M Squad: The Complete Series [Special Edition]

Ships by: 2014-11-04
Available in: US & Canada
SKU: 011301614070
$71.99 $79.97

M Squad: The Complete Series [Special Edition] - DVD will ship once it is available.

Description

One of the most memorable of the early television police dramas, M Squad debuted in 1957 running for three seasons on NBC.

There were many black and white crime dramas competing for viewers in the late fifties, notably Dragnet, Arrest and Trial, and Checkmate. M Squad stands apart because of its unique combination of story, production values, musical score and a great cast portraying crime fighters getting down and dirty on the mean streets.

Lee Marvin, stars as Lt. Frank Ballinger, a no-nonsense Chicago plainclothes cop in the elite M-Squad Division. The Squad's (M-for Murder) task is to root out organized crime and corruption in Americas Second City. Marvin's portrayal of a tough undercover officer gave Marvin name recognition with the public, and did much to make him a star. He would go on to many starring roles (The Dirty Dozen, Cat Ballou) and to win a coveted OscarⓇ for Best Actor.

Frank Ballinger's boss, Captain Grey, is played by Paul Newlan, a fine actor who brings weight and substance to the role of running the M-Squad. It is perhaps his most memorable role.

But it wasn't just the crisp, taut story lines and great cast that made M Squad memorable.

First, it was shot in gritty, film noir style black and white. The excellent high contrast cinematography brings Chicago to life, with all of its easily recognizable landmarks, swanky penthouses on Lake Michigan, and the seedy darker side of the city.

Second was the musical score. In keeping with the film noir look of the series, the producers enlisted conductor Stanley Wilson to lead the orchestra in arrangements by legendary jazz men Benny Carter, and a young John Williams (Star Wars). For the second season, the great jazz artist Count Basie wrote the enduring "M Squad Theme."

The resulting television series is hard to match for its intensity and its humanity. Marvin's hard-nosed Frank Ballinger is the archetype of all the tough- guy, big-hearted crime fighters. M Squad is that rare television series that has it all. It is about time long-time fans and newcomers have a chance to experience the complete TV series on 16 high-quality DVDs of this great show.

Bonus Features for DVD

  • Wagon Train - "The Jose Morales Story" (October 26, 1960) - Guest Starring Lee Marvin
  • Checkmate - "Jungle Castle" (April 1, 1961) - Guest Starring Lee Marvin
  • The Virginian - "It Tolls for Thee" (1962) - Guest Starring Lee Marvin
  • Lee Marvin Presents Lawbreaker - "Pittsburgh" (1963) - Hosted by Lee Marvin

Product Information

DISCS
16
RUN-TIME
3,066 min
ASPECT RATIO
1.33:1
COLOR
Color, Black and White
LANGUAGE
English
REGION
Region 1
RATING
Not Rated
PRODUCTION DATE
1957-1960
CLOSED-CAPTIONED
No
SUBTITLES
None

Cast & Crew

Lee MarvinDetective Lt. Frank Ballinger, Lt. Frank Ballinger, Barney
Paul NewlanPolice Capt. Grey
Gail KobeAnne Weldon, Dottie Jordan, Mrs. Larry Coleman
Morris AnkrumPolice Capt. Dean, Police Inspector Dean
Claire CarletonDolly Mundy, Sea Horse Bar Owner, Switchboard Operator
William PhippsAl 'Bugsy' Page, Joe Mazzerin, Larry Barker
Paula RaymondJudith Rollins, Myrna Bradley, Simone Brayden
Whitney BlakeJo Bennett, Peg Mallinson, Susan Spencer
Grant RichardsEddie Pagano, Edward J. Carty, Monty
Ruta LeeConnie Meston, Ora Kane, Sheila McAfee
Don MedfordDirector
Herman HoffmanDirector
Don TaylorDirector
David Lowell RichDirector
John BrahmDirector
Bernard GirardDirector
Sidney LanfieldDirector
Francis D. LyonDirector
Paul StewartDirector
Allen H. MinerDirector
Bernard L. KowalskiDirector
Don McDougallDirector
Earl BellamyDirector
James NeilsonDirector
Jerry HopperDirector
Don WeisDirector
Mark Sandrich Jr.Director
Robert Ellis MillerDirector
Virgil W. VogelDirector
Marc LawrenceDirector
Robert FloreyDirector
John PeyserDirector
Robert AltmanDirector
Richard BartlettDirector
Edward LudwigDirector
Boris SagalDirector
Dan AlexanderDirector
David ButlerDirector
Murray GoldenDirector
Fletcher MarkleDirector
Bretaigne WindustDirector
Dann CahnDirector
Robert B. SinclairDirector
William WitneyDirector
David AlexanderWriter
Earl BaldwinWriter
Bill S. BallingerWriter
Martin BerkeleyWriter
Harold Jack BloomWriter
Frank BurtWriter
Whitman ChambersWriter
Donald H. ClarkWriter
Terry CrosbyWriter
Jay D. CrowleyWriter
Paul DavidWriter
Richard DemingWriter
Robert C. DennisWriter
William DriskillWriter
Fenton EarnshawWriter
James EdmistonWriter
Lee ErwinWriter
Scott FlohrWriter
Frank FoxWriter
Paul GangelinWriter
Merwin GerardWriter
Leo GordonWriter
James Edward GrantWriter
Ian HamiltonWriter
Ric HardmanWriter
David P. HarmonWriter
Ward HawkinsWriter
Douglas HeyesWriter
William HolderWriter
Keith HunterWriter
Boris IngsterWriter
Jack JacobsWriter
Stuart JeromeWriter
Harry W. JunkinWriter
Joel KaneWriter
Leonard KantorWriter
Jon KubichanWriter
Jack LairdWriter
John Francis LarkinWriter
Leonard LeeWriter
Norman LessingWriter
Seeleg LesterWriter
Melvin LevyWriter
Lawrence B. MarcusWriter
Sidney MarshallWriter
William McCluskeyWriter
Lawrence MenkinWriter
Oscar MillardWriter
Allen H. MinerWriter
Bob MitchellWriter
Frank L. MossWriter
Joel MurcottWriter
Frederick NebelWriter
Leonard NeubauerWriter
Arthur E. OrloffWriter
Robert QuaidWriter
Joel RappWriter
Lewis ReedWriter
Lawrence ResnerWriter
Clarke ReynoldsWriter
Allen RivkinWriter
Dennis RobertsWriter
John RobinsonWriter
Arthur RoweWriter
Irving RubineWriter
Donald S. SanfordWriter
Wilton SchillerWriter
Bernard C. SchoenfeldWriter
Maxwell ShaneWriter
Robert J. ShawWriter
Stirling SilliphantWriter
Jerry SohlWriter
Harold SwantonWriter
Robert TallmanWriter
Kevin ThomasWriter
Palmer ThompsonWriter
Barry TriversWriter
Hendrik VollaertsWriter
George WaggnerWriter
Thomas WalshWriter
Adam WilliamsWriter
Warren WilsonWriter
Irwin WinehouseWriter
A. Sanford WolfeWriter
John Francis LarkinProducer
John Francis LarkinProducer
Maxwell ShaneProducer
Richard LewisProducer
Richard LewisProducer
Robert BasslerProducer
Michael AbelProducer
Michael AbelProducer

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