''Call to Danger'' was broadcast as a ''New

CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainm ...

Tuesday Night Movie''

television film A television film, alternatively known as a television movie, made-for-TV film/movie or TV film/movie, is a feature-length film that is produced and originally distributed by or to a television network, in contrast to theatrical films made for ...

on February 27, 1973. Initially ordered as a

pilot An aircraft pilot or aviator is a person who controls the flight of an aircraft by operating its directional flight controls. Some other aircrew members, such as navigators or flight engineers, are also considered aviators, because they a ...

, titled ''Deadly Target'', the series was envisioned as a vehicle for

Peter Graves Peter Graves (born Peter Duesler Aurness; March 18, 1926 – March 14, 2010) was an American actor. He was best known for his role as Jim Phelps in the CBS television series ''Mission: Impossible (1966 TV series), Mission: Impossible'' from 1967 ...

should his current series, '' Mission: Impossible'', not be renewed.

Diana Muldaur Diana Muldaur (born August 19, 1938) is an American film and television actress. Muldaur's television roles include Rosalind Shays on '' L.A. Law'' and Dr. Katherine Pulaski in the second season of '' Star Trek: The Next Generation''. She als ...

was cast as the female lead. Parts of the movie were filmed on location in Washington, D.C.

Plot synopsis

The bold kidnapping of a crime syndicate turncoat (

Roy Jenson Roy Cameron Jenson, also known and credited as Roy Jensen, (February 9, 1927 – April 24, 2007) was a Canadian American football player, stuntman, and actor. Early years Born in Calgary, Alberta, Jenson moved to Los Angeles with his family as ...

), while in the midst of giving testimony before a Federal investigating committee, calls for an equally bold move by Justice Department investigators Inspector Douglas Warfield (

) and Carrie Donovan (

). With the help of chief ally Emmitt Jergens (

Clu Gulager William Martin Gulager (; November 16, 1928 – August 5, 2022), better known as Clu Gulager, was an American television and film actor and director born in Holdenville, Oklahoma. He first became known for his work in television, appearing in ...

), an expert beekeeper/archer/computer science wizard and private citizen, the team attempts to infiltrate the syndicate boss's hideaway—a heavily fortified and intricate farm enclave on the west coast. Even with additional support from a gangsters fashion-model gal pal (

Tina Louise Tina Louise ( Blacker; born February 11, 1934) is an American actress widely known for her role as movie star Ginger Grant in the CBS television situation comedy ''Gilligan's Island''. With the death of Dawn Wells in 2020, Louise became the las ...

) and a Justice Dept. cohort ( John Anderson), Douglas and Carrie cannot ignore the increasing and likely deadly call to danger.

Cast

as Inspector Douglas Warfield *

as Inspector Carrie Donovan *

Stephen McNally Stephen McNally (born Horace Vincent McNally; July 29, 1911 – June 4, 1994) was an American actor remembered mostly for his appearances in many Westerns and action films. He often played hard-hearted characters, criminals, bullies, and othe ...

as Joe Barker * John Anderson as Edward McClure *

as April Tierney *

as Emmitt Jergens * William Jordan as Tony Boyd *

Michael Ansara Michael George Ansara (April 15, 1922 – July 31, 2013) was an American actor. He portrayed Cochise in the television series '' Broken Arrow'', Kane in the 1979–1981 series '' Buck Rogers in the 25th Century'', Commander Kang in '' Star Tr ...

as Frank Mulvey *

as Dave Falk *Victor Campos as Danny *

Ina Balin Ina Balin (née Rosenberg; November 12, 1937 – June 20, 1990) was an American stage, film, and television actress. She is best known for her role in the film '' From the Terrace'' (1960), for which she received two Golden Globe Award nomination ...

as Marla Hayes * Paul Mantee as Simmy Adams

A perpetual pilot

''Call to Danger'' was originally a television pilot in 1961 starring

Larry Blyden Ivan Lawrence Blieden (June 23, 1925 – June 6, 1975), known as Larry Blyden, was an American actor, stage producer and director, and game show host. He made his Broadway stage debut in 1948 and went on to appear in numerous productions on ...

that was shown on ''

General Electric Theater ''General Electric Theater'' was an American anthology series hosted by Ronald Reagan that was broadcast on CBS radio and television. The series was sponsored by General Electric's Department of Public Relations. Radio After an audition show ...

''. In 1966

made another television pilot with the same title. The series wasn't picked up but Graves replaced

Steven Hill Stephen or Steven is a common English first name. It is particularly significant to Christians, as it belonged to Saint Stephen ( grc-gre, Στέφανος ), an early disciple and deacon who, according to the Book of Acts, was stoned to death; ...

on the '' Mission Impossible'' television series.p.146 Weaver, Tom ''Peter Graves Interview'' in ''Earth Vs. the Sci-fi Filmmakers: 20 Interviews'' McFarland, 1 Jan 2005

Notes

External links

* {{Tom Gries Television films as pilots Television pilots not picked up as a series 1973 television films 1973 films 1973 in American television Films directed by Tom Gries Films scored by Laurence Rosenthal American television films