Mr. District Attorney is a radio crime drama produced by Samuel Bischoff that aired on NBC and ABC from April 3, 1939 to June 13, 1952 (and in transcribed syndication through 1953). The series focused on a crusading district attorney initially known only as Mister District Attorney or Chief, and was later translated to television. On television the attorney's name was Paul Garrett, and the radio version adopted the name in its final years when David Brian played the role. A key figure in the dramas was secretary Edith Miller.
Genre | Crime drama |
---|---|
Running time | 30 minutes |
Country of origin | United States |
Language(s) | English |
Syndicates | NBC Blue NBC Red ABC |
Starring | Vicki Vola Dwight Weist Raymond Edward Johnson Jay Jostyn |
Announcer | Ed Herlihy Mark Hawley Fred Uttal |
Created by | Ed Byron |
Written by | Bob Shaw |
Directed by | Ed Byron |
Produced by | Phillips H. Lord |
Created, written, and directed by former law student Ed Byron, the series was inspired by the early years of New York governor Thomas E. Dewey.[1] Dewey's public war against racketeering led to his election as governor. Phillips H. Lord, creator of Gang Busters, helped to develop the concept and coined the title. Byron lent an air of accuracy and immediacy to his scripts through close study of crime statistics, a library of criminology texts, following the newspapers and even visiting rough bars to gain tips, background and color from crooks and police.[2]
Produced throughout its run in New York City, the series began as a 15-minute serial, becoming a half-hour, self-contained series three months later as a summer replacement for The Bob Hope Show on June 27, 1939.[3] During 1942, Mr. District Attorney began battling Nazis, leading to conflicts with the FBI when the scripts reflected life too closely.[2]
The program was sponsored by Bristol-Myers.[4]
In three films released by Republic Pictures in the early 1940s, the district attorney was named P. Cadwallader Jones and was assisted by journalist Terry Parker. Different actors portrayed them in each film. The trilogy consisted of Mr. District Attorney (1941) starring Dennis O'Keefe with Florence Rice and Peter Lorre, Mr. District Attorney in the Carter Case (1941) starring James Ellison and Virginia Gilmore and Secrets of the Underground (1942) starring John Hubbard and Virginia Grey.
A fourth film again entitled Mr. District Attorney was released by Columbia Pictures in 1947. O'Keefe returned as the lead, now named Steve Bennett.
Near the end of the radio run, the series was transferred to television. The first incarnation ran on ABC from October 1, 1951 through June 23, 1952 on alternate Mondays, first with The Amazing Mr. Malone and then Out of the Fog. The radio cast reprised their roles, with Jay Jostyn as Mr. District Attorney, Vicki Vola as Miss Miller and Len Doyle as Harrington.
No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1 | "The Case of the Homecoming" | Wes McKee | Unknown | October 1, 1951 (1951-10-01) |
2 | 2 | "The Case of the Bindle Boy" | Unknown | Unknown | October 15, 1951 (1951-10-15) |
3 | 3 | "The Case of the Cop-Killer" | Unknown | Robert J. Shaw | October 29, 1951 (1951-10-29) |
4 | 4 | "The Case of the Bird Brain" | Unknown | Unknown | November 12, 1951 (1951-11-12) |
5 | 5 | "The Case of the Dangerous Clown" | Unknown | Unknown | November 26, 1951 (1951-11-26) |
6 | 6 | "The Case of the Silent Victim" | Unknown | Unknown | December 10, 1951 (1951-12-10) |
7 | 7 | "The Case of the Crooked Finger" | Unknown | Unknown | December 24, 1951 (1951-12-24) |
8 | 8 | "The Case of the Big Day" | Unknown | Unknown | January 7, 1952 (1952-01-07) |
9 | 9 | "The Case of the Three Ravens" | Edward Byron | Unknown | January 21, 1952 (1952-01-21) |
10 | 10 | "The Case of All But Two" | Unknown | Unknown | February 4, 1952 (1952-02-04) |
11 | 11 | "The Case of the Rain-Check" | Unknown | Unknown | February 18, 1952 (1952-02-18) |
12 | 12 | "The Case of the Powder Keg" | Unknown | Unknown | March 3, 1952 (1952-03-03) |
13 | 13 | "The Case of the Golden Square" | Unknown | Unknown | March 17, 1952 (1952-03-17) |
14 | 14 | "The Case of the Beetle" | Unknown | Unknown | March 31, 1952 (1952-03-31) |
15 | 15 | "The Case of the Grand Old Man" | Unknown | Unknown | April 14, 1952 (1952-04-14) |
16 | 16 | "The Case of the Bag-Man" | Unknown | Unknown | April 28, 1952 (1952-04-28) |
17 | 17 | "The Case of the Promise" | Unknown | Unknown | May 12, 1952 (1952-05-12) |
18 | 18 | "The Case of the Junk Man" | Unknown | Robert J. Shaw | May 26, 1952 (1952-05-26) |
19 | 19 | "The Case of the Empty House" | Unknown | Robert J. Shaw | June 9, 1952 (1952-06-09) |
20 | 20 | "The Case of the High Note" | Unknown | Unknown | June 23, 1952 (1952-06-23) |
In 1954, the show was revived in syndication by Ziv Television Programs, which had also handled the 1952–1953 radio syndication. David Brian reprised his role from that series but the D. A. was named Paul Garrett. Jackie Loughery played Miss Miller.[8]
No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1 | "Fire Insurance" | Herbert L. Strock | Teleplay by : Richard G. Taylor | 1954 (1954) |
2 | 2 | "Hit and Run" | Leon Benson | Teleplay by : Stuart Jerome | 1954 (1954) |
3 | 3 | "Numbers" | Leon Benson | Teleplay by : Ellis Marcus | 1954 (1954) |
4 | 4 | "Wife Killer" | TBD | Teleplay by : Gene Roddenberry | 1954 (1954) |
5 | 5 | "The Art Forger" | TBD | Teleplay by : Ellis Marcus | 1954 (1954) |
6 | 6 | "Bad Cop" | TBD | TBD | 1954 (1954) |
7 | 7 | "Blow-Up" | TBD | TBD | 1954 (1954) |
8 | 8 | "College Story" | TBD | Teleplay by : Frank Moss and Lee Berg | 1954 (1954) |
9 | 9 | "Court Escape" | TBD | Teleplay by : Gene Roddenberry | 1954 (1954) |
10 | 10 | "Court Room" | TBD | TBD | 1954 (1954) |
11 | 11 | "D.A. Killer" | TBD | TBD | 1954 (1954) |
12 | 12 | "Gambling" | TBD | Teleplay by : Gene Roddenberry | 1954 (1954) |
13 | 13 | "Hi-Jack" | TBD | TBD | 1954 (1954) |
14 | 14 | "Juvenile Gang" | TBD | TBD | 1954 (1954) |
15 | 15 | "Narcotics" | TBD | TBD | 1954 (1954) |
16 | 16 | "No Parole" | TBD | TBD | 1954 (1954) |
17 | 17 | "Planned Murder" | TBD | TBD | 1954 (1954) |
18 | 18 | "Police Academy" | TBD | Teleplay by : Gene Roddenberry | 1954 (1954) |
19 | 19 | "Pollution" | TBD | Teleplay by : Jack Rock | 1954 (1954) |
20 | 20 | "Protection" | TBD | TBD | 1954 (1954) |
21 | 21 | "Reconciliation" | TBD | TBD | 1954 (1954) |
22 | 22 | "Rehearsed Robbery" | TBD | Teleplay by : Hendrik Vollaerts | 1954 (1954) |
23 | 23 | "Roy Ruby" | TBD | TBD | 1954 (1954) |
24 | 24 | "Safe Cracking" | TBD | TBD | 1954 (1954) |
25 | 25 | "State Politician" | TBD | TBD | 1954 (1954) |
26 | 26 | "The Jewel Racket" | TBD | TBD | 1954 (1954) |
27 | 27 | TBA | TBD | TBD | 1954 (1954) |
28 | 28 | TBA | TBD | TBD | 1954 (1954) |
29 | 29 | TBA | TBD | TBD | 1954 (1954) |
30 | 30 | TBA | TBD | TBD | 1954 (1954) |
31 | 31 | TBA | TBD | TBD | 1954 (1954) |
No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
32 | 1 | "Man on the Edge" | Lambert Hillyer | Teleplay by : Ellis Marcus | 1955 (1955) |
33 | 2 | "Auto Racket" | TBD | TBD | 1955 (1955) |
34 | 3 | "The Kid" | TBD | TBD | 1955 (1955) |
35 | 4 | "Animal Poisoner" | TBD | TBD | 1955 (1955) |
36 | 5 | "Cameraman" | TBD | TBD | 1955 (1955) |
37 | 6 | "Cave-In" | TBD | TBD | 1955 (1955) |
38 | 7 | "Courtroom#2" | TBD | TBD | 1955 (1955) |
39 | 8 | "Courtroom#3" | TBD | TBD | 1955 (1955) |
40 | 9 | "Crime School" | TBD | TBD | 1955 (1955) |
41 | 10 | "Executer" | TBD | TBD | 1955 (1955) |
42 | 11 | "Hidden Witness" | TBD | TBD | 1955 (1955) |
43 | 12 | "Kidnaped" | TBD | TBD | 1955 (1955) |
44 | 13 | "Legit Business" | TBD | TBD | 1955 (1955) |
45 | 14 | "Lost Case" | TBD | TBD | 1955 (1955) |
46 | 15 | "Mob Rule" | TBD | TBD | 1955 (1955) |
47 | 16 | "Patrol Boat" | TBD | Teleplay by : Gene Roddenberry | 1955 (1955) |
48 | 17 | "Police Brutality" | TBD | Teleplay by : Gene Roddenberry | 1955 (1955) |
49 | 18 | "Posed Pictures" | TBD | Teleplay by : Kalman Phillips | 1955 (1955) |
50 | 19 | "Prisoners At Home" | TBD | TBD | 1955 (1955) |
51 | 20 | "Professional Killer" | TBD | Teleplay by : Jack Rock | 1955 (1955) |
52 | 21 | "Re-Model" | TBD | TBD | 1955 (1955) |
53 | 22 | "The Search" | TBD | TBD | 1955 (1955) |
54 | 23 | "Usary" | TBD | TBD | 1955 (1955) |
55 | 24 | TBA | TBD | TBD | 1955 (1955) |
56 | 25 | TBA | TBD | TBD | 1955 (1955) |
57 | 26 | TBA | TBD | TBD | 1955 (1955) |
DC Comics published a Mr. District Attorney comic-book series that ran for 67 issues (January–February 1948 to January–February 1959).[9][10] In 1941, the Whitman Publishing Company published a Big Little Book, Mr. District Attorney on the Job,[11] that included a flip book.[12]