Delvecchio with Judd Hirsch

I don't have many posts specifically about my two favorite shows -- "The Rockford Files" and "Hill Street Blues" -- but I do have many posts which connect the two (such as recent items about their spinoffs, "Richie Brockelman" and "Beverly Hills Buntz"). So here's one more... "Delvecchio" aired during the 1976-77 season and starred Judd Hirsch (later of one of my favorite sitcoms, "Taxi") and Charles Haid (Renko on HSB). Their Lieutenant was played by Michael Conrad (also from HSB), and several future HSB castmembers have guest shots: James B. Sikking, Kiel Martin, and George Wyner. As far as connecting HSB and TRF, numerous character actors (such as Pepe Serna and Bruce Kirby) appeared on all three shows. Most importantly, "Delvecchio" was run by Stephen Bochco and Michael Kozoll -- who would co-create HSB. (Several TRF directors helmed "Delvecchio" episodes, too). Here's an episode guide, with video links. I've pieced this information together from several sources, as well as prints I had access to at one time. Note that Wikipedia lists 20 episodes, with two unaired. I actually believe only 20 were produced and aired.

1--The Avenger: September 9, 1976

(Dir: Jerry London/W: Joseph Polizzi [aka Joseph Gunn]) Production code 44724

This title is listed as episode 2 by IMDB and Wikipedia, airing September 26. Episode 1 is listed as simply "Delvecchio," airing September 9. IMDB's plot, cast, and writer listings for both episodes are the same, however. CBS head Bud Grant had wanted to debut the series when "there was less competition," and so ran a "preview" (as listed in TV Guide) on Thursday, Sept. 9 against NCAA football on ABC (UCLA vs. Arizona State) and a UFO movie on NBC. The description was as follows, with no episode title:

With Bella Bruck. A preview of the new series debuting Sept. 26. Det. Delvecchio of the metropolitan police investigates the death of his informant who dies from a drug overdose just before he was to deliver critical information.

This is the plot of "The Avenger," and I originally believed it aired on Sept. 9 and again on Sunday, Sept. 26 in the regular 10pm slot (against NBC's "Big Event" and a high-rated movie on ABC).

However, based on production codes, it actually seems that "High Price of Justice" aired as episode 3 -- meaning "Contract for Harry" aired Sept. 26 and NOT October 3 (as listed by most sources). Epguides ignores the Sept. 9 preview entirely, lists "The Avenger" as airing Sept. 26, and then puts "High Price of Justice" as episode 20 (see below), which is unlikely.

Some sources (IMDB) credit Sam Rolfe as co-writer. He co-created the series, but Polizzi is the sole on-screen credit for this script (listed as Joseph Gunn on IMDB). 

2--Contract for Harry: September 29, 1976

(Dir: Walter Doniger/W: Joseph Polizzi)

3--High Price of Justice: October 3, 1976

(Dir: Jerry London/Story by: Sam Rolfe & Joseph Polizzi, Teleplay by: Sam Rolfe) Production code 44701

Plot: Delvecchio reluctantly pressures a recent parolee (Pepe Serna) to help infiltrate and implicate his old gang.

Notes: Epguides lists this as airing March 20, 1977 -- the week after the final episode. It's listed as an unaired final episode by IMDB (#22), with a different episode airing as #21 (see below).

However, records show that CBS aired "The Wizard of Oz" on March 20, followed by a Bing Crosby special (Bing!) and then the pilot for the short-lived Susan Dey sitcom "Loves Me, Loves Me Not" (created by Susan Harris). That show was rushed into production, so I doubt a "Delvecchio" episode was scheduled for March 20. A rerun of "Silent Prey" did air March 27... but why would the network rerun an episode if they had one or two new ones in-the-can?

Further confirming this episode's airdate, it was listed as episode 3 by TVLand. It's clearly one of the first (if not the first) episodes produced, since Del is seen calling for his bar exam results. The production code would also indicate an early episode (although the PCs are all over the map for the rest of the series).

Among Pepe Serna's hundreds of memorable screen credits, he had a brief-but-memorable role in the season 3 "Rockford" episode "The Oracle Wore a Cashmere Suit." He would later show up in two different roles in crucial episodes of "Hill Street Blues": season 5's Emmy-nominated "The Rise and Fall of Paul the Wall," which was part of a long-running story arc involving Henry Goldblume, and season 7's "Suitcase," which partly sets up the series' final episodes.

4--Good Cop: October 10, 1976

(Dir: Richard Michaels/W: Peter S. Fischer) Production code 44718

5--Board of Rights: October 17, 1976

(Dir: Robert Markowitz/W: Gregory K. Scott)

6--Wax Job: October 24, 1976

(Dir: Richard Michaels/Story by: Bernard Rollins & Leroy Robinson, Teleplay by: Steven Bochco) Production code 44719

Plot: Del and Shonski pursue a high-profile car thief whose crimes escalate to murder after he kills a man trying to prevent his car from being stolen.

7--The Silent Prey: October 31, 1976

(Dir: Lou Antonio/Story by: Nicholas E. Baehr, Teleplay by: Nicholas E. Baehr & Steven Bochco) Production code 44704

8--Thicker Than Water: November 7, 1976

(Dir: John Peyser/Story by: William Sackheim & Michael Rhodes & Steven Bochco, Teleplay by: Steven Bochco)

Plot: Del attempts to dissuade a man from seeking revenge for his brother's murder.

9--Hot Spell: November 14, 1976

(Dir: Arnold Laven/W: Michael Kozoll) Production code 44723

10--Numbers: December 5, 1976

(Dir: Richard Michaels/W: Leo Garen) Production code 44716

11--Red is the Color of My True Love's Hair: December 12, 1976

(Dir: Walter Doniger/Story by: Gy Waldron, Teleplay by: Steven Bochco & Michael Kozoll & Gy Waldron)

Plot: A long-haul truck driver is suspected of being a serial killer, but Del begins to suspect they have the wrong man after seeing how gentle he is with women.

Notes: Guest stars Kiel Martin.

12--APB: Santa Claus: December 26, 1976

(Dir: Arnold Laven/W: Steven Pritzker) Production code 44737

13--Dying Can Be a Pleasure: January 23, 1977

(Dir: Walter Doniger/Story by: William Sackheim, Teleplay by: Steven Bochco) Production code 44726

Plot: A beautiful hit woman's latest target is Delvecchio.

14--One Little Indian: January 30, 1977

(Dir: Robert Markowitz/W: Steven Bochco) Production code 44717

Plot: Del and Shonski square off against a tyrannical sheriff when they go to a desert town to bring back a suspect.

15--Bad Shoot: February 6, 1977

(Dir: Ivan Dixon/W: Michael Kozoll) Production code 44733

Plot: A racist detective is forced to shoot a black suspect (legitimately), and he finds an ally in Delvecchio, who believes his story and tries to clear him despite pressure not to.

Notes: During the scene in this episode when Lt. Macavan is arguing with his superior, he mentions "Chief Daniels and Commander Swanson." Those two names would be reused throughout "Hill Street." It's not a coincidence...

This episode's script would be resurrected more than four years later. In 1980, NBC ordered 13 episodes of "Hill Street Blues." Network President Fred Silverman had originally planned to promote the show during the Moscow Olympics, but the U.S. boycott abruptly quashed that plan. Not wanting HSB lost-in-the-shuffle of fall shows, the 13 episodes were delayed to run at midseason (January through March). They gained major critical acclaim -- but low ratings. Still, struggling NBC seized on any good press it could get, and at the last minute ordered four more episodes to air during May sweeps. These ran as a pair of 2-hour "movies" on consecutive Thursdays (May 19 and 26). Most of the plot was lifted from "Bad Shoot" and rewritten by Kozoll with Bochco and Gregory Hoblit. Those four episodes also introduced Ed Marinaro as Joe Coffey (which is why his contract ended four episodes before the end of season six... as opposed to cleanly ending with that season's finale).

16--Licensed to Kill: February 13, 1977

(Dir: Arnold Laven/Story by: William Sackheim & John D.F. Black, Teleplay by: Lane Slate & Michael Kozoll) Production code 44702

Plot: After Del's goddaughter commits suicide, he goes after the quack doctor who falsely told her she was dying.

17--The Madness Within: Part 1: February 20, 1977

(Dir: Richard Michaels/Story by: William Sackheim & Steven Bochco & Michael Rhodes, Teleplay by: Steven Bochco) Production code 44738

18--The Madness Within: Part 2: February 27, 1977

(Dir: Richard Michaels/Story by: William Sackheim & Steven Bochco & Michael Rhodes, Teleplay by: Steven Bochco) Production code 44739

Notes: IMDB lists this as airing Feb. 22, which seems like it would have been confusing to viewers and is wrong... all other sources list Feb. 27 in the show's regular Sunday night slot. 

19--Requiem for a Loser: March 6, 1977

(Dir: Ivan Nagy/Story by: Lou Comici & Burton Armus, Teleplay by: Burton Armus & Michael Kozoll) Production code 44715

Notes: Danny DeVito makes one of his earliest TV appearances in this episode, and actually shares the screen for a few minutes with his future "Taxi" co-star, Judd Hirsch. They would be "virtually" reunited with HSB when the two programs aired back-to-back from September 30, 1982 through December 30, 1982.

20--Cancelled Contract: March 13, 1977

(Dir: Arnold Laven/Story by: Elliot West, Teleplay by: Elliot West & Michael Kozoll) Production code 44736

Plot: Del's caught in the middle after a reformed gang leader, who killed a mobster's brother in self-defense, reforms his old gang to protect him from the vengeful mobster.

*My Brother's Keeper: "unaired"

Notes: Listed as the second-to-last episode produced by IMDB -- before "High Price of Justice" -- which seems to be incorrect. Based on the cast listed, this episode was probably confused with "Thicker Than Water" by IMDB (likely due to the plot about brothers in episode 7). It probably does not exist. No further information available.