Banacek is a well remembered 1970’s crime drama series that aired as part of the NBC Mystery Movie series and starred George Peppard as Thomas Banacek, an insurance investigator of Polish descent. The series aired for 17 feature length episodes and ran from 1972 through to 1974.
Here are a collection of intriguing facts you may not know about the series.
Banacek lived in the select Beacon Hill area of Boston at 85 Mount Vernon Street.
Banacek was something of a car fan and owned a 1941 Packard convertible, a 1941 Packard 180, 1969 American Motors AMX and a 1973 Cadillac Fleetwood Limousine.
Felix Mulholland (played by Murray Matheson) was Banacek’s research specialist. Mulholland owned a bookshop called Mulholland Rare Books and Prints.
Banacek only took on cases that interested him and that the police had found unsolvable. He charged $100 a day plus expenses and 10% of the value of whatever it is he is recovering.
Banacek was a judo expert and had served as a marine during the Korean war.
Eggs Banacek (a variation on Eggs Benedict) was a favourite breakfast of his, he also had expensive taste in cigars, wine and women. He also played a mean game of chess.
Caroline Kirkland aka Carlie (played by Christine Belford) was a fellow insurance investigator who worked for the National Meridian Insurance Company and often found herself working on the same case as Banacek. The pair have a sparring relationship and Carlie would quite like to be independent like Banacek.
Most episodes saw at least one or two wise old Polish proverbs – each one began “There’s an old Polish proverb that goes . . .” and included such esoterica as “Only a truly wise man chooses not to play leap frog with a unicorn.”
Banacek was an early adopter of the mobile phone, his number was KL 1-7811.
Jay Drury (played by Ralph Manza) was Banacek’s chauffeur (although he had his own business Jay’s Executive Limo Service) and also fancied himself as an investigator.
