Television pilot that went to the theatres instead
Warner Brothers had plans for a series concerning the FBI as early as late 1961 and began production for a television movie. FBI Code 98, filmed in black and white, and the only movie produced as such, ended up making a movie debut in France on 4 January 1963. After release in Finland, Sweden, Denmark and Mexico that year, it saw the light of day on 8 April 1964 in the United States.
What we have here is a taut drama/police procedural about an attempted plane bombing, and the effort made to catch the perpetrator. This movie may seem to many modern audiences about as exciting as a bowl of plain oatmeal, but it is fun watching as a time capsule of America in the time of John F. Kennedy.
The film also has a very solid cast of Warner Brothers stock players, such as Andrew Duggan and Jack Kelley. It’s also directed by Leslie H. Martinson (1915-2016), who did a lot of television episodes, as well as such movies as PT 109 (1963) and Batman (1966).
But one of the supporting players here really makes his presence known. His character has a running gag for trying to ask out a female secretary, which is cringeworthy by 21st Century standards, but which was allowed by FBI officials. Thirty years old and the father of two children, this performer was already a seasoned actor who really was given a lot to work with here in this movie. That would serve him well on The FBI, which he would appear on between 1966 and 1974.
His name? William Reynolds.
The movie does a fine job, but evidently it was felt that the format needs tweaking. Warner Brothers did just that, and The FBI would make its debut on 19 September 1965.
MORE TO COME SOON