Cannon: The Salinas Jackpot (1971) – Full Episode, Cast & Bootleg Comic

Cannon: Heavy Duty! · By BJ 

Old School BJ here! In our cartoon, Cannon proved he could catch a crook and still have enough energy to carry me. My legs would like to file a complaint. The real television detective had something just as useful as speed: patience, experience, and the kind of voice that made excuses sound nervous.

Was this the first Cannon shown on television?

“The Salinas Jackpot” was the first regular weekly episode, but it was not Cannon’s television debut. CBS introduced Frank Cannon in a two-hour pilot movie on March 26, 1971. The weekly series began with this episode on September 14, 1971. That is why an episode guide can correctly label it “Season 1, Episode 1,” while an earlier Cannon movie also exists.

Here, an insurance company hires Cannon after a rodeo is robbed of $100,000. The robbers used rodeo-clown disguises, and the investigation calls for more than chasing the nearest suspicious face. I’ll leave the solution for the episode. A detective story is more enjoyable when nobody hands you the answer before you have met the suspects!

The episode was directed by George McCowan and written by Ken Trevey. It establishes the appeal of the weekly format: one determined investigator, a fresh collection of guest characters, and a problem that slowly reveals its complications. Our player’s copy runs about 51 minutes, the story length within an hour-long television slot.

The main players

William Conrad
Frank Cannon

Tom Skerritt
Bud

Sharon Acker
Glinda Donaldson

Vincent Van Patten
Shaun Donaldson

George McCowan
Director

William Conrad — Frank Cannon. Conrad gives the investigator authority without needing to look like a conventional action hero. Long before this role, his rich voice had made him a familiar presence on radio. Cannon lets that personality work on camera: observant, confident, and difficult to brush aside.

Tom Skerritt — Bud. Skerritt is a familiar face worth watching here. His later credits include Alien and Top Gun; he also won an Emmy for playing Sheriff Jimmy Brock on Picket Fences. This appearance catches him years before those later successes.

Sharon Acker — Glinda Donaldson. The Canadian actress brings another recognizable face to the guest cast. Television viewers may remember her as Della Street in The New Perry Mason. Vincent Van Patten plays Shaun Donaldson, adding a younger performer to this first weekly adventure.

Three things you might not know

1. Cannon had a spring introduction and a fall weekly premiere. The March pilot and September episode were separate broadcasts, not two titles for this same story.
2. Conrad was radio’s Matt Dillon. He starred in Gunsmoke from 1952 to 1961 and later narrated Jay Ward’s Bullwinkle Show. That familiar sound belongs to the same actor.
3. Young Vincent had more careers ahead. Van Patten went on to professional tennis and became a World Poker Tour commentator. His childhood acting appearances were only one chapter.

Settle in for the case below. Cannon can handle the detective work. After our cartoon chase, I’m handling the sitting-down part. —BJ

Sources: Broadcast guide · Pilot date · Episode cast and credits · Radio Hall of Fame · Tom Skerritt · Sharon Acker · Van Patten’s biography. Cast and director portraits via Plex; portraits show the performers at different stages of their careers.

Bootleg Comic Theater: The Salinas Jackpot

BJ, a suitcase of movie money, and a silent window preview. Press Start for the introduction and complete episode.

BOOTLEG COMIC THEATER / CANNON — THE SALINAS JACKPOT

BOOTLEG COMIC THEATER · BJ

Sound boost Normal2×4×6×

Tap the picture for BJ’s introduction, followed by the episode.

Episode source: Internet Archive · Standard-definition archival copy · About 51 minutes