Banacek

Premise

Peppard played Thomas Banacek, a Polish-American freelance, Boston-based, private investigator who solves seemingly impossible thefts. He collects from the insurance companies 10% of the insured value of the recovered property. One of Banacek's verbal signatures is the quotation of strangely worded yet curiously cogent "Polish proverbs" that Ralph Manza, as Banacek's chauffeur Jay Drury, rarely understand. Banacek also has a running agreement with his chauffeur for a 10% share of Banacek's 10% if he solved the crime. Mr. Drury is never at a loss for a potential solution that Banacek always manages to shoot down with his very next line. Another recurring gag is for other characters—particularly his rivals—to mispronounce his name deliberately. The name "Banaczek" (as pronounced in the show) is actually quite rare in Poland.

Murray Matheson plays seller of rare books and information source Felix Mulholland, a character always ready with a droll remark and who exhibits a passion for chess and jigsaw puzzles. He is also the series' only character to ever call Banacek by his first name.

Recurring characters include insurance company executive Cavanaugh (George Murdock), Banacek's rival and sometime love interest Carlie Kirkland (Christine Belford), and another insurance investigator/rival Fennyman/Henry DeWitt (Linden Chiles).

Banacek lives on historic Beacon Hill in Boston. While he has a limousine and driver, he also owns and sometimes drives an antique 1941 Packard convertible. Both vehicles are equipped with mobile radio telephones at a time when such devices are uncommon and expensive. Banacek is intelligent, well-educated, cultured, and suave. An unapologetic ladies' man who enjoys the company of beautiful women, he is also street-smart and can engage in hand-to-hand combat when the need arises; in one episode he mentions having learned judo in the Marine Corps, which is probably a reference to George Peppard's two-year enlistment in the Marine Corps, being discharged at the rank of corporal. He grew up in Scollay Square and a childhood acquaintance described him as the neighborhood jock who excelled in all sports. For recreation he jogs, plays squash, engages in weekend touch football, and sculling on the Charles River.

Cast

• George Peppard as Thomas Banacek
• Ralph Manza as Jay Drury
• Murray Matheson as Felix Mulholland
• Christine Belford as Carlie Kirkland
• George Murdock as Cavanaugh

Production

In general, the series was shot on the Universal Studios backlot, though location scenes were filmed around Los Angeles in areas that could pass for Boston, or rural areas near there. The episode titled "If Max Is So Smart, Why Doesn't He Tell Us Where He Is?" was shot on location at the California Institute of the Arts around the time the school first opened. "Ten Thousand Dollars a Page" was filmed at the Pasadena Art Museum, later known as the Pasadena Museum of Modern Art and now the Norton Simon Museum of Art. "Horse of a Slightly Different Color" was filmed at Hollywood Park Racetrack, now the site of SoFi Stadium.

A customized 1969 American Motors AMX was built by George Barris for the second regular-season episode. The car became known as the AMX-400 and it is now owned by an automobile collector. Other continuing cars in the series were a 1941 maroon Packard 180 with a Victoria body designed by Howard "Dutch" Darrin (license plate number 178344), a 1973 Corvette (driven by Ms. Kirkland) and a 1973 Cadillac Fleetwood limousine (mobile telephone number KL 17811). In keeping with both the exotic car theme and the humor between Banacek and his driver Jay Drury, he was even chauffeured around in a Willys MB, Jeep CJ2A, and a CJ6, as well as a brand new Ford/De Tomaso Pantera. Two Packards were used in filming, a 1941 used for principal photography and a modified 1942 model used for some shots in Los Angeles. The main 1941 picture car was auctioned in 2019 by RM Sotheby's for $373,500.

In preparation for the pilot and then the first and second seasons, the cast went to Boston and filmed a variety of background scenes. These scenes were then used through the series and are especially shown in the opening scenes, including Banacek rowing on the Charles River and walking through Government Center. In the pilot, Banacek's car pulls into his Beacon Hill home, the historic Second Harrison Gray Otis House located at 85 Mount Vernon Street. In other episodes, views are shown of the Public Garden, the entry to Felix's bookstore at 50 Beacon Street, and the Esplanade. The Boston-filmed pieces were done by a second unit and directed by Peppard himself.

Reception

Although the show had a mixture of humor and rather intricate plots, it never generated strong ratings. Despite this, the show was well received by critics. In addition, the Polish American Congress gave the series an award for portraying Polish Americans in a good manner. It also helped revive Peppard's career.

Cancellation

Banacek was well received by television critics, and, as a result, was picked up for a third season. However, before the third season could start, Peppard quit the show to prevent his ex-wife Elizabeth Ashley from receiving a larger percentage of his earnings as part of their divorce settlement. The complication ended any chance of reviving Banacek during Peppard's lifetime. A&E continued rebroadcasts of Banacek in syndication.

Both seasons of Banacek have been released on DVD under the TV Guide Presents banner.

Season one was released on 2007 with Season two following in 2008

In popular culture

The mentalist Steven Shaw adopted his stage name "Banachek" after the television program.

The show was referenced by the band Fun Lovin' Criminals in the lyrics of its 1998 single "Love Unlimited".

"Banacek" is the name of the special effects technician in "Cry of the Cat," a very meta two-part episode of the Goosebumps TV series from 1998.

The character Banacek was also referenced in The Simpsons "Treehouse of Horror III" segment "Dial Z for Zombies" when Bart tries to cast a spell to rid Springfield of the zombies he unleashed by intoning the magic words "Kojak, Mannix, Banacek, Danno..." (All names of 1970s TV detectives.)

In 2018, Banacek was the subject of an episode-length parody in The Simpsons ("Homer Is Where the Art Isn't"), with Bill Hader voicing the Peppard character, named "Manacek". The episode is patterned closely after a typical Banacek outing, referencing items from the series' storytelling format to its establishing shots. The opening and closing credits mimicked *Banacek'''s style, even including Goldenberg's theme music. In the Akron Beacon Journal, Rich Heldenfels called the episode "a dead-on parody of *Banacek''."

Banacek has a clear resemblance to the title character of the Steve McQueen movie The Thomas Crown Affair, particularly in his attitude towards women and authority. The house used for exterior shots of Thomas Crown's home in Boston, the Harrison Gray Otis House, was used for Banacek's home in the series. Both the film and the show revolve around insurance investigations, but in the series Banacek is solving crimes, not committing them.

Episodes

Pilot: 1972

Season 1: 1972–73

Howard Browne Shirl Hendryx, Pat Fielder, Richard Bluel

Season 2: 1973–74

Robert Van Scoyk, Lee Santley, George Sheldon Smith Robert Van Scoyk, Jack Turley Jimmy Sangster

Home media

Arts Alliance America has released the entire series on DVD in Region 1. Season one was released on May 15, 2007, without the series pilot. Season two was released on January 22, 2008, and included the pilot episode. On September 30, 2008, Arts Alliance released Banacek: The Complete Series, a five-disc box set featuring all 17 episodes.

In Region 2, Fabulous Films released both seasons on DVD in the UK on February 10, 2014.

In Region 4, Madman Entertainment has released both seasons on DVD in Australia.

References

References

1. Harris, Steve. (1988). "Film, television, and stage music on phonograph records: a discography". McFarland.
2. ''Banaczek'' is the original Polish spelling, pronounced BAH-nah-chek.
3. "Polish Surnames Database".
4. "The Thomas Crown Affair (1968)".
5. (2013). "'Banacek' AMX 400". Barris Custom.
6. ((Auto Editors of ''Consumer Guide'')). (23 September 2007). "AMX-400: Profile of a Custom Car". HowStuffWorks.com.
7. (2 August 2008). "1942 Packard One-Eighty Convertible Victoria by Darrin". Sothebys.
8. "Willys MB 'Jeep'". imcdb.org.
9. "Jeep CJ-6". imcdb.org.
10. "1941 Packard Custom Super Eight One Eighty Convertible Victoria by Darrin".
11. (2007). "The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows 1946–Present". Ballantine Books.
12. Vagg, Stephen. (29 December 2024). "Movie Star Cold Streaks: George Peppard".
13. reprobatepress. (2019-01-22). "Banacek – The TV Series That George Peppard Killed To Spite His Wife".
14. (19 November 2014). "Banachek LIVE Video Q&A on Full Circle Magic, Streamed on Nov. 19, 2014".
15. ""Goosebumps" Cry of the Cat: Part 1 (TV Episode 1998) - Robert Young as Banacek - IMDb".
16. (March 18, 2018). "Bill Hader helps The Simpsons stick it to that Banacek guy, who must work there or something". Onion, Inc..
17. Heldenfels, Rich. (April 19, 2018). "Heldenfels' Mailbag: Why didn't they make a sequel to 'Starman'?". [[Akron Beacon Journal]].
18. "Fabulous Films". FabulousFilms.com.
19. "Fabulous Films". FabulousFilms.com.
20. "Madman Entertainment".
21. "Madman Entertainment".