It was big news in Hollywood at the time that CANNON was leaving the air. The series may not necessarily have been cancelled, though the ratings dipped significantly, the series running up against BARETTA, an overnight sensation. The show even left its long time Wednesday slot and moved to Sundays, taking the old MANNIX time slot.
The fifth season had some dynamic episodes and definitely could have had a longer life. There has also been some chatter that William Conrad may have bowed out due to personal reasons, and to note his wife passed a few years later. He may have wanted to spend time with his family. CBS certainly supported him, and thank you's were extended from all the good folks (and some superstars) who worked on the series.
The series is still around in reruns, which would have made him quite happy. In fact, it's been said his later series, JAKE AND THE FATMAN was an offbeat salute to the classic cop show.
The final episode is quite good, all about controversial mind experiments in the US Army. Actually, beginning in the 1950s there were investigations as to whether military personnel were secretly fed illegal drugs. Later top documentary shows, like 60 MINUTES and 20/20 did stories on military suicides and whether they could have been the result of subliminal drug activity.
Cannon investigates strange happenings on an army base. The cast is top notch, with Conrad's old Warner Brothers pal Simon Scott playing a general, and looking every bit of the part. Soap opera star Quinn Redeker (DAYS OF OUR LIVES and THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS) plays Sgt. Wilson and Peter Mark Richman plays a colonel. Richman was a staple in tv shows for decades.
Cannon did make a brief comeback in 1980 as a two hour movie, THE RETURN OF FRANK CANNON, all about a mysterious murder on a ranch, which may have been inspired from an earlier episode that starred Julia Adams.
All us kids of the 70s will never forget Bill Conrad. When he passed in 1994, TVLAND saluted his show for years, not to forget the famous "Cannon diet" promotion.
SEASON 5 EPISODE 25 remastered CBS/Paramount dvd box set. 7 dvds. Released 2016. Final season collectors set with a cool cover. Thank you to the graphics department at CBS.
The fifth season had some dynamic episodes and definitely could have had a longer life. There has also been some chatter that William Conrad may have bowed out due to personal reasons, and to note his wife passed a few years later. He may have wanted to spend time with his family. CBS certainly supported him, and thank you's were extended from all the good folks (and some superstars) who worked on the series.
The series is still around in reruns, which would have made him quite happy. In fact, it's been said his later series, JAKE AND THE FATMAN was an offbeat salute to the classic cop show.
The final episode is quite good, all about controversial mind experiments in the US Army. Actually, beginning in the 1950s there were investigations as to whether military personnel were secretly fed illegal drugs. Later top documentary shows, like 60 MINUTES and 20/20 did stories on military suicides and whether they could have been the result of subliminal drug activity.
Cannon investigates strange happenings on an army base. The cast is top notch, with Conrad's old Warner Brothers pal Simon Scott playing a general, and looking every bit of the part. Soap opera star Quinn Redeker (DAYS OF OUR LIVES and THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS) plays Sgt. Wilson and Peter Mark Richman plays a colonel. Richman was a staple in tv shows for decades.
Cannon did make a brief comeback in 1980 as a two hour movie, THE RETURN OF FRANK CANNON, all about a mysterious murder on a ranch, which may have been inspired from an earlier episode that starred Julia Adams.
All us kids of the 70s will never forget Bill Conrad. When he passed in 1994, TVLAND saluted his show for years, not to forget the famous "Cannon diet" promotion.
SEASON 5 EPISODE 25 remastered CBS/Paramount dvd box set. 7 dvds. Released 2016. Final season collectors set with a cool cover. Thank you to the graphics department at CBS.