Harry O (1974-76, ABC)

Harry O was created in the early seventies by the award winning writer/producer Howard Rodman. Rodman once stated that he was originally inspired by a description, in the novel Day of the Locusts by Nathanael West, of a man walking along on a hot day with his jacket slung over his shoulder - the image of the man was to become his private investigator, Harry Orwell.

The first pilot was filmed in 1973 and named Such Dust As Dreams Are Made On, a quote from Shakespeare's The Tempest which is probably best known for being used in the classic detective drama The Maltese Falcon in 1941. The connection to The Maltese Falcon was intentional as this was the kind of private eye that Harry was - a somewhat humorless loner in a film noir-ish world. The part of the lone PI went to David Janssen after Telly Savalas opted to do the pilot movie that eventually led to the series Kojak.

Unfortunately, when Such Dust.. aired the response was not what had been hoped for. The biggest complaint from the test audience was that Harry Orwell was far too sullen - although it was acknowledged that Harry should be tough on the outside, the audience stated that they also wanted him to have compassion and some vulnerability. However, despite the fact that the character hadn't been too likeable the audience was favorable towards David Janssen himself and this was good enough reason for petitioning ABC to commission a new second pilot, which Howard Rodman did with a thirty page outline of his show's strengths and philosophies.

The second pilot was named Smile Jenny, You're Dead and although Harry still seemed self-contained and aloof to those around him the audience were now able to access his sympathies and wit with the addition of a narration provided by Harry. This voice-over was to remain until the end of the show two years later.

Smile Jenny.. was successful enough for Harry O to become a weekly hour-long show and Harry O's differences from the usual cop-show genre - it was gently humorous, shoot-outs and high speed car chases were absent - won it an appreciative audience. The first episode was Gertrude which introduced Harry's police contact Lieutenant Manny Quinlan played by Henry Darrow. Unlike Lieutenant Bosworth in Smile Jenny.., Lieutenant Quinlan was a friend of Harry's. Gertrude was nominated for an Edgar Award as Best Television Episode in 1975.

Although ABC and Warner Bros were pleased with Harry O, it was decided that the audience figures weren't justifying the production costs of filming on location in San Diego and so Harry re-located to Los Angeles part way through the first season. It was also decided that Harry should have a new police associate - a character who would be a friend like Quinlan but who was different enough from Harry to bring some friction and an interesting edge to the partnership. Lieutenant Trench was introduced in For The Love Of Money and was played by Anthony Zerbe who would win an Emmy for the part in 1976. In order to remain on the air, certain other concessions also had to be made, such as the introduction of shoot-outs and high speed car chases. Harry also became more active - the bullet lodged in his back which had given him so much grief in the first season was mentioned perhaps once in the second season - and his narrations became less whimsical and more plot-descriptive.

At the end of the second season Harry O was axed but went into syndication in 1982 and continues to be shown internationally.

Howard Rodman (1920-1985) is the father of writers Adam Rodman and Howard A. Rodman. Sometimes credited as Henri Simoun, his credits include Charley Varrick (1973), The Six-Million Dollar Man (1973), Coogan's Bluff (1968), Madigan (1968) and episodes of The Man From Uncle (1964), Route 66 (1960) and Thriller (1960).