M Squad: The Complete Series [Special Edition]

One of the most memorable of the early television police dramas, M Squad debuted in 1957 running for three seasons on NBC. There were many black and white crime dramas competing for viewers in the late fifties, notably Dragnet, Arrest and Trial, and Checkmate. M Squad stands apart because of its unique combination of story, production values, musical score and a great cast portraying crime fighters getting down and dirty on the mean streets. Lee Marvin, stars as Lt. Frank Ballinger, a no-nonsense Chicago plainclothes cop in the elite M-Squad Division. The Squad's (M-for Murder) task is to root out organized crime and corruption in Americas Second City. Marvin's portrayal of a tough undercover officer gave Marvin name recognition with the public, and did much to make him a star. He would go on to many starring roles (The Dirty Dozen, Cat Ballou) and to win a coveted OscarⓇ for Best Actor. Frank Ballinger's boss, Captain Grey, is played by Paul Newlan, a fine actor who brings weight and