Mr. District Attorney
 The cast in 1947. From left: Len Doyle (Harrington), Jay Jostyn (the District Attorney), and Vicki Vola (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 |
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.
History[edit]
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]
In December 1949, Mr. District Attorney returned to live broadcasts after 13 weeks of using tape-recorded transcriptions.[4]
The program was sponsored by Bristol-Myers.[5]
Cast and characters[edit]
- Mr. District Attorney – the nameless title role was played by several actors throughout the series:
- Dwight Weist (1939 serials)
- Raymond Edward Johnson (1939 half-hour shows)[6]
- Jay Jostyn (1940 through 1952; Jostyn also guest-starred in the role in mystery sketches for the game show Quick as a Flash)
- Tony Randall served as a replacement for Jostyn during the 1940s, because, in his words, he performed "a good Jay Jostyn impression".[7]
- David Brian (1952–1953 syndication)
- Voice of the Law – the show's signature was the opening announcer known as the Voice of the Law, who defined the creed and duties of Mr. District Attorney. The role was played by Maurice Franklin and also Jay Jostyn prior to taking the lead role.
- Edith Miller – the district attorney's faithful secretary, played throughout the series run by Vicki Vola.
- Miss Rand – the D.A.'s receptionist was played by Eleanor Silver and Arlene Francis.[1]
- Len Harrington – the D.A.'s chief investigator, a former cop, was played by Walter Kinsella, who had been heard in various police roles during the early years, and by Len Doyle from 1940 onward.
- Other supporting players and guests on the series included such noted actors as Paul Stewart and Frank Lovejoy.
- Harry Salter conducted the music.[8]
Film[edit]
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 titled Mr. District Attorney was released by Columbia Pictures in 1947. O'Keefe returned as the lead, now named Steve Bennett.
Television[edit]
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.
Season 1 (1951–52)[edit]
| 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 |
| 2 | 2 | "The Case of the Bindle Boy" | Unknown | Unknown | October 15, 1951 |
| 3 | 3 | "The Case of the Cop-Killer" | Unknown | Robert J. Shaw | October 29, 1951 |
| 4 | 4 | "The Case of the Bird Brain" | Unknown | Unknown | November 12, 1951 |
| 5 | 5 | "The Case of the Dangerous Clown" | Unknown | Unknown | November 26, 1951 |
| 6 | 6 | "The Case of the Silent Victim" | Unknown | Unknown | December 10, 1951 |
| 7 | 7 | "The Case of the Crooked Finger" | Unknown | Unknown | December 24, 1951 |
| 8 | 8 | "The Case of the Big Day" | Unknown | Unknown | January 7, 1952 |
| 9 | 9 | "The Case of the Three Ravens" | Edward Byron | Unknown | January 21, 1952 |
| 10 | 10 | "The Case of All But Two" | Unknown | Unknown | February 4, 1952 |
| 11 | 11 | "The Case of the Rain-Check" | Unknown | Unknown | February 18, 1952 |
| 12 | 12 | "The Case of the Powder Keg" | Unknown | Unknown | March 3, 1952 |
| 13 | 13 | "The Case of the Golden Square" | Unknown | Unknown | March 17, 1952 |
| 14 | 14 | "The Case of the Beetle" | Unknown | Unknown | March 31, 1952 |
| 15 | 15 | "The Case of the Grand Old Man" | Unknown | Unknown | April 14, 1952 |
| 16 | 16 | "The Case of the Bag-Man" | Unknown | Unknown | April 28, 1952 |
| 17 | 17 | "The Case of the Promise" | Unknown | Unknown | May 12, 1952 |
| 18 | 18 | "The Case of the Junk Man" | Unknown | Robert J. Shaw | May 26, 1952 |
| 19 | 19 | "The Case of the Empty House" | Unknown | Robert J. Shaw | June 9, 1952 |
| 20 | 20 | "The Case of the High Note" | Unknown | Unknown | June 23, 1952 |
1954 revival[edit]
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.[9] Ziv sold the program to Radio Diffusion Francaise for broadcast in Europe with a subsidiary, Ziv International of France, overseeing dubbing into French.[10][11]
Season 1 (1954)[edit]
| 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 |
| 2 | 2 | "Hit and Run" | Leon Benson | Teleplay by : Stuart Jerome | 1954 |
| 3 | 3 | "Numbers" | Leon Benson | Teleplay by : Ellis Marcus | 1954 |
| 4 | 4 | "Wife Killer" | Henry Kesler | Teleplay by : Gene Roddenberry | 1954 |
| 5 | 5 | "The Art Forger" | Henry Kesler | Teleplay by : John Larkin | 1954 |
| 6 | 6 | "Bad Cop" | Greg Garrison | Teleplay by : R.G. Taylor | 1954 |
| 7 | 7 | "Blow-Up" | Leon Benson | Teleplay by : Rik Vollaerts | 1954 |
| 8 | 8 | "College Story" | Henry Kesler | Teleplay by : Frank Moss and Lee Berg | 1954 |
| 9 | 9 | "Court Escape" | Henry Kesler | Teleplay by : Gene Roddenberry | 1954 |
| 10 | 10 | "Court Room" | Leigh Jason | Teleplay by : Arthur Orloff & R.G. Taylor | 1954 |
| 11 | 11 | "D.A. Killer" | Herbert Strock | Teleplay by : Rik Vollaerts | 1954 |
| 12 | 12 | "Gambling (aka Defense Plant Gambling)" | Leigh Jason | Teleplay by : Gene Roddenberry | 1954 |
| 13 | 13 | "Hi-Jack" | Tim Whelan | Teleplay by : Robert Libott, Stuart Jerome, & Donn Mullally | 1954 |
| 14 | 14 | "Juvenile Gang" | Leigh Jason | Teleplay by : Ellis Marcus | 1954 |
| 15 | 15 | "Narcotics" | Herbert Strock | Teleplay by : Ellis Marcus | 1954 |
| 16 | 16 | "No Parole" | Leon Benson | Teleplay by : Donn Mullally | 1954 |
| 17 | 17 | "Planned Murder" | Leon Benson | Teleplay by : Don Martin & Donn Mullally | 1954 |
| 18 | 18 | "Police Academy" | Eddie Davis | Teleplay by : Gene Roddenberry | 1954 |
| 19 | 19 | "Pollution" | Henry Kesler | Teleplay by : Jack Rock | 1954 |
| 20 | 20 | "Protection Racket" | Eddie Davis | Teleplay by : Rik Vollaerts | 1954 |
| 21 | 21 | "Reconciliation" | Leon Benson | Teleplay by : Jack Rock | 1954 |
| 22 | 22 | "Rehearsed Robbery" | Lewis Allen | Teleplay by : Hendrik Vollaerts | 1954 |
| 23 | 23 | "Roy Ruby" | Leon Benson | Teleplay by : Ellis Marcus | 1954 |
| 24 | 24 | "Safe Cracking" | Leon Benson | Teleplay by : Ellis Marcus | 1954 |
| 25 | 25 | "State Politician" | Leigh Jason | Teleplay by : Rik Vollaerts | 1954 |
| 26 | 26 | "Department Store" | Leigh Jason | Teleplay by : David Dortort | 1954 |
| 27 | 27 | TBA | TBD | TBD | 1954 |
| 28 | 28 | TBA | TBD | TBD | 1954 |
| 29 | 29 | TBA | TBD | TBD | 1954 |
| 30 | 30 | TBA | TBD | TBD | 1954 |
| 31 | 31 | TBA | TBD | TBD | 1954 |
Season 2 (1955)[edit]
| No. overall |
No. in season |
Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 32 | 1 | "Man on the Ledge" | Lambert Hillyer | Teleplay by : Ellis Marcus | 1955 |
| 33 | 2 | "Auto Racket" | Leon Benson | Teleplay by : Gene Levitt | 1955 |
| 34 | 3 | "The Kid" | Leon Benson | Teleplay by : Rik Vollaerts | 1955 |
| 35 | 4 | "Animal Poisoner" | Lambert Hillyer | Teleplay by : Don Mullally | 1955 |
| 36 | 5 | "Cameraman" | Herbert Strock | Teleplay by : R.G. Taylor | 1955 |
| 37 | 6 | "Cave-In" | Herbert Strock | Teleplay by : Rik Vollaerts | 1955 |
| 38 | 7 | "Courtroom#2" | Leon Benson | Teleplay by : Ellis Marcus | 1955 |
| 39 | 8 | "Courtroom#3" | Henry Kesler | Teleplay by : Don Mullally | 1955 |
| 40 | 9 | "Crime School" | Herbert Strock | Teleplay by : Don Mullally | 1955 |
| 41 | 10 | "Executer" | Herbert Strock | Teleplay by : Jack Rock | 1955 |
| 42 | 11 | "Hidden Witness" | Herbert Strock | Teleplay by : Lee Berg | 1955 |
| 43 | 12 | "Kidnaped" | Leon Benson | Teleplay by : Don Mullally | 1955 |
| 44 | 13 | "Legit Business" | Henry Kesler | Teleplay by : Jack Rock | 1955 |
| 45 | 14 | "Lost Case" | Henry Kesler | Teleplay by : Rik Vollaerts | 1955 |
| 46 | 15 | "Mob Rule" | Herbert Strock | Teleplay by : Arthur Weiss | 1955 |
| 47 | 16 | "Patrol Boat" | Herbert Strock | Teleplay by : Gene Roddenberry | 1955 |
| 48 | 17 | "Police Brutality" | Leon Benson | Teleplay by : Gene Roddenberry | 1955 |
| 49 | 18 | "Posed Pictures" | Henry Kesler | Teleplay by : Kalman Phillips | 1955 |
| 50 | 19 | "Prisoners At Home" | Herbert Strock | Teleplay by : Kalman Phillips | 1955 |
| 51 | 20 | "Professional Killer" | Henry Kesler | Teleplay by : Jack Rock | 1955 |
| 52 | 21 | "Re-Model" | Herbert Strock | Teleplay by : Ellis Marcus | 1955 |
| 53 | 22 | "The Search" | Jack Herzberg | Teleplay by : Gene Levitt | 1955 |
| 54 | 23 | "Usury" | Lambert Hillyer | Teleplay by : Hugh King | 1955 |
| 55 | 24 | TBA | TBD | TBD | 1955 |
| 56 | 25 | TBA | TBD | TBD | 1955 |
| 57 | 26 | TBA | TBD | TBD | 1955 |
Comic books[edit]
DC Comics published a Mr. District Attorney comic-book series that ran for 67 issues (January–February 1948 to January–February 1959).[12][13] In 1941, the Whitman Publishing Company published a Big Little Book, Mr. District Attorney on the Job,[14] that included a flip book.[15]
References[edit]
- ^ a b Terrace, Vincent (1999). Radio Programs, 1924–1984: A Catalog of More Than 1800 Shows. McFarland & Company, Inc. ISBN 978-0-7864-4513-4. p. 233.
- ^ a b Dunning, John (1998). On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio. Oxford, United Kingdom: Oxford University Press. pp. 464–65. ISBN 978-0195076783.
- ^ "Bob Hope Replaced". The Circleville Herald. Circleville, Ohio. The Circleville Herald. June 19, 1939. p. 3. Retrieved July 13, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Adams, Magee (December 21, 1949). "Mr. D. A. Goes Back To Live Broadcasts As Tonic For Cast". The Cincinnati Enquirer. p. 22. Retrieved April 24, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Sies, Luther F. (2014). Encyclopedia of American Radio, 1920–1960, 2nd Edition, Volume 1. McFarland & Company, Inc. ISBN 978-0-7864-5149-4. p. 453.
- ^ "Mr. District Attorney". The Circleville Herald. Circleville, Ohio. The Circleville Herald. July 10, 1939. p. 8. Retrieved December 23, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ 1970 Tony Randall interview for "Those Were the Days", 11:00, speakingofradio.com
- ^ Grunwald, Edgar A., Ed. (1940). Variety Radio Directory 1940–1941. Variety, Inc. p. 316
- ^ McNeil, Alex (1996). Total Television: the Comprehensive Guide to Programming from 1948 to the Present. London: Penguin Books. p. 558. ISBN 978-0140249163.
- ^ "Ziv Sells 'Mr. D. A.' for French Market". Variety. February 16, 1955. p. 28. Retrieved April 5, 2023.
- ^ "Mr. District Attorney" Films: ZIV-TV Productions, United Artists Corporation Records, 1954-1955". www.library.wisc.edu. Retrieved 2023-12-12.
- ^ Mr. District Attorney at the Grand Comics Database
- ^ Widener, Mike (September 17, 2010). "Lawyers in Comics: Mr. District Attorney". Lillian Goldman Law Library. Archived from the original on May 15, 2016.
- ^ "Mr. District Attorney on the Job". BigLittleBooks.com. Retrieved 2018-06-29.
- ^ Ross E. Davies. "The Popular Prosecutor: Mr. District Attorney and the Television Stars of American Law". Retrieved 2018-06-29.
External links[edit]
- 1930s American radio programs
- 1940s American radio programs
- 1950s American radio programs
- 1951 American television series debuts
- 1954 American television series endings
- American legal drama television series
- ABC radio programs
- American Broadcasting Company television dramas
- American radio dramas
- Defunct American comics
- NBC Blue Network radio programs
- NBC radio programs
- Television series based on radio series
- Television series by MGM Television
- Syndicated American radio programs
- Ziv Company radio programs
- Television series about prosecutors