|  | Directors: Charles F. Haas, Byron Paul, Frederick De Cordova, Robert Ellis Miller, James Goldstone
Actors: Gene Barry, Gary Conway, Frankie Laine
Studio: VCI Entertainment
List Price: $29.99
Buy New: $14.50
as of 11/22/2009 21:57 CST details
You Save: $15.49 (52%)
New (27) Used (6) Collectible (1) from $13.98
Seller: GAMEZILLA
Rating:  23 reviews
Sales Rank: 14311
Format: Box set, Black & White, Dolby, DVD, Full Screen, Original recording remastered, NTSC
Language: English (Original Language)
Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Region: 0
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Number Of Discs: 4
Running Time: 800 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1
Dimensions (in): 7.6 x 5.3 x 2.4
MPN: 8510
UPC: 089859851025
EAN: 0089859851025
ASIN: B0013PVGGI
Release Date: April 29, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: BRAND NEW SEALED
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 11-15 of 23
 Stylishly Cool 60's Crime Show with a Twist... August 3, 2008
Benjamin J Burgraff (Las Vegas)
6 out of 6 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
Michael Ziegler (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania United States)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
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
Alan W. Petrucelli (THE ENTERTAINMENT REPORT (ALAN W. PETRUCELLI))
3 out of 3 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.
 Burke's Law Season 1 Volume 1 May 31, 2008
Charles L. Steen (Palestine, TX)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
Quality of the video was excellent and one of the best old tyme television shows now available. Hope more shows of this series is added. Gene Berry is excellent and for police cars, you can't beat a 1962 Rolls Royce car!
 "Some TV shows don't age well" - Burke's Law May 19, 2008
Bruce Kanin (North Merrick, New York USA)
15 out of 25 found this review helpful
Sorry to differ from the other reviewers, but my wife and I just watched a few episodes of Season 1, Part 1, and were quite disappointed. I'm referring to both the quality of the DVD - and "Burke's Law" itself. Prior to getting the DVD set from Amazon, my wife fondly recalled the show and as such, I bought it for her as a gift.
It seemed that her memories of the show had been kind, and upon viewing the first few episodes, we were left shaking our heads: what was the appeal? Yes, the guest stars are fun to spot (e.g., a pre "Bewitched" Elizabeth Montgomery plays a flaky floozy who even twitches her nose - Samantha Stevens style - well before her bewitching TV sitcom aired).
But the stories are slow-moving, the characters are too wacky and unbelievable, and, well, the regulars are just plain dull. The Zucker Brothers "Police Squad!" would have had a field day with "Burke's Law".
Also, we noticed that the dialogue doesn't keep pace with the lip movements, at least in the second episode. That suggests poor workmanship in putting the DVD together.
(We did enjoy the only DVD extra - the old commercials, including one with Arnold Palmer pushing L&M cigarettes - even littering by tossing a lit cigarette onto the golf green!)
Finally, we compared "Burke's Law" to its contemporary, "Perry Mason", and found that there really is no comparison. "Mason" was generally full of well-developed characters - both the regulars and guests - and, despite repetition over the years - had interesting stories that allowed Raymond Burr & co. to shine. "Burke's Law" is at best, two-dimensional.
"You need interesting characters and stories in order to make a good TV show" - that's MY law.
Showing reviews 11-15 of 23
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