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

User Rating:

7.6/10   

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)

(more)

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)
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:

Actor Martin Shaw, who gained fame on the British series "The Professionals" (1977), turned down the role of Robert McCall on ‘The Equalizer’.

Quotes:

Mickey Kostmayer: What do we need a diversion for? Just kick in the door and hose the room.
Robert McCall: Mickey, there is a five year old boy in there.
Mickey Kostmayer: Oh yeah, we're gonna need a diversion.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Lone Gunmen: Planet of the Frohikes (#1.7)" (2001)

A breath of fresh air amid 1980s gloss-dross.

Amid designer-superficiality like "Miami Vice" and myriad juvenile Glen Larson productions, "The Equalizer" came as a breath of fresh air when first broadcast in 1985. After many years in the wilderness, American studios recognised the intelligence of their audience and produced a well-scripted, well-acted action drama with character, depth and real bite.

The central premise was of a British military officer named Robert McCall who had served the latter half of his career with an American intelligence agency nickednamed "The Company" (although it approximated the real-life CIA) but had grown disillusioned with its methods. The series starts with McCall having resigned and decided to use his espionage, intelligence-gathering and combat skills on a lone crusade to champion the victims of crime, apparently as some form of atonement for his shady past.

But McCall could never fully escape The Company. Occasionally he needed some of its resources to help him tackle the job at hand. While his ex-superior, known only as "Control" (played by Robert Lansing), was sympathetic to McCall's reasons for quitting, he was never fully prepared to let him go, both because of his skills and the sensitive secrets he carried with him. Indeed many episodes saw McCall being drawn back into Company operations. The two men remained friends but their relationship was on a constant knife-edge (and often led to some of the series' best "stand off" dialogue moments).

The first two seasons wrought a tremendous variety in interesting story lines, had good dialogue and the performances of Edward Woodward, his regular co-stars and the often-abrasive interplay between their characters lifted the show further.

Location shooting in New York was used highly effectively and Stewart Copeland's startling, unique musical style lent the show a sparky, effervescent, slightly off-beat air.

The staging of action scenes was reasonable, though would never match the sensational jousts witnessed in Brit series such as The Sweeney and The Professionals. In fairness, though, The Equalizer trod a more realistic path in this respect.

The series' sole fault, during the first three seasons, was that the scripts became rather formulaic. With a few notable exceptions, the plots tended to revolve around a well-established, predictable pattern: McCall would receive a call from some distressed individual being terrorised; they would meet to discuss the problem at hand; McCall would then use his dubious contacts to dig up some dirt on the aggressor, who McCall would then threaten and, ultimately, end up having to kill - though all imbued with a liberal dose of pathos, of course!

The production schedule on the series was frenetic and with most scenes requiring the involvement of Woodward, it maybe shouldn't have been a surprise that he, a heavy smoker, suffered a heart attack during filming on the third season in 1987. Actor Richard Jordan was brought in to lighten McCall's load for several episodes. While a perfectly understandable move, in many viewers' minds it appeared that Jordan was taking over.

By the time of the fourth season Woodward had returned full-time and Jordan was phased out. But a necessary reduction in the strenuous exercise regime Woodward had previously followed meant he was far from the dynamic powerhouse he had once been. The show took on a new direction and embraced socially-sensitive themes. (In one episode a small boy is dying of AIDS and being harassed by frightened, ignorant neighbours.) Although audience rating were not as strong as before, they remained high...

Unfortunately CBS was apparently suffering from internal power struggles and some of its senior staff wanted to launch new series at the expense of existing ones. "The Equalizer" was axed after completing its usual 22-episode production. Neither Woodward nor a huge campaign of public support could convince CBS to change its mind.

The situation for the UK was actually worse. For reasons that have never been clear, proper peak-time screenings (on the ITV network) of the final season stalled after a few episodes. Naturally many Brits assumed the show had been cancelled mid-season. The remaining eventually aired via regional syndication in late-night "graveyard" slots with no publicity. In fact some ITV regions opted out completely, the affected editions being buried amongst repeat runs in the 1990s. It was an astonishing attitide to adopt as the show had actually been even more successful in the UK than its home country! Once can only suppose that denial of a complete network run was due to CBS.

The series had to wait for many years until it was made available on videocassette and even then only nine episodes from the first season were issued. Yet - probably to CBS' embarrassment - repeat runs continued to demonstrate the show's enduring appeal. In early 2008 the first season was issued on DVD in the US and UK. But even then problems continued. The American set has a welcome addition of an audio commentary by the series' creator Michael Sloan but the episodes suffer from several mysterious substitutions of incidental music. The picture quality on the UK set is notably "scratchy" and has been overly compressed for digitisation.

However with efforts under way to launch a movie version in 2009, there is clearly still an audience for this show... and deservedly so.