Series synopsis
The Defenders is an American drama television series that premiered on CBS on September 16, 1961. It ended on May 13, 1965. It was created by Reginald Rose. It stars E.G. Marshall, Robert Reed, Loring Smith and Barnard Hughes.
The Defenders is an American courtroom drama series . It starred E. G. Marshall and Robert Reed as father-and-son defense attorneys who specialized in legally complex cases, with defendants such as neo-Nazis, conscientious objectors, civil rights demonstrators, a schoolteacher fired for being an atheist, an author accused of pornography, and a physician charged in a mercy killing.
Premise
The Defenders is an American courtroom drama series . It starred E. G. Marshall and Robert Reed as father-and-son defense attorneys who specialized in legally complex cases, with defendants such as neo-Nazis, conscientious objectors, civil rights demonstrators, a schoolteacher fired for being an atheist, an author accused of pornography, and a physician charged in a mercy killing.
Cast and characters
Leading cast
- E.G. Marshall as Lawrence Preston
- Robert Reed as Kenneth Preston
- Loring Smith as Commissioner Frank Conn
- Barnard Hughes as Lester Swann
- Leslie Nielsen as Bob Garrison
- Jack Klugman as Joe Larch
- Robert Gerringer as D.A. Louis Fontana
- Gene Hackman as Stanley McGuirk
Supporting cast
- Michael Higgins as Dr. Fowler
- Conrad Bain as District Attorney Monahan
- Jean Stapleton as Mrs. Larsen
- Peter von Zerneck as Dr. Gerhardt
- Charlotte Rae as Mrs. Abeles
- Ricardo Montalban as 'Spanish John' Espejo
- Richard Bright as Phil Macy
- Ward Costello as Tom Aufderheidie
- Barbara Harris as Margit Wolsung
- John Alexander as Judd Forrest
- Geraldine Brooks as Laura Potter
- Ken Kercheval as Jack Wilks
Guest cast
- Loring Smith as Commissioner Frank Conn
- Barnard Hughes as Lester Swann
- Leslie Nielsen as Bob Garrison
- Jack Klugman as Joe Larch
- Robert Gerringer as D.A. Louis Fontana
- Gene Hackman as Stanley McGuirk
- Michael Higgins as Dr. Fowler
- Conrad Bain as District Attorney Monahan
- Jean Stapleton as Mrs. Larsen
- Peter von Zerneck as Dr. Gerhardt
- Charlotte Rae as Mrs. Abeles
- Ricardo Montalban as 'Spanish John' Espejo
Episodes
This series spans 4 seasons with 132 episodes.
| Season | Episodes | First aired | Last aired |
|---|---|---|---|
| Season 1 | 32 | September 16, 1961 | May 26, 1962 |
| Season 2 | 34 | September 15, 1962 | May 25, 1963 |
| Season 3 | 36 | September 28, 1963 | June 27, 1964 |
| Season 4 | 30 | September 24, 1964 | May 13, 1965 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Quality of Mercy Dr. Bill Conrad's patient, Leona Warner, delivers a baby with Down Syndrome. |
September 16, 1961 |
| 2 |
Killer Instinct When mild-mannered Jim McLeery kills an abusive stranger, it seems a clear-cut case of self-defense. But the prosecution reveals that, in his army days, McCleery was trained to kill. |
September 23, 1961 |
| 3 | Death Across the Counter | September 30, 1961 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
The Voices of Death Martha Harrow, a young wife and mother, is convicted of first-degree murder. The victim: her husband, an alcoholic and wife beater. |
September 15, 1962 |
| 2 | Blood Country | September 22, 1962 |
| 3 | The Indelible Silence | September 29, 1962 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Weeping Baboon | September 28, 1963 |
| 2 | The Empty Heart | October 5, 1963 |
| 3 | The Captive | October 12, 1963 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Seven Hundred-Year Old Gang (1) | September 24, 1964 |
| 2 | The Seven Hundred-Year Old Gang (2) | October 1, 1964 |
| 3 | Hero of the People | October 8, 1964 |
Production
Release
| Original network/platform | CBS |
|---|---|
| First aired | September 16, 1961 |
| Last aired | May 13, 1965 |
| Runtime | 60 minutes |
| Status | ended |
| Schedule | Thursday at 20:30:00 |