Tightrope!

{{Infobox television

| image = Tightrope Mike Connors 1960.JPG

| caption = Mike Connors with Leigh Snowden (left) and Claire Kelly, 1960

| genre = Crime drama

| creator = Clarence Greene
Russell Rouse

| writer = Frederick Brady
Berne Giler
Clarence Greene
Steven Ritch
Russell Rouse
Al C. Ward

| director = Abner Biberman
Irving J. Moore
Russell Rouse
Oscar Rudolph

| starring = Mike Connors

| theme_music_composer = George Duning

| opentheme = Vic Schoen & Orchestra

| composer =

| country = United States

| language = English

| num_seasons = 1

| num_episodes = 37 (all filmed in black-and-white)

| list_episodes =

| executive_producer =

| producer = Clarence Greene
Russell Rouse

| editor =

| cinematography = Scotty Welbourne

| camera = Single-camera

| runtime = 22–24 minutes

| company = Greene-Rouse Productions
Screen Gems

| channel = CBS

| first_aired = {{Start date|1959|09|08}}

| last_aired = {{End date|1960|09|13}}

}}

Tightrope! is an American crime drama series that aired on CBS from September 1959 to September 1960, under the alternating sponsorship of the J. B. Williams Company (Aqua Velva, Lectric Shave, etc.), and American Tobacco (Pall Mall). Produced by Russell Rouse and Clarence Greene in association with Screen Gems, the series stars Mike Connors as an undercover agent named "Nick" who was assigned to infiltrate criminal gangs. The show was originally to have been titled Undercover Man, but it was changed before going to air.{{cite journal|year=1959|title=Tightrope!|journal=Broadcasting|publisher=Cahners Pub. Co.|volume=56|page=71|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gS8oAAAAMAAJ&q=%22undercover+man%22+mike+connors}} Actor Robert Phillips, a former Los Angeles undercover policeman and US Marine claimed the show was based on his exploits, but that he was not chosen to portray himself.p. 60 Freese, Gene Richard Jaeckel, Hollywood's Man of Character McFarland (2 May 2016)

Synopsis

Mike Connors' character narrated the episode, echoing film noir technique. He starred as an undercover police officer, known only as "Nick" (although some sources revealed that his last name was "Stone", his last name was never shown in the series' ending credits).{{cite book|last1=Terrace|first1=Vincent|title=The Television Crime Fighters Factbook: Over 9,800 Details from 301 Programs, 1937-2003|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Z0unCgAAQBAJ&q=tightrope+mike+connors+nick+stone&pg=PA175|publisher=McFarland & Company|accessdate=25 November 2016|language=en|date=29 October 2003|isbn=9780786415335}} Only his immediate superior on the police force knew he was working undercover. Because the police often did not know that Nick was working for the law, he was often in danger from both the good guys and the bad guys, as he walked the "tightrope" between good and evil. A special gimmick was that in addition to a gun in a shoulder holster, he carried a second gun, a snubnosed revolver, in a holster behind his back; he was often searched by both cops and bad guys, but they stopped searching after finding the first gun.

Episodes

{{Episode table |total_width= |background= |overall= |title= |director= |writer= |airdate= |episodes=

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=1

|Title = Getaway Day

|DirectedBy = Russell Rouse

|WrittenBy = Russell Rouse & Clarence Greene

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1959|9|8}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=2

|Title = The Casino

|DirectedBy = Russell Rouse

|WrittenBy = Russell Rouse & Clarence Greene

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1959|9|15}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=3

|Title = The Frame

|DirectedBy = Abner Biberman

|WrittenBy = {{StoryTeleplay|s= Robert Bloomfield|t= Tony Barrett}}

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1959|9|22}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=4

|Title = Stand on Velvet

|DirectedBy = Abner Biberman

|WrittenBy = Stirling Silliphant

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1959|9|29}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=5

|Title = The Cracking Point

|DirectedBy = Abner Biberman

|WrittenBy = Frederic Brady

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1959|10|6}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=6

|Title = Thousand Dollar Bill

|DirectedBy = Abner Biberman

|WrittenBy = Al C. Ward

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1959|10|13}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=7

|Title = Music and Mink

|DirectedBy = Russell Rouse

|WrittenBy = Russell Rouse & Clarence Greene

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1959|10|20}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=8

|Title = Man in the Middle

|DirectedBy = Abner Biberman

|WrittenBy = Frederic Brady

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1959|11|3}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=9

|Title = The Patsy

|DirectedBy = Abner Biberman

|WrittenBy = Berne Giler

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1959|11|10}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=10

|Title = The Money Fight

|DirectedBy = Abner Biberman

|WrittenBy = Al C. Ward

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1959|11|17}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=11

|Title = Black Tie Kill

|DirectedBy =

|WrittenBy =

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1959|11|24}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=12

|Title = The Perfect Circle

|DirectedBy = Abner Biberman

|WrittenBy = Tony Barrett

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1959|12|1}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=13

|Title = The Lady

|DirectedBy = Abner Biberman

|WrittenBy = Al C. Ward

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1959|12|8}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=14

|Title = Cold Kill

|DirectedBy =

|WrittenBy =

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1959|12|15}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=15

|Title = The Neon Wheel

|DirectedBy = Irving J. Moore

|WrittenBy = Frederic Brady

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1959|12|22}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=16

|Title = Two Private Eyes

|DirectedBy = Don Taylor

|WrittenBy = Frederic Brady

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1959|12|29}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=17

|Title = Night of the Gun

|DirectedBy = Paul Wendkos

|WrittenBy = Frederic Brady

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1960|1|5}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=18

|Title = Broken Rope

|DirectedBy = Irving J. Moore

|WrittenBy = Frederic Brady

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1960|1|12}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=19

|Title = Cold Ice

|DirectedBy = John Rich

|WrittenBy = Tony Barrett

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1960|1|19}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=20

|Title = Appointment in Jericho

|DirectedBy = Abner Biberman

|WrittenBy = Stirling Silliphant

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1960|1|26}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=21

|Title = Three to Make Ready

|DirectedBy = Irving J. Moore

|WrittenBy = Steven Ritch

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1960|2|2}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=22

|Title = The Model and the Mobster

|DirectedBy = Irving J. Moore

|WrittenBy = Frederic Brady

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1960|2|9}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=23

|Title = The Long Odds

|DirectedBy = Oscar Rudolph

|WrittenBy = Frederic Brady

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1960|2|16}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=24

|Title = The Brave Pigeon

|DirectedBy = Irving J. Moore

|WrittenBy = Steven Ritch

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1960|2|23}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=25

|Title = First Time Out

|DirectedBy =

|WrittenBy =

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1960|3|1}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=26

|Title = Park Avenue Story

|DirectedBy =

|WrittenBy =

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1960|3|8}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=27

|Title = Big Business

|DirectedBy = Oscar Rudolph

|WrittenBy = George Bruce

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1960|3|15}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=28

|Title = The Chinese Pendant

|DirectedBy = Irving J. Moore

|WrittenBy = Steven Ritch

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1960|3|29}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=29

|Title = Achilles and His Heels

|DirectedBy = Irving J. Moore

|WrittenBy = Frederic Brady

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1960|4|5}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=30

|Title = The Gangster's Daughter

|DirectedBy = Irving J. Moore

|WrittenBy = Kitty Buhler

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1960|4|12}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=31

|Title = The Penthouse Story

|DirectedBy = Irving J. Moore

|WrittenBy = Sidney Marshall

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1960|4|19}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=32

|Title = The Shark

|DirectedBy = Sidney Miller

|WrittenBy = Berne Giler

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1960|4|26}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=33

|Title = The Horse Runs High

|DirectedBy = Oscar Rudolph

|WrittenBy = Steven Ritch

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1960|5|3}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=34

|Title = The Hired Guns

|DirectedBy = Reginald Le Borg

|WrittenBy = Frederic Brady

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1960|5|10}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=35

|Title = Borderline

|DirectedBy = Irving J. Moore

|WrittenBy = Al C. Ward

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1960|5|17}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=36

|Title = A Matter of Money

|DirectedBy =

|WrittenBy =

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1960|5|24}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=37

|Title = Bullets and Ballet

|DirectedBy = Allen H. Miner

|WrittenBy = Steven Ritch

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1960|5|31}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=

}}

Guest stars

Cancellation

Despite the show's popularity, it was canceled after only one season. Mike Connors stated in an interview that the show's primary sponsor (J. B. Williams) refused the network's request to move it to a later timeslot on a different day. When CBS head James Aubrey stated that the show was indisputably going to move timeslot, the sponsor dropped Tightrope!, and underwrote another program on another network. Connors also did not agree with suggested changes to the show's format, that would have extended its length to one hour and added a sidekick, to be played by Don Sullivan.Interview by Paul & Donna ParlaSULLIVAN’S TRAVELS IN HOLLYWOOD An Interview with ‘B’ Monster Movie Hero Don Sullivan copyright 2008 Paul Parla/Anthony Di Salvo He thought such an alteration would eliminate the suspense element of the program.{{cite book |last=Weaver |first=Tom |date=2003 |chapter=Mike Connors |title=Eye on Science Fiction: 20 Interviews with Classic SF and Horror Filmmakers |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jFkWaFYqzuQC&pg=PA29 |location=Jefferson, North Carolina |publisher=McFarland & Company |pages=29–30 |isbn=0-7864-1657-2}} Yet another factor in the show's eventual cancellation were complaints concerning its alleged excessive violence.{{Citation needed |date=January 2021}}

Seven years later, Connors would go on to star in the successful, long-running CBS crime series Mannix.

Reboot

In April 2024, Roku announced it has greenlit a reboot of the show in the form of a slapstick comedy starring Modern Family's Ty Burrell with Bryan Cranston as Executive Producer.{{Cite web |last=Campione |first=Katie |date=2024-04-30 |title=Ty Burrell To Star In Comedy Reimagining Of 1950s Series ‘Tightrope!’ From EP Bryan Cranston For Roku |url=https://deadline.com/2024/04/ty-burrell-tightrope-comedy-roku-bryan-cranston-1235900017/ |access-date=2024-05-18 |website=Deadline |language=en-US}} This is similar to what ABC and the writers of Airplane! did in 1982 with Police Squad!, a spoof of M Squad.

References

External links

{{IMDb title|id=0052517|title=Tightrope}}
{{epguides|id=Tightrope|title=Tightrope}}

Category:1959 American television series debuts

Category:1960 American television series endings

Category:1950s American crime drama television series

Category:1960s American crime drama television series

Category:Black-and-white American television shows

Category:CBS crime dramas

Category:American English-language television shows

Category:Television series by Sony Pictures Television

Category:Television series by Screen Gems