Blacke's Magic

Blacke's Magic was another of those shows with a very different concept that didn't quite catch on.  Created by Richard Levinson and William Link, the same team of screenwriters and long-time collaborators behind "Murder She Wrote", it aired on NBC from January 5th to May 7th 1986.

Alexander Blacke, played by Hal Linden of WKRP fame, is a retired stage magician with a fondness for mysteries.  When a friend of his is murdered he recruits his father, con-man Leonard Blacke, played by M*A*S*H alum Harry Morgan, to help solve a real-life mystery.  Thereafter the two assist the local police with criminal investigations using street smarts and the art of deception.

In addition to the use of real stage illusions, sleight of hand, and connivery, the show frequently showcases the difficult relationship that Alex Blacke has with his father and his efforts to keep him in line.  Their differences are evident even to their clothing: Alex usually wears suits while Leonard wears a carnival-style jacket with a straw hat and bow tie.  The on-screen camaraderie between the actors makes it even funnier.

The series was a last-moment pickup for Harry Morgan. He had intended to retire that year but the death of his wife prompted him to go back to work, and he accepted the role of Leonard Blacke after reading the script because he liked the character.  He was described by many of the cast and crew as "a delight to work with" and "everyone loved him".  For his part, Hal Linden had been idle since the end of "Barney Miller" four years earlier and wanted a chance to do something different.  He even learned how to perform many of the illusions that were featured on the show, assisted by theatrical illusion designer Jim Steinmeyer.

The 13 episode season was fairly popular and was nominated for Outstanding Cinematography for a Series in the 1986 Primetime Emmy Awards, plus it earned a nomination for Best Television Episode in the Edgar Allan Poe Awards of 1987.  Unfortunately the show was caught up in a contract dispute between the network and the studio; in the summer of 1986, NBC ended up eliminating many of its shows that were produced by outside studios, including Blacke's Magic.  The series has never been released on home video, although the whimsical theme tune and snippets of several episodes can be found on YouTube.