About the theatrical releases produced before, and more …
By the time Warner Brothers released The FBI Story in 1959, the bureau that J. Edgar Hoover had headed for 35 years had incredibly visibility. Its chief was himself a real showman, and a genius in public relations.
The FBI Story was essentially a history of the Bureau, seen through the eyes of Agent Chip Hardesty, played by James Stewart. The movie’s production was a prototype for the 1965-1974 series in that the Bureau had a huge say in who could appear, as well as other aspects of production. In the case of this movie, its influence can be felt in Season One episodes. And many actors in this movie went on to guest roles in the series as well. And watch for the shiny new Ford drive by Washington landmarks at the end of the movie!
Warner Brothers took this a step further when it began filming FBI Code 98 in late 1961. Filmed with the Bureau’s cooperation, it was intended as a television movie/pilot, but this ended up released first in France, on 4 January 1963. The movie was released in American theatres on 8 April 1964, after release in Finland, Denmark, Sweden and Mexico.
FBI Code 98 was the only FBI-based production filmed in black and white. This “pilot” ended up reworked into the 1965-1974 series, but there was one notable supporting player who appeared on all nine seasons, six of them in a starring role: William Reynolds. The movie was more of a police procedural than a personal story, much as the TV series was, but a very fascinating one.
Both movies paved the way for the television series, and did so effectively.