Richard Diamond, Private Detective

A Private Eye Moves from Radio to Television

by Guy Belleranti

Several programs moved successfully from radio to television during the 1950’s. One such program was Richard Diamond, Private Detective.

The radio version began in 1949. Created by Blake Edwards of Pink Panther movie fame, it starred Dick Powell as the title character. Powell also produced. Other important characters on the program included Diamond’s girlfriend Helen Asher (played by Virginia Gregg, the voice of “Mother” in Psycho), Lieutenant Levinson (played by Ed Begley) and Sergeant Otis (played by Wilms Herbert).

A number of the episodes of the radio program ended with Powell’s Diamond character sitting at Helen’s piano singing an old standard or some other song. On the radio program Diamond was an ex OSS officer who then became a private eye. The television series changed this, having Diamond originally being an ex-cop.

The TV show began in 1957. Powell, too busy to play Diamond, found young actor David Janssen, and thus took-off the successful acting career of David Janssen (The Fugitive, Harry O).

The series ran for four seasons (the first and last much shorter, the middle two longer) and a total of 77 black and white episodes. The first two seasons saw Diamond as a private eye in New York City. Regis Toomey played his friend, NYPD Lieutenant Dennis “Mac” McGough.

Then the series’ setting moved to Los Angeles, and Diamond suddenly had a convertible with telephone. He also had a sexy voiced service operator/receptionist/secretary named Sam. The interesting thing about Sam was that we never saw her face, just down lower including a pair of very shapely legs. When the owner of the legs – a young actress named Mary Moore (yes, Mary Tyler Moore) – did a hosiery ad for TV Guide and revealed she was Sam she was soon replaced by another actress, Roxanne Brooks.

Other characters of importance during the Los Angeles years included Diamond’s girlfriend during season 3, Karen Wells (played by Barbara Bain of Mission Impossible fame), LAPD Lieutenant Pete Kile (played by Russ Conway) and Diamond’s nemesis, LAPD Sergeant Alden (played by Richard Devon).

Guest stars during the series run included Dan Blocker (Bonanza), Ellen Corby (The Waltons), DeForest Kelley (Star Trek), Vic Morrow (Combat!), Ross Martin (The Wild Wild West, James Coburn, Keye Luke, Lee Van Cleef and Charles Bronson.

After three seasons on CBS the 30 minute private eye drama moved to NBC for its final season. And just ahead were big years for both David Janssen (The Fugitive) and Mary Tyler Moore (The Dick Van Dyke Show).

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