Johnny Midnight (TV series)

Johnny Midnight is an American crime drama that aired for one season in syndication[1] from January 3, 1960 to September 21, 1960. The series stars Edmond O'Brien as the title character.

Johnny Midnight
GenreCrime drama
Created byLiam O'Brien
Directed byRobert Stevens
John English
David Orrick McDearmon
StarringEdmond O'Brien
Arthur Batanides
Barney Phillips
Yuki Shimoda
Narrated byEdmond O'Brien
Opening theme"Lullaby of Broadway" performed by Joe Bushkin
ComposersGerald Fried
Joe Bushkin
Richard Shores
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes39
Production
ProducerJack Chertok
CinematographyEllsworth Fredricks
Bud Thackery
Irving Lippman
John F. Warren
Ray Cory
Benjamin H. Kline
Neal Beckner
EditorSam E. Waxman
Camera setupSingle-camera
Running time22–24 minutes
Production companyMidnight Productions
DistributorMCA Television
Release
Original networkSyndication
Picture formatBlack-and-white
Audio formatMonaural
Original releaseJanuary 3 (1960-01-03) –
September 21, 1960 (1960-09-21)

Synopsis

O'Brien portrayed Johnny Midnight, a New York City actor turned private detective. Midnight's cases frequently focused upon Times Square and Broadway, where he had triumphed earlier on stage. Midnight lives in a Manhattan penthouse at Broadway and West 41st Street and owns The Midnight Theater. He often eats at Lindy's Bar, which enables him to maintain contact with his friends from show business. In addition to taking on individual clients, he often investigates cases for the Mutual Insurance Company. His acting experience sometimes helps when he uses a disguise during an investigation.[2]

O'Brien said that he took the role after turning down other offers to star in TV series because the show "had a concept and setting totally different from anything in the mystery-adventure field. It was a story about the real drama of life as contrasted with Broadway play life."[3] He narrated the crime drama in the terse style associated with Humphrey Bogart or Walter Winchell. The theme song of the series is "Lullaby of Broadway",[4] performed by Joe Bushkin.[5]

The supporting cast included Arthur Batanides as Sergeant Lupo Olvera, Barney Phillips as Lieutenant Sam Geller, and Yuki Shimoda as Uki, Midnight's wise-cracking Japanese manservant.[6]

Other guest roles were filled by Parley Baer, Whitney Blake, Walter Burke, Russ Conway, Billy De Wolfe, Joe Flynn, Connie Hines, DeForest Kelley, Viveca Lindfors, Doug McClure, Ann McCrea, Tyler McVey, Jay Novello, J. Pat O'Malley, Jacqueline Scott, Robert F. Simon, and William Schallert, Lurene Tuttle, and Adam West.

Production notes

Jack Chertok produced the program, prior to his association with the sitcom My Favorite Martian.[6] O'Brien's brother, Liam, originated the premise for the program.[7]

References
  1. Erickson, Hal (1989). Syndicated Television: The First Forty Years, 1947-1987'. McFarland & Company, Inc. pp. 109–110. ISBN 0-7864-1198-8.
  2. Terrace, Vincent. Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 through 2010, 2d ed. McFarland. p. 541. ISBN 978-0-7864-8641-0. Retrieved January 19, 2021.
  3. Olps, Marie (February 20, 1960). "Edmond O'Brien Star of 'Johnny Midnight'". The Daily American. Pennsylvania, Somerset. p. 13. Retrieved January 19, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. "Johnny Midnight". ThrillingDetective.com. Retrieved April 9, 2009.
  5. Terrace, Vincent. The Television Crime Fighters Factbook: Over 9,800 Details from 301 Programs, 1937-2003. McFarland. p. 82. ISBN 978-1-4766-1143-3. Retrieved January 19, 2021.
  6. McNeil, Alex (1996). Total Television (4th ed.). New York, New York: Penguin Books USA, Inc. p. 438. ISBN 0-14-02-4916-8.
  7. Sculthorpe, Derek. Edmond O'Brien: Everyman of Film Noir. McFarland. p. 140. ISBN 978-1-4766-3379-4. Retrieved January 19, 2021.


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