Gene Roddenberry's "Police Story"?

I'm presuming most here are aware Gene created "Star Trek".:rolleyes: I'm betting many are also aware he was a speechwriter for LAPD Chief Daryl Gates (yes, that one:mad:). Many probably know Gene also created "The Lieutenant" for MGM, which didn't last.

He'd had the idea for what became "ST:TOS" for years, but didn't try & sell it until after he got hired at Desilu, where his first project was an unsold pilot, "Police Story".

So, suppose his career had taken a slightly different path? Suppose, instead, he'd been hired by Mark VII, Jack Webb's company, & had sold "Police Story". Could it have been as successful as "ST"? Could it (would it) have been as integrated? Or would Webb have insisted on greater realism? Or maybe insisted it be more friendly to LAPD, akin to "Adam 12"?

Would Gene R. never meet Gene L., Bob Justman, & the others on "ST"?:eek: Was it impossible to create something as unusual as "ST" outside Desilu? Or was the alt-"Police Story" bound to be a variation on "Dragnet" or "Adam 12" or "Ironside"?

Was it possible Gene, with his LAPD background, could attract the likes of Joe Wambaugh & break new ground? Maybe not quite "Hill Street" (which required being willing to use Arriflexes), but...

Any thoughts?
 

Vahktang

Donor
The show Police Story (1973-1979) was highly regarded as being one of the most realistic by police personnel.
One of it's creators was Joseph Wambaugh.
Rodenberry's Police Story could easily been as quality and well respected.
I could see Webb letting Rodenberry do well.
And it would have been canceled quickly.
It was not the time for quality, more realistic cop shows. It was the time for westerns a.d very light comedy.
And it would be remembered well but not have any where near the impact as TOS. The SF fans were ready for a good, recognizeable ahow they could be proud of, that couldn't be instantly dismissed as kids stuff.
 
Vahktang said:
The show Police Story (1973-1979) was highly regarded as being one of the most realistic by police personnel.
One of it's creators was Joseph Wambaugh.
Rodenberry's Police Story could easily been as quality and well respected.
I could see Webb letting Rodenberry do well.
And it would have been canceled quickly.
It was not the time for quality, more realistic cop shows. It was the time for westerns a.d very light comedy.
And it would be remembered well but not have any where near the impact as TOS. The SF fans were ready for a good, recognizeable ahow they could be proud of, that couldn't be instantly dismissed as kids stuff.
Yeah, I was thinking of Wambaugh the whole time.:) It was hard not to think, would Gene have made a similar program?

I'm more interested, really, in how he'd handle a show that wasn't "ST". He never managed to produce another real success.:(

I'd disagree there was no audience for good cop shows. More realistic, maybe not. Don't forget, this is the era of "M:I" & "The Prisoner". (Yeah, also of "Get Smart" & "Gilligan's Island"...:mad:) If it was good, the innovative style of "HSB" wouldn't hurt it; the big question is, would any director even try it? The "young Turks" like Lucas, Spielberg, & Cimino weren't even starting, yet; nothing I've seen in TV directing in the mid-'60s would remotely qualify as "groundbreaking" or "innovative"...:(

So, do we get a 30min version of Wambaugh's show that only lasts a year? Or a "dolled-up" "Adam 12" that goes 3-4? Or something else?
 
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