Sam Benedict

Sam Benedict
Edmond O'Brien and Yvonne Craig in 1963 episode "Sugar and Spice and Everything..."
GenreLegal drama
Created byE. Jack Neuman
Written byE. Jack Neuman
Ellis Marcus
Joseph Calvelli
Directed byAbner Biberman
Richard Donner
Ida Lupino
Paul Nickell
StarringEdmond O'Brien
Richard Rust
Joan Tompkins
Theme music composerNelson Riddle
ComposerJeff Alexander
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes28
Production
ProducerWilliam Froug
Camera setupSingle-camera
Running time45–48 minutes
Production companyMGM Television
Original release
NetworkNBC
ReleaseSeptember 15, 1962 (1962-09-15) –
March 30, 1963 (1963-03-30)
Infobox instructions (only shown in preview)

Sam Benedict is an American legal drama that aired on NBC from September 1962 to March 1963. The series was created and executive produced by E. Jack Neuman, and produced by William Froug. The series starred Edmond O'Brien in the title role, with Richard Rust as his assistant Hank Tabor, and Joan Tompkins as his secretary Trudy Wagner.[1]

The character Sam Benedict is based on real-life lawyer Jake Ehrlich, who served as technical consultant for the series.[2] According to Hal Erickson in his 2009 Encyclopedia of Television Law Shows, "Beyond his salty delivery of lines and bulldozer courtroom demeanor, Sam Benedict shared with Jake Ehrlich an up-from-poverty background (including a short stint as a prizefighter!), and a sincere empathy for underdog clients."[1]

  1. ^ a b Erickson, Hal (2009). Encyclopedia of Television Law Shows: Factual and Fictional Series About Judges, Lawyers and the Courtroom, 1948-2008. McFarland. p. 243. ISBN 978-0786438280.
  2. ^ The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows, 1946–present. Ballantine Books. 2003. p. 1029. ISBN 0-345-45542-8.