Letters from Gene Barry Fans

My name is Steve Cannon, I am a Columbus, Ohio Talk show host, and I just wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed the fan page. I got to know Gene and Betty Barry in the 1970's. My wife Linda and I considered them friends even though we knew them only a short while when he did some theater here in Ohio. Whether performing in "La Cage" on Broadway, the yiddish stage in Florida, television, or major motion pictures, Gene is one of those actors who never does a bad performance. Although He may disagree as he is a class act and a decent man.

My list of Barry's best included, "War of the Worlds", "China Gate" with Angie Dickenson and Nat "King" Cole, "Thunder Road", and "Soldier of Fortune."

If you are ever in communication with him, please send our fondest regards.

Yours Truly,
Steve Cannon
Newsradio
610WTVN
Columbus,Ohio

Ladies,

One of the best things about the Internet is the discovery of a site that is obviously a labour of love, combined with dedicated research and accuracy. All of those describe your Official Gene Barry Fan Page.

While I was aware of Bat Masterson, I really grew up with Mr. Barry's Burke's Law. Even as a youngster who had to pursuade his parents to let him watch the show every week, I loved the premise; enjoyed the interaction between Burke and his detectives, Hart and Tilson; and was thoroughly bowled over by Mr. Barry's impeccable performance. There was no doubt in my young mind that I, most certainly, would grow up to be wealthy, suave, and handsome.

I fell somewhat short of that goal. Now some forty years later, I am certainly not wealthy; I can be suave on a good day; and as to whether or not I am handsome, that depends on the observer (and my wife doesn't count--she's prejudiced).

The one aspect of my life where I did parallel Amos Burke was in that I became a police officer. And even there, my law-enforcement career was as sporadic as Captain Burke's in dividing his time between local law-enforcement and Federal.

You see, my first career was as a Naval officer. (As much as I loved Burke's Law, Jackie Cooper's Hennesey was a bigger influence.) After eleven years in that profession, a mandated reduction-in-force moved me from active duty to the reserves. So I became a police officer. (Being financially better-heeled than most of my rookie brethren, I had daydreams of someday reporting to work in a Rolls-Royce, blaring the Burke's Law theme over the stereo.)

Flash forward five years, and the political situation had changed, and the Navy invited me back on active duty, where I remained until retiring as a Commander after twenty-seven years. I found sitting around the house boring and my wife found me being underfoot all of the time (especially when she had to haul herself off to work every morning) less than optimum. So guess what? I am a cop, again. Yeah, my bones creak a little more, and I let the young guys kick in all the doors, but fortunately, it's a profession that still requires more brain than brawn. Besides, I am under marching orders from my dear wife not to retire again until she does.

So Burke's Law is never far from my mind. Obviously, no subsequent incarnation of an Amos Burke show ever equalled the original, with its obvious Hollywood glitz and the marvellous chemistry between Burke; the crusty veteran, Sergeant Hart; and the young-but-had-the-jump-on- everything Detective Tilson. But it was Mr. Barry's performance that carried the show and made even Amos Burke, Secret Agent tolerable. As thrilled as I was to see Burke's Law revived in the mid-1990's, it fell short of the original's mark in too many ways. The chemistry between Mr. Barry and Peter Barton, who played his son, just wasn't there. Nor was it there between Burke and his chauffeur, the new "Henry", as it was between Mr. Barry and Leon Lontoc. I was also disappointed that the revival never made any real attempts to connect with the original, outside of the basic format. Granted, Regis Toomey and Leon Lontoc had both passed away, and perhaps, Gary Conway could not have been pursuaded to reprise his role as Tim Tilson; but there was never even a mention of them by Burke. It would have been nice to hear Burke say something like "Les never would have missed that," or "In the old days, Tim would have already have found that out." Or even a mention of the old "Henry".

And wouldn't the revival have been a perfect set-up to bring back Anne Francis' "Honey West" for an episode?

Nevertheless, again, it was Mr. Barry's wonderful performance that smoothed over all of those bumps for me. Mr. Barry is spot-on--as I read in your interview with him--that it was CBS's constant shifting and prempting that did the show in. Toward the end, I missed a few episodes because I couldn't keep up with when, or if, it was airing that week.

I discovered your site serendipitously, while I was looking for, of all things, "The Last Will and Testiment of Charles Lounsbury". A teacher had read it to the class once when I was in junior high school, and I was trying to find the exact prose. And a Google search took me right to your site. I have been having a grand time going through all of your information and details. "Comprehensive" is most definitely the operant adjective. You two have done so expert a job. I cannot overpraise it.

Thank you for going to all the trouble, work, and expense to present something like this on line. It is a true pleasure for someone like myself to read and remember a high point of my youth. Well done to you both.

Very respectfully,

Adam Benson
Commander, U. S. Navy (ret.)