TVXOHOF, JANUARY 2023 - FRANK CANNON

Welcome to a new year for the Television Crossover Hall of Fame!

As has been tradition for the last several years, the January induction into the Hall is considered a crossover icon of the Classic TV era….

FRANK CANNON

From Wikipedia:
'Cannon' is an American detective television series produced by Quinn Martin that aired from 1971 to 1976 on CBS. William Conrad played the title character, private detective Frank Cannon. The series was the first Quinn Martin production to run on a network other than ABC.

In total, there were 122 episodes, plus the series' two-hour pilot and a 1980 "revival" television film, "The Return of Frank Cannon".

Cannon was portrayed in the series as a veteran of the Korean War and a former member of the Los Angeles Police Department. He was street smart but also appeared to have an unusually high level of education outside the law enforcement field. Besides his familiarity with several languages, he showed extensive knowledge of such diverse subjects as science, art and history. Cannon was a widower, having lost his wife and son in a bomb attack while he was on the police force, as revealed in the two-hour pilot.

Conrad was an overweight actor, and the series, especially in its early episodes, made frequent mention of Cannon's weight. Other characters would often remark critically about it, while he himself would joke self-deprecatingly about his girth and great love of food. In fact, Cannon was a gourmet cook who enjoyed preparing food for his friends. Despite his large size, he was a man of action. While he preferred to use his wits to escape a difficult situation, he could engage successfully in fistfights and shoot-outs with bad guys.

The plots, as in other detective series, revolved around Cannon solving crimes for a variety of clients. In a number of early episodes, he was hired by insurance companies to investigate losses. Other episodes involved him working for former police colleagues or other people from his past. In some cases, he was forced into action to clear himself of falsified charges. Many episode plot lines involved Cannon traveling and having to deal with various and sundry incompetent and/or corrupt law enforcement agencies and officials.

Cannon debuted in a two-hour movie on March 26, 1971 that served as the pilot. In the movie, Cannon returns from an extensive overseas assignment and investigates the murder of a close friend. A later episode would reveal that his wife and child were killed in a car bomb meant for him, prompting him to resign from the Los Angeles police force and become a private detective.

For those visiting the TV Crossover Hall of Fame for the first time, a candidate for membership must have three distinctly separate appearances in order to qualify.

Here are the appearances made by Frank Cannon which qualified him for membership in the TVXOHOF (Most of the synopses and comments are from the IMDb.)

1971

CANNON (THE TV MOVIE)
Cannon investigates the murder of a war-buddy to clear the man's wife of suspicion in his death.

1971-1976

CANNON (TV SERIES)
Frank Cannon, a husky ex-cop and culinary enthusiast, solves tough cases as a private investigator.
120 episodes 

1973

BARNABY JONES
REQUIEM FOR A SON

Barnaby Jones comes out of retirement to find the man who murdered his son in cold blood. Teaming up with Barnaby is another private investigator by the name of Frank Cannon, an old friend of his late son Hal.

1975

CANNON
THE DEADLY CONSPIRACY PART ONE
Frank Cannon and Barnaby Jones investigate the rape and murder of a young woman who was about to blow the whistle on the company she was involved. But they are investigating for different clients and from totally different angles.

Two versions of the ending were filmed:
1) Murray Hamilton's character, Bud, is killed and serves as the setup for The Deadly Conspiracy: Part 2 (1975).
2) Murray Hamilton's character, Bud, survives and agrees to testify against his brother, Gordon. This was filmed so that the episode would stand alone in syndication.

O’Bservations:
The alterations to the ‘Cannon’ contribution to the “Deadly Conspiracy” crossover with ‘Barnaby Jones’ makes that episode – the DVD version only – part of an undetermined alternate Toobworld.

1975

BARNABY JONES
THE DEADLY CONSPIRACY PART TWO
Barnaby Jones and Frank Cannon continue to work together to unravel a deadly conspiracy to cover-up corporate wrong doing and several related murders. Meanwhile, Betty goes undercover to help them crack the case despite the dangers.

This episode is a continuation of a ‘Cannon’ episode. The ‘Barnaby Jones’ DVD box set includes both parts 1 & 2 as originally aired whereas the ‘Cannon’ DVD box set includes only part 1 with an alternate ending that brings the episode to a conclusion.

1980 (TV MOVIE)

THE RETURN OF FRANK CANNON
Private detective Frank Cannon comes out of retirement to investigate the murder of an ex-girlfriend's husband.

ALTERNATE TOOBWORLDS

Frank Cannon is a multidimensional.  He has also appeared in Skitlandia, the Toobworld of comedy sketches....

1976
THE BENNY HILL SHOW
SHOW #27

Cannon was played by the show's star in the "Murder On The Oregon Express" sketch.

O'Bservation....
It doesn't affect the tally in any way, but there are pictures from the Cineverse which could be of Frank Cannon from his earlier career with the Los Angeles Police Department.  I'm thinking specifically of screencaps from "The Racket".  Best of all, we could make the case that he is seen in those pictures with Lt. Arthur Tragg of 'Perry Mason'.

That type of photographic fanfic only applies to pictures from any other media, but NOT from TV shows.  Those should be locked in as their original source which should be sharing the same universe as 'Cannon'.

So this would be a picture of William Conrad as Cannon with Wesley Lau as Sgt. Harry Lawton in the 'Cannon' episode "Valley Of The Damned" and NOT as his character of Lt. Andy Anderson as seen in 'Perry Mason'.

Welcome to the Hall, Frank!