Happy Broderick Crawford Day (10-4)

The Official 60's Site - Highway Patrol ^ | October 4, 2015 | NonValueAdded

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Highway Patrol is a syndicated action crime drama series that aired from 1955-1959. The series was syndicated by Ziv TV.

It starred Broderick Crawford as Dan Mathews, the gruff and dedicated head of a police force in a large, unidentified Western state. A signature shot of the series was fedora-wearing Mathews barking “10-4!” and other rapid-fire dialogue into a radio-microphone as he leaned against the door of his patrol car (call sign ID# “2150”).

...

When asked why the show ended after four seasons, Broderick Crawford said, “We ran out of crimes.”

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The original dedicated site has disappeared, but let that not deter us from taking a moment to remember fondly when TV shows had a redeeming quality. Today's date is all we need to remind us: Ten Four.

2150 by

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(turn your volume down before clicking on the site link!)

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Last year's thread, here

Happy birthday, T-Bird45's dad. May your day be filled with fond memories of your father.

[wetgundog]

Copy Brodrick Crawford Day 10-4

Engine 51, Squad 51, KMG365

[knarf]

Thanx

I always had a difficult time accepting Crawford

IMO, he was fat and ugly and a complete violation of my candied indoctrination to Hellywood stardom

Only in later years did I learn of his fabulous and valuable voice in radio .. (the first Matt Dillon in "Gunsmoke")

And of course when MY fat complimented MY ugly .... wellllll ....

[basil]

Thank you!

[Liz]

I hear tell his mother was actress Helen Broderick...the very memorable sidekick to Ginger Rogers in several of the Astaire movies.

[Vaquero]

Crawford's heavy drinking increased during the filming of Highway Patrol, eventually resulting in several arrests and stops for driving under the influence of alcohol (DUI), which eventually gained him a suspended driving license.[5] While representing the California Highway Patrol as "Chief Mathews", Crawford was known with considerable embarrassment by the CHP as "Old 502" due to his habit of driving under the influence of alcohol ("Code 502" was the CHP police radio code for drunken driving). According to the show's creator, Guy Daniels, "We got all the dialogue in by noon, or else we wouldn't get it done at all. He [Crawford] would bribe people to bring him booze on the set." The show used their CHP technical advisor, Officer Frank Runyon, to keep the actor sober: "I was told to keep that son of a bitch away from a bottle. I think his license was suspended. Some scenes had to be shot on private roads so that Brod could drive." Eventually the drinking strained the show's relationship with the CHP as well as Crawford's relationship with ZIV.[5]

[PGalt]

Thanks for the memories. 10-4

[nathanbedford]

I thought William Conrad was the radio voice of Matt Dillon?

[Dr. Ursus]

Guy DANIELS (snicker)

[knarf]

uh oh ... now I have to go research again and polish off my oops award ... brb

[knarf]

OK ... I got my tang all tongueled up ...

you're right, I'm oops

[Quality_Not_Quantity]

“...and remember, keep both hands on the steering wheel.”

[katana]

You’re correct. William Conrad, aka Cannon. Another 3X actor who made it based on talent. Crawford had a solid career in Hollywood that included “All the King’s Men” (Best Picture and Actor Oscar 1949) and the classic Judy Holliday film “Born Yesterday”.

[NKP_Vet]

I grew up watching Broderick Crawford on Highway Patrol. He personified the tough guy, never taking any crap off anyone. Crawford’s performance in “Of Mice and Men” is one for the ages.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0041113/

[shibumi]

No thread concerning Broderick Crawford can be complete without a few photos of MRS. Brodreick Crawford (aka Joan Tabor) -

Yeah ... I know ...Go figger.

[doug from upland]

Without cheating, let’s see if I can remember. From long ago, I made a pledge class learn and recite this:

Whenever the laws of any state are broken, a duly authorized organization swings into action. It may be called the State Police, State Troopers, Militia, the Rangers, or the Highway Patrol. These are the stories of the men whose training, skill, and courage have enforced and preserved our states’ laws.

[1raider1]

Crawford’s performance in “Of Mice and Men” is one for the ages.

Wasn't that Lon Chaney Jr?

[1raider1]

Your memory is perfect, on that. Do you remember who said it?