First
Episode: Wednesday 29 September 1971 / 8.300pm
Last Episode: Sunday 21 August 1977 / 8.00pm
Crime
drama series part of the NBC Mystery Movie
series and detailing the often murderous cases
of Commissioner Stewart McMillan who usually
managed to get his wife Sally involved (although
to be fair it was more often than not Sally who
got McMillan involved).
This light-hearted and mostly fun series
probably had its roots in the Nick and Nora Thin
Man films of the 1930's and 1940's and featured
much of the same banter between the leads that
characterised those films. Also heavily involved
in the series was Mac's right hand man Sgt
Charles Enright and their none too polite
housekeeper Mildred.
The show was one of three debut Mystery Movie
segments (along with McCloud and Columbo)
and appeared on a rotating basis with them.
There were major changes for the final season
which saw the shows title shortened to simply
McMillan, this was necessitated by a number of
factors including the fact that due to a
contract dispute Susan Saint James didn't appear
(Sally was supposed to have died in an air
crash) and also the fact that the character of
Mildred had graduated to her own sitcom. A new
housekeeper (Mildred's sister Agatha was brought
in to replace her). To help him on his cases in
this season McMillan got two new helpers in the
shape of Sgt DiMaggio and secretary Maggie.
Although Susan Saint James was handpicked for
the role by Hudson the pair didn't in fact get
on off screen, especially as Saint James was
nominated for an emmy for four years running.
Cast
ROCK HUDSON as Commissioner Stewart McMillan / SUSAN
SAINT JAMES as Sally McMillan (1971-76) / JOHN
SCHUCK as Sgt Charles Enright / NANCY WALKER as
Mildred (1971-76) / MARTHA RAYE as Agatha
(1976-77) / RICHARD GILLILAND as Sgt Steve
DiMaggio (1976-77) / GLORIA STROOCK as Maggie
(1976-77)
There were major changes for the final season
which saw the shows title shortened to simply
McMillan, this was necessitated by a number of
factors including the fact that due to a
contract dispute Susan Saint James didn't appear
(Sally was supposed to have died in an air
crash) and also the fact that the character of
Mildred had graduated to her own sitcom. A new
housekeeper (Mildred's sister Agatha was brought
in to replace her). To help him on his cases in
this season McMillan got two new helpers in the
shape of Sgt DiMaggio and secretary Maggie.
