Arrest and Trial

Det. Sgt. Nick Anderson

Attorney John Egan

Det. Sgt. Dan Kirby

Deputy DA Jerry Miller / ... (29 episodes, 1963-1964)

Mitchell Harris

Jake Shakespeare

Assistant Deputy District Attorney Barry Pine

Det. Lt. Bone

Janet Okada

The format of this series consisted of the first half of each episode dealing with the crime investigation, the second half the trial. This format later, in part, inspired the similar but much longer-running Law & Order (1990).

The Rifleman (1958) was scheduled for a sixth season in 1963 when Chuck Connors said he felt that five years in one series was enough. He was considered a hot property at the time due to its success. "Eager for a change," he wanted to break out of the western mold. Connors signed a lucrative seven-year deal with Universal/Revue Studios that gave him profit participation and allowed him to do at least one feature film a year. "Arrest & Trial" was the first project he committed to under his new contract. Originally slated to play Sgt. Anderson, the Ben Gazzara part, Connors lobbied for and received the part of John Egan, a slick, top-flight criminal defense attorney. Gazzara, on the other hand, had a number of impressive Broadway plays and Hollywood films to his credit but had resisted doing a TV series because, in those days, it could damage an actor's chances to appear on the big screen. However, Gazzara said that Broadway hadn't made him rich and the film offers were not exactly rolling in. So, he signed for "Arrest & Trial" for the financial security and exposure. Both actors were reportedly paid $7,500 a week and Gazzara, like Connors, enjoyed profit participation.

Ben Gazzara, who stood about 5'10, had never seen The Rifleman (1958) and had no idea that his costar, Chuck Connors, stood 6'6". Various "tricks" were used to minimize the disparity in their sizes but sometimes filming the two standing together was unavoidable. "And there we were," Gazzara recalled. "The giant and me."