The Defenders

Season 1

Recent law school graduate (Robert Reed) joins his father (E.G. Marshall) as the pair tackle challenging legal cases, often involving issues which were highly touchy for the times (abortion, euthanasia, "un-American" activities, movie censorship). In most the freshly minted lawyer has much to learn from his father's extensive legal experience.

Where to Watch Season 1

32 Episodes

Quality of Mercy
E1
Quality of MercyDr. Bill Conrad's patient, Leona Warner, delivers a baby with Down Syndrome.
Killer Instinct
E2
Killer InstinctWhen mild-mannered Jim McLeery kills an abusive stranger, it seems a clear-cut case of self-defense. But the prosecution reveals that, in his army days, McCleery was trained to kill.
Death Across the Counter
E3
Death Across the CounterThe Prestons defend a man charged with murdering a storekeeper during a robbery, but they strongly disagree over his guilt. The drug-addicted client was found unconscious at the scene with the murder weapon in his hand. Lawrence believes he definitely committed the act and only hopes to plead for a lesser sentence, but Kenneth believes the man may be completely innocent of the murder.
The Riot
E4
The RiotPreston (E.G. Marshall) undertakes a delicate and dangerous task: acting as intermediary for the investigators of a prison riot.
The Young Lovers
E5
The Young LoversA destitute young couple take a desperate gamble to provide for themselves and their baby.
The Boy Between
E6
The Boy BetweenThe Prestons become embroiled in a bitter custody battle when they are retained by Belle Remington (Norma Crane), who insists her son never be allowed to see his father.
The Hundred Lives of Harry Simms
E7
The Hundred Lives of Harry SimmsFrank Gorshin stars as an impressionist accused of murder who claims he's innocent because ""Jimmy Cagney did it""â€”and breaks into his multiple personality of Cagney on the witness stand as the Prestons are questioning him.
The Accident
E8
The AccidentA woman is charged with criminal negligence when she hits a child while driving home from a party.
The Trial of Jenny Scott
E9
The Trial of Jenny ScottUnhappily married Jenny Scott (Mary Fickett) is the prime suspect when her husband is murdered.
The Man with the Concrete Thumb
E10
The Man with the Concrete ThumbPicketing to save a park, Joan Miller (Joan Hackett) is charged with second-degree assault when a brick thrown by one of the demonstrators injures an adversary.
The Treadmill
E11
The TreadmillReleased from a mental hospital, Victor Fergusson (Edward Binns) is forced to stand trial for a murder he committed 25 years before.
Perjury
E12
PerjuryCharged with perjury, a witness says he lied because Preston asked him to.
The Attack
E13
The AttackThe impact of public opinion on a trial is examined in this story of a policeman who kills the alleged molester of his young daughter.
The Prowler
E14
The ProwlerDwight Harkavy (Kent Smith) goes on trial for shooting a prowler - who was his wife's first husband.
Gideon's Follies
E15
Gideon's FolliesRich Mr. Gideon has recently married for the sixth time, and has invited all his slightly flaky ex-wives to meet his new spouse. Then he gets murdered. Police charge the new Mrs. Gideon, and the Prestons defend her---in an unusual way.
The Best Defense
E16
The Best DefenseThe Prestons come to the aid of a racketeer charged with the gangland murder of a small-time hoodlum.
The Bedside Murder
E17
The Bedside MurderThe Prestons defend a doctor accused of murdering a wealthy patient who promised to leave him a large sum in her will.
The Search
E18
The SearchAn old homicide case is reopened when James Mitchell (James Congdon) confesses to a murder for which another man was executed six years earlier.
Storm at Birch Glen
E19
Storm at Birch GlenThe Prestons encounter fear and hostility at a reform school when they are retained by a supervisor charged with murdering one of the inmates.
The Point Shaver
E20
The Point ShaverStacy Phillips, star college basketball player, is accused of taking money from gambler Vince Fargo to fix a game. The Presons, alumni of the college, are hired to defend Phillips before the State's Senate Rackets Committee.
The Locked Room
E21
The Locked RoomThe Prestons defend an heiress on trial for the death of a woman reputed to have been having an affair with her husband, who is the only witness to the incident. The focus is on the jurors, and how some of them visualize the events that led to the woman's death.
The Empty Chute
E22
The Empty ChuteThe Army suspects foul play when a paratrooper's chute fails to open and he falls to his death.
The Crusader
E23
The CrusaderKen launches a personal investigation when a model prisoner - jailed for crimes he insists he never committed - is refused parole.
The Hickory Indian
E24
The Hickory IndianThe defendant: Louis Astor (George Voskovec), who's charged with stealing money from his son's firm.
The Iron Man
E25
The Iron ManThe Prestons give a campus fascist leader a lesson in democracy when he's arrested after his henchmen beat up a heckler.
The Tarnished Cross
E26
The Tarnished CrossThe Prestons become defense counselors in a kangaroo court set up by a group of teenagers bent on trying an alleged murderer.
The Last Six Months
E27
The Last Six MonthsArthur Hill plays a man with six months to live--he kills his business partner in a fit of rage when the man refuses to help support his family after he has died.
The Naked Heiress
E28
The Naked HeiressEdna Holley (Glenda Farrell) invites trouble when she blackmails a professor who's interested in her daughter, a strip-tease artist.
Reunion with Death
E29
Reunion with DeathA group of Air Force veterans set up a kangaroo court to try one of their number for treason.
The Benefactor
E30
The BenefactorA controversial episode dealing with the trial of an accused abortionist.
Along Came a Spider
E31
Along Came a SpiderThe Prestons defend an ex-vaudevillian accused of murdering his son-in-law. The only witness: the dead man's daughter.
The Broken Barrelhead
E32
The Broken BarrelheadDefending a youth charged with vehicular homicide, the Prestons are hampered by the boy's overbearing father (Harold J. Stone) - who isn't above bribing jurors.