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NBC Wednesday Mystery Movie:
Banacek (1972-74)
  Episode Guide compiled by The Classic TV Archive
with contributions by: Rina Fox
references:
TV Guide / Library of Congress (telnet://locis.loc.gov)
Internet Movie Database (https://us.imdb.com)
UCLA Film and Television Archive
------------------------------------
NBC WEDNESDAY MYSTERY MOVIE: BANACEK
------------------------------------
Universal Television/ Universal City Studios/ an MCA Company
for
NBC (Wednesdays 8:30-10:00 PM ET)
Executive Producer George Eckstein
Produced by Howie Horwitz
Created by Richard Levinson (OR Anthony Wilson ?)

US Crime series 1972-74   2hr pilot TV Film + 16 episodes x 90 min

Starring:
George Peppard as Thomas Banacek
Ralph Manza as Jay Drury
Murray Matheson as Felix Mulholland
Christine Belford as Carlie Kirkland
Linden Chiles as Henry DeWitt
George Murdock as Cavanaugh

################### Banacek ##################
################ Pilot TV Film ###############
##############################################

BANACEK "Pilot" (aka DETOUR TO NOWHERE) (2hr TV Film)
20-Mar-1972
written by Anthony Wilson
directed by Jack Smight
director of photography Sam Leavitt
producer George Eckstein
Starring:
George Peppard (as Thomas Banacek)
Christine Belford .... Carlie Kirkland
Ralph Manza .......... Jay Drury
George Murdock ....... Cavanaugh
Murray Matheson ...... Felix Mulholland
*guest
Ed Nelson ............ Geoff Holden
Russell Wiggins ...... Earl Lewis
Charles Knox Robinson .. Arthur Patrick McKinney
Don Dubbins .......... Sheriff Jessup
Leo Grillo ........... Matt
Bill Vint ............ Deputy Bill Macey
Victor Mohica ........ Joe Hawk
with
Lou Frizzell ......... Denny
Gene Dynarski ........ Loser Griffin
J. Pat O'Malley ...... Hawk
Mario Machado ........ 1st Newscaster
Larry Burrell ........ 2nd Newscaster
Dee Gardner .......... Sharon

#### NBC Wednesday Mystery Movie: Banacek ####
############## season 1 1972-73 ##############
##############################################
NBC Wednesdays 8:30-10:00 PM Eastern
Rotated with "Madigan" & "Cool Million"

1.1 [--] Banacek: LET'S HEAR IT FOR A LIVING LEGEND
13-Sep-1972 NBC Wed
written by Del Reisman
directed by Jack Smight
Starring:
George Peppard (as Thomas Banacek)
Guest Cast:
Stefanie Powers ...... Angie Ives
Madlyn Rhue .......... Holly Allencamp
Robert Webber ........ Jerry Brinkman
Jock Mahoney ......... Albert Bates
John Brodie .......... Ritchie Mulligan
Deacon Jones ......... Joe Fabian
Tom Mack ............. Ed Wolinski
Peggy Walton ......... Dr. Judy Forrest
Anitra Ford .......... Susan
Curt Gowdy ........... Himself
Marty Ingels ......... Himself
Charlie Jones ........ Himself
with
Gene Washington ...... Clay Mills
Marlyn Mason ......... Secretary
Byron Morrow ......... Grant
Chuck Morrell ........ Hank Ives
Conrad Janis ......... Video Technician
Chris Forbes ......... Debbie
Colby Chester ........ Corliss
Bart Burns ........... 1st Reporter
Bud Furillo .......... 2nd Reporter
Russell Arms ......... Ambulance Attendant
Michael Lerner ....... Bartender
Synopsis:
Banacek is hired to find a missing Quarterback. [RF]

1.2 [--] Banacek: PROJECT PHOENIX
27-Sep-1972 NBC Wed
written by David Moessinger
directed by Richard T. Heffron
Starring:
George Peppard (as Thomas Banacek)
Guest Cast:
Bert Convy ........... Douglas Ruddermonde
Joanna Pettet ........ Christine Verdon
William Windom ....... Harry Wexler
Herb Edelman ......... Joe Taddenhurst
John Fielder ......... Paddle
Peter Mark Richman ... Andy Cole
with
Bruce Kirby .......... Collier
Seamon Glass ......... Deke
Warren Finnerty ...... Whitey
Isaac Fields ......... Fats
Stafford Repp ........ Police Chief
Percy Rodriguez ...... Faldor
Synopsis:
An experimental safety vehicle called the Phoenix is stolen from
R&W Industries, Banacek investigates. [RF]

1.3 [--] Banacek: NO SIGN OF THE CROSS
11-Oct-1972 NBC Wed
Teleplay by Robert Presnell Jr./
Story by Howard Browne & Robert Presnell Jr.
directed by Daryl Duke
Starring:
George Peppard (as Thomas Banacek)
Guest Cast:
Broderick Crawford ... Gilbert Deretzo
Louise Sorel ......... Alicia Danato
Alan Fudge ........... Father Cass
Gordon Pinsent ....... John Weymouth
Jack MacGowran ....... Michel Lanier
Victor Jory .......... Paul Andros
Ahna Capri ........... Mme. Pompadour
Peter Donat .......... Robert Morgan
Ned Romero ........... Chief Frank Mendoza
with
Alfonso Tafoya ....... Anselmo Gomez
Annette Charles ...... Cecelia Gomez
Julio Medina ......... Padre Borda
Ruben Moreno ......... Colonel Perez
Peter Brocco ......... Cardinal
Kermit Murdock ....... Archbishop
Francisco Ortega ..... Padre Guillermo
Erica Hagen .......... Bikini Girl
Paul Gleason ......... Border Guard
Adele Yoshioka ....... Receptionist
Pedro Regas .......... Old Mexican
Olan Soule ........... Howard (uncredited)
Synopsis:
A golden cross, on it's way from a Mexican church to an American gangster
anxious to reform his image, turns into worthless junk without ever
leaving the possession of the couriers sent to deliver it. Banacek must
figure out where and how the switch was pulled off.

1.4 [--] Banacek: A MILLION THE HARD WAY
01-Nov-1972 NBC Wed
written by Stanley Ralph Ross
directed by Bernard Kowalski
Starring:
George Peppard (as Thomas Banacek)
Guest Cast:
Margot Kidder ....... Linda Carsini
Don Porter .......... Arnold Leland
Don Keefer .......... Loomis
John Duke Russo ..... Lester Sawyer
Claire Brennen ...... Betty Janus
Stanley Ralph Ross .. Larry Fields
with
Mary Ann Gibson ..... Florence Loomis
William Bryant ...... Frank Burns
Dolores Quinton ..... Edna Beach
Angela Green ........ Marcia Leland
Russ Marin .......... Marvin Flanders
Harvey Fisher ....... Andrews
Mark Harris ......... Chauffeur
Kathleen King ....... 1st Girl
Inga Neilson ........ 2nd Girl
************** no synopsis ***************

1.5 [--] Banacek: TO STEAL A KING
15-Nov-1972 NBC Wed
written by Stephen Kandel
directed by Lou Antonio
Starring:
George Peppard (as Thomas Banacek)
Guest Cast:
Kevin McCarthy ...... Alan Markham
Janis Paige ......... Lydia Markham
Brenda Vaccaro ...... Sharon Clark
Roger C. Carmel ..... Oliver Garson
Pernell Roberts ..... Matthew Donniger
Logan Ramsey ........ Roland Garson
David Spielberg ..... Wendell Church
with
John Finnegan ....... Lt. Hallohan
Will Hare ........... Grayson
Hope Summers ........ Mrs. Liddell
William S. Taylor ... Ballinger
Irene Tedrow ........ Dr. Bancroft
Synopis:
Markham's Ten Kings, is an Antique coin collection insured for 2.3
million dollars and is stolen from a supposedly impregnable hotel room safe
complete with sealed windows, tempered glass, solid walls and steel core doors. [RF]

1.6 [--] Banacek: TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS A PAGE
10-Jan-1973 NBC Wed
written by Paul Playdon
directed by Richard T. Heffron
Starring:
George Peppard (as Thomas Banacek)
Guest Cast:
David Wayne ......... Walter Tyson
Joel Fabiani ........ Art Woodward
Stella Stevens ...... Jill Hammond
David Doyle ......... Elliot
Ted Cassidy ......... Jerry Crawford
Michael Masters ..... Steve Crawford
with
George Lindsey ...... Lt. Bradshaw
Richard Schaal ...... Glassman
Synopsis:
When a priceless book vanishes from a sealed display case in a room that
no thief could possibly escape, it's up to Banacek to show how someone
beat the supposedly foolproof alarms to make off with the artifact.

1.7 [--] Banacek: THE GREATEST COLLECTION OF THEM ALL
24-Jan-1973 NBC Wed
written by Theodore J. Flicker
directed by George McCowan
Starring:
George Peppard (as Thomas Banacek)
Guest Cast:
Mike Farrell ........ Jason Trotter
Lloyd Gough ......... Alan Trotter
Penny Fuller ........ Gloria Hamilton
David Spielberg ..... Wendell Church
George Murdock ...... Cavanaugh
John Hoyt ........... Dr. Shelby
Arch Johnson ........ Larry Casey
with
Barbara Stuart ...... Sailor
John Gilgreen ....... Jim
George Brenlin ...... Tom Davis
Eugene Troobnick .... Norm Katz
Garry Walberg ....... Lt. Warsaw
Gene Dynarski ....... Ben Wheeler
Robert DoQui ........ Sgt. Flynn
Penny Marshall ...... Receptionist
************** no synopsis ***************

1.8 [--] Banacek: THE TWO MILLION CLAMS OF CAP'N JACK
07-Feb-1973 NBC Wed
Teleplay by Stanley Ralph Ross
Story by Shirl Hendryx, Pat Fielder, and Richard Bluel
Directed by Richard T. Heffron
Starring:
George Peppard (as Thomas Banacek)
Guest Cast:
Jessica Walter ...... Erica Osborn
Andrew Duggan ....... Cap'n Jack Osborn
David White ......... W. Crawford Morgan
Jason Evers ......... Roger Sloan
William Schallert ... Leo Osborn
Gregory Sierra ...... Norman Esposito
with
Linden Chiles ....... Henry DeWitt (recurring)
Joan Pringle ........ Ann Spencer
Wally Taylor ........ Ed Spencer
Fredd Wayne ......... Stein
Ralph Manza ......... Jay Drury (recurring)
Michael DeLano ...... Simpson
Selette Cole ........ Lucille Sloan
Fredricka Myers ..... Nora
Liam Dunn ........... Howard Hanrahan
Synopsis:
Just before Cap'n Jack's seafood restaurant franchise is set to go public,
millions of dollars in stock certificates are stolen from a non-stop elevator,
leaving Banacek to find them before someone walks through walls with a fortune.

#### NBC Wednesday Mystery Movie: Banacek ####
############## season 2 1973-74 ##############
##############################################
NBC Wednesdays 8:30-10:00 PM Eastern
Rotated with "The Snoop Sisters" "Faraday and Co" & "Tenafly"

A new regular guest star joins the cast
Christine Belford as Carlie Kirkland (1973-1974)

2.1 [--] Banacek: NO STONE UNTURNED
03-Oct-1973 NBC Wed
written by George Sheldon Smith, Lee Santley & Robert Van Scoyk
story by Stephen Lord
directed by Richard T. Heffron
Starring:
George Peppard (as Thomas Banacek)
Guest Cast:
Christine Belford ... Carlie Kirkland (recurring)
Don Stroud .......... Vince O'Hara
Gary Lockwood ....... Owen Russell
Scott Brady ......... Davey Collier
Candy Clark ......... Gretel
Larry Pennell ....... Pete Biesecker
Peggy Walton ........ Jennifer Nesburn
with
Joe Maross
Linden Chiles ....... Henry DeWitt (recurring)
Ralph Manza ......... Jay Drury (recurring)
************** no synopsis ***************

2.2 [--] Banacek: IF MAX IS SO SMART, WHY DOESN'T HE TELL US WHERE HE IS?
07-Nov-1973 NBC Wed
written by Robert Van Scoyk
directed by Bernard Kowalski
Starring:
George Peppard (as Thomas Banacek)
Guest Cast:
Christine Belford ... Carlie Kirkland (recurring)
Anne Baxter ......... Leslie Lyle
Richard Jordan ...... Chris Bailey
Paul Richards ....... Dr. Richard Ketner
Alan Fudge .......... Logan Howard
Jim Davis ........... Ed McKay
with
Julie Rogers ........ Lois
George Murdock ...... Cavanaugh
Sabrina Scharf ...... Wynn Reever
William Sylvester ... Dr. Stahl
Poupee Bocar ........ Wanda
John Zaremba ........ Dr. Wickham
Nancy Bonniwell ..... Girl
Synopsis:
MAX is a super computer that can diagnose all illnesses when MAX is
stolen from an airtight lab. [RF]

2.3 [--] Banacek: THE THREE MILLION DOLLAR PIRACY
21-Nov-1973 NBC Wed
Teleplay by Stanley Ralph Ross & Robert Van Scoyk
Story by Jack Turley
directed by Andrew V. McLaglen
Starring:
George Peppard (as Thomas Banacek)
Guest Cast:
Christine Belford ... Carlie Kirkland (recurring)
Linden Chiles ....... Henry DeWitt (recurring)
Don Knight .......... Isaac Porter
Dick Gautier ........ Mario Fratelli
Arlene Martel ....... Diana Maitland
Hal Buckley ......... Doug Sanborn
with
Martin Kosleck ...... Bruno Altrahidy
Rudy Challenger ..... Lt. Trask
Susan Damante ....... Leona Sanborn
Lada Edmund Jr. ..... Lila Porter
Jean Manson ......... Wilda Porter
Hal Baylor .......... Foreman
Byron Morrow ........ Max Benson
Titos Vandis ........ Capt. Larkos
*************** no synopsis ***************

2.4 [--] Banacek: THE VANISHING CHALICE
15-Jan-1974 NBC Wed
written by Mort Fine
directed by Bernard Kowalski
Starring:
George Peppard (as Thomas Banacek)
Guest Cast:
Cesar Romero ....... Marius Avantalu
John Saxon ......... Harry Harland
Eric Braeden ....... Paul Bolitho
Sue Ane Langdon .... Sybil Payson
Robert Wolders ..... Tommy Forrest
Paul Picerni ....... Det. Ed Winslow
with
Don Collier ........ Jimmy Scarne
Carl Benson ........ Captain
Lester Rawlins ..... John Sharmon
Elisabeth Talbot-Martin ... Mrs. Glynn
Dorrie Thomson ..... Young Woman
*********** no synopsis ***************

2.5 [--] Banacek: HORSE OF A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT COLOR
22-Jan-1974 NBC Wed
Teleplay by Jimmy Sangster/ Story by Harold Livingston
directed by Herschel Daughtery
Starring:
George Peppard (as Thomas Banacek)
Guest Cast:
Anne Francis ....... Katherine Wells
Tim O'Connor ....... Howard James
Lane Bradbury ...... Sally James
Ramon Bieri ........ John Hargroves
John Crawford ...... Owen Summers
Linden Chiles ...... Henry DeWitt (recurring)
with
Harry Carey Jr. .... Dean Barrett
Rocky Frier ........ Tommy
Pamela Hensley ..... Mandy
Allen Ludden ....... Interviewer
Willard Sage ....... Anthony Mitchell
Terry Wilson ....... Chuck Smith
Robert Swan ........ Track Official
Synopsis:
How can a valuable, highly recognizable thoroughbred horse start a practice
run around an open racetrack and be an unknown nag when it reaches the
finish line? Bet on Banacek to solve the puzzle before the horse thieves
make tracks with the real article.

2.6 [--] Banacek: ROCKET TO OBLIVION
12-Feb-1974 NBC Wed
written by Robert Van Scoyk
directed by Andrew V. McLaglen
director of photography Sam Leavitt
Starring:
George Peppard (as Thomas Banacek)
Guest Cast:
Linda Evans ......... Cherry Saint-Saens
Andrew Prine ........ Tom Wardlow
Christine Belford ... Carlie Kirkland
Don Gordon .......... Buck Powell
Dick Van Patten ..... Donald Morgan
Jayne Kennedy ....... Jayne
Philip Carey ........ Art Gallagher
Tom Drake ........... Roger Fanshion
with
George Murdock ...... Cavanaugh
Jimmy Joyce ......... Eddie
Roy Poole ........... Lt. Garrett
Robert Rothwell ..... Officer Lonigan
Polly Middleton ..... Girl
Synopsis:
A huge prototype engine sits sealed in a rotating display case in the middle
of a crowded trade-show floor. A power failure turns out the lights for a
few seconds, and when the lights return, tons of rocket engine have vanished.
Banacek must beat his competition to the solution before Federal agents step in.

2.7 [--] Banacek: FLY ME IF YOU CAN FIND ME
19-Feb-1974 NBC Wed
written by Harold Livingston
directed by Bernard Kowalski
Starring:
George Peppard (as Thomas Banacek)
Guest Cast:
Sterling Hayden ..... Tony Fowler
Victoria Principal .. Brooke Collins
Jack Kelly .......... Lou Wayne
Patricia Quinn ...... Charlotte Malloy
Larry Ward .......... Len Malloy
Laurence Haddon ..... Joe Daley
Paul Cavonis ........ Andy Hall
Murray Matheson ..... Felix Mulholland
with
Ralph Manza ......... Jay Drury (recurring)
Don Hamner .......... Charlie Tyson
Byron Mabe .......... Walt Kinsdale
Richard Roat ........ Stan Price
Beverly Gill ........ Gina
Charles H. Gray ..... Capt. Dave Roberts
Carlos Romero ....... Sheriff Ortega
James Daris ......... Roy Gilbert
Synopsis:
A commercial jetliner makes an emergency landing at a small desert airstrip,
blowing all of its tires and leaving a shaken flight crew. The next morning
finds the pilot left guarding the plane dead and the airstrip empty of the
immovable aircraft. Enter Banacek - in a chauffeur-driven jeep - to sort out
the convolutions of pilots, stewardesses, old business partners and more
to learn where the crippled plane has gone.

2.8 [--] Banacek: NOW YOU SEE ME, NOW YOU DON'T
12-Mar-1974 NBC Wed
written by Stanley Roberts
directed by Bernard McEveety
Starring:
George Peppard (as Thomas Banacek)
Guest Cast:
Phillip Pine ........ Ed Harvey
Pat Harrington Jr. .. Phil Ross
Kathie Browne ....... Shirley Cole
Peter Marshall ...... Hal Parker
Gretchen Corbett .... Vickie Merrick
Nancy Olson ......... Louise Merrick
Jay Robinson ........ Bradley Merrick/Kurt Steiner
Kathrine Baumann .... Gloria Barker
Bruce Gordon ........ Maxwell Barker
with
Walter Brooke ....... Walter Peterson
Frank Maxwell ....... Higgins
Gene Dynarski ....... Leo
Lew Brown ........... Wilson
Lynette Mettey ...... Emily Parker
Gerald Peters ....... Davis
Sharyn Wynters ...... Lorraine
Kai Hernandez ....... Sandra
*************** no synopsis ***************

#### NBC Wednesday Mystery Movie: Banacek ####
################## the end #################
##############################################

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