The Investigators (U.S. TV series)

Synopsis

The series starred James Franciscus as insurance investigator Russ Andrews part of the firm of Investigators, Inc. The program was the second of Franciscus's five attempts at series television. The series co-starred James Philbrook as Steve Banks, Alan Austin as Bill Davis, and Mary Murphy as Maggie Peters, the secretary who frequently helped the three investigators with their cases. The Investigators was based in New York City. The program was similar to ABC's successful detective series 77 Sunset Strip and Hawaiian Eye.

The Investigators faced tough competition. Two ABC sitcoms, Fred MacMurray's My Three Sons, in its second season, and Cynthia Pepper's Margie, in its only season, aired opposite The Investigators. National Broadcasting Company offered two new programs, Richard Chamberlain in Dr. Kildare and Shirley Booth in Hazel, at the same hour.

Though the series ran so briefly, it nevertheless featured an array of guest stars, including Joanna Barnes, Edward Binns, Pat Carroll, William Fawcett, Rhonda Fleming, Dennis Hopper, Bethel Leslie, Ida Lupino, Gavin MacLeod, Lee Marvin, Dina Merrill, Mickey Rooney, Richard Rust, Albert Salmi, Vaughn Taylor, Harry Townes, Claire Trevor, and Jane Wyman.

After the series ended, Franciscus was later cast in his most successful television role in NBC's Mr. Novak (1963–1965), as a high school English teacher. He starred later in ABC's Longstreet, as an insurance investigator once again, but this the character, Mike Longstreet, is a blind man. Coincidentally, The Investigators and Longstreet aired at the same time, Thursdays at 9 PM (Eastern).