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Posted: |
Oct 19, 2024 - 5:53 AM
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By: |
Rollin Hand
(Member)
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I am currently watching the last series supervised by Bruce Geller as executive producer after MISSION and MANNIX:
BRONK (1975-1976), a cop series about subdued police detective Alex Bronkov played by Jack Palance.
A must watch. Lalo Schifrin is involved once again as well as some MISSION/MANNIX crew.
The start of the main titles is a nod to Bruce Geller's previous movie HARRY IN YOUR POCKET (1973).
Created by Carroll O'Connor?!?
Just watched "Line of Fire", the episode in which Mark Hamill appears. The show has loads of mid-'70s atmosphere!
Lots of location filming, and Bronk's "comfy" pullover sweaters are one of his defining characteristics! I'd always known about this show, but it never aired in reruns that I could see. I need to delve into Bronk's shitty world, ASAP!
I just finished off disc 6 and the last episode is a must watch:
“The Vigilante”
directed by the great Sutton Roley who previously worked on MISSION/MANNIX
guest starring Vic Morrow and Cameron Mitchell
It was an intended pilot for a new detective series starring Vic Morrow as private eye Frank Carey.
PS: It is indeed created by actor Carroll O'Connor.
From the IMDb public review
Great story, but very little "Bronk" and a lot of Vic Morrow
"Bronk" (actor Jack Palance) makes only a brief appearance in this final show of the series. CBS was planning to cancel "Bronk"; they used this final episode as a Pilot for a new detective show starring Vic Morrow.
"Frank Carey", the PI who is out to track down the Vigilante, dominates the story. Actor Vic Morrow had been immortalized as "Sergeant Saunders" in the long-running television show "Combat", which aired from 1962-1967. He would have been a great choice for a Private Investigator-themed television series. But for whatever reason, this Pilot was never picked up. "The Vigilante" is the one and only appearance of Private Investigator Frank Carey.
This is a particularly good and suspenseful story about a madman who seeks vengeance on murderers who have had their court cases dismissed on technicalities. He is quite gruesome and dramatic in being "The Sword" to carry out the justice that the Courts failed to dispense.
Investigator Frank Carey sets himself up as bait, to flush out the vigilante. Vic Morrow is at the top of his game here. Actor Cameron Mitchell is very convincing in his part as the Vigilante. Put together, they make for a very suspenseful and entertaining story.
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Posted: |
Oct 25, 2024 - 2:11 AM
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By: |
Rollin Hand
(Member)
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Speaking again of Bronk, I advise you to watch all episodes directed by Bruce Geller's pool of top film-makers returning from both Mission: Impossible and Mannix, I mean: Reza Badiyi, Stuart Hagmann, Paul Krasny, the great Sutton Roley. There is even a nod to a top Mannix episode “A Ticket to the Eclipse” throughout “Next of Kin” (directed by Sutton Roley and guest starring Denny Miller and Brenda Scott).
Does BRONK have a "gimmick" like so many other 1970s detectives? (Cannon was fat, Barnaby Jones was old, Longstreet couldn't see shit, etc.) The opening credits attempt to make the tough-as-hell Palance look "in touch" with his feelings because he wears comfy sweaters. Are there any character-defining traits in episode subplots that might showcase my crazy theory?
Widower Lt. Alex Bronkov alias Bronk alias Bronko drives a crummy 1959 Cadillac, smokes a pipe and plays harmonica at home and has a wheelchair-bound daughter. Bronk is a cerebral police detective and is haunted by the death of his wife—killed by a hitman.
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Posted: |
Oct 26, 2024 - 5:26 AM
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By: |
Rollin Hand
(Member)
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Speaking again of Bronk, I advise you to watch all episodes directed by Bruce Geller's pool of top film-makers returning from both Mission: Impossible and Mannix, I mean: Reza Badiyi, Stuart Hagmann, Paul Krasny, the great Sutton Roley. There is even a nod to a top Mannix episode “A Ticket to the Eclipse” throughout “Next of Kin” (directed by Sutton Roley and guest starring Denny Miller and Brenda Scott).
Does BRONK have a "gimmick" like so many other 1970s detectives? (Cannon was fat, Barnaby Jones was old, Longstreet couldn't see shit, etc.) The opening credits attempt to make the tough-as-hell Palance look "in touch" with his feelings because he wears comfy sweaters. Are there any character-defining traits in episode subplots that might showcase my crazy theory?
Widower Lt. Alex Bronkov alias Bronk alias Bronko drives a crummy 1959 Cadillac, smokes a pipe and plays harmonica at home and has a wheelchair-bound daughter. Bronk is a cerebral police detective and is haunted by the death of his wife—killed by a hitman.
Oh, one more thing… Bronk has a shy white cat.
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The 1959 Cadillac was considered the peak of American automobile extravagance. No wonder Bronk hung on to it all those years.
In the pilot, Bronk drives a worn out 1954 white Cadillac. Then they switch to a blue 1959 one.
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Music-wise and Schifrin-wise, try this combination:
"A Ticket to the Eclipse" *+"The Killer" **+Dirty Harry
Same basic soundscape.
* from Mannix, 1970.
** from Mission: Impossible, 1970.
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Is this thread about Doris Mannix, the owner of the 3-headed Chihuahua in Milwaukee, Wisconsin? 
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