The Untouchables was a crime drama that ran from 1959 to 1963 on the ABC Television Network. Based on the memoir of the same name by Eliot Ness and Oscar Fraley, it fictionalized Ness' experiences as a Prohibition agent, fighting crime in Chicago in the 1930s with the help of a special team of agents handpicked for their courage, moral character and incorruptibility, nicknamed the Untouchables.
The show's pilot aired on CBS, however the four season of the show ran on ABC.The show drew harsh criticism from some Italian-Americans including Frank Sinatra, who felt it promoted negative stereotypes of them as mobsters and gangsters. The Capone family unsuccessfully sued the Columbia Broadcasting System, Desilu Productions and Westinghouse Electric Corporation for its depiction of the Capone family.
The head of the production studio Desilu, Desi Arnaz (who had attended high school with Capone's son Albert), in concert with ABC and the “Italian-American League to Combat Defamation,” issued a formal three-point manifesto:
The head of the production studio Desilu, Desi Arnaz (who had attended high school with Capone's son Albert), in concert with ABC and the “Italian-American League to Combat Defamation,” issued a formal three-point manifesto:
There will be no more fictional hoodlums with Italian names in future productions.
There will be more stress on the law-enforcement role of “Rico Rossi”, Ness’s right-hand man on the show.
There will be an emphasis on the “formidable influence” of Italian-American officials in reducing crime and an emphasis on the “great contributions” made to American culture by Americans of Italian descent.
Thus, it was one of the first TV shows to openly embrace PC over Reality.
Thus, it was one of the first TV shows to openly embrace PC over Reality.
From Four Color #1237 (October-December 1961)
Art by Dan Spiegle.
In those days, Solly and da boys was in bed (literally with the White House), so it was less PC than self-preservation.
ReplyDeletePS That second info-page reminds of why the Good Old Days really were.
The Untouchables comics were some of Dan Spiegle's very best work for Dell. Great research, great layouts, great use of black and white...just plain terrific.
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