Cannon

In 1971 Quinn Martin sold a TV series to a network other then ABC. On September 14, 1971 Cannon premiered on CBS TV. William Conrad starred as private detective Frank Cannon. William Conrad had previously starred on the radio series as Matt Dillon in Gunsmoke. When the series went to TV the producers didn’t take Mr. Conrad as he didn’t look like the Hollywood version of a western Marshal. Mr. Martin took advantage of Mr. Conrad’s commanding voice by using him as narrator on many of his series. Finally he was given his own show. It was a hit and ran till September 19, 1976.
Frank Cannon was a detective who charged high prices to his wealthy clients so he could take on clients for free who didn’t have the money to hire him. He also liked to indulge himself in big cars and food. So his wallet usually commanded what cases he took. He looked intimidating enough that he rarely had to fire a shot or chase a crook. If he did the chase was usually by car as the portly detective was in no condition to run.
After the series left the air Mr. Conrad proved that audiences still loved to watch him as he starred in two more detective series they were Nero Wolfe and Jake and the Fat Man. Now I know that Mr. Conrad is fat but I can help but wonder if he was offended by the title of the last series. I know I would have been. Jake and the Fat Man even did something that Cannon didn’t. It had a spin off with Diagnosis Murder. Dr. Sloane, played by Dick Van Dyke, often played his Dr. on Jake and the Fat Man and helped solve some of the cases.
I once heard someone say the reason why Cannon was not syndicated was because the country was more aware of their health and of the price of gas. No one would believe today that a detective would drive a big gas guzzler and eat fast food all the time.