Defense Attorney Explained

Show Name:Defense Attorney
Other Names:The Defense Rests
Format:Crime drama
Runtime:30 minutes
Country:United States
Language:English
Starring:Mercedes McCambridge
Howard Culver
Announcer:Orville Anderson
Creator:Cameron Blake
Director:Dwight Hauser
Producer:Warren Lewis

Defense Attorney is an American old-time radio crime drama. It was broadcast on ABC from July 6, 1951,[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] to December 30, 1952.[6] It was also known as The Defense Rests.[7]

Characters

The title character was Martha Ellis "Marty" Bryant, "a respected attorney who has a reputation for integrity"[8] and "who champions causes of the underdog and unjustly accused".[9] Jud Barnes, a newspaper reporter, was Barrett's boyfriend.[8] Ron Lackmann wrote in his book Mercedes McCambridge: A Biography and Career Record that Barrett "spent more time solving crimes with her boyfriend ... than she did in the courtroom".[10]

Personnel

Mercedes McCambridge had the title role, and Howard Culver played Judson Barnes. Tony Barrett portrayed Detective Lieutenant Ed Ledis.[8] Supporting actors in the program included Paul Fries, Bill Johnston, Kay Wiley,[7] Harry Bartell, Dallas McKennon, Irene Tedrow, and Parley Baer.[10] Orville Anderson was the announcer.[1]

Warren Lewis was the producer, and Dwight Hauser was the director. Cameron Blake (the program's creator),[11] Bill Johnston, and Joel Murcott were writers. Music was by Rex Khoury[7] and Basil Adlam.[12]

Background

Defense Attorney originated with an audition record, The Defense Rests, which was made for a proposed NBC series in April 1951.[10] [1]

TV pilot

In 1953, the trade publication Billboard reported on work on a television version of Defense Attorney. An article in the magazine's March 28, 1953, issue said that Don Sharpe was in New York "to begin sales efforts on his newest film show, Defense Attorney, starring Mercedes McCambridge, and based on his former radio series of the same name."[13] Fletcher Markle wrote and directed the pilot episode,[13] which was filmed by Desilu Productions.[14]

Recognition

McCambridge's work on Defense Attorney led to her receiving honorary membership in the Los Angeles Women's Bar Association and the Favorite Dramatic Actress Award from Radio-TV Mirror magazine.[10]

External links

Logs

Streaming

Notes and References

  1. Web site: "Defense Attorney". The Digital Deli Too. 29 July 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170729160002/http://www.digitaldeliftp.com/DigitalDeliToo/dd2jb-Defense-Attorney.html. 29 July 2017.
  2. Although two old-time radio reference books (On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio and Radio Crime Fighters: Over 300 Programs from the Golden Age) give the starting date as August 31, 1951, The Digital Deli Too gives July 6, 1951, as the starting date. Radio listings in contemporary newspapers also show that the program was first aired on July 6, 1951.
  3. News: Today's Radio. Tucson Daily Citizen. July 6, 1951. Tucson, Arizona. 14. Newspapers.com. July 29, 2017.
  4. News: Radio Highlights. The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. July 6, 1951. Brooklyn, New York. 13. Newspapers.com. July 29, 2017.
  5. News: On The Networks. The Progress. July 6, 1951. Clearfield, Pennsylvania . 2. Newspapers.com. July 29, 2017.
  6. Book: Dunning, John . On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio . John Dunning (detective fiction author) . 1998 . Oxford University Press . New York, NY . 978-0-19-507678-3 . 196 . Revised . 2019-09-15.
  7. Book: Cox. Jim. Radio Crime Fighters: Over 300 Programs from the Golden Age.. 2002. McFarland. 978-0-7864-4324-6. 97.
  8. Book: Terrace. Vincent. Radio Programs, 1924–1984: A Catalog of More Than 1800 Shows. 1999. McFarland & Company, Inc.. 978-0-7864-4513-4. 97–98.
  9. News: Dial Chatter. The La Crosse Tribune. October 4, 1951. La Crosse, Wisconsin. 16. Newspapers.com. July 29, 2017.
  10. Book: Lackmann. Ron. Mercedes McCambridge: A Biography and Career Record. 2005. McFarland. 9780786419791. 82. 28 July 2017. en.
  11. Web site: McLeod. Elizabeth. Mercedes McCambridge for the Defense. Radio Classics. 29 July 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170729153053/http://www.radioclassics.com/mercedes-mccambridge-for-the-defense/. 29 July 2017.
  12. News: New Radio Show Starts Tonight. The Winona Republican-Herald. July 6, 1951. Winona, Minnesota. 9. Newspapers.com. July 29, 2017.
  13. Sharpe to Boost 'Defense Attorney'. 28 July 2017. Billboard. March 28, 1953. 10.
  14. News: Desilu completes pilot on Defense Attorney . February 14, 2022 . Ross Reports . October 12, 1952 . 4.

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