List Price: $36.98You Pay Only: $25.99 You Save: $10.99 (30%)Prices subject to change.
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Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Binding: DVD
Brand: PARAMOUNT PICTURES
EAN: 0097368924246
Format: Box set, Color, DVD-Video, Full Screen, NTSC
Label: Paramount
Manufacturer: Paramount
Number Of Items: 4
Publisher: Paramount
Region Code: 1
Release Date: July 08, 2008
Running Time: 615 minutes
Sales Rank: 1957
Studio: Paramount
Theatrical Release Date: September 14, 1971
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Editorial Review:
Product Description:
The weekly adventures of Frank Cannon an overweight balding ex-cop with a deep voice and expensive tastes in culinary pleasures who becomes a high-priced private investigator. Since Cannon's girth didn't allow for many fist-fights and gun battles (although there were many) the series substituted car chases and high production values in their place.System Requirements:Running Time: 615 minutesFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: TELEVISION/SERIES & SEQUELS Rating: NR UPC: 097368924246 Manufacturer No: 892424
Amazon.com:
William Conrad became television's first plus-sized detective in this Quinn Martin production that ran for six seasons. His girth makes him the butt of snide comments. In the episode, 'Salinas Jackpot,' a good 'ol boy invites Cannon to shoot a game of pool. Referring to The Hustler, he says, 'Ever since I seen that movie, I've always wanted to take on a champion fat man.' In the pilot episode, a little boy bluntly asks him, 'How'd you get that fat?' But the balding, pipe-smoking Cannon has a style all his own (check out his boating shorts in the episode, 'A Lonely Place to Die.'). Fleeing miscreants may be just as surprised as viewers at just how fleet he is on his feet in a chase. The pilot episode fleshes out Cannon's backstory: He is a former Los Angeles cop-turned-private insurance investigator. He is introduced in his swank apartment (that comes complete with personal firing range), but the rest of the episodes find him in outlying locations that are at odds with his bon vivant lifestyle. Though expensive and 'the best,' he does handle desperate personal cases, as in the pilot episode, in which his investigation of a Korean War buddy's death leads him to 'a town that reeks of bad money.' Cannon is nothing but intuitive. He tracks down the bar from which a threatening phone call was made by noting the sound of a phone booth ceiling fan's faulty bearing. His imposing size, gruff manner, and blunt talk do not win him many friends. 'Go back where you came from' is a representative greeting from those who don't want to be bothered by 'the fella with all the questions.' Among the most compelling episodes include 'Death Chain,' in which a married man turns to Cannon when his mistress is murdered, and 'Stone Cold Dead,' in which he defends a Viet Nam veteran falsely accused of murder. Cannon has no sidekick or office staff to banter with, but Conrad deftly carries the show on his hefty shoulders. Guest stars of note include Vera Miles, Earl Holliman, Keenan Wynn, and John 'Tigger' Fiedler in the pilot, Tom Skerritt as a killer disguised as a rodeo clown in 'Jackpot,' and a pre-Star Wars Mark Hamill as a farm boy in 'Country Blues.' While Cannon may not rank in the pantheon of TV detectives, it's good to have him back pounding the beat on DVD. --Donald Liebenson
Customer Reviews
Average Rating: 
Rating:  - Great Series....But First Release A Work In Progress
Cannon was a solid TV detective series that ran for 5 years on CBS. With most TV shows, the first year is a work in progress; defining the characters, getting creative scripts that take advantage of the character's personalities and nuances, etc. Seinfeld's first half dozen episodes were terrible; Kramer wasn't defined yet and no Newman. Homer Simpson was not defined well until Season 3 of The Simpsons. Both were great shows with very slow starts. Cannon was no different. The pilot and first part of Season 1 start out a little less than stellar, but by the middle of Season 1 we see Conrad's Cannon starting to become better defined into the character that carried the show for 5 seasons. I hope Paramount follows through with the entire series because the series gets better over time; although, in my opinion, it probably hit its peak in the 1973-1974 season (Season 3). The video is not what you might call 21st century DVD quality, but I had no issue with it at all when watching the episodes. I actually prefer watching the episodes like I originally saw them or as they appeared in early syndication. This was an early 70's show, so I like the fact that it seems like I am watching an early 70's show when I re-watch the episodes on the DVD. No real bonus features to this DVD, but I am fine with that too. After all, almost everyone associated with this series left us many years ago, so what can really be provided. I don't need Vince Van Patton providing commentary about how great it was to work with an ... Read More
Rating: - love the show, not the way it's released
One of my favorite TV shows. After the pilot and first two episodes, Cannon finds his stride and away we go (In the first two, he got beat up way too much and looked as if his entire fighting ability was to absorb punishment. This was quickly corrected by episode three). Conrad was excellent in the part. That there are no real special features beyond the episode promos and the fact that it is released in two parts is disappointing. Maybe they didn't want to put too much into it thinking that no one would buy it? Too bad.
Rating:  - Oh, my! My memory betrayed me!
Well, I, too, had rather good memories of watching "Cannon." I can only say now, having watched the first disk's worth of Season 1, that I must have missed the first season or two; for, these first several shows (the two-hour pilot and first two episodes) were simply terrible. Although a long-time admirer of William Conrad, his portrayal of Cannon was so inept as to be laughable. In the second episode, for example, he loses his gun twice, he enters a locked apartment using a key, but fails to lock the door behind him so that he is then caught unaware when someone else walks through the now-unlocked door (fortunately for him, a cop), and he just generally stumbles about throughout the "drama." He appears a little more competent in the pilot (which benefits from a cast that includes Vera Miles), but in the initial regular-length episode which follows he is altogether clumsy (loses his gun again, allows himself to be outwitted several times by rodeo clowns). In sum, though he claims to be an experienced detective (ten years as a cop, etc.), his actions belie the claim. Really, really disappointing shows all.
My wife summed up the first disk succinctly by asking, "How many seasons did this thing run again?" I doubt we'll bother to load the second disk. Two stars, then, simply out of nostalgia for the Cannon I thought I remembered.
Rating:  - It's about time!
I've been waiting on this release for years. It's unfortunate that CBS did not see fit to release the entire season but I am happy nonetheless. I can't wait to get volume 2.
Rating:  - Love the show, hate being ripped off
Cannon was, without a doubt, one of my top 5 detective series of all time. My problem with this set is the fact that it has been released without being re-mastered, and because it comes in two volumes. Why would Paramount do such a thing? As a company, when you try to rip off your customers, you lose much of your credibility. Universal released the Columbo series without re-mastering, and without extras (except for an episode of Mrs. Columbo - oh, joy). Paramount has also done the same thing with Mission: Impossible - no extras, and "some episodes may be edited from their original network versions". Can these companies not take a page from Criterion and release their shows in the very best quality they possibly can with all the bonus material they can? I will pay extra for Criterion released movies because they have demonstrated that they are willing to go the extra mile for their customers. Hey Paramount, how about re-thinking this series, and get it right starting with volume 2?
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