Johnny Staccato

Johnny Staccato is an American private detective television series starring John Cassavetes which ran for 27 episodes on NBC from September 10, 1959 through March 24, 1960.

Johnny Staccato
John Cassavetes as Johnny Staccato with guest star and real-life spouse, Gena Rowlands, 1959.
Also known asStaccato
GenreCrime drama
StarringJohn Cassavetes
Eduardo Ciannelli
ComposerElmer Bernstein
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes27
Production
Executive producerWilliam Frye
ProducerEverett Chambers
CinematographyLionel Lindon A.S.C.
Ray Cory
William A. Sickner
John F. Warren A.S.C.
Bud Thackery
John L. Russell
EditorsIrving Schoenberg, A.C.E.
Eugene Pendleton
Edward Haire
Running time30 min. (approx)
Production companyRevue Studios
Release
Original networkNBC
Original releaseSeptember 10, 1959 (1959-09-10) –
March 24, 1960 (1960-03-24)

Synopsis

Titular character Johnny Staccato, played by John Cassavetes, is a jazz pianist/private detective. The setting for many episodes is a Greenwich Village jazz club belonging to his friend, Waldo, played by Eduardo Ciannelli. The show featured many musicians, such as Barney Kessel, Shelly Manne, Milt Holland, Red Mitchell, Red Norvo, and Johnny Williams. (Although the show was set in New York City, all of these men were closely identified with the West Coast jazz scene, and it was filmed largely in Los Angeles.) Elmer Bernstein composed both of the main theme tunes used and Stanley Wilson was music supervisor. Cassavetes also directed five episodes.

After its initial airing on NBC, ABC presented reruns of the series from March 27 to September 25, 1960.[1]

On October 12, 2010, the series was released on Region 1 DVD by Timeless Media Group.

Episodes have aired on stations specializing in nostalgia programming, such as GetTV.

Notable guest stars

Episodes
No. Title Directed by Written by Original air date
1"The Naked Truth"Joseph PevneyRichard BergSeptember 10, 1959 (1959-09-10)

Eduardo Ciannelli as Waldo, Chick Chandler as Phil Kovac, Michael Landon as Freddie Tate. cast Stacy Harris as A. J. Templer, Nick Cravat as Lotsie, Ruta Lee as Dee Dee, Robert H. Harris as Senator Bly, Frank Sully as Night Watchman. Uncredited: Monica Lewis [hat check girl] the musicians Pete Candoli .. Trumpet, Barney Kessel .. Guitar, Shelly Manne ... Drums, Red Mitchell .. Bass, Red Norvo .. Vibes, Johnny Williams .. Piano.

Staccato investigates a scandal magazine's blackmail scheme that could end the promising career of a young male vocalist.
2"Murder for Credit"John CassavetesStory by : Laurence Mascott
Teleplay by : Richard Carr and Laurence Mascott		September 17, 1959 (1959-09-17)

with Eduardo Ciannelli. cast Charles McGraw, Martin Landau, Marilyn Clark, Mel Berger, Bobbi Byrnes, Jimmy Joyce. the musicians featuring Pete Candoli, with Red Mitchell, Bob Bain, Johnny Williams, Mel Lewis.

A bandleader making a comeback (Charles McGraw) tells Staccato that he has been marked for death by four men, just before he is killed.
3"The Parents"Robert B. SinclairDouglas TaylorSeptember 24, 1959 (1959-09-24)

with Eduardo Ciannelli. cast Shirley Knight as Shirley, Frank Dana as Jerry, John Hoyt as Ashton, Vic Perrin as The Doctor, Steve Gravers as Curt, Frank London as Shad, Lisa Davis Waltz as Claire. the musicians Nora Evans, Milt Holland, Ronnie Lang.

The setting is a beatnik club, rather than Waldo's, and Eduardo Ciannelli is credited but does not appear. A young married couple is expecting a child and is about to lose it to the black market before Staccato comes to their aid.
4"The Shop of the Four Winds"Boris SagalSidney MichaelsOctober 8, 1959 (1959-10-08)

with Eduardo Ciannelli. cast Nobu McCarthy as Fumiko, Don Gordon as Casper, Fuji as Tikon, Robert Kino as Toshio, Bob Okazaki as Clerk. the musicians Pete Candoli .. Trumpet, Barney Kessel .. Guitar, Shelly Manne .. Drums, Red Mitchell .. Bass, Johnny Williams .. Piano.

Staccato goes searching for a ruthless swindler who has cheated a group of Japanese immigrants seeking citizenship papers.
5"Nature of the Night / The Nature of the Night"Boris SagalStory by : Henry Kane
Teleplay by : Henry Kane and Richard Carr		October 15, 1959 (1959-10-15)

guest star Dean Stockwell. with Eduardo Ciannelli. cast Vladimir Sokoloff as Father Keeley, J. Pat O'Malley as Sgt. Lou Bacus, Janet Lake as Girl, Roy Mallinson as First Policeman, Harry Strang as Second Policeman. the musicians Jack Costanzo, "Mr. Bongo" And His Quartet.

The neighborhood of Waldo's club is terrorized by a young man (Dean Stockwell), whose wife has left him and whose victims all have her blonde hair.
6"Viva, Paco!"James HoganGerald OrsiniOctober 22, 1959 (1959-10-22)

with Eduardo Ciannelli. cast Jimmy Murphy as Paco Vidella, Miriam Colon as Mariana Vidella, Val Avery as Corky Lewis, John Tarangelo as Bobby Baker, Larry Doyle as Benji, Vici Raaf as Cissy Lamar, Flicca McKenna as First Girl. Uncredited: Garry Walberg [police sergeant Sullivan]

Staccato traces a boxer's disappearance, then sets out to find the person who is trying to frame the pugilist in order to prevent him from fighting the champion.
7"Evil"John CassavetesRichard CarrOctober 29, 1959 (1959-10-29)

Alexander Scourby as Brother Max. cast Lloyd Corrigan as Brother Thomas, Elizabeth Patterson as Beatrice, Robert Carricart as Barney, Elisha Cook as Conrad, Charles Thompson as Old Player, Harry Whisner as Bartender, Helen Dietrich as Woman Pianist. Uncredited: Snub Pollard [member of Brother Max's congregation]

Waldo's club and Eduardo Ciannelli do not appear. Staccato must choose between exposing a dishonest preacher (Alexander Scourby) and destroying the faith the preacher has kindled in the small mission.
8"Murder in Hi – Fi"Bernard GirardHal Biller and Austin KalishNovember 5, 1959 (1959-11-05)

with Eduardo Ciannelli. cast Susan Oliver as Barbara Ames, Robert Carricart as Pete Sharvi, Ed Prentiss as Joe Radick, Dick Crockett as Sandblaster, Jean Harvey as Cleaning Woman, Donald P. Journeaux as Butler.

Staccato receives a beating from hoodlums after he pays attention to a new singer that's just been hired by Waldo.
9"Fly Baby, Fly"Robert B. SinclairPhilip S. GoodmanNovember 12, 1959 (1959-11-12)

special guest star Gena Rowlands. cast Howard Freeman as Mr. Morse, Dort Clark as Guy, Nesdon Booth as Mr. Jones, Ingrid Goude as Girl, Jan Brooks as Airline Hostess, Mike Steele as Pilot, Dennis Sallas as Bartender. Uncredited (in order of appearance): Harry Wilson [airplane passenger], Shep Houghton [airplane passenger]

Staccato is involved in a mystery after he is hired to deliver what is supposed to be a briefcase full of gems to Arizona, but instead is a bomb.
10"Tempted"Robert B. SinclairStory by : Francis Cockrell
Teleplay by : Richard Carr and Francis Cockrell		November 19, 1959 (1959-11-19)

guest star Elizabeth Montgomery. with Eduardo Ciannelli. cast Fred Beir as Fulton, Murray Alper as Policeman, Lionel Decker as Man with mustache, Marty Greene as First Man. Uncredited: Harry Wilson [ugly man outside jewelry store],

Staccato becomes involved in a double-cross when he agrees to guard a valuable necklace from the ex-wife (Elizabeth Montgomery) of one of his former bandmates.
11"The Poet's Touch"Robert ParrishRobert Hector & Hollis AlpertNovember 26, 1959 (1959-11-26)
In his search for a missing poet, Staccato's search leads him through a number of off-beat places, as well as murder.
12"The Wild Reed"UnknownUnknownDecember 3, 1959 (1959-12-03)
Staccato visits a nightclub and uncovers a narcotics racket.
13"A Piece of Paradise"John CassavetesRobert L. JacksDecember 10, 1959 (1959-12-10)
The murder of a dance hall girl leads to a startling discovery.
14"The Return"James HoganJames LandisDecember 17, 1959 (1959-12-17)
A Korean War veteran, suspicious of his wife over imagined affairs, escapes from a mental hospital and is intent on killing her.
15"The Unwise Men"Robert B. SinclairStory by : Shirl Hendryx & Frank Dana
Teleplay by : Shirl Hendryx		December 24, 1959 (1959-12-24)
A department store Santa Claus is threatened when he refuses to help in a robbery plan that was set up by his brother.
16"Collector's Item"John BrahmStory by : Stanford Whitmore
Teleplay by : Stanford Whitmore & Richard Carr		December 31, 1959 (1959-12-31)
Staccato investigates when a man kills his former girlfriend and then frames a jazz pianist for murder.
17"The Man in the Pit"Sidney LandfieldJameson BrewerJanuary 7, 1960 (1960-01-07)
A young man believes that a trumpet player is his father, who deserted the family years before, and attacks him with murder on his mind.
18"The Only Witness"UnknownUnknownJanuary 14, 1960 (1960-01-14)
Staccato is hired to protect the younger sister of a racketeer, but when he arrives at the racketeer's apartment, he is shot and his client is found dead.
19"Night of Jeopardy"John CassavetesStory by : Everett Chambers
Teleplay by : Richard Carr & Everett Chambers		January 21, 1960 (1960-01-21)
A counterfeiting ring that believes Staccato is in possession of their stolen plates gives him two hours in which to save his life.
20"Double Feature"Richard WhorfShimon WincelbergJanuary 28, 1960 (1960-01-28)
A dead ringer for Staccato murders the owner of a bowling alley and the young detective is accused.
21"The List of Death"Richard WhorfMichael FessierFebruary 4, 1960 (1960-02-04)
A hunted criminal hires Staccato as a bodyguard and promises to turn himself over to police in exchange for letting him visit family members.
22"Solomon"John CassavetesStanford WhitmoreFebruary 11, 1960 (1960-02-11)
A pacifist movement leader (Cloris Leachman) is accused of murdering her husband, which results in the woman's lawyer (Elisha Cook, Jr.) coming to Staccato for help.
23"An Act of Terror"John BrahmStory by : Bernard C. Schoenfeld
Teleplay by : Bernard C. Schoenfeld & Richard Carr		February 18, 1960 (1960-02-18)
Staccato hears a ventriloquist talking in his sleep and gets clues to the disappearance of the man's wife.
24"An Angry Young Man"UnknownUnknownFebruary 25, 1960 (1960-02-25)
A mobster uses a bookstore as a front for fencing stolen gems until Staccato finds out about it.
25"The Mask of Jason"Paul HenriedRobert L. JacksMarch 3, 1960 (1960-03-03)
Staccato is hired by a beauty pageant contestant (Mary Tyler Moore) to protect her from a disfigured man who keeps threatening her, but the man turns out to be her husband.
26"A Nice Little Town"Paul HenriedStanford WhitmoreMarch 10, 1960 (1960-03-10)
After a former soldier comes home after defecting to China, he is killed by a group of local vigilantes.
27"Swinging Long Hair"Jeffrey HaydenSam GilmanMarch 17, 1960 (1960-03-17)
Staccato is mistaken for a concert pianist who has come to the United States to avoid his repressive government.

Home media

Timeless Media Group released the complete series on DVD in Region 1 on October 12, 2010.[2]

Mary Tyler Moore in Johnny Staccato, 1960
  • The show was later parodied on SCTV as Vic Arpeggio (portrayed by Joe Flaherty), a saxophonist/private investigator whose cases were usually solved by accident. Arpeggio claimed to have been “framed” for drug possession, and that the detective gig was merely a sideline until he got his solo career back on track.
  • Thomas Pynchon references Johnny Staccato in his 2009 novel Inherent Vice, set in late 1960s Los Angeles. Pynchon's main character, private investigator Larry "Doc" Sportello, praises Staccato as "the shamus of shamuses," ranking him with past greats Philip Marlowe and Sam Spade.[3]
  • The theme, performed by Elmer Bernstein, received little attention in the US, but went to #4 in Britain.
  • Legendary artist Harvey Kurtzman parodied the show in his classic Jungle Book (Ballantine Books 1959) as "Thelonius Violence"
  • The Colts Drum and Bugle Corps' 2015 show was called "...and a Shot Rings Out: A Johnny Staccato Murder Mystery", which was a reference to the TV show.

References
  1. Alex McNeil, Total Television, New York: Penguin Books, 1997, p. 782
  2. The Complete Series starring John Cassavetes Arrives on DVD in October Archived 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine
  3. Pynchon, Thomas. Inherent Vice. New York: Penguin, 2009, 97.
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