RARA-AVIS: Re: M Squad for $50

From: JIM DOHERTY (jimdohertyjr@yahoo.com)
Date: 17 Mar 2009

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    Sonny,

    Re your comment below:

    "thanks, jim. didn't even know about it, but sure would like to see it after reading your description."

    A little more info you might find interesting. Although M SQUAD didn't have quite the cozy relationship with Chicago PD that, say, DRAGNET had with LAPD, THE LINEUP had with SFPD, or HIGHWAY PATROL had with CHP, there was some unofficial help given. An uncredited technical advisor for the series was CPD's legendary detective, Lt. Frank Pape. Ballinger was modeled on Pape to a degree.

    You can read a little more about Ballinger's real-life model here:

    http://www.ipsn.org/pape.html

    Also, former Chicago Police Det. Sgt. Chuck Adamson (the co-creator of the Michale Mann TV series CRIME STORY) wrote a biography of Pape called THE TOUGHEST COP IN AMERICA. More info on that book here:

    http://www.amazon.com/Toughest-Cop-America-Charles-Adamson/dp/0759625123

    Many of M SQUAD's episodes were dramatizations of Pape's actual cases.

    Given the apparent decline of the R-rated action movie noted elsewhere, M SQUAD DVD's may be your only way to get that particular jones fixed.

    JIM DOHERTY

          

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