The Stars On TV: The Jimmy Stewart Show/ Hawkins

Television has made many stars out of actors. Many of them went on to be become movie stars like Michael Douglas, Tom Hanks, Goldie Hawn, etc. Some actors who were already movie stars have tried their hand at becoming TV stars. For some reason that doesn’t turn out as well as you would think. Perhaps it is because the actor is so well known from his or her movies that they are bigger then the role on the show. In other words the audience can’t believe them in the part.
My all time favorite actor is Jimmy Stewart. He has made at least two attempts at a television series. His first attempt was the well named Jimmy Stewart Show. It aired Sunday nights on NBC at 8:30pm from September 19, 1971 to August 27, 1972. This show should have been a big hit for Jimmy but wasn’t since it only lasted one season. Jimmy played Professor James Howard a teacher at a small town college. Most of the comedy in this sit-com revolved around his home life. At home the Professor’s married son Peter moved back in bringing his wife and 8 year old son Teddy with him. To make things more confusing the Professor and his wife had another son named Jake who was also 8 years old. Teddy was a little embarrassed when he had to tell people that Jake was his Uncle. Another fine actor on the show was character actor John McGiver who played Dr. Luther Quince. He was the Professors boss and best friend. While never a big movie star the movies were also kinder to Mr. McGiver. Almost any TV show he co-stared in got canceled. As I said before the show should have been a big hit for Mr. Stewart. He gained fame by playing the small town man fighting the good fight. This was the type of character that he played on his TV show. I guess that he had just grown too big for the role.
A little over a year later on October 2, 1973 he tried again when he starred in Hawkins on CBS on Tuesday nights at 9:30pm to 11pm. It was a legal drama which he played Billy Jim Hawkins a lawyer in rural West Virginia. Much like Matlock years later Hawkins fame as a lawyer preceded him and many wealthy clients came to West Virginia to ask his help. His slow taking and country ways made him sound dumb to big city attorneys and police officials. He used this to his advantage to disguise the sharp investigative mind that he had. His cousin R. J. Hawkins, played by Strother Martin, traveled with him and helped him investigate and solve the crime.
This show was part of CBS's attempt to start a revolving wheel of crime series. One week it was Hawkins, then Shaft and the next week it was the Tuesday movie of the week. It was actually a fun series to watch. However, it seemed that only NBC with McCloud, Columbo and McMillan and Wife could get a revolving crime wheel going. The other networks could never seem to get one going. Shaft was pretty good too. Perhaps if they had been on each week both series would have lasted longer. As it was this series ended on September 3, 1974. Since Mr. Stewart is no longer with us I hope that they release both series on DVD real soon.