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Why Mike Connors moved from film to TV
The star of Mannix on why he left the big screen.
The acclaim that shows like Sopranos and The Wire garnered in the early 2000s changed the television landscape forever. Suddenly, there was a whole new world open to actors. While "important" work had once been exclusively available in theaters, opportunities were now cropping up on television. A critical consensus continued to build on TV, one that would shepherd a new era of career-defining performances.
But in 1967, things were very different. For the most part, success was measured in box office receipts. There was a class divide among actors wherein television work was looked down upon. All of the era's most respected performances were up on the big screen. TV was less than; it was the field where has-been actors were sent out to pasture.
However, Mike Connors made the jump from film to TV, and pioneered a new option for movie stars. So, why did Connors leave the auspicious world of film for the less-beloved world of TV?
"Well, I guess I made the move for a couple of reasons," he said in a 1970 interview with the Los Angeles Times.
"No. 1, I wasn't getting the kind of parts I wanted in the kind of pictures I wanted."
Years earlier, Connors had reached the pinnacle of the Hollywood ladder, appearing in pictures like The Ten Commandments and Stagecoach. But while these legendary pictures helped flesh out his filmography, Connors wasn't being offered compelling roles in any other celebrated films.
"No. 2, the offer they made me [for Mannix] was very lucrative."
Just how lucrative was the deal? Well, while the details may not be readily available, here's an interesting piece of trivia: CBS/Paramount made a huge bet on Connors as the title character in Mannix. The company took out an insurance policy of $1 million on its star. Their gamble paid off, as Mannix continues to be Connors' most-recognized work.
"And No. 3, I'm an actor and I like to act— I don't like sitting around idly for long periods."
Rather than sit around waiting for his next role, Connors was able to report to set for dozens of episodes each season. In all, Mannix produced 194 episodes, providing Connors with plenty of the interesting work he longed for.
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13 Comments
There was no such thing as CBS/Paramount back then; they were two entirely separate companies, though CBS bought "Mannix" from the studio which was not Paramount, but DESILU (whose physical studio lot was adjacent to Paramount's and often used its facilities), which was shortly thereafter acquired by Paramount.
And just TRY finding Connors in "The Ten Commandments." He's little more than an extra.
Plus Peggy was waiting to say, "Joe...be careful."
a song or melody strongly associated with someone or something
often: an identifying melody or song played at the beginning of a movie, television show, etc. and sometimes recurring during its course
