The Harry O Viewing Companion

In the golden era of 1970s TV detective shows, Harry O stood out. David Janssen, already renowned for his role in The Fugitive, played Harry Orwell, a San Diego cop who retired after being shot in the back. The chemistry between Janssen and Anthony Zerbe, who delivered an Emmy-Award winning performance as Lt. K.C. Trench, captivated viewers and contributed to the show’s popularity. While Harry O was largely character-driven, it also featured compelling plots that retained the show’s audience throughout its two seasons.
This viewing companion to Harry O covers all episodes, providing information about cast, crew, and locations along with story analysis. Informed by archival material, including series’ creator Howard Rodman’s papers, it also features new interviews conducted by the authors, providing insight into the creation of the series. From the filming of the pilot episodes in 1972 to the show’s cancellation in 1976, the book offers a comprehensive history of each step in the show’s development.

Steve Aldous has a lifelong interest in film, TV and popular music. Author of a number of well-received short stories, articles and essays, he lives in Bury, Lancashire, UK

Steve Aldous and Gary Gillies
Format: softcover (7 x 10)
Pages: 258
Bibliographic Info: 63 photos, appendices, notes, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2025
pISBN: 978-1-4766-9429-0
eISBN: 978-1-4766-5410-2
Imprint: McFarland

Acknowledgments and Authors’ Notes ix
Foreword by Les Lannom 1
Introduction by Steve Aldous 3

Part One: The Harry O Pilots, 1972–74

The First Pilot: “Such Dust as Dreams Are Made On” 9
The Second Pilot: “Smile Jenny, You’re Dead” 33

Part Two: Season One, 1974–75

Season One Overview: San Diego 47
1.1—“Gertrude”  54
1.2—“The Admiral’s Lady”  60
1.3—“Guardian at the Gates”  64
1.4—“Mortal Sin”  67
1.5—“Coinage of the Realm”  70
1.6—“Eyewitness”  74
1.7—“Shadows at Noon”  77
1.8—“Ballinger’s Choice”  81
1.9—“Second Sight”  84
1.10—“Material Witness”  86
1.11 / 1.12—“Forty Reasons to Kill”: (Parts 1 and 2)  88
1.13—“Accounts Balanced”  91
Season One Overview: Los Angeles 94
1.14—“The Last Heir”  106
1.15—“For the Love of Money”  108
1.16—“The Confetti People”  113
1.17—“Sound of Trumpets”  115
1.18—“Silent Kill”  118
1.19—“Double Jeopardy”  121
1.20—“Lester”  124
1.21—“Elegy for a Cop”  128
1.22—“Street Games”  132

Part Three: Season Two, 1975–76

Season Two Overview 137
2.1—“Anatomy of a Frame”  142
2.2—“One for the Road”  145
2.3—“Lester Two”  147
2.4—“Shades”  149
2.5—“Portrait of a Murder”  152
2.6—“The Acolyte”  155
2.7—“Mayday”  157
2.8—“Tender Killing Care”  159
2.9—“APB Harry Orwell”  162
2.10—“Group Terror”  164
2.11—“Reflections”  167
2.12—“Exercise in Fatality”  169
2.13—“The Madonna Legacy”  172
2.14—“Mister Five and Dime”  174
2.15—“Book of Changes”  176
2.16—“Past Imperfect”  178
2.17—“Hostage”  180
2.18—“Forbidden City”  182
2.19—“Victim”  184
2.20—“Ruby”  186
2.21—“The Mysterious Case of Lester and Dr. Fong”  188
2.22—“Death Certificate”  192

Part Four: Cancellation and Legacy

Cancellation 195
Legacy 199

Postscript 203
Appendices
A: David Janssen Film and TV Credits 211
B: Anthony Zerbe Film and TV Credits 213
C: Henry Darrow Film and TV Credits 216
D: Howard Rodman Film and TV Credits 219
E: Jerry Thorpe Film and TV Credits 221
F: Nielsen Primetime Rankings 223
G: Original U.K. Broadcast Dates 224
H: Our Top Dozen Harry O Episodes 226
I: DVD Releases 226
J: Novels 227
Chapter Notes 231
Bibliography 239
Index 241