TV FLASHBACK : FUTURE COP ... THE KANSAS CITY KID .. 1977

PARAMOUNT TELEVISION

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Presents

 FUTURE COP .... 
Starring  
ERNEST BORGNINE as Officer Joe Cleaver 
MICHAEL SHANNON as Officer John Haven
JOHN AMOS as Officer Bill Bundy 
HERBERT NELSON as Captain Skaggs 
IRENE TSU as DR Tingley  

' THE KANSAS CITY KID '
Guests..
JOAN COLLINS as Eve Di Falco 
JOSHUA BRYANT as Andrew 
DON REID as Geary 
MICHAEL MACRAE as Nolan  


After an investment broker is swindled by a group of cardsharks, led by the glamorous but deadly Evie Di Falco, it is up to Joe Cleaver and his android side-kick Haven to pose as the cardsharks latest victims..No one outwits The Kansas City Kid!..

EVIE puts her thinking glasses on!

EVIE sets her plan in action!

CAROL LYNLEY

This series from 1976 stars Oscar winning actor Ernest Borgnine as reliable Officer Joe Cleaver, who is partnered by a new form of law enforcement, an android cop! Years before Robocop went on the rampage, this series had similar ideas to clean up crime. However the series only lasted seven episodes and was embroiled in controversy as the prolific Sci-fi writer Harlan Ellison and his partner Ben Bova sued Paramount for taking their idea without involving them. In 1970 they wrote a story called "Brillo" and pitched the idea to Paramount who at that time were not interested in it. However a few years later a pilot for "Future Cop" was filmed and then a series, which used a similar story to Ellison's and Bova's. They sued Paramount and the case was settled with a $337,000 pay-out and the case was considered a landmark victory for writers in Hollywood.. Paramount tried to revive the series sometime after "Future Cop" was canceled with another pilot, this time called "Cops and Robin", with the same cast , with Carol Lynley added as the doctor looking after Haven.. But this failed to make an impression.. Joan appears in "The Kansas City Kid" in a role similar to the one she played on "Switch" and brings a touch of glamour to her portrayal of the greedy, conniving Evie.. You can watch the title sequence above!

Montage of scenes from the series including Joan's!