The Untouchables

The Untouchables is a television crime drama, taking its title and loose premise from a 1957 book based on the experiences of US Treasury department agent Eliot Ness (specifically part of their prohibition division). Running from 1959 to 1963, it became the highest profile crime series created for TV to that point, although its violence was criticized at the time. 
While the title referred to Ness and his squad of agents who fought crime every week, much of the emphasis was given to the various mobsters and other criminals, mostly drawn from historical figures: Al Capone, Frank Nitty, Lucky Luciano, and others. Walter Winchell supplied voice-over narration, adding an authentic 1930s feel to the series. Quinn Martin produced, setting a pattern for his subsequent TV crime shows.
In the 1960s, the series was ripe for frequent parody (from Looney Tunes to Jay Ward shows). The later 1987 movie The Untouchables (with Robert DeNiro as Capone) had no direct connection to the TV series apart from adapting the book and retaining the title.
==References==
* The February 10, 1961 broadcast of Sam and Friends parodied the series as "The Unmentionables." As with the Gunsmoke spoof "Powder-Burn", the show's actual theme song was used. Ness is spoofed as Eliot Mess. His target is Bootleg Bernie Chemeeny (played by Harry the Hipster), who at the end shoots Mess with a machine gun. The gangster remarks, "You know the good guys can't always win."Shemin, Craig. Sam and Friends: The Story of Jim Henson's First Television Show. p. 486 
* A dinosaur parody of Robert Stack appears in the second season Dinosaurs episode "The Last Temptation of Ethyl." After the broadcast, he tells Ethyl Phillips, "I was touched. And normally, I am untouchable." He then calls for his chair from assistants Rico and "Youngone" (referencing agents Rico Rossi and Youngfellow on the series).
==Connections==
*Dyan Cannon played Mavis Farrell in "Silent Partner" (1962)
*James Coburn played Dennis Garrity in "The Jamaica Ginger Story" (1961)
*Peter Falk played Duke Mullen in "The Underworld Bank" (1960) and Nate Selko in "The Troubleshooter" (1961)
*Louise Fletcher played Eloise in "Ma Barker and Her Friends" (1959)
*Martin Landau played Jerry Fanning in "Mexican Stake-Out" (1959) and Larry Coombs in "Loophole" (1961)
*Cloris Leachman played Billie Mailer in "Jigsaw" (1961) and Julie Liemer in "Man in the Middle (1962) 
*Olan Soule played various characters in four episodes (1960-1963)
*Robert Stack played Eliot Ness
==Sources==
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Category:TV References