Richard Diamond, Private Detective: Summary

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SUMMARY

  • Originally on:CBS
  • Status:Ended
  • Premiered:July 1, 1957
  • Last Aired:September 6, 1960
  • Show Categories:Action/Adventure, Drama
Richard Diamond, Private Detective, was originally a radio program from 1949 to 1952, created by famed writer/director Blake Edwards and starring Dick Powell, who was also the producer. Too busy to do the TV series in 1957, Powell hired a young actor named David Meyer to play the role, but suggested he change his name to the more exotic David Janssen.

For the TV series, Diamond was changed from a former OSS operative to an ex-cop, which explained his easy access to information and help from his former boss, Lieutenant McGough. For the first two seasons, Diamond remained in New York City, but then he moved to Los Angeles and acquired a girlfriend, played by Barbara Bain, and a car with a telephone in it. This allowed him to converse regularly with a sexy answering-service operator known only as "Sam", whose legs were seen but never her face. Also, in addition to a pal on the force, Lt. Kile, he also had an enemy, Sgt. Alden. Laura Renault was a recurring client, a once-famous movie star who had a knack for getting into difficult situations.

On revealing that she played "Sam" and using her now-famous legs to model hosiery for an article in TV Guide, Mary Tyler Moore was abruptly dropped from the series and replaced by Roxanne Brooks.

The show ran on CBS for the first 3 seasons, but for the 4th season switched to NBC. In syndication, the early episodes of the series were retitled Call Mr. 'D' and had different theme music.

There are two titles on record with no matching episode:
"Secret Cargo", production number 9612, was slated for broadcast at the end of the 1st season on 30 Sep 57. It may have been re-titled and shown in the 2nd season as perhaps #25 "Short Haul".
"The Botticelli Miniatures" was slated for broadcast on 23 Jan 58, and may also have been re-titled and shown in the 2nd season as perhaps #30 "Widow's Walk" or #33 "Snow Queen".

Broadcast History:
season 1 CBS Mondays 9:30pm (1 Jul 57 - 30 Sep 57)
season 2 CBS Thursdays 8:00pm (2 Jan 58 - 25 Sep 58)
season 3 CBS Sundays 10:00pm EST (15 Feb 59 - 20 Sep 59)
season 4a NBC Mondays 7:30pm (5 Oct 59 - 28 Dec 59)
season 4b NBC Tuesdays 9:00pm (11 Jan 60 - 6 Sep 60) Richard Diamond, Private Detective, was originally a radio program from 1949 to 1952, created by famed writer/director Blake Edwards and starring Dick Powell, who was also the producer. Too busy to do the TV series in 1957, Powell hired a young actor named David Meyer to play the role, but suggested he change his name to the more exotic David Janssen.
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LAST EPISODE

Running Scared

Aired: September 6, 1960

A man is concerned about his daughter, whom he feels has been spending too much time brooding over her husband's death.

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