Arrest and Trial

by Michael RichComment — Updated August 3, 2023

Buy Arrest and Trial on DVD

Part 2 (1963)
The Complete Series (1963-64)

Arrest and Trial

September 15, 1963 – September 6, 1964
(30) ninety minute episodes (one season)
in B&W on ABC
Produced by: Frank P. Rosenberg with Revue Studios and Universal TV

CAST

ARREST

  • Ben Gazzara … Det. Sgt. Nick Anderson
  • Roger Perry … Det. Sgt. Dan Kirby
  • Noah Keen … Det. Lt. Bone

TRIAL

  • Chuck Connors … Attorney John Egan
  • John Larch … Deputy DA Jerry Miller
  • John Kerr … Assistant Deputy DA Barry Pine

OTHER

  • Don Galloway … Mitchell Harris
  • Joe Higgins … Jake Shakespeare
  • Joanne Miya … Janet Okada

STORYLINE

The format of Arrest and Trial was certainly unique for the time, consisting of two 45 minute segments tied together primarily by the criminal. The first part followed a trio of Los Angeles detectives as they solved crimes and arrested the bad guys.

With a heavy weight like Ben Gazzara as Det. Sgt. Nick Anderson, aided by Roger Perry as Det. Sgt. Dan Kirby and Noah Keen as Det. Lt. Bone the streets never seemed safer. This portion had all of the necessary elements to be a stand alone police drama.

Here comes the twist, after the arrest, the trial part of the show takes over for the next 45 minutes. The star of this segment was actually the defense attorney John Egan portrayed by Chuck Conners who was a huge tv star after a successful 5 year run on The Rifleman. On the other side of the room were the District Attorneys Jerry Miller (John Larch) and Barry Pine (John Kerr).

Just because Chuck Conners was defending them doesn’t mean that the criminals always got off. Justice prevailed and the innocent were freed with the guilty being sent to the big house.

At this point I’m sure you’re scratching your head and saying wait a minute that sounds like Law & Order and it was with the exception that Law & Order focused just on the police and the district attorney whereas Arrest and Trial also focused on the defense side of the equation.

Video Clip of Arrest and Trial

Passings

Chuck Conners died in 1992 of lung cancer, he was 71
John Larch died in 2005 of natural causes, he was 91
Don Galloway died in 2009 of a stroke, he was 711960s tv

60s tv

1960s police drama

60s crime show - Arrest and Trial

1960s police program

1960s television

TRIVIA:

Executive Producer Dick Wolf claims that he had never seen Arrest and Trial when he created “Law & Order”. In his defense, although the split format is the same the two shows have very little in common as far as content or focus. We’ll just chalk this one up to deja vu.

Buy Arrest and Trial on DVD
Arrest and Trial on DVD

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