"The Equalizer" (1985) TV series 1985-1989

Creators:

Richard Lindheim
Michael Sloan
(more)

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4

Release Date:

18 September 1985 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Drama

Plot:

Robert McCall is "The Equalizer", a private detective with a lot of contacts who is available for hire...

Plot Keywords:

Detective | Spy | New York City | Manhattan New York City | Neo Noir

Awards:

Won Golden Globe. Another 1 win & 11 nominations

Cast

Edward Woodward	...	Robert McCall (87 episodes, 1985-1989)
Keith Szarabajka	...	Mickey Kostmayer (42 episodes, 1985-1989)

Series Directed by
Richard Compton		(8 episodes, 1985-1986)
Donald Petrie		(5 episodes, 1985-1988)
Alan Metzger		(5 episodes, 1985-1987)
Russ Mayberry		(4 episodes, 1985-1986)
Rod Holcomb		(2 episodes, 1985)
James A. Contner		(unknown episodes)
Mario DiLeo		(unknown episodes)
Gordon Hessler		(unknown episodes)
Leon Ichaso		(unknown episodes)
David Jackson		(unknown episodes)
Jim Johnston		(unknown episodes)
Paul Krasny		(unknown episodes)
Aaron Lipstadt		(unknown episodes)
Michael O'Herlihy		(unknown episodes)
Jonathan Perry		(unknown episodes)
Mark Sobel		(unknown episodes)
Luis Soto		(unknown episodes)
Tony Wharmby		(unknown episodes)

Series Writing credits
Richard Lindheim		(88 episodes, 1985-1989)
Michael Sloan		(88 episodes, 1985-1989)
Maurice Hurley		(9 episodes, 1985-1986)
Joel Surnow		(9 episodes, 1985-1986)
Scott Shepherd		(4 episodes, 1986-1987)
Heywood Gould		(3 episodes, 1985)
Donna Powers		(3 episodes, 1988-1989)
Wayne Powers		(3 episodes, 1988-1989)
Coleman Luck		(2 episodes, 1985-1986)
Mark Frost		(2 episodes, 1986)
Dennis Manuel		(2 episodes, 1987)
Victor Hsu		(1 episode, 1985)
Jacqueline Zambrano		(1 episode, 1989)
Robert Crais		(unknown episodes)
Loraine Despres		(unknown episodes)
Kevin Droney		(unknown episodes)
Gail Morgan Hickman		(unknown episodes)
David Jackson		(unknown episodes)
Marc Rubin		(unknown episodes)
Tom Towler		(unknown episodes)

Series Produced by
Maurice Hurley	....	supervising producer / co-producer (21 episodes, 1985-1986)
Joel Surnow	....	co-executive producer / supervising producer (21 episodes, 1985-1986)
Dan Lieberstein	....	associate producer / co-producer: New York (20 episodes, 1985-1986)
James Duff McAdams	....	executive producer (20 episodes, 1985-1986)
Stuart Cohen	....	supervising producer: New York / producer (16 episodes, 1985-1986)
Coleman Luck	....	co-producer (10 episodes, 1985-1986)
Peter A. Runfolo	....	co-producer: New York (9 episodes, 1986)
Edward Adler	....	producer (5 episodes, 1985)
Heywood Gould	....	co-executive producer (5 episodes, 1985)
Alan Barnette	....	producer (unknown episodes)
Gail Morgan Hickman	....	co-producer (unknown episodes)
Alan Metzger	....	producer (unknown episodes)
Ed Waters	....	co-executive producer (unknown episodes)

Series Original Music by
Stewart Copeland		(41 episodes, 1985-1987)
Joseph Conlan		(2 episodes, 1988)

Series Cinematography by
Frank Beascoechea		(1 episode, 1985)
Geoffrey Erb		(1 episode, 1986)
David Greene		(unknown episodes)
Richard C. Kratina		(unknown episodes)
Constantine Makris		(unknown episodes)
Alan Metzger		(unknown episodes)
Peter Sova		(unknown episodes)
William H. Steiner		(unknown episodes)

Series Film Editing by
Jeffrey Wolf		(3 episodes, 1985-1986)
Richard P. Cirincione		(unknown episodes)
Thomas S. Drescher		(unknown episodes)
Peter C. Frank		(unknown episodes)
Arline Garson		(unknown episodes)
Norman Gay		(unknown episodes)
Norman Hollyn		(unknown episodes)
Gary Karr		(unknown episodes)
Robert Q. Lovett		(unknown episodes)
Bill Pankow		(unknown episodes)
Sonya Polonsky		(unknown episodes)
Robert M. Reitano		(unknown episodes)
Ronald Roose		(unknown episodes)
Valerie Schwartz		(unknown episodes)
Rick Shaine		(unknown episodes)
Lawrence Silk		(unknown episodes)
Scott Vickrey		(unknown episodes)
Stanley Warnow		(unknown episodes)

Series Casting by
Lois Planco		(20 episodes, 1985-1986)

Series Production Design by
Richard Bianchi		(1 episode, 1986)
Jeffrey Beecroft		(unknown episodes)
Gary Weist		(unknown episodes)

Series Art Direction by
Christopher Nowak		(1 episode, 1985)
Wing Lee		(unknown episodes, 1985-1988)

Series Costume Design by
Linda Wayne		(2 episodes, 1985-1986)
John Boxer		(unknown episodes)

Series Makeup Department
Joe Cuervo	....	makeup artist (2 episodes, 1985-1986)
Jerry Masarone	....	hair stylist (2 episodes, 1985-1986)

Series Production Management
Barbara De Fina	....	unit production manager (1 episode, 1985)
James A. Westman	....	unit production manager (1 episode, 1985)
Diane Foti	....	unit production manager (1 episode, 1986)

Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Ellen H. Schwartz	....	assistant director (27 episodes, 1985-1988)
Matt Fenton	....	apprentice assistant director (22 episodes, 1988-1989)
Richard Patrick	....	key second assistant director (18 episodes, 1985-1986)
Carla Zackson	....	dga trainee (unknown episodes, 1987)
Timothy J. Lonsdale	....	first assistant director: second unit (unknown episodes)
Jane Paul	....	second assistant director (unknown episodes)
Robert E. Warren	....	first assistant director (unknown episodes)

Series Art Department
Richard Hughes	....	scenic artist (1 episode, 1985)
Linda Skipper	....	scenic artist (1 episode, 1986)
Eric Weiler	....	set dresser (unknown episodes)

Series Sound Department
Steve Scanlon	....	sound mixer (51 episodes, 1985-1989)
Fred Rosenberg	....	supervising sound editor (44 episodes, 1986-1988)
James Perdue	....	boom operator (42 episodes, 1985-1989)
Mike Marcucci	....	apprentice sound editor (22 episodes, 1987-1988)
Kevin Meehan	....	sound recordist (3 episodes, 1987-1988)
Randall Coleman	....	assistant sound editor (2 episodes, 1987)
Marko A. Costanzo	....	foley artist (unknown episodes)
Richard Friedlander	....	assistant sound editor (unknown episodes)
Kevin Lee	....	sound editor (unknown episodes)
Gary Parker	....	sound recordist (unknown episodes)
Harry Peck Bolles	....	sound editor (unknown episodes)
Philip Stockton	....	sound editor (unknown episodes)
Lionel Strutt	....	adr mixer (unknown episodes)

Series Visual Effects by
Mitch Wilson	....	optical effects (88 episodes, 1985-1989)

Series Stunts
Harry Madsen	....	stunt coordinator (21 episodes, 1985-1986)
Gene Harrison	....	stunt double / stunts (12 episodes, 1985-1988)
John Cenatiempo	....	stunts (2 episodes, 1987-1989)
Richard Epper	....	stunt double / stunts (2 episodes, 1987-1988)
Rick Avery	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Frank Ferrara	....	stunt coordinator (unknown episodes)
Victor Magnotta	....	stunt coordinator (unknown episodes)
Edgard Mourino	....	stunt coordinator (unknown episodes)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
Bob Brennan	....	key grip (unknown episodes)
Jack Coffen	....	electrician (unknown episodes)
John Dolan	....	grip (unknown episodes)
James W. Finnerty	....	dolly grip (unknown episodes)
Raymond Fortune	....	electrician (unknown episodes)
Chris Hammond	....	electrician (unknown episodes)
Alec Hirschfeld	....	camera operator (unknown episodes)
Tom Kerwick	....	key grip: second unit (unknown episodes)
Sal Lanza	....	dolly grip (unknown episodes)

Series Casting Department
Sylvia Fay	....	extras casting (2 episodes, 1985-1986)

Series Costume and Wardrobe Department
Jan Finnell	....	costume shopper (5 episodes, 1986)

Series Editorial Department
K.F. Ligammari	....	apprentice editor (6 episodes, 1988-1989)
Mark Juergens	....	apprentice editor (4 episodes, 1986)
Nick Smith	....	apprentice editor (3 episodes, 1989)
Judith Blume	....	post-production coordinator (unknown episodes)
Peter B. Ellis	....	assistant editor (unknown episodes)
Tony Grocki	....	assistant editor (unknown episodes)
Bruce Kitzmeyer	....	assistant editor (unknown episodes)
William Kruzykowski	....	assistant editor (unknown episodes)
Tom San Martin	....	negative matcher (unknown episodes)
Arnold Shuster	....	negative matcher (unknown episodes)
Tara Timpone	....	assistant editor (unknown episodes)

Series Music Department
Mike Gromley	....	music coordinator: OSS (2 episodes, 1985-1986)
Derek Power	....	music coordinator: OSS (2 episodes, 1985-1986)
Patrick Mullins	....	music editor (unknown episodes)

Series Other crew
Mike Marcucci	....	production assistant (22 episodes, 1986-1987)
Chris Schutsky	....	location assistant (20 episodes, 1985-1986)
Scott Shepherd	....	executive story consultant (12 episodes, 1985-1986)
Esther Gordon	....	production assistant (9 episodes, 1985)
John Romeo	....	production assistant (9 episodes, 1986)
Rick Ashman	....	production assistant (7 episodes, 1986)
Theodore Gershuny	....	story editor (4 episodes, 1985)
Don Carlos Dunaway	....	creative consultant (4 episodes, 1986)
Abdul Malik Abbott	....	production assistant (4 episodes, 1987)
Dan Frye	....	production assistant (3 episodes, 1986)
David Tripet	....	production assistant (unknown episodes, 1986)
Tim Tyler	....	location assistant (unknown episodes, 1988-1989)
Brett Botula	....	location scout (unknown episodes)
Salvatore Carino	....	production estimator (unknown episodes)
Adam Cohen	....	production assistant (unknown episodes)
Kati Johnston	....	assistant location manager (unknown episodes)
Gene Kraft	....	title designer (unknown episodes)
Adam Lichtenstein	....	production assistant (unknown episodes)
Barbara Lucey	....	production accountant (unknown episodes)
Kate McCallum	....	assistant to writer (unknown episodes)
Peter Pastorelli	....	location manager (unknown episodes)
M. Ross-Michaels	....	assistant accountant (unknown episodes)
Aaron Sadovsky	....	production assistant (unknown episodes)
Michael Sloan	....	conceived by (unknown episodes)
Tom Towler	....	executive story editor (unknown episodes)
Matthew T. Weiner	....	location assistant (unknown episodes)
Nadine F. Wilson	....	post-production accountant (unknown episodes)
Steven Wren	....	location assistant (unknown episodes)

Series Thanks
Debra Katz Weber	....	the producers wish to thank (1 episode, 1986)

Production Companies

• Universal TV

Distributors

• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1985-1989) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Independent Television (ITV)
• Studios USA Television

Other Companies

• Hastings Sound Editorial  sound editing
• Mayor's Office of Film, Theatre & Broadcasting, The  filmed with the cooperation of
• New York Police Department Motion Picture Unit  filmed with the cooperation of (as New York City Police Department Movie/TV Unit)
• Optical House, The  opticals (as The Optical House, N.Y.)
• Sylvia Fay/Lee Genick & Associates Casting  extras casting

Runtime:

60 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Universal TV

Trivia:

Edward Woodward suffered a heart attack in the summer of 1987. Accordingly, the producers needed to find a quick replacement while Woodward recuperated. Robert Mitchum was brought on as an old friend of Robert McCall who helped McCall's son search for his missing father in the two-part episode, "Mission: McCall." Richard Jordan was also brought on as embittered former operative Harley Gage and stayed for eight more episodes.

Quotes:

Robert McCall: Don't do something you won't live to regret.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Anglian Lives: Alan Partridge (2003) (TV)

A View to a Cold War Relic

I have seen all the episodes at least 3 times; first on CBS, then USA, and then on A&E. Now it is on Hallmark.

Like other reviewers, I found the show refreshing and unique. I thought the choice of Edward Woodward was curious (a Brit for a Yank?)But I was willing to let it slide through.

Robert Lansing's portrayal as a District or Station Chief was well cast. Like most American TV series, it takes a season or two to become really good. The show had good writing, good actors and actresses, and good cinematography. I think that it was one of the best series produced.

The Robert McCall character had the potential of becoming a cardboard character. Woodward's acting skills prevented that, thank God. I found the premise of a disillusioned CIA Case Officer to be believable. The look-and-feel of McCall reminded me of the legendary William King Harvey of Indianapolis. It is uncanny.

I found the story line of internal CIA `political' struggles to be realistic. Remember, this was just after the infamous Senator Frank Church Commission which effectively gutted the CIA. We built the CIA to prevent any more Pearl Harbors. Then through internal political dissention (and ideology sympathy) we made it a Hollow, blind Man. Many veteran Case Officers were `forced out' at that time.

In the Army I made the acquaintance of some Mickey Kostmayer types. I liked the acting of Keith Szarabajka. His naturalness made the character believable according to the real people that I met.

After Woodward's heart attack, I thought that the inclusion of Richard Jordan was well cast. I was sorry to see his character fade out. He was just starting to come into his own.

The technical aspects were, at the time, quite startling. The `Trade Craft' was superb. I never did learn if the writers had access to old Case Officers or not. There is one scene where McCall tracks down someone using recorded voices from the telephone system. The NSA must have had fits over that one.

I have several favorite episodes, but one of two that stands out in my mind is where McCall is trying to teach street punks about what death is all about. He takes them to a morgue to see a stiff. While there, he introduces them to an old colleague who tells them about Hell. It was quite chilling, but very accurate.

The other episode is where he is trapped in a wedding reception as a hostage. The techniques and tactics that McCall used were very real. It should be required viewing for future operatives. Like other reviewers, I was sorry to see it cancelled. I felt that it had a few more seasons left.

One of the other reviewers mentions that the Equalizer replacement was Wiseguy. Interesting that, like the Equalizer, Wiseguy was modeled after a real person (Donnie Brasko) and a real situation. Yes, very interesting.