Smash

An ex-con who's a loner proves his mettle as a resourceful (and unarmed) private eye in a drama executive produced by Roy Huggins ('Maverick,' 'The Rockford Files').

One of four dramatic miniseries carried by NBC under the blanket title Best Sellers, Captains and the Kings was adapted from a novel by Taylor Caldwell. Covering a time span from 1857 to 1912, this was the saga of the Irish-immigrant Armagh clan, with emphasis on the rags-to-riches career of Joseph Armagh (Richard Jordan). Achieving fame and prominence (if not full-fledged social acceptance) through a Byzantine series of investments in the oil industry, the elder Armagh was obsessed with the notion of having one of his sons become the first Irish-Catholic President of the United States (does this story sound vaguely familiar?). Along the way, Joseph and his offspring indulged in innumerable romantic liaisons, extramarital and otherwise. Featured in the all-star cast is Patty Duke Astin, who won an Emmy award for her portrayal of Bernadette Hennessey Armagh. Captains and the Kings was broadcast from September 30 to November 18, 1976 in seven installments, two of which ran 120 minutes, and the other six lasting 60 minutes -- a total of nine hours' air time in all.

Noirish series set in 1930s L.A. about roguish PI Miles C. Banyon, who tackles a wide range of cases. The show had a short run, but Robert Forster's gritty, charismatic performance as Banyon impressed such fans as Quentin Tarantino, who directed him 25 years later in 'Jackie Brown.'

Sex, gossip and personal problems among tenants in a Southern California apartment building. Based on an Australian series.

The Emmy-winning (in 1958) anthology formerly known as 'The Alcoa Hour' began airing under a new name and in a half-hour format when it moved from Sunday to Monday nights. The productions were primarily dramas and in the first season featured a rotating cast of regular players (including Jack Lemmon and David Niven). Later episodes included performances by Mickey Rooney, Cliff Robertson, Elaine Stritch, Errol Flynn and Eli Wallach.

A short-lived police drama (filmed on Oahu) whose central character is a seasoned detective with island connections, partnered with a newcomer from Chicago.