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| Burke's Law: Season 1 - Volume 1 (First 16 Episodes) | 
 enlarge | Directors: Charles F. Haas, Byron Paul, Frederick De Cordova, Robert Ellis Miller, James Goldstone
Actors: Gene Barry, Gary Conway
Studio: VCI Entertainment
Category: DVD
List Price: $29.99
Buy New: $14.88
You Save: $15.11 (50%)
New (33) Used (12) from $14.88
Avg. Customer Rating:  15 reviews
Sales Rank: 4068
Format: Box Set, Black & White, Dolby, Dvd-video, Full Screen, Original Recording Remastered, Ntsc
Language: English (Original Language)
Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Number Of Items: 4
Running Time: 800
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.3
Dimensions (in): 7.6 x 5.3 x 2.4
MPN: 8510
UPC: 089859851025
EAN: 0089859851025
ASIN: B0013PVGGI
Theatrical Release Date: September 20, 1963
Release Date: April 29, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: Five Star Seller!!! New, factory sealed US Region 1 DVD. Item is 100% guaranteed not to be a bootleg or import. Item is shipped directly from our warehouse. Easy exchange if item defective or damaged in shipped.
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Amazon.com
Watching the smart, sexy, sophisticated, and more than a bit naughty Burke's Law is like entering Hef's swinging pad for a little Playboy After Dark action. Gene Barry, in his Golden Globe-winning role, stars as Amos Burke, a millionaire playboy. He is described as "a bon vivant, elegant, an attractive man." He also happens to be a police captain in charge of homicide. "It's what he does best," his partner explains. Well, not quite. He's better at juggling a bevy of beautiful ladies. "We have a nodding acquaintance," he smooth-talks one. "You say `nodding' about marriage and that's the way I like it." Inevitably, his trysts are interrupted by word that a murder has been committed and a body found. Then, it's off to the crime scene in his chauffeur driven Rolls Royce (piloted by the trusty Henry, portrayed by scene-stealer Leon Lontoc). Fun enough, but what further distinguishes Burke's Law is its dazzling array of stellar suspects; former Hollywood greats, contemporary stars, comedians, indelible character actors, and fresh-faced up-and-comers. Just dig this line-up for the episode, "Who Killed Billy Jo?": Cesar Romero, Phil Harris, Tina "Ginger" Louise, Ida Lupino, Ken Berry as a swinging partygoer, and in a surprising cameo, David Niven as a bumbling juggler. Gary Collins provides some potent youth appeal as Tim, a go-getting new detective and fount of arcane information related to each case. But he's no match for "the old captain," who dispenses his own brand of wisdom, such as, "Never drink martinis with a beautiful suspect," and "Never grow up; you'll grow old," punctuating each aphorism with, "Burke's law." A cop show like no other, Burke's Law's pleasures are anything but guilty, from the seductive voice that purrs, "It's Burke's Law" during the opening credits to guessing which star is the culprit. Wally Cox? Carl Reiner? Frankie Avalon? Carolyn Jones was nominated for a Golden Globe for her virtuoso quadruple role as sisters in "Who Killed Sweet Betsy?" and Barry himself has a high time with his dual role as a lookalike murder victim in "Who Killed Snookie Martinelli?" Almost worth the price of this set is the prologue in which Barry's Snookie regales his exhausted all-night party guests with an energetic rendition of "C'est Si Bon." How `60s can you get? As a welcome bonus for classic TV buffs, each disc contains vintage 1963 commercials (Arnold Palmer for L&M cigarettes--"He's been smoking them for years"). You're still deciding whether to order this? "Don't think about it, just do it." That's Burke's law! --Donald Liebenson
Product Description
BURKE'S LAW was a hit prime-time TV series that aired on ABC in 1963 and ran until 1966. It starred Gene Barry in the title roll (for which he won a Golden Globe Best TV Actor Award in 1965) of an LA chief of detectives who also happened to be a millionaire! Each episode featured unusual plot twists glamorous settings and a fabulous list of guest stars. So good it was brought back for a brief run in 1994! VCI will be releasing season one in two separate collector s sets of 16 episodes each. Digitally remastered from the original 35mm master each collection will also include bonus original commercials and previews. Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: TELEVISION/SERIES & SEQUELS UPC: 089859851025 Manufacturer No: 8510
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| Customer Reviews: Read 10 more reviews...
 Great show, Terrific Special Features - But....................... August 31, 2008
This is one of those cop shows that my mom DIDN'T tell me about, actually, my Dad got me hooked on this one, even at the tender age of nine, I watched this show with interest of "who killed......" this one and "who killed........." that one and I never got tired of it and my prayers were answered when I stumbled on this while accidently roaming through the DVD section one day on Amazon a few weeks back and instantly purchased it. The episodes still hold up very well and are still as entertaining today as they were back in the 60's and what's even better for me is I do not remember alot of the ones I just saw on this first set so I will be looking forward to the second set toward the end of the year I was told so..............
THE GOOD: The quality of the transfer is good, there were a hiccup here and there in the later episodes of this set that I noticed. Another terrific plus is the inclusion of the vintage commercials from that time period, I was laughing watching Arnold Palmer smoking while playing golf, it boggles the mind (nowadays anyway) how much they pushed smoking back in those days. There is also a special feature on the restoration process of the episodes.
THE BAD: VCI Entertainment dropped the ball on the Marketing strategy, not so much the fact that they decided to put the seasons out in Volumes but instead of putting 16 episodes on 4 discs in one DVD package, they put 4 Episodes on 1 DVD in 4 DVD packages so it is somewhat a bulky package and I think after they are done releasing Season 1, I am going to write to them ( I already did and thanked them for putting this series out, they told me they appreciated ANY feedback from customers ---HINT HINT ) and suggest they slim down the rest of the seasons because it takes up way too much space on my DVD rack and I'm running out of space as it is.
So in the end, do I reccomend this TV series?, Absolutely, it definitely holds up better than I thought it would.
Enjoying Burke's Law August 25, 2008
Love Gene Barry...wonderful guest stars...great humor....all and all, an enjoyable show to watch. I only wish they would release the show in complete seasons rather than Volume 1 and Volume 2 per season. Releasing in volumes rather than complete seasons seems like just another way to get more money out of the fans.
Stylishly Cool 60's Crime Show with a Twist... August 3, 2008
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
"Burke's Law" may seem more than a bit implausible to today's jaded TV viewers (a swinging millionaire choosing to be a homicide cop is, honestly, a BIT of a stretch!), but for those of us who grew up in front of the TV in the 60s, the show was fabulous...and I am thrilled it is finally on DVD!
The series had (in it's heyday) a kind of Politically Incorrect, 'Rat Pack'-style chic, with star Gene Barry ("Amos Burke") sipping martinis, seducing nubile and oh-so-willing women (the opening theme song even featured a breathy, seductive female voice moaning, "It's Burke's Law!"), and arriving at crime scenes in a Rolls Royce (chauffeured by funny Leon Lontoc), often attired in a tuxedo. Once on duty, however, Burke was all business, offering sage advice (the actual "Burke's Laws") to young detective Gary Conway and veteran cop Regis Toomey.
What really set each episode (always entitled "Who Killed...?") apart were the quirky nature of each homicide, and the guest stars, virtually a "Who's Who" of the Golden Age of Hollywood, often in off-beat roles. It became great fun just to see who would appear in each episode! With effortless ease, Burke would sift through the suspects, and always prove the less-likely one was the culprit, much to the chagrin of his partners...then it would be back to the boudoir and more "ring-a-ding-ding"...
Until the series made the disastrous decision to capitalize on the spy craze (by revamping the format, completely), "Burke's Law" was one of the most stylish shows on TV, and certainly deserves to be on DVD. While I dislike splitting the seasons into 'volumes' (which is why I only give this collection 4 stars), it does also offer some terrific vintage commercials, as un-PC as the series, itself.
Great fun!
Precursor of Classic Detective Shows July 13, 2008
In the early 1960s, television was just starting to get over the variety show genre' and began looking for new horizons due to competition from other networks. With the introduction of certain "Teen" idol "Surfside 6" and "Route 66" success, you could say that "Burke's Law" appealed to the young people of the Jet set.
It is highly unlikely that a millionaire would continue to work as a Captain in Homicide, given the hours and the constant requirement to answer to superiors. Yet, Gene Barry uses a small staff in conducting personal interviews and significant risk taking, dodging bullets here and there and having his young rookie constantly get hit over the head every other episode, to solve Hollywood crimes, usually among the more affluent members of Los Angeles society.
So very improbable, yet very successful. Each episode is loaded with Hollywood stars. Either they had the budget or they all owed something to Spelling and Co. or even Gene Barry to ensure the popularity of this series.
When you have stars like Anne Francis, The Gabor Sisters, Sir Cedric Hardwicke, Don Rickles, etc. among them playing small roles in a larger plot that should tell you something.
Anyway, I had never seen the old series. I was familiar with a few episodes from the 94 revival and based this purchase on that experience.
It is certainly entertaining. A constant reminder of technological life of the 1960s, most of which have disappeared (typewriters, adding machines, slide rules) and the show has style and a decent theme music introduction.
No doubt it was meant to be "Hip".
Burke has an Asian driver and there are several actors who appear such as Sammy Davis Jr. among other minority actors here and there in small roles in what I would call an "advanced" show for showing minorities in so early a period.
This is one of the better efforts. Of course, you can't take the situations too seriously and I believe they were not meant to be that way and certain intentional humor and camp are evident.
I look forward to more episodes and clearly this is the progenitor of future 70s and 80s Golden age Detective Fiction shows that dominated the networks for nearly a quarter of a century to follow. Even Gene Barry himself, launched Columbo and as Mr. Howard in "the Name of the Game" helped to bring about this era. Worth watching!
A THROWBACK TO THE '60S THAT STILL WORKS . . MOST OF THE TIME June 30, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
It is with some trepidation that one revisits a 1963 television series that has all but faded in memory. However, this one is a real winner. Starring the ever-so-suave Gene Barry, the best of the oh-so-cool leading man school of television, and supported by the pushy-but-fun Gary Conway, this series has aged particularly well. It's one of the first Aaron Spelling super spectaculars, to be followed, of course, by The Love Boat and Dynasty, but Burke's Law sets the general style and substance for the glamorous future Spelling was to have as the glossiest of television producers. Amos Burke (Barry), multi-millionaire Chief of Detectives for Los Angeles who's chauffeured in a Silver Cloud II Rolls Royce, solves crimes with a charm and devil-may-care attitude unimaginable today. The plots are outlandish, the setting outrageous, the casts absolutely out of this world. Where else could you get such guest stars as William Bendix, Zasu Pitts, Elizabeth Montgomery, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Paul Lynde, Mary Astor, Lizabeth Scott, Joan Blondell and Juliet Prowse? This list, believe it or not, is only from the first four of 16 episodes on this four-disc collection! It ain't Shakespeare, and, frankly not wildly realistic, but for a return to the glamorous Los Angeles of the mid-'60s, where Pop and Op and Mod and all that silliness reigned supreme, check out this gassy and groovy throwback to a more innocent era.
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