The Trials of O'Brien
The Trials of O'Brien
NR | 18 September 1965 (USA)
SEASON & EPISODES
  • 1
  • Reviews
    Diagonaldi Very well executed
    Beystiman It's fun, it's light, [but] it has a hard time when its tries to get heavy.
    WillSushyMedia This movie was so-so. It had it's moments, but wasn't the greatest.
    Sarita Rafferty There are moments that feel comical, some horrific, and some downright inspiring but the tonal shifts hardly matter as the end results come to a film that's perfect for this time.
    bkoganbing Before he was a rumpled LAPD detective, Peter Falk played a rumpled New York City defense attorney experiencing how the other half of the criminal justice system worked. For one season only Peter Falk starred in The Trials Of O'Brien.He may have been a bit rumpled around the edges and wore suits he might have slept in to court, but Daniel J. O'Brien was pretty quick witted and thought fast on his feet. It wasn't gradual insinuation the way Lt.Columbo moves in on a suspect.O'Brien had his problems with an ex-wife and was always late with the alimony check. But somehow Joanna Barnes was patient. It kind of reminded me of that classic William Powell/Jean Arthur film The Ex- Mrs. Bradford. Great friends, but can't live together.Sad that The Trials Of O'Brien could not find an audience. Hopefully someone will package and market that one season of shows with some great guest stars in their salad days.
    ckaikini I enjoyed this Series very much back in the Sixties and used to stay up late just to watch it. Peter Falk has always been one of my favourite actors and was excellent in this series and I enjoyed the comedy in it - especially the frequent references to "the Great McGonagle". I always thought and hoped it would achieve a higher profile and was very disappointed when it just "disappeared" from the TV schedules and I've never seen it since. However, Peter Falk went on to achieve more success with "Columbo". I also enjoyed the performance of Joanna Cassidy, who I think was the actress who played the former wife of Peter Falk's character in "Trials". There was good chemistry between them. I would love to watch it again but don't know where to look for it!
    rickhoover I recall nothing else about this wonderful show except that the writing was SO good even as a teenager I could tell it was special. The only actor who registered with me was the superb Peter Falk. Now that I see that Joanna Barnes and Elaine Stritch were regulars it gives me even more desire to see those old shows again. I remember I was a fan of the show from the very first episode and was sorry no one else was noticing it.
    joesanchez58 Peter Falk portrayed a maverick defense attorney with great zest. Elaine Stritch was his secretary, Joanna Barnes his ex wife with whom he was on very good terms, and the scene stealer was David Burns as the Great Mc Gonigle ( name borrowed from a WC Fields flick ). I can't recall any specific episodes except the show was set in New York City, the script ahead of its time, the acting superior, the stories always believable and interesting, and the theme music was outstanding. Burns/Mc Gonigle was Falk/O'Brien's leg man. He wore an old overcoat and seemed to be chained to bulging leather briefcase, the old fashioned type with the metal three position latch across the top. O'Brien would need some piece of information and invariable Mc Gonigle would reach into some deep recess of his bag and whip out the perfect document. I remember Falk/O'Brien one time remarking as if in wonder, "Don't ever lose that bag." That year Trials of O Brien finished dead last in the Prime time Nielson ratings ( something like 67th out of 67 shows). But to me it was one of the best things ever on TV, which is probably why I have watched perhaps two weekly series of any kind since ( the other being The Wonder Years).
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