Every guest star on Cannon.

OMG I loved this show. My fave part was when Cannon got into a foot chase after a perp. The featured it for a while in the opening. My mother and I always busted a gut over watching Mr Blubber run.

^^Cannon was into feet and took PrEP??

R1, they learned their lesson and let Joe Penny do the chasing in Jake and the Fatman. William Conrad didn’t have to exert himself beyond scowling and grunting.

Shows like this, Spelling productions etc kept working actors working.

Why do they all look half baffled, half hostile?

What about every guest star on Barnaby Jones and Quincy?

Police Squad!

IN COLOR.

William Conrad was game enough to appear in the opening credits of the final episode of a series that was parodying his own, among others.

Joan Fontaine didn’t merit Special Guest Star but Tina Louise did?

Hank Simms did the voice announcing stars for the Quinn Martin shows AND Police Squad!

Wayne Rodgers was hot as fuck in that Cannon episode.

MeTV runs Cannon as part of their late/overnight line up. Suffice to say over years have seen same episodes over and over. Always am up for watching certain episodes over and over again however.

Clu Gulager also was HAF.

Love this! I was born in 1970 so I don’t remember much about this show, but I know my parents loved it. So many faces of actors who I remember, even if I didn’t know their names. And so many former and future soap stars! They really liked to reuse some of those actors over and over, didn’t they? Oh, and some of those 70s men were hot!

Dack Rambo, another HAF. Sadly we lost him far too soon.

Young Martin Sheen

Need I say more?

Interesting aside, the Cannon theme song composer is John Carl Parker.

According to IMDb, he composed opening credit music for many other shows including Dallas, MASH, CHIPs, and Medical Center.

The absence of obvious plastic surgery is refreshing.

R6 Barnaby Jones had Lee Pussywether

John David Carson!

I love the shots of old LA and Malibu when the houses were spread out and just little modest shacks.

John David Carson was soooo cute…like the prototype for Billy Campbell.

How did such an unattractive actor land this role?

A bad guy was running away from Cannon and he tried to get between two parked cars; you saw him think, 'oh, I can barely squeeze by here' and then you saw him realize, 'Oh, WAIT. I can push myself to squeeze through and I'll make it (he did) but fatso Cannon will NOT.'

And then you saw Cannon try to squeeze through and he could not. He simply could not.

Poor Women. Most of them, Hollywood ate and spit them out. Never to be seen again.

The men almost eighty percent of them went on to very successful careers as character actors in TV and Film.

Tina & Russell from GI

Norman & the Rev. Snow from 3's C.

Lots of Joan Van Ark & Martin Sheen.

Dick Van Patten & 1 of his EIE daughters.

Dr. Bombay & Larry from Bewitched

Cannon had a set core group of actors that appeared again and again. Either they had good agents or producers just liked them I suppose.

Jason Evers, Arthur Adams, Michael Tolan, Virginia Gregg and some others appeared in at least two or more episodes.

R23

Sometimes after watching an episode will look up various actors to get their history. Good number are as one suspected; jobbing actors mostly on television who may or may not have been "B" or "C" film actors before studio system ended.

Of course there are young actors like Pamela Franklin (Prime of Miss Jean Brodie) who were just starting out so to speak.

I find the lack of trans POC in those credits highly problematic.

I agree, R20. JDC was a babe.

[quote] Why do they all look half baffled, half hostile?

I guess they were told to look that way because it was in keeping with the kind of show it was: a serious drama or mystery. I suppose a lot of people on the show were murdered or murderers. Contrast them with eh 'Guest Star on The Love Boa." All the guest stars on that silly, fluffy show were shown giggling or smiling from ear to ear.

So many familiar faces and good actors. They all turned up on weekly series like this.

I remember that cannon was not only enormously fta but everyone always talked about it on the show.

The only other thing I remember was that he drove a Lincoln Continental which was a big deal because there weren't many of them.

William Conrad truly had a face that was made for radio. And he was a huge (no pun intended) radio star in its heyday, originating the role of Matt Dillon in "Gunsmoke."

Watching the parade of guest stars made me think about "Perry Mason." A lot of these actors appeared on that show 10-15 years earlier, and it seemed to me that the type and caliber of character actor used on both series was similar, adjusting for the difference in eras.

I guess I'm the only one amazed at the person who sifted through every episode of Cannon to put together that YouTube clip. Who has that kind of time?

^ The impassioned.

More Cannon info than you could ever dream of having.

The best part is when they show Joan Fontaine and then mix her up with Olivia De Havilland. ODH would’ve loved that.

r33 Someone did it for "The Love Boat," which had even MORE guest stars.

From r35.

[quote] And so many former and future soap stars!

I remember sharing this here a few years back when I first found it.....it does seem quite a few actors appeared more than once. I seem to remember Marj Dusay at least once and I think Jess Walton may have been on two or even three times.

Kim Hunter must have been slumming. I mean, so soon after her triumph as the chimpanzee Zira in Planet of the Apes?

R39, she liked to work and she liked her SAG health insurance. Those 60s and 70s shows with lots of guest stars every week, kept many classic stars and B listers afloat and comfortable for years.

Frank Cannon may have been fat, but he had no problems with the ladies. On at least several episodes they are all over "Frank" including Dina Merrill's character.

Thank you, OP! The YouTube videos on this thread will make an excellent Christmas gift for my Mom -- she loves Cannon. And Ironside. And Perry Mason. And McCloud. And Rockford Files. And...

R39, Planet of the Apes was the epitome of slumming, so this was a step up.

William Conrad had a working relationship with QM productions. He did the voice-overs for The Fugitive. He probably made relationships and leveraged that into his own show. I also loved the fact that they didn't ignore his weight.

Damn, that Cal Bellini was HOT. Looks like Grampa wants some action...

R25, some of them appeared 4-5 times. Like the inimitable Clu Gulager.

It has been discussed many times here on DL, the simple fact television of 1960's and certainly 1970's into 1980's and beyond was a life saver for many actors from golden era of Hollywood. From A down to C it was every man and woman for themselves after the studio system collapsed. Bitches had to eat and pay bills, so they took what work was on offer.

Estelle Winwood's character in that Cannon episode spent entire time in a wheelchair IIRC. Old girl showed up, hit her marks, knew her lines and got paid.

Others like David White got their start and spent nearly their entire acting careers with television. Just as streaming and so forth are today opening up work for actors television did same back then for those who never made it into films.

It's interesting though that at least on Cannon -- and maybe some of the other Quinn Martin productions -- there really weren't any former A-listers on their (with one or two exceptions). Unlike say, The Love Boat, or Murder She Wrote who were both able to get bigger names from the Golden Age.

It's really quite shocking how many stars of the 40's-50's appeared on the Love Boat. I mean, Olivia de Havilland?

^^^...on there...^^^

R48 - Olivia de Haviland and Greer Garson and Louise Rainer and Ginger Rogers....it's astonishing.

While A-list actors perhaps got more than straight scale on Cannon, Love Boat was very generous with compensation to top stars who appeared on that show.

Low end was $1k per episode, but others who appeared on Love Boat received considerably more.

Far as crew went Bernie Kopell was racking up $39,500 per episode towards end.

R48 and Sandy Dennis. Sandy Dennis!!!

Diane Varsi looks like she is going mad.

The list is indeed astonishing, and yes, they must've paid well:

Dana Andrews, Lew Ayres, June Allyson, Ralph Bellamy, Ray Bolger, Joan Blondell, Leslie Caron, Robert Cummings, Sandy Dennis, Cyd Charisse, Douglas Fairbanks Jr., Alice Faye, Joan Fontaine & Olivia de Havilland, Janet Gaynor, Lillian Gish(!), Helen Hayes, Van Johnson, Allan Jones, Gene Kelly, Dorothy Lamour, Helen Hayes, Howard Keel, Patsy Kelly, Eleanor Parker, Eva Marie Saint, Ann Miller, Ethel Merman, Jane Wyman, Donald O'Connor, Slim Pickens, Jane Powell, Vincent Price, Debbie Reynolds, Ginger Rogers, Mickey Rooney, Cesar Romero, Alexis Smith, Claire Trevor, Ruth Warrick, Lana Turner, Teresa Wright, Shelley Winters, and...

...Dr. Joyce Brothers, as The Bitch.

At 9:57 we get a glimpse of DL fave Pete Duel's twin brother Jeff Duel!

FYI Diane Varsi is at 1.00.

Geraldine Brooks at 8.20 is barely recognizable.

I love that IMDB says one of his trademarks was "large girth". They also describe Cannon as a "husky" ex-cop. He was probably big boned, too.

[italic]”And Signe Hasso as Madam Alexandre”

Diana Muldaur had to smooch Frank. Ewwww

My parents would watch this show to see what Cannon would eat every week. They always worked in a scene with Conrad eating sandwiches or other stuff. His preferred drink was Scotch.

Virginia Gregg was one hard working broad. In her day she did it all; music, theatre, films, television...

From 1950's until really her death Virginia Gregg seemingly must have appeared at least once in every narrative television series. She pops up on Bewitched, Mannix, Cannon, Wagon Train...

I remember the Lincoln Continental. It was two-door, and they sometimes showed Cannon trying to lift himself out of it. Dear God, he heaved so that you thought he needed a winch.

Hunter von Leer, alumni of General Hospital. One big slab of midwest (Indiana) prime beef in his day.

Gays well represented with Tab Hunter, George Maharis, Daniel J. Travanti each doing one episode.

Pat Renella, one gorgeous hunk of Italian-American meat.

Worked mostly as character actor but did soaps (General Hospital), and some film work.

Never married, hardly seemed linked to any females. Lived in WeHo in years before his death.

More...

Maharis was HAF during this period.

John Calvin was another big old slab of (blonde) beef, this one from Staten Island, NY.

More famous role was as the air headed guy on short lived "the Paul Lynde Show".

Wonder if Mr. Lynde fancied a bit of that?

Christopher Pennock of Dark Shadows fame. He died only last year (2021).

Since Love Boat has been mentioned several times, here's a way to kill an hour this holiday weekend.

I know I'm not going anywhere in this weather.

Who is the oldest veteran actor appearing here? Buddy Ebsen?

Lord, I never knew till this moment that there ever was a "Paul Lynde Show".

Why isn't that on ME TV?

It ran on Antenna TV on the weekends for a while. It was... a lot.

Whoever did the credit compilation at the OP now needs to sift through every single Cannon episode and splice together a montage of every time other characters make cracks about Frank Cannon’s weight.

I’m thinking in the writers’ room there must’ve been one contributor with a Rolodex of fat jokes.

As a kid growing up. It seemed Gary Lockwood was in every crime drama on TV.

A heart attack waiting to happen.

^ That wasn’t acting.

R73

Most if not all episodes of "the Paul Lynde Show" are on YT.

Only ran for one season before being cancelled, so there aren't that many episodes anyway.

Tall blonde and handsome Howie (John Calvin) was probably only reason why many tuned in. They do say he's family, but have never been able to find any concreate evidence one way or another.

Who knew a place mostly known for Italians could produce such a tall cool blonde drink of water.

Can see why John Calvin ditched Staten Island for California, he looks every bit the blonde surfer type.

John Calvin bear mode a few years later.

The Barnaby Jones theme is amazing.

r62 Virginia Gregg was practically a regular on all the Jack Webb series (Dragnet, Adam-12, Emergency.)

r72 Buddy was paired with Lee Meriwether, so this must have been a crossover episode with "Barnaby Jones."

To humor me r84 can you say Lee Pussywether?

R85 How very dare you disrespect a former MISS AMERICA!

Insight was another show from the 60s, 70s and into the early 80s that cast a lot of classic Hollywood and TV actors. The show as produced by the Paulist Fathers and was a dramatic anthology, at times some of the episodes could be likened to a religious version of Twilight Zone. Rod Serling even wrote a script for Insight. Among those who appeared on Insight are Ida Lupino, Audrey Totter, Howard Duff, Efrem Zimbalist, John Astin, Patty Duke Astin, and Martin Sheen among others.

What shows today make use of rotating old stars and character actors?

We need a Murder, She Wrote reboot, ASAP, and get all those beloved geezers their SAG health insurance.

"Burke's Law" was the first of the Aaron Spelling shows that made use of a lot of "past-their-prime" guest stars. Continued successfully with "The Love Boat" and "Fantasy Island."

I'm old but I only recognized about 5% of the women. About 50-60% of the men.

Loved the billing for "Dan Travanti"

When he was on "Gidget," he was "Dan Travanty."

R87, INSIGHT? Really? No one remembers that show.

Short lived revival of Burke's law featured the young gorgeous Peter Barton.

Didn't know the guy from Adam, but MeTV began running "The Powers of Matthew Star" as part of late night rotation. One look at PB and had to find out more.

Gene Barry was another actor who moved between television, films and stage.

Theatre queens likely recall Gene Barry from his final stage role as "Georges " in La Cage aux Folles.

Clip from 1984 Tony awards..

Always loved Frank Cannon's apartment. He must have made good money to afford that squat.

One thing emphasized again and again is that both as a LE officer and still then as private Frank Cannon was an expert marksman. At LE shooting ranges he hits dead center again and again. When shooting at bad guys or whatever he rarely missed. Yeah I know, but still.

Daniel J. Travanti

I'd have hit that back in day.

R62, Virginia Gregg also was a radio actress, performing in most Hollywood originating shows during the 1940s and early 50s. On some shows she got credit, but most of the time, she didn't.

Like many ubiquitous actors, Gregg enjoyed working and she never thought any roles were "beneath" her. Producers loved the professionalism of those sorts of actors. They showed up on the set and knew their lines. They rarely flubbed the script which meant filming went more quickly and smoothly. This saved the show money. Virginia Gregg was one of those who had a reputation for requiring very little rehearsal time and when filming began, she didn't require retakes usually having gotten it right the first take.

[quote[Virginia Gregg also was a radio actress, performing in most Hollywood originating shows during the 1940s and early 50s. On some shows she got credit, but most of the time, she didn't.

Virginia Gregg was also a voice actress. She voiced the role of the mother-in-law on "Calvin and the Colonel," a short-lived prime-time animated series (one of several in the wake of the success of "The Flintstones") that featured the (white) actors who voiced Amos and Andy on radio. The animated series turned the characters into talking animals.

Virginia Gregg also provided the voice of Mother in "Psycho."

WIKI says Nick Nolte was another notable guest star.

The show aired from 1971 to 1976 to give a period context for guest stars.

Nick Nolte’s episode. He played a boxer. Can’t find pics, though.

Robert Pine - Chris's daddy!

Virginia also has a classic Twilight Zone episode on her resume.

[quote]Robert Pine - Chris's daddy!

Robert Pine still pops up in the occasional Hallmark Christmas movie. He looks really quite old now.

Robert Pine was a repeat guest star on Murder, She Wrote as well. He was the murderer at least once.

Now I want young Tom Skeritt inside me, quite deeply.

[quote] Always loved Frank Cannon's apartment. He must have made good money to afford that squat.

The interior of his apartment at the old United Artists Studios (The Samuel Goldwyn Studios) on Santa Monica Boulevard. The exterior of his apartment building in the first few seasons was the Sunset Tower on Sunset Boulevard.

Did William Conrad ever do Playgirl?

Daniel J. Travanti was fine piece of ass in his day, but nothing lasts forever. It's a blessing however to live until 82, so that's something anyway.

Still think of all the hot action DJT must have had in his prime. Even late as his "Hill Street Blues" days Mr. Travanti was still HAF.

IIRC "Barnaby Jones" was sort of a spin off or cross over from "Cannon".

That episode where Barnaby Jones and Frank Cannon are working on same case (albeit from different sides) introduced "Barnaby Jones, private detective" to the world so to speak

Frank Cannon also appears in pilot episode of Barnaby Jones.

[post redacted because linking to dailymail.co.uk clearly indicates that the poster is either a troll or an idiot (probably both, honestly.) Our advice is that you just ignore this poster but whatever you do, don't click on any link to this putrid rag.]

Quinn Martin relied again on many of same actors who guest starred or otherwise appeared in "Cannon" for Barnaby Jones. No use in starting thread as no one has created a YT vid showing all guest stars,

Frank Cannon lived well, as he should have for the fees the man charged. Unlike Jim Rockford who seemingly always was giving his services away for free (especially when it involved a pretty young female client), Frank Cannon got paid. That is why Jim Rockford lived in a trailer on a beach, but Frank Cannon in a luxury high rise.

Here's Peter with an unrecognizable Lisa Rinna -- pre-innertube lips.

Sunset Tower...

In WeHo? May have to make a reservation next time out in CA and check things out.

[quote] It's really quite shocking how many stars of the 40's-50's appeared on the Love Boat. I mean, Olivia de Havilland?

Besides the paycheck didn't they get a free untaxed cruise as well?

Yup, they did. From one end of the Universal lot to the other.

I remember the Cannon/Barnaby Jones crossover episodes well.

The sexual tension between William Conrad and Buddy Ebsen was thick enough to cut with a knife. Kathleen Turner and William Hurt would study that steamy dynamic to prepare for Body Heat.