Main Cast: Jack Klugman, Garry Walberg, Robert Ito, Val Bisoglio, John S. Ragin
Release Year: 1976
Country: US
Run Time: 60 minutes
Plot
First seen on October 3, 1976, as a component of the rotating crime anthology series The NBC Mystery Movie, Quincy, M.E. starred Jack Klugman as the title character, a one-time private medical practitioner who, after the death of his wife, gave up his profitable practice to become a medical examiner with the Los Angeles County Coroner's Office. Using his vast knowledge of forensic medicine, Quincy (whose first name was never revealed on the series) frequently came up against cases of normal or "accidental" death, or suicide, that he suspected to be murders. Whenever this happened, Quincy went into full detective mode, ruffling the feathers of everyone in any sort of authority, from the police to the D.A.'s office to the medical establishment itself. Contentious and persistent, Quincy never let up until he proved his theories or solved the case at hand, even when facing public censure, the loss of his license or a stiff prison term.
Once the series ceased its sporadic NBC Mystery Movie schedule and became a weekly, one-hour NBC offering in the spring of 1977, Quincy broadened his range of outrage to include suspected cases of child abuse, drug and/or alcohol addiction brought about by flaws in the bureaucracy, governmental red tape, incompetent doctors, corrupt politicians, shifty lawyers, gangland chieftains, and those who would prey on the helpless and infirm in all walks of life. While Quincy's intentions were honorable and his results were often laudatory, he proved to be a major pain in the neck to his superior in the coroner's office, Dr. Robert Astin (John S. Ragin). Originally a pompous, preening obstructionist bureaucrat, Dr. Astin mellowed into an intelligent and avuncular character as the series wore on, and became one of Quincy's closest friends. Another "friendly adversary" was police lieutenant Frank Monahan (Garry Walberg), who frequently found himself both resisting Quincy's intrusions into his territory and welcoming his meticulous detective work and razor sharp deductions. Others in the supporting cast included Robert Ito as Quincy's young and ambitious assistant, Sam Fujiyama; Val Bisoglio as restaurateur Danny Tovo (who owned Quincy's favorite watering hole, Danny's); and Joseph Roman as police sergeant Brill.
Although he lived alone on his personal boat which he kept docked at a marina, Quincy did not want for female companionship. His girlfriend during the series' first two seasons was Lee Potter (Lynnette Mettey); she was followed by a steady stream of lovely ladies, including Dr. Emily Hanover (Anita Gillette), who ended up marrying Quincy after innumerable delays and breakups in the series' final season. Created and produced by Glen A. Larson, Quincy, M.E. remained a popular NBC attraction until its cancellation on September 5, 1983. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Lynnette Mettey - Lee Potter; Anita Gillette - Dr. Emily Hanover; Joseph Spallina Roman - Sgt. Brill; Eddie Garrett - Eddie; Marc Scott Taylor - Marc; Diane Markoff - Diane; James A. Watson Jr. - DA Jim Barnes; Peter Virgo Jr. - Pete (security guard)
Credit
Glen A. Larson - Executive Producer, Glen A. Larson - Composer (Music Score), Stu Phillips - Composer (Music Score), Glen A. Larson - Show Creator, Lou Shaw - Show Creator
Episodes
Quincy, M.E.: Season 01 Quincy, M.E.: Season 02 Quincy, M.E.: Season 03 Quincy, M.E.: Season 04 Quincy, M.E.: Season 05 Quincy, M.E.: Season 06 Quincy, M.E.: Season 07 Quincy, M.E.: Season 08 Quincy, M.E.: ...The Thigh Bone's Connected to the Knee Bone Quincy, M.E.: A Blow to the Head...A Blow to the Heart Quincy, M.E.: A Cry for Help Quincy, M.E.: A Dead Man's Truth Quincy, M.E.: A Ghost of a Chance Quincy, M.E.: A Good Smack in the Mouth Quincy, M.E.: A Loss for Words Quincy, M.E.: A Matter of Principle Quincy, M.E.: A Night to Raise the Dead Quincy, M.E.: A Question of Death Quincy, M.E.: A Question of Time Quincy, M.E.: A Small Circle of Friends Quincy, M.E.: A Star is Dead Quincy, M.E.: A Test for the Living Quincy, M.E.: Accomplice to Murder Quincy, M.E.: Across the Line Quincy, M.E.: Aftermath Quincy, M.E.: An Act of Violence Quincy, M.E.: An Ounce of Prevention Quincy, M.E.: An Unfriendly Radiance Quincy, M.E.: Ashes to Ashes Quincy, M.E.: Baby Rattlesnakes Quincy, M.E.: Beyond the Open Door Quincy, M.E.: Bitter Pill Quincy, M.E.: By the Death of a Child Quincy, M.E.: By Their Faith Quincy, M.E.: Cover-Up Quincy, M.E.: Crib Job Quincy, M.E.: D.U.I. Quincy, M.E.: Dark Angel Quincy, M.E.: Dead and Alive Quincy, M.E.: Dead Last Quincy, M.E.: Dead Stop Quincy, M.E.: Deadly Arena Quincy, M.E.: Deadly Protection Quincy, M.E.: Dear Mummy Quincy, M.E.: Death by Good Intention Quincy, M.E.: Death Casts a Vote Quincy, M.E.: Diplomatic Immunity Quincy, M.E.: Double Death Quincy, M.E.: Dying for a Drink Quincy, M.E.: Even Odds Quincy, M.E.: Expert in Murder Quincy, M.E.: For Love of Joshua Quincy, M.E.: For the Benefit of My Patients Quincy, M.E.: For Want of a Horse Quincy, M.E.: Gentle Into That Good Night Quincy, M.E.: Give Me Your Weak Quincy, M.E.: Go Fight City Hall--To the Death! Quincy, M.E.: Gone But Not Forgotten Quincy, M.E.: Guilty Until Proven Innocent Quincy, M.E.: Guns Don't Die Quincy, M.E.: Has Anybody Here Seen Quincy? Quincy, M.E.: Headhunter Quincy, M.E.: Hit and Run at Danny's Quincy, M.E.: Holding Pattern Quincy, M.E.: Honor thy Elders Quincy, M.E.: Hot Ice Quincy, M.E.: Hot Ice, Cold Hearts Quincy, M.E.: House of No Return Quincy, M.E.: Images Quincy, M.E.: Into the Murdering Mind Quincy, M.E.: Jury Duty Quincy, M.E.: Last Day, First Day Quincy, M.E.: Last of the Dinosaurs Quincy, M.E.: Last Rights Quincy, M.E.: Let Me Light the Way Quincy, M.E.: Main Man Quincy, M.E.: Matters of Life and Death Quincy, M.E.: Memories of Allison Quincy, M.E.: Mode of Death Quincy, M.E.: Murder by S.O.P. Quincy, M.E.: Murder on Ice Quincy, M.E.: Never a Child Quincy, M.E.: New Blood Quincy, M.E.: Next Stop, Nowhere Quincy, M.E.: No Deadly Secret Quincy, M.E.: No Way to Treat a Body Quincy, M.E.: No Way to Treat a Flower Quincy, M.E.: No Way to Treat a Patient Quincy, M.E.: Nowhere to Run Quincy, M.E.: Of All Sad Words Quincy, M.E.: On Dying High Quincy, M.E.: Passing Quincy, M.E.: Physician, Heal Thyself Quincy, M.E.: Promises to Keep Quincy, M.E.: Quincy's Wedding, Part 1 Quincy, M.E.: Quincy's Wedding, Part 2 Quincy, M.E.: Requiem for the Living Quincy, M.E.: Riot Quincy, M.E.: Science for Sale Quincy, M.E.: Scream to the Skies Quincy, M.E.: Seldom Silent, Never Heard Quincy, M.E.: Semper-Fidelis Quincy, M.E.: Sleeping Dogs Quincy, M.E.: Slow Boat to Madness, Part 1 Quincy, M.E.: Slow Boat to Madness, Part 2 Quincy, M.E.: Smoke Screen Quincy, M.E.: Snake Eyes, Part 1 Quincy, M.E.: Snake Eyes, Part 2 Quincy, M.E.: Speed Trap Quincy, M.E.: Stain of Guilt Quincy, M.E.: Stolen Tears Quincy, M.E.: Suffer the Little Children Quincy, M.E.: Sugar and Spice Quincy, M.E.: Sullied Be Thy Name Quincy, M.E.: Sweet Land of Liberty Quincy, M.E.: Sword of Honor, Blade of Death Quincy, M.E.: The Cutting Edge Quincy, M.E.: The Deadly Connection Quincy, M.E.: The Death Challenge Quincy, M.E.: The Depth of Beauty Quincy, M.E.: The Eye of the Needle Quincy, M.E.: The Face of Fear Quincy, M.E.: The Final Gift Quincy, M.E.: The Flight of the Nightingale Quincy, M.E.: The Golden Hour Quincy, M.E.: The Hero Syndrome Quincy, M.E.: The Hope of Elkwood Quincy, M.E.: The Hot Dog Murder Quincy, M.E.: The Last of Leadbottom Quincy, M.E.: The Last Six Hours Quincy, M.E.: The Law Is a Fool Quincy, M.E.: The Money Plague Quincy, M.E.: The Mourning After Quincy, M.E.: The Night Killer Quincy, M.E.: The Shadow of Death Quincy, M.E.: The Two Sides of Truth Quincy, M.E.: The Unquiet Grave Quincy, M.E.: The Winning Edge Quincy, M.E.: Tissue of Truth Quincy, M.E.: TKO Quincy, M.E.: To Clear the Air Quincy, M.E.: To Kill in Plain Sight Quincy, M.E.: Touch of Death Quincy, M.E.: Unhappy Hour Quincy, M.E.: Unreasonable Doubt Quincy, M.E.: Valleyview Quincy, M.E.: Vigil of Fear Quincy, M.E.: Visitors in Paradise Quincy, M.E.: Walk Softly Through the Night, Part 1 Quincy, M.E.: Walk Softly Through the Night, Part 2 Quincy, M.E.: Welcome to Paradise Palms Quincy, M.E.: Whatever Happened to Morris Perlmutter? Quincy, M.E.: When Luck Ran Out Quincy, M.E.: Who Speaks for the Children? Quincy, M.E.: Who's Who in Neverland? Quincy, M.E.: Women of Valor
The first half of the first season of Quincy was broadcast as 90-minute telefilms as part of the NBC Sunday Mystery Movie rotation in the fall of 1976 alongside Columbo, McCloud and McMillan (formerly McMillan and Wife). The series proved popular enough that midway through the 1976–77 season, Quincy was spun-off into its own weekly one-hour series. The Mystery Movie format was discontinued in the spring of 1977; Quincy was the only one of the rotating series to continue. In 1978, writers Tony Lawrence and Lou Shaw received an Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America for the second-season episode "...The Thighbone's Connected to the Knee Bone..." (originally aired February 11, 1977). Many of the episodes used the same actors for different roles in various episodes, for example an actor that plays a crooked Navy captain also plays a ballistics expert in several of the later episodes - using a small "pool" of actors was a common production trait of many Glen A. Larson TV programmes.
The full series is currently being run daily on ITV3 in the UK and episodes are being run daily in the United States on affiliates of the Retro Television Network.
The series starred Jack Klugman as Dr. Quincy, a strong-willed, very principled Medical Examiner (forensiccoroner) in Los Angeles County working to ascertain facts about suspicious deaths. (The character's first name was never given, although in the third-season episode "Accomplice to Murder" his name is shown on a business card as "R. Quincy".) In the process of his investigations, Quincy frequently comes into conflict with his boss and the police, each of whom have their own (often flawed) ideas about what's going on. It is later revealed in the episode "The Last of Leadbottom" that he is a Retired Captain in the US Navy, and remains in the Naval Reserve. In the episode "Crib Job", Quincy reveals that he originally wanted to be a railroad driver, after revealing a number of facts about the dangers of the occupation. A well-liked man, Quincy lives on a houseboat, frequents "Danny's" pub, and is popular with the ladies. He was married once before but lost his wife Helen to cancer. Near the end of the seventh season Quincy remarries (Dr. Emily Hanover) and sells the houseboat ("Quincy's Wedding").
Many of the episodes follow a set formula:
Somebody dies, seemingly by natural causes.
Quincy notices something that causes him to suspect foul play.
He then changes roles from medical examiner to detective, by refusing to release the body and sign off on the cause of death.
Quincy's boss gets upset, believing that Quincy is seeing evidence that doesn't exist, and that Quincy should work on routine cases. The police get their feathers ruffled as he "shoulders-in" on their territory as well.
He argues quite loudly with some bureaucratic individual impeding the case.
Quincy solves the murder.
Early seasons' episodes focused on criminal investigation; a typical episode would find Quincy determining the real murderer in a crime or the real cause of an unusual poisoning case. Later seasons' episodes began to introduce themes of social responsibility; Quincy would find himself involved with a police investigation that reveals situations such as a disreputable plastic surgeon and the reasons his poor surgeries are not stopped, flaws in drunk driving laws, problems caused by punk music, airline safety issues, dumping of hazardous waste, the proliferation of handguns, Tourette syndrome, orphan drugs and anorexia among others. Quincy, M.E. was one of the earlier dramatic series to use a format like this to further a social agenda. The actor Jack Klugman himself even came to testify before the US Congress about some of these issues, (such as orphan drugs in 1982) describing what he had learned about a difficult or complex social concern as a result of its use in one of the show's episodes.[1]
A quote from one episode gives a snapshot of a typical conflict. When Quincy is hospitalized, Sam Fujiyama (Robert Ito), Quincy's faithful co-worker, takes the reins and finds something fishy about Quincy's condition when everyone else sees no need for suspicion. Hearing this, homicide detective Lt. Frank Monahan (Garry Walberg) says, "You're pullin' a Quincy on me, and you ain't Quincy!". Although Quincy studies bodies in-depth at his laboratory, he also does plenty of police investigation work technically outside the role of a coroner for the purposes of the show. He could be considered a workaholic. In every episode where he goes on vacation, it is always interrupted by an intrigue that requires his skills. He then provides copious hours of free work to solve the case. He insists on being intensely thorough in all his work.
In 2008, Klugman sued NBC, asserting that the network had concealed profits from the show which were owed to Klugman.[2]
