Finishing up a long run as beloved attorney Perry Mason, Raymond Burr took on a completely different role as tough-talking police detective Robert Ironside, and what a change it is for him. Burr takes on this role by bringing elements out of some of his 1950's film villains: passive, cynical, wisecracking and not very nice. But basically, Robert Ironside is a good guy, on the right side of the law, and after he is shot while on vacation, he begins to look at life in a different way and takes on the case of finding out who was responsible for putting him in a wheelchair.
There's also his beautiful assistant, Geraldine Brooks (a 1940's film ingenue) and protege Don Galloway, who is not above telling Ironside off when he acts out of line. When he visits ex-con Don Mitchell, he doesn't expect a warm welcome as he put Mitchell Behind Bars a few times, but eventually, he convinces him to join his team please call the phone offers him a bright future. Galloway and Mitchell would remain major parts of "Ironside" series, and they helped ground the rough around the edges character who begins to show decency as he learns trust. A cameo by Tiny Tim before "Laugh In" is also worth a mention.
A lot of star cameos and interesting character actor appearances helps make this an amusing TV movie which I'm not sure was actually a pilot but led to the long-running series. Ironside isn't exactly a character to instantly warrant sympathy, but Burr allows his own personal charm to shine through Ironside's hard shell. Lilia Skala as a tough nun is very funny, and heavy set Ayllene Gibbons ("My Fair Lady", "The Loved One") is unforgettable as car mechanic Baby Peggy. If you haven't seen the Ironside series ever or in years, this TV movie is guaranteed to make you interested just as the Perry Mason TV movies did with making people interested in his earlier episodes. No wonder he is still considered a TV and movie legend!
There's also his beautiful assistant, Geraldine Brooks (a 1940's film ingenue) and protege Don Galloway, who is not above telling Ironside off when he acts out of line. When he visits ex-con Don Mitchell, he doesn't expect a warm welcome as he put Mitchell Behind Bars a few times, but eventually, he convinces him to join his team please call the phone offers him a bright future. Galloway and Mitchell would remain major parts of "Ironside" series, and they helped ground the rough around the edges character who begins to show decency as he learns trust. A cameo by Tiny Tim before "Laugh In" is also worth a mention.
A lot of star cameos and interesting character actor appearances helps make this an amusing TV movie which I'm not sure was actually a pilot but led to the long-running series. Ironside isn't exactly a character to instantly warrant sympathy, but Burr allows his own personal charm to shine through Ironside's hard shell. Lilia Skala as a tough nun is very funny, and heavy set Ayllene Gibbons ("My Fair Lady", "The Loved One") is unforgettable as car mechanic Baby Peggy. If you haven't seen the Ironside series ever or in years, this TV movie is guaranteed to make you interested just as the Perry Mason TV movies did with making people interested in his earlier episodes. No wonder he is still considered a TV and movie legend!