March 3, 1986
The pilot episode of Matlock aired on NBC.
The
show centers on widower Benjamin Leighton "Ben" Matlock, a renowned,
folksy and popular though cantankerous attorney. Usually, at the end of the
case, the person who is on the stand being questioned by Matlock is the actual
perpetrator, and Matlock will expose him, despite making clear that his one
goal is to prove reasonable doubt in the case of his client's guilt or to prove
his client's innocence.
Matlock
studied law at Harvard, and after several years as a public defender, established his law
practice inAtlanta, living in a modest farmhouse
in a neighboring suburb. He is known to visit crime scenes to discover clues
otherwise overlooked and come up with viable, alternative theories of the crime
in question (usually murder). Matlock also has conspicuously finicky fashion
sense; he generally appears in court wearing a trademark light gray suit and,
over the series' entire run, owned three generations of the Ford Crown Victoria—always an all-gray model (Griffith's character had always driven Ford
products in his 1960s series, The Andy Griffith Show). Some Mayberry alumni—Don Knotts, Aneta Corsaut, Betty Lynn, Jack Dodson and Arlene Golonka—made guest appearances
on Matlock.
Matlock
is noted for his thrift and a fondness for hot dogs. After the series ended,
his penchant for hot dogs was explained in the 1997 episode "Murder
Two" of Joyce Burditt's Diagnosis: Murder. Matlock blames Dr. Mark Sloan (Dick Van Dyke) for recommending a
disastrous investment in 8-track cartridges, in which he lost his
savings of $5,000 in 1969, forcing him into wearing cheap suits and living on
hot dogs. Despite his thrift, Matlock's standard fee is $100,000, usually paid
up front, but if he or his staff believe strongly enough in the innocence of a
client, or if the client is unable to pay immediately (if at all), he will have
them pay over time, or will reduce the fee significantly or waive it entirely,
albeit reluctantly in some cases. He will also, reluctantly, take a pro
bono case occasionally, and at least on one occasion, he has worked as
the prosecuting attorney in a trial.
These
traits, and the demands he placed upon his investigators, were often points of comic
relief in the series. Andy Griffith's prior career as a comic often showed
through in things Matlock did or said.
Matlock
generally defended his clients in the Fulton County Courthouse, which was actually the Second Church of Christ,
Scientist located
at 948 West Adams Boulevard in Los Angeles.
March 4, 1996
Minnie Pearl
dies.
A longtime fixture of
Nashville's Grand Ole Opry, comedian Minnie Pearl dies on this day. Pearl was
famous for her comic monologues about hillbilly life, and was featured on the
long-running syndicated show Hee Haw from 1970 to 1990.
March 7, 1986
The final episode of Different Strokes was aired.
Arnold's feature story
about his high school football team threatens to turn into a controversial
expose for the school newspaper when he witnesses team members buying steroids.
March 3, 1986
The pilot episode of Matlock aired on NBC.
The
show centers on widower Benjamin Leighton "Ben" Matlock, a renowned,
folksy and popular though cantankerous attorney. Usually, at the end of the
case, the person who is on the stand being questioned by Matlock is the actual
perpetrator, and Matlock will expose him, despite making clear that his one
goal is to prove reasonable doubt in the case of his client's guilt or to prove
his client's innocence.
Matlock
studied law at Harvard, and after several years as a public defender, established his law
practice inAtlanta, living in a modest farmhouse
in a neighboring suburb. He is known to visit crime scenes to discover clues
otherwise overlooked and come up with viable, alternative theories of the crime
in question (usually murder). Matlock also has conspicuously finicky fashion
sense; he generally appears in court wearing a trademark light gray suit and,
over the series' entire run, owned three generations of the Ford Crown Victoria—always an all-gray model (Griffith's character had always driven Ford
products in his 1960s series, The Andy Griffith Show). Some Mayberry alumni—Don Knotts, Aneta Corsaut, Betty Lynn, Jack Dodson and Arlene Golonka—made guest appearances
on Matlock.
Matlock
is noted for his thrift and a fondness for hot dogs. After the series ended,
his penchant for hot dogs was explained in the 1997 episode "Murder
Two" of Joyce Burditt's Diagnosis: Murder. Matlock blames Dr. Mark Sloan (Dick Van Dyke) for recommending a
disastrous investment in 8-track cartridges, in which he lost his
savings of $5,000 in 1969, forcing him into wearing cheap suits and living on
hot dogs. Despite his thrift, Matlock's standard fee is $100,000, usually paid
up front, but if he or his staff believe strongly enough in the innocence of a
client, or if the client is unable to pay immediately (if at all), he will have
them pay over time, or will reduce the fee significantly or waive it entirely,
albeit reluctantly in some cases. He will also, reluctantly, take a pro
bono case occasionally, and at least on one occasion, he has worked as
the prosecuting attorney in a trial.
These
traits, and the demands he placed upon his investigators, were often points of comic
relief in the series. Andy Griffith's prior career as a comic often showed
through in things Matlock did or said.
Matlock
generally defended his clients in the Fulton County Courthouse, which was actually the Second Church of Christ,
Scientist located
at 948 West Adams Boulevard in Los Angeles.
March 4, 1996
Minnie Pearl dies.
A longtime fixture of
Nashville's Grand Ole Opry, comedian Minnie Pearl dies on this day. Pearl was
famous for her comic monologues about hillbilly life, and was featured on the
long-running syndicated show Hee Haw from 1970 to 1990.
March 7, 1986
The final episode of Different Strokes was aired.
Arnold's feature story about his high school football team threatens to turn into a controversial expose for the school newspaper when he witnesses team members buying steroids.
Stay Tuned
Tony Figueroa
Tony Figueroa
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