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Chopper One
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| Chopper One | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Genre | Police procedural, action |
| Created by | Ronald Austin James David Buchanan |
| Starring | Jim McMullan Dirk Benedict Ted Hartley Lou Frizzell |
| Theme music composer | Dominic Frontiere |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 13 |
| Production | |
| Executive producers | Aaron Spelling Leonard Goldberg |
| Producers | Ronald Austin J. D. Buchanan |
| Running time | 25 minutes |
| Production company | Spelling-Goldberg Productions |
| Original release | |
| Network | ABC |
| Release | January 17 – April 11, 1974 |
Chopper One was an ABC action-crime television series premiering in early 1974, depicting the activities of a fictional California police helicopter team. The program was produced by television powerhouse Spelling-Goldberg Productions. The series aired in a half-hour time slot on Thursdays at 8 p.m. Eastern.[1]
The show aired as a lead-in to Firehouse, an action-drama series about a Los Angeles fire station which premiered on the same day. Chopper One was cancelled after six months with Firehouse promptly ending the following month.
Story and Characters
[edit]
Chopper One was directed by E.W. Swackhamer, featuring two flight police officers (a pilot and an observer) and their adventures in a police helicopter. The helicopter was a Bell 206 JetRanger. It starred Jim McMullan as Officer Don Burdick and Dirk Benedict as Officer Gil Foley. Benedict would later earn fame as Lt. Starbuck in the original 1978 TV show Battlestar Galactica and as Lt. Templeton 'Faceman' Peck in the TV show The A-Team.
Ted Hartley played their boss Capt. McKeegan and Lou Frizzell played Mitch, the crusty mechanic.
Episodes
[edit]| No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Pilot" | Unknown | Unknown | January 17, 1974 | |
|
Burdick and Foley pursue a pair of gunmen who have taken a woman hostage. | |||||
| 2 | "Strain of Innocence" | Unknown | Unknown | January 24, 1974 | |
|
A girl who is being held in a holdup goes into labor and gives birth as the helicopter rushes her to the hospital. | |||||
| 3 | "The Bust-Out" | Phil Bondelli | Don Balluck | January 31, 1974 | |
|
The chopper is commandeered at gunpoint when Foley and Burdick answer an emergency call. | |||||
| 4 | "The Boy Who Cried Wolf" | Bruce Bilson | Sy Salkowitz | February 7, 1974 | |
|
A young invalid ham radio operator disrupts the department with false emergency calls. | |||||
| 5 | "The Informer" | Unknown | Unknown | February 14, 1974 | |
|
The crew is called upon to help protect a former underworld figure who is about to testify against the crime kingpin he worked for. | |||||
| 6 | "The Drop" | Phil Bondelli | Don Balluck | February 21, 1974 | |
|
Burdick parachutes onto a mountainside in an attempt to rescue a young girl who has been kidnapped. | |||||
| 7 | "Ambush" | E.W. Swackhamer | Ronald Austin & James D. Buchanan | February 28, 1974 | |
|
Foley and Burdick are menaced by rooftop snipers when a gunman sets out to avenge his brother's death. | |||||
| 8 | "The Copperhead" | Unknown | Unknown | March 7, 1974 | |
|
Foley and Burdick investigate a veteran police sergeant suspected of selling confiscated guns. | |||||
| 9 | "Killing Time" | Unknown | Unknown | March 14, 1974 | |
|
The wife of the chopper mechanic is held hostage by assassins who are planning the murder of a gubernatorial candidate, and want to keep the police copter on the ground. | |||||
| 10 | "Deadly Carrier" | Lawrence Dobkin | Ronald Austin & James D. Buchanan | March 21, 1974 | |
|
An illegal alien suspected of carrying typhoid fever is the object of a desperate search by Foley and Burdick. | |||||
| 11 | "The Scramble" | Unknown | Unknown | March 28, 1974 | |
|
Clues to a series of market robberies are found at a scramble when Foley goes undercover as a bike racer. | |||||
| 12 | "Downtime" | Unknown | Unknown | April 4, 1974 | |
|
Burdick and Foley search frantically for a hidden bomb with thousands of lives at stake. | |||||
| 13 | "The Hijacking" | Unknown | Unknown | April 11, 1974 | |
|
Hijackers of a gasoline truck are sought by Burdick and Foley. | |||||
Home media and streaming services
[edit]Since its cancellation in 1974, Chopper One was reported to have rarely (if ever) been seen again in rerun syndication.
On July 12, 2016, Sony Pictures released Chopper One: The Complete Series on DVD in Region 1. This is a Manufacture-on-Demand (MOD) release, available exclusively in the US and is part of the Sony Pictures Choice Collection in partnership with Amazon.com and their CreateSpace MOD program.[2]
As of 2023, all 13 episodes of Chopper One are available on free video streaming service Crackle.
References
[edit]- ^ Brooks, Tim; Marsh, Earle (2007). The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows 1946–Present (9 ed.). New York: Random House Publishing. p. 252. ISBN 978-0-345-49773-4. Retrieved June 4, 2024.
- ^ 'The Complete Series' DVDs are NOW AVAILABLE! Archived 2016-07-15 at the Wayback Machine
External links
[edit]Chopper One
View on Grokipediafrom Grokipedia
Series Overview
Premise and Setting
Chopper One is an American action-crime television series that centers on the operations of a specialized helicopter unit within the fictional Western California Police Department (WCPD), tasked with combating urban crime through aerial surveillance and intervention.[1] The core premise revolves around the unit's pilots providing real-time aerial support to ground officers, enabling rapid response to high-stakes situations such as bank robberies, kidnappings, and sniper incidents that challenge traditional patrol methods.[1] This aerial approach highlights the advantages of overhead monitoring in densely populated environments, where visibility and mobility allow for quicker apprehension of suspects evading foot or vehicle pursuits.[1] The series is primarily set in Los Angeles and the surrounding areas of Southern California, capturing the sprawling urban landscape from distinctive overhead perspectives that emphasize the city's freeways, skyscrapers, and neighborhoods as backdrops for criminal activity.[1] Unlike ground-based police dramas, Chopper One shifts the focus to the skies, portraying the helicopter as a pivotal tool that transforms routine patrols into dynamic, three-dimensional chases and rescues.[1] The WCPD's unit operates from a central base, coordinating with black-and-white patrol cars to integrate air and ground tactics seamlessly.[1] Central to the unit's operations is the Bell 206 JetRanger helicopter, designated "Chopper One," which serves as the primary vehicle for surveillance, high-speed pursuits, and emergency extractions.[4] Piloted by officers such as Don Burdick and Gil Foley, the helicopter facilitates the portrayal of authentic police procedures, including radio communications and tactical maneuvers, adapted for dramatic tension while underscoring the unit's role in enhancing law enforcement efficiency.[1] Episodes typically feature intense aerial interventions, such as thwarting hijackings or tracking fleeing vehicles across rugged terrain, showcasing the helicopter's versatility in urban and suburban crises.[1]Format and Style
Chopper One consists of 13 half-hour episodes, each approximately 25 minutes in length excluding commercials, structured as self-contained stories within the action-crime genre.[1] The series follows a procedural format where each installment presents a standalone case, typically involving high-stakes pursuits or rescues resolved by the episode's end, emphasizing the helicopter unit's role in urban law enforcement.[5] The visual style prominently features aerial cinematography, with extensive use of helicopter-mounted cameras to capture dynamic chase sequences over Los Angeles, underscoring the mobility and vantage point of the police unit.[1] This approach creates a sense of vertigo and immediacy, distinguishing the series from ground-based cop shows through sweeping overhead shots of cityscapes and rapid pursuits.[6] In tone, Chopper One delivers a fast-paced adventure that blends procedural police work with dramatic tension, focusing on themes of teamwork, quick decision-making, and the perils of urban crime.[7] The narrative maintains a realistic edge, portraying the high-pressure environment of aerial policing where split-second choices can mean life or death, enhanced by the aerial focus that amplifies the action's intensity.[1]Production
Development and Creators
Chopper One was created by Ronald Austin and James D. Buchanan, who served as the primary writers and developers for the series.[1] The concept originated as a police procedural centered on an aerial law enforcement unit, drawing inspiration from actual police aviation operations in major cities like Los Angeles, where helicopter patrols had become a key tool for crime response by the early 1970s.[8] Austin and Buchanan penned the pilot episode, titled "Chopper One," which was directed by Harry Falk and focused on the team's response to a high-rise hotel robbery, showcasing the unique advantages of helicopter-based policing.[9] The series was produced by Spelling-Goldberg Productions, with Aaron Spelling and Leonard Goldberg acting as executive producers, continuing their track record of developing action-oriented crime dramas for network television.[10] In late 1973, ABC announced Chopper One as a mid-season replacement for its Thursday 8 p.m. Eastern time slot, pairing it in a one-hour block with the firefighter series Firehouse to capitalize on the era's surge in police procedural shows, such as Adam-12 and Emergency!, which emphasized procedural realism and high-stakes rescues.[11] The network approved the project amid a broader strategy to refresh its lineup with innovative action formats, greenlighting production for 13 half-hour episodes following the successful pilot presentation.[5] Pre-production emphasized logistical challenges inherent to the aerial theme, including securing permits for filming over urban areas and coordinating with actual helicopter operators. Each episode's budget reached approximately $140,000, a significant outlay driven by the need for dual helicopters, specialized pilots, and payments to the city of Los Angeles for location support and coordination.[12] These considerations underscored the producers' commitment to authentic depictions of police aviation, aligning the show with the 1970s trend toward technology-enhanced procedurals that highlighted emerging law enforcement tools.[13]Filming and Technical Aspects
The production of Chopper One took place primarily in the Los Angeles metropolitan area, utilizing real urban sites to capture authentic aerial shots of the cityscape and ground-level action. This approach enhanced the series' realism by showcasing actual streets, buildings, and traffic patterns from above, with filming coordinated through permits from the city of Los Angeles.[12] Central to the technical setup was the use of Bell 206 JetRanger helicopters, lightweight turbine-powered aircraft well-suited for police patrol simulations due to their agility and visibility. Each episode required two such helicopters and two certified pilots to facilitate both the actors' on-board scenes and separate camera operations, with directors often receiving stunt pay for overseeing aerial sequences from the air. Safety protocols were stringent, involving FAA-compliant rigging for mounted cameras and adherence to aviation regulations during low-altitude urban flights.[12] The 13 episodes were filmed over late 1973 and early 1974 by Spelling-Goldberg Productions, with extensive coordination between the production team and Los Angeles authorities to ensure procedural accuracy in depicting police operations and to secure location permits for ground and air shoots. This collaboration was essential for authentic portrayals of helicopter-assisted pursuits and surveillance, though it contributed to elevated production costs of approximately $140,000 per half-hour episode, driven by helicopter leasing, pilot fees, and municipal payments.[1][12] Unique logistical challenges arose from the heavy reliance on aerial filming, including the need to manage dual-helicopter coordination to avoid mid-air conflicts and the financial strain of weather-dependent shoots that could delay schedules. Post-production involved meticulous editing to synchronize helicopter footage with ground-based scenes, using looped sound effects for the Bell 206's rotor noise to maintain audio consistency across takes.[6][14]Cast and Characters
Main Cast and Roles
The main cast of Chopper One consisted of two lead actors portraying the core helicopter pilots of the Western California Police Department's aerial unit. Jim McMullan played Officer Don Burdick, an experienced, calm, and professional pilot who served as the steady leader of the team, handling high-stakes aerial pursuits and coordinating with ground forces during missions.[15] McMullan's portrayal drew on his prior experience in action-oriented television roles, including appearances in series like The Streets of San Francisco and Mannix, which helped establish Burdick's authoritative presence in the show's procedural format. Dirk Benedict portrayed Officer Gil Foley, Burdick's younger, eager, and impulsive partner, who brought energy and occasional recklessness to their joint operations, often injecting tension and dynamism into the aerial crime-fighting scenarios.[15] Benedict's performance as Foley marked an early breakout role for the actor, preceding his later prominence as Lieutenant Starbuck in Battlestar Galactica (1978–1979) and as Lieutenant Templeton "Face" Peck in The A-Team (1983–1987). Throughout the series, the partnership between Burdick and Foley formed the emotional core, with Burdick frequently mentoring the more impetuous Foley during intense helicopter-based missions, such as pursuits over Los Angeles rooftops and parks, highlighting themes of teamwork and growth in law enforcement.[15] This dynamic contributed to the show's focus on aerial support for ground patrols, emphasizing the leads' contrasting personalities as a key narrative driver across its 13 episodes.[1]Supporting and Guest Roles
Ted Hartley portrayed Captain McKeegan, the base commander who oversaw police helicopter operations, provided ground-based support to the aerial team, and served as the authoritative figure guiding missions from headquarters.[1] Lou Frizzell played Mitch, the dedicated helicopter mechanic who handled routine technical maintenance on the aircraft and often injected comic interludes through his folksy demeanor and banter with the pilots.[1] These supporting roles complemented the main characters' aerial pursuits by ensuring logistical reliability and operational oversight, frequently interacting with Officers Burdick and Foley to advance investigations without overshadowing their partnership.[1] The series featured a rotating roster of guest stars, many of whom were established actors from 1970s crime and action dramas, appearing in single episodes to embody villains, victims, or peripheral allies that propelled the standalone storylines.[5] Notable examples include Nick Nolte as Bob Galey, a desperate hijacker in the episode "The Hijacking," highlighting the show's use of rising talents for high-stakes antagonists.[16] Michael Ansara appeared as Vic Altmann, a cunning criminal mastermind in "Bust-Out," exemplifying the casting of veteran performers for authoritative foes in prison-break narratives.[17] France Nuyen guest-starred as Rita Chu in "Deadly Carrier," portraying a key figure in a tense medical-emergency plot involving illegal immigrants.[18] Other prominent guests, such as Mark Lenard and Dick Van Patten, filled roles as episodic adversaries or supporters, reflecting a pattern of leveraging familiar television faces to heighten dramatic tension in the procedural format.[19] These appearances typically drove the per-episode conflicts, from chases to rescues, while allowing the core team to resolve crises from the air.[1]Broadcast and Episodes
Original Broadcast
Chopper One premiered on ABC on January 17, 1974, as a half-hour action-crime drama series, airing in the Thursday night time slot at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT.[20] The series concluded its original run on April 11, 1974, after broadcasting all 13 episodes, with reruns continuing until July 11, 1974.[2][21] The episodes aired sequentially on a weekly basis without any noted hiatuses, maintaining a consistent Thursday schedule throughout its brief tenure.[5] As a mid-season replacement introduced in ABC's revamped prime-time lineup announced in late 1973, Chopper One was positioned to capitalize on the network's push for action-oriented programming, including promotional spots narrated by announcer Ernie Anderson.[11][22] It faced stiff competition from CBS's popular family drama The Waltons in the same time slot.[23]Episode List
Chopper One aired 13 episodes on ABC from January 17 to April 11, 1974, each approximately 30 minutes long and emphasizing aerial pursuits and helicopter-based police operations in a fictional Southern California setting. An unaired pilot version also exists, featuring alternate editing and scenes not included in the broadcast premiere. The series was created by Ronald Austin and James D. Buchanan, with episodes written by a rotating team including Don Balluck and Robert I. Holt. Directors included Harry Falk, E.W. Swackhamer, Phil Bondelli, and Richard Newton across the season. Below is a comprehensive list of all episodes, including titles, air dates, key production credits, concise synopses highlighting aerial crime-fighting elements, and notable production notes such as standout guest appearances or stunts.[20][24]Unaired Pilot
Air Date: Unaired (filmed 1973)Director: Unknown
Writers: Unknown
Synopsis: This variant cut of the premiere introduces officers Don Burdick and Gil Foley responding to a high-rise hotel robbery using helicopter surveillance and pursuit tactics, alongside a sailboat rescue demonstrating aerial rescue capabilities; it includes deleted scenes, an alternate score, and no standard opening credits.
Notes: The version highlights early helicopter stunts coordinated for aerial filming; notable for differences from the aired pilot, such as extended action sequences. Guest stars include Skye Aubrey as a hostage and Arch Johnson.[24]
| Episode | Title | Air Date | Director | Writer(s) | Synopsis | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chopper One | January 17, 1974 | Harry Falk | Ronald Austin, James D. Buchanan | The team uses Chopper One for a daring sailboat rescue of a stranded boy off the coast, then pursues armed gunmen holding a woman hostage in an urban escape attempt, relying on overhead tracking to corner the suspects. | Introduces the helicopter unit's core operations with coordinated aerial stunts; guest stars include Ron Randell and Jesse Vint.[9] |
| 2 | Strain of Innocence | January 24, 1974 | E.W. Swackhamer | Robert I. Holt | While transporting a pregnant captive in the helicopter, which doubles as an emergency delivery room, Burdick and Foley evade pursuers seeking to silence her, using evasive aerial maneuvers to ensure her safety. | Features intense in-flight medical and pursuit scenes; guest stars include James Luisi and Dabbs Greer.[25] |
| 3 | The Bust-Out | January 31, 1974 | Richard Newton | Don Balluck | Armed convicts hijack Chopper One mid-flight to aid a prison break, forcing Burdick and Foley into a high-stakes aerial standoff as they navigate the chopper under duress to prevent further escapes. | Standout helicopter hijacking stunt sequence; guest stars include Michael Ansara and Antony Carbone. |
| 4 | The Boy Who Cried Wolf | February 7, 1974 | Phil Bondelli | Sy Salkowitz | A young ham radio operator's false distress calls lead the team into a real aerial search for a missing child, culminating in a helicopter-assisted ground pursuit of opportunistic criminals exploiting the chaos. | Emphasizes radio-coordinated aerial searches; guest stars include Lawrence Montaigne and Michael-James Wixted. |
| 5 | The Informer | February 14, 1974 | Phil Bondelli | Jon Sevorg | Protecting a jittery informant en route via helicopter to testimony, the pilots dodge assassination attempts from mob hitmen, utilizing chopper speed for evasion and pinpoint drops. | Aerial transport protection with chase elements; guest stars include Mark Lenard and Dick Van Patten.[26] |
| 6 | The Drop | February 21, 1974 | E.W. Swackhamer | Don Balluck | Kidnappers demand a ransom drop from Chopper One at a remote site; Foley parachutes from the helicopter post-drop to pursue the abductors on foot, blending aerial delivery with ground intervention. | Includes a notable parachute stunt from the chopper; guest stars include William Windom and John Quade. |
| 7 | Ambush | February 28, 1974 | Richard Newton | Ronald Austin, James D. Buchanan | Militant extremists place a bounty on Chopper One, leading to multiple ground-to-air ambush attempts that the team counters through vigilant aerial patrols and evasive flying tactics. | Focuses on anti-aircraft threats and defensive maneuvers; guest stars include Bill Lucking and Austin Stoker. |
| 8 | The Copperhead | March 7, 1974 | Harry Falk | Dan Ullman | Suspicion falls on a veteran sergeant for trafficking confiscated weapons; the team conducts overhead surveillance flights to track illicit deals, culminating in an aerial-assisted raid. | Internal affairs plot with surveillance stunts; guest stars include Ford Rainey and Ray Sharkey. |
| 9 | Killing Time | March 14, 1974 | Phil Bondelli | John T. Dugan | Syndicate members kidnap the wife of a police mechanic to ground Chopper One, enabling an assassination attempt on a prosecutor; the team scrambles alternative air support for a rescue pursuit. | Grounding sabotage leads to improvised aerial response; guest stars include Lloyd Bochner and Norman Alden. |
| 10 | Deadly Carrier | March 21, 1974 | E.W. Swackhamer | Ronald Austin, James D. Buchanan | Hunting an illegal immigrant carrier of typhoid fever, Burdick clashes with health officials during helicopter searches over quarantined areas, using thermal imaging for tracking. | Public health crisis with aerial detection; guest stars include France Nuyen and Tony Young. |
| 11 | The Scramble | March 28, 1974 | Richard Newton | Unknown | Foley goes undercover in a motorcycle scramble race to infiltrate a gang robbing nearby businesses, with Chopper One providing covert overhead reconnaissance during the event. | Blends undercover work with aerial backup; features motorcycle stunts coordinated with chopper shots; guest stars include Jennifer Shaw and Freddie Hice. |
| 12 | Downtime | April 4, 1974 | Harry Falk | Unknown | Assigned to ground duty, Burdick and Foley investigate an extortionist issuing bomb threats across the city, eventually calling in Chopper One for a final aerial sweep to locate the device. | Rare non-aerial focus shifting to chopper climax; guest stars include Dub Taylor and Kenneth Tobey.[27] |
| 13 | The Hijacking | April 11, 1974 | Phil Bondelli | Robert I. Holt | Burdick poses as a decoy driver to lure gasoline truck hijackers into a trap, with Chopper One monitoring from above and intervening in a high-speed aerial-ground pursuit. | Season finale with explosive truck chase and aerial coordination; notable guest appearance by Nick Nolte as a hijacker.[16] |