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77 Sunset Strip

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77 Sunset Strip
77 Sunset Strip-Cast.jpg
Premiere October 10, 1958
Finale February 7, 1964
Network/Provider ABC
Style 60-minute crime drama
Company Warner Bros. Television
Distributor Warner Bros. Television
Seasons 6
Episodes 206
Origin USA

77 Sunset Strip is a crime drama that aired on ABC.

Based on a series of stories by Roy Huggins, the show featured Stuart Bailey and Jeff Spencer, two detectives who worked out of a stylish office on the title street. Suzanne was their telephone operator; tagging along for the ride was Roscoe, a racetrack fancier, and Gerald "Kookie" Kookson, a P.I. wannabe who worked as a valet next door at Dino's Lounge, the nightclub owned by Dean Martin. Kookie and Roscoe provided many of the show's lighter moments.

Edd Byrnes (Kookie) left the show in 1959 following a contract dispute (he had become something of a pop icon with his catch phrases and a record by Connie Stevens--"Kookie, Kookie, Lend Me Your Comb") but returned a year later as a member of the firm. At the very onset, Warner Bros. was embroiled in an ownership dispute over the show and characters with its creator, Roy Huggins.

Edd Byrnes would turn up again in late 1974 auditioning to be the host of NBC's new game show Wheel of Fortune. But when he was spotted appearing inebriated and trying to commit the alphabet to memory, he would be replaced by Chuck Woolery when the show hit the air.

Prior to the start of the sixth season in 1963, all cast members on the show except for Efrem Zimbalist Jr. were let go, his Stuart Bailey character went out on his own as a solo private eye and most of the continuity with the show's previous seasons were dropped in favor of giving the show a new film-noir look and feel and a new setting, in what was deemed to be a controversial move by the show's producers (headed by new WB head of programming Jack Webb). Later into Season Six, Bailey's secretary Hannah, who was previously only referenced by Bailey, began appearing onscreen and quickly became a love interest to Bailey, though the interest was one-way on Bailey's part as Hannah continually rebuffed him by playing hard-to-get.

Contents

Cast

Actor Character Duration
Main Cast 1 2 3 4 5 6
Efrem Zimbalist, Jr. Stuart Bailey * * * * * *
Roger Smith Jeff Spencer * * * * *
Edward Byrnes Gerald "Kookie" Kookson III * * * * *
Louis Quinn Roscoe o * * * *
Jacqueline Beer Suzanne Fabray o * * * *
Richard Long Rex Randolph *
Robert Logan J.R. Hale * *
Orange/Red/o indicates a recurring or guest role during that season.
Dark Green indicates top billing during that season.
Supporting/Recurring Cast 1 2 3 4 5 6
Byron Keith Lt. Roy Gilmore * * * * *
Joan Staley Hannah *

Seasons

Season  Premiere Finale #
ABC
Season One October 10, 1958 May 29, 1959 34
Season Two October 2, 1959 June 10, 1960 36
Season Three September 16, 1960 June 9, 1961 39
Season Four September 22, 1961 June 29, 1962 41
Season Five October 12, 1962 June 14, 1963 36
Season Six September 20, 1963 February 7, 1964 20

In-Depth

DVD Releases

There are no DVD releases for this show.

External Sites