The Return of Frank Cannon

As a kid, I always loved Cannon- its interesting plots and sanitized violence epitomized the many great detective series of the 70's. Also present were countless great character actors- many who had been or would become major stars- whose presence added immeasurably to the shows. Despite strong ratings, Cannon went off the air after five seasons when William Conrad became tired of his one man tour-de-force.

"The Return of Frank Cannon" is an excellent TV movie which returned Conrad to the small screen four years after Cannon ended its run. In the movie, Cannon is lured out of retirement to help an old girlfriend whose husband has been murdered. This TV movie works well because of its loyalty to the series in both style and overall look; it is simply a longer "Cannon" episode with the plot and characters more fully developed. Guests Arthur Hill, Diana Muldaur, William Smithers and a few others make us feel as if it's old home week watching our favorite shows of the recent past.

The Return of Frank Cannon brings back good memories and is worth your while.