Checkmate

CBS at Saturday 8:30 PM (60 min.)
Premiered: September 17, 1960 Last Aired: September 1, 1962
Show Category: Drama

Checkmate Inc. was a San Franciso firm who mission was to stop or "checkmate" a crime before it happened. Anthony George played Don Corey, the head of the firm, and Doug McClure (in his second series) played Jed Sills, Corey's assistant. Sebastian Cabot played a university criminology professor who served as a consultant to Checkmate. The three worked out of Corey's beautiful Nob Hill apartment which had a great view of the city.

Guest stars were always top of the line and included Lee Marvin, Claire Bloom, Terry Moore, Angie Dickinson, Susan Oliver, James Coburn, Peter Lorre, Charles Laughton, David Janssen, Jack Lord, Lloyd Bridges, Robert Lansing, Jeffrey Hunter, Dorothy Malone, Elizabeth Montgomery, and Inger Stevens.

Originally sexy Joan O'Brien was to play the Doug McClure detective role, which would have been very intriguing in 1960.

The best thing about the show were the three appealing leads and that great apartment. In the second season, when Checkmate Inc. moved to a posh office suite, it just wasn't the same.

This show was originally on CBS Saturday nights at 8:30, immediately following "Perry Mason".

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• Anthony
• George
• Sebastian
• Cabot
• Doug
• McClure

[CDU916]

Until seeing the credits I didn't realize the series was created by the fine crime writer Eric Ambler. No wonder it had such polish and a very dramatic opening. It was a pleasure to view. Thank you very much for posting.

[Classictvcollector]

My pleasure. Great series.

[TBDowns]

Collector -- since you seem to enjoy TV history, perhaps you know who wrote and performed the theme to CHECKMATE? "Johnny Williams and His Orchestra." Yeah -- THAT John Williams !

[Blairpark]

This series was a cut above; I always thought the swirling paint and great theme song combined for a special intro.  The three leads were well cast and I could never figure out why it died after only two seasons.

[suir52]

@cutandpaste1 I have the boxed sets brought out two years ago and the quality is very good considering it's a 50 year old show. There are one or two occasional cuts, but that is to be expected.

[ladythatsmyskull]

Ambler created it, but unhappy with network changes, pulled out from the show. His name remained attached to the show anyways.

[eldercurt53]

This show intrigued me in my youth. I'm glad it's out on DVD!

[truegritwayne]

Finally coming to DVD on June 22!

[audiophile55]

Anthony George, seated with Cabot, starred in a daytime gothic soap opera called Dark Shadows.

[dlsofsetx]

Yes.

[dlsofsetx]

This was a really good detective series.Cabot a;lways hoped to be remembered for this,not Family Affair.

[translationwiz]

yes,me too. I judged the show by that image. It made me sick. I thought the entire cast were bad people doing bad things. that swirling thing was scary.