Bourbon Street Beat

This was one of four detective shows from Warner Brothers, four of a couple dozen series they did for ABC, (that MADE that network), from the mid 50's to the early 60's under the stewardship of William Orr and with the creative genius of Roy Huggins, (who later came up with the best show of all time, "The Fugitive"). Huggins had fancied himself a detective writer in the 40's and came up with Stuart Bailey, an Ivy Leaguer with a background in World War II intelligence who set up his own detective agency in Los Angeles. When Huggins became a story editor for Warners, it was decided to create a show around the Bailey character, 77 Sunset Strip, which debut in 1958. They gave Bailey a partner, Jeff Spencer and created the character of Kookie, the parking lot attendant, for comic relief. It set the stage for the other three, similar shows, each with a pair, (or three) handsome detectives operating in glamorous or exotic locations. Warner's learned you needed a pretty girl involved and the comic relief. they also learned from "Peter Gunn" that a musical interlude would occasionally be welcome.

"Bourbon Street Beat", set in New Orleans, debuted in 1959. So did "Hawaiian Eye", from Honolulu and in 1960 came "Surfside Six" from Miami Beach. Each had a catchy theme tune from Mack David and Jerry Livingstone. The plots were not very inspired but serviceable, (they serviced many episodes, being frequently reused). Sometimes, Warner's would do versions of novels they owned the rights to or TV remakes of some of their classic movies of the past, such as "Strangers on a Train" or "Dial M for Murder", in the guise of episodes of these shows. Characters from one show would show up on another, either in crossover episodes or full scale transfers of characters to be new members of the casts. This was easy because the shows were not shot on location: it was all done in LA.

The real difference in the shows were the cast members themselves. "77 Sunset Strip" had the charming and talented Ephram Zimbalist Jr. and Roger Smith. It also had the "Fonzie" of the 50's, Edd Byrnes. But it lacked a significant female regular or the musical interludes. "Bourbon Street Beat" had the charming and talented Richard Long, who took his charm and talent to Sunset Strip after BSB folded in 1960. It also had craggy character actor Andrew Duggan, young pretty boy Van Williams and Arlene Howell, a slightly ditzy southern belle. No one here was musically inclined but a jazz combo did a turn from time to time. "Hawaiian Eye" had it all. Anthony Eisley was a competent but slightly boring lead. Young Robert Konrad had the most charisma of any of them. Connie Stevens was a cute songbird who belted out the classic tin pan alley and show tunes. Poncie Ponce was a ukulele strumming cab driver who knew every place and every one or had a cousin who did. "Surfside Six" was maybe the weakest entry. Lee Patterson had some presence and acting ability but Van Williams, (over from BSB) and Troy Donahue were attractive but talent challenged. Marguerite Sierra was a cliched Latin Spitfire songstress, (who unfortunately died young of a heart ailment). Diane McBain was attractive window dressing.

The other main difference was the setting. "77 Sunset Strip" was about glamorous people up to no good or international intrigue, (and Stu Bailey traveled a lot more than these other guys did). "Hawaiian Eye" was exotic- perhaps a little too much so with an occasional embarrassing story about witch doctors and voodoo type curses and such. Natives were played by guys from Jersey and Chicago in the grand tradition. Surfside Six had a beachboy look to it. Bourbon Street beat was darker and more mysterious. New Orleans at that time was not a tourist trap but a relic of the old south in which Miss Havisham's cake might have seemed at home.

But they were all pretty solid entertainment. If you liked one, I'm sure you'd like them all- if you could find them. They are all in black and white, so cable stations are loathe to show them It seems that the moment a younger audience sees those monotones, they turn the stations. It's too bad. They don't know what they're missing.

I got to see this series on 7 February 2005 on GoodLife TV, and it is a series that wears well. Of all the Warner Brothers TV Detective series, I think this may be the crown jewel, because it is supposed to be set in New Orleans, away from the glamor and glitter of Hollywood.

The two main characters are played by Andrew Duggan and Richard Long, who do a great job. Van Williams was one year away from his starring role on Surfside 6, and seven away from The Green Hornet, but is still fun to watch. Definitely a 1959 series that did well, as did Johnny Staccato, and it should be released on DVD. Hopefully, GoodLife TV will continue to show this series.

The location was great, the characters were great, the cast was great. So why only one season? The reason became clear about 2/3 of the way through the season. Early on, BSB's New Orleans was full of black people and white people mixing together - whites still held the privileged spots, mind you, but black people had jobs and dignity and white private eyes had no problem working with them and even visiting them in their homes. Then, suddenly, all the black musical bands became white. All the black people on the street disappeared. Even the Baron, head of the band at the Absinthe House, disappeared with his black band and a white band replaced them. (Note, the Baron was played by Eddie Cole, Nat "King" Cole's older brother - Nat's own tv show was canceled, by him, only 3 years earlier because they couldn't get any sponsors for the show by a black man even if he was Nat "King" Cole).. White USA in 1959 was not interested in seeing black people and white people together, and that interaction was what gave BSB's New Orleans its flavor and made it the background to its stories more interesting. Without that NO flavor, BSB was more like just another 77 Sunset Strip, and not the series it was really born to be. Kudos and respect to everyone involved in taking a chance at integration, even if the US wasn't ready for it - the product was very good, and maybe it helped us in the long run.

Two of the characters went on - Rex Randolph (Richard Long) to 77 Sunset Strip and Kenny Madison (Van Williams) to Surfside Six. Long, whose career began in film in 1945, went on to other series (The Big Valley, Nanny and the Professor) but had suffered an early heart attack at age 33 and died at 47, in 1974, working steadily to the end and set to appear in All the President's Men when he passed. Andrew Duggan (Cal Calhoun in BSB) went on to do Lancer and Van Williams went on to do The Green Hornet.

I understand Arlene Howell left the series early because she became pregnant, and that she did not work in the industry after that.

"Randolph and Calhoun" were private investigators working out of New Orleans.

Thirty-one year old Richard Long played senior partner Rex Randolph. The firm's offices were in Rex's elegant home. I loved the set of that home. There was a striking spiral staircase in Rex's office that led up to his bedroom. At the bottom of the staircase was a kitchenette where Rex liked to cook gourmet meals for his lovely guests. (Reportedly, this was the same set Warner Brothers had used for "A Streetcar Named Desire".)

Thirty-five year old Andrew Duggan was Cal Calhoun, a former small town police detective. Rex met Cal in the first episode when Rex was investigating the murder of his previous partner. Cal was less educated and more rustic than Rex. Cal had pictures of silent screen stars like Theda Bara on his office wall.

Twenty-four year old Arlene Howell played Melody Lee Mercer, their secretary. Melody's blond hair and lovely figure had won her many beauty contests, but she was still very prim and proper. Arlene (then Eurlyne) Howell had been Miss USA (representing Louisiana) in 1958, the year before she started this series.

Twenty-five year old Van Williams played Ken Madison, a young law student who works part time for the firm. Ken also invests a lot of time trying to melt Melody's reserve.

These were four nicely written roles and they were beautifully played by four very appealing actors. All four actors had star potential. Warner Brothers must have had a great talent program (although they didn't pay the talent much money.)

In one episode three men planning to assassinate a man running for governor take over Rex Randolph's home. The three killers were superbly played by Richard Chamberlain, James Coburn and John Marley. The writer of the episode was Richard Matheson ("Duel", "The Night Stalker", "I Am Legend").

Other impressive guest stars included Joanna Moore, Kathleen Crowley, Shirley Knight, Mary Tyler Moore, Madlyn Rhue, Diane McBain, Margaret Hayes, Nita Talbot, Rex Reason, Rhodes Reason, Ray Danton, James Drury, Robert Vaughn and Wayne Morris.

When "Bourbon Street Beat" was canceled, Ken Madison opened his own firm in Miami Beach. Ken now had his law degree. His partner Dave Thorne (Lee Patterson) was a former NYC assistant district attorney. Their combination home and office was a luxurious houseboat moored at "Surfside Six."

Rex also left New Orleans, moving to Los Angeles. He became a non-name partner in Bailey and Spencer, a firm whose address was "77 Sunset Strip". (Richard Long went from top billing to fourth billing.) Rex left Bailey and Spencer after one year. My guess is Rex opened his own firm in Beverly Hills, which would have been more his style than the garish Sunset Boulevard. Maybe Ken Madison eventually came out from Miami to be his partner. When Rex left Bailey and Spencer, Kookie moved up from being a lowly carhop to taking over Rex's office and becoming a full partner (with his own crime lab no less.)

Stuart Bailey (Efrem Zimbalist, Jr.) was in New Orleans on a case a couple of years later. Who does he run into but Cal Calhoun. Calhoun is now a detective lieutenant in the New Orleans Police Department. Calhoun recognizes Bailey's name. He says, "I think you inherited an old partner of mine for a while". Bailey realizes this must be the great Cal Calhoun that Rex talked about. But no one mentioned Rex by name. Calhoun says he prefers being on the force to private practice since there is a case waiting for him each morning, instead of having to worry about drumming up business. Apparently Cal couldn't keep the firm going without the charming Rex's ability to find clients.

Andrew Duggan had played a crooked New Orleans private eye in a 1956 episode of "Conflict" called "The Money". "Conflict" was a Warner Brothers anthology series produced by the great Roy Huggins, the creator of "77 Sunset Strip". This episode, which predated "77 Sunset Strip", must have partially inspired "Bourbon Street Beat". Other future series stars in addition to Duggan who had roles in "The Money" were David Janssen ("Richard Diamond"), Kathy Nolan ("The Real McCoys"), John Smith ("Laramie") and Peggie Castle ("Lawman"). Howard Browne was the writer of "The Money" and also wrote the story for the pilot of "Bourbon Street Beat".

Andrew Duggan worked again with Richard Long as a guest star on "The Big Valley." Van Williams also guest starred on "The Big Valley" in a pilot for a series where Williams would have played a sheriff with a young son. Van Williams also worked with Richard Long on a "Nanny and the Professor".

Sadly, we never saw much more of delightful Arlene Howell. My guess is she married well.

My favorite shows of the 1959-60 season were "Tightrope", "Mr. Lucky" and "Bourbon Street Beat".

Bourbon Street Beat only lasted for one season but it had thirty-nine episodes to its credit. The location for the show was Bourbon Street in Louisana. It starred Richard Long as private investigator Rex Randolph. Rex was the senior partner in a firm. His first partner was murdered prompting him to look for another one. Andrew Duggan was Isaac "Cal" Calhoun, a former police officer who wanted to change careers and after meeting Rex and knowing that his partner was now dead came to offer his services. The two made a wonderful team. Rex was the cook and Cal loved old movies. Rounding out the cast was Arlene Howell as their secretary Melody. She left about half way through the show and the final member Kenny played by Van Williams spent time trying to find the perfect secretary to replace Melody. The show had some really good guest stars and most of the writing was execellent. I hope that the show is issued out on DVD. It would be a good collection to own.