The Marcus-Nelson Murders
The Marcus-Nelson Murders | |
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Genre | Police procedural, drama |
Based on |
Justice in the Back Room by Selwyn Raab |
Written by | Abby Mann |
Directed by | Joseph Sargent |
Starring | See Cast |
Composer(s) | Billy Goldenberg |
Country of origin | United States |
Original language(s) | English |
Production | |
Executive producer(s) | Abby Mann |
Producer(s) | Matthew Rapf |
Editor(s) |
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Cinematography | Mario Tosi |
Running time | 125 min |
Production company(s) | Universal Television |
Distributor | CBS |
Release | |
Original network | CBS |
Picture format | Color film |
Audio format | Monaural |
Original release | March 8, 1973 |
Chronology | |
Followed by | Kojak |
The Marcus-Nelson Murders is a 1973 television film written by Abby Mann from a book by Selwyn Raab, directed by Joseph Sargent, and starring Telly Savalas, Marjoe Gortner, José Ferrer and Ned Beatty. The police procedural film, which aired on The CBS Thursday Night Movie on March 8, 1973, served as the pilot for the subsequent television series Kojak, although in this version Savalas' character's name is spelled "Kojack".
The supporting cast features Chita Rivera, Bruce Kirby, Tol Avery and Robert Walden; and the plot of the film was based upon the true story of the sensational 1963 case dubbed by the media as the "Career Girls Murders," in which two working women were raped and murdered. The opening and closing titles of the film emphasize that it was a fictional account of the events that helped to lead to the creation of the Miranda warning by the U.S. Supreme Court in the 1966 case Miranda v. Arizona. The film's running time is 2 hours and 17 minutes.
Cast
- Telly Savalas - Lt. Theo Kojack (Kojak in the series)
- Marjoe Gortner - Teddy Hopper
- José Ferrer - Jake Weinhaus
- Ned Beatty - Det. Dan Corrigan
- Allen Garfield - Mario Portello
- Lorraine Gary - Ruthie
- Roger Robinson - Bobby Martin
- Harriet Karr - Cindy
- Gene Woodbury - Lewis Humes
- William Watson - Det. Matt Black
- Val Bisoglio - Det. Lou Jacarrino
- Antonia Rey - Rita Alvarez
- Chita Rivera - Josie Hopper
- Bruce Kirby - Sgt. Dan McCartney
- Robert Walden - Maurice Fisher
- Tol Avery - Justice Redding