good radio with great sound quality.
If I had a five star rating, I'd rank it higher than Gunsmoke - 4 and 3/4 stars, due to the fact there are under 50 episodes and they are all very good ones.
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Hodge-podge [#04]
I am still working on the looks of the blog, forgive me again for any distractions.
I am adding links as I go along; I am finding some incredible OTR information out there so check the link section often for new things - especially today.
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According ro the book, Raymond Burr: a film, radio and television biography, Burr did most of the series Fort Laramie in a wheelchair as he had an operation just before the series began.
Do you ever get the impression that every tune that calypso guitarist/singer King Moses plays on the show Bold Venture is exactly the same or close to it? It's actually annoying to me, dunno about you.
Did you know drummer Spike Jones got his start on The Fibber McGee and Molly Show in Billy Mills' band?
Do you know Jack Carson's "eight year old neighbor", Norma Jean Nilsson? Ever had her pictured in your mind? Did you look like this?:
I'm almost done with the first year (1942) of Billboard radio program reviews. I should start posting them today or tomorrow at a new periphreal blog site (I'll let you know where when I begin.)
As stated before, it's probably not something you are going to use everyday but it will come in handy at times, especially when you encounter a new series you are contemplating to download (is that correct grammar?)
I am adding links as I go along; I am finding some incredible OTR information out there so check the link section often for new things - especially today.
----
According ro the book, Raymond Burr: a film, radio and television biography, Burr did most of the series Fort Laramie in a wheelchair as he had an operation just before the series began.
Do you ever get the impression that every tune that calypso guitarist/singer King Moses plays on the show Bold Venture is exactly the same or close to it? It's actually annoying to me, dunno about you.
Did you know drummer Spike Jones got his start on The Fibber McGee and Molly Show in Billy Mills' band?
Do you know Jack Carson's "eight year old neighbor", Norma Jean Nilsson? Ever had her pictured in your mind? Did you look like this?:
 |
| Norma Jean Nilsson |
As stated before, it's probably not something you are going to use everyday but it will come in handy at times, especially when you encounter a new series you are contemplating to download (is that correct grammar?)
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