The show was a revised and milder version of a 1973–1974 ABC series, Toma, starring Tony Musante as chameleon-like, real-life New Jerseypolice officerDavid Toma. When Musante left the series after a single season, the concept was retooled as Baretta, with Robert Blake in the title role.[2][3]
Anthony Vincenzo "Tony" Baretta is an unorthodox plainclothespolice detective (Badge #609) with the 53rd Precinct in an unnamed, fictional city. He resides in Apartment 2C of the run-down King Edward Hotel with Fred, his Triton cockatoo. A master of disguise, Baretta wears many while performing his duties. When not working he usually wears a short-sleeve sweatshirt, casual slacks, a brown suede jacket and a newsboy cap.
Baretta is often seen with an unlit cigarette in his lips or behind his ear. His catchphrases include "Don't do the crime if you can't do the time", "You can take dat to da bank" and "And dat's the name of dat tune." When exasperated, he occasionally speaks in asides to his late father, Louie Baretta. He drives a rusted-out Mist Blue 1966 Chevrolet Impala four-door sport sedan nicknamed "The Blue Ghost" (license plate 532 BEM). He frequents Ross's Billiard Academy and refers to his numerous girlfriends as his "cousins".
Mr. Muncie (Paul Lichtman), the owner of a liquor store at 52nd and Main.
Production
Upon watching Blake in the 1973 film Electra Glide in Blue, then ABC executive Michael Eisner contacted the star about doing a police series, which culminated in Baretta. Blake was given creative control in most aspects of production.[7]
Baretta with Fred.
The theme song, "Keep Your Eye on the Sparrow", was written by Dave Grusin and Morgan Ames; initially an instrumental, lyrics were added in later seasons that were sung by Sammy Davis, Jr. Every episode of Baretta began with the song, which contained the motto, "Don't do the crime if you can't do the time." According to Blake, studio executives did not want Davis's vocals for the theme song for fear that audiences would confuse Baretta for being a black series. Blake threatened to leave production if Davis's recording was rejected. His bosses relented.[8]
The song was released as a single in Europe in 1976, reaching number one in the Dutch Top 40 as "Baretta's Theme". The music for the theme song was performed by Los Angeles-based Latin influenced Rock band El Chicano from Los Angeles, California. El Chicano also released the song as a 45 and also as a track on one of their albums. The "Baretta" theme song by El Chicano was a huge hit in many countries including Turkey, Malaysia, Singapore, France and The Philippines.
The song was released as a single in the US, but only charted as high as #42 on the Adult Contemporary Chart, while it "bubbled under the Hot 100" at #101.
Fred the cockatoo was in fact portrayed by two Triton cockatoos named Lalah and Weird Harold, the latter used as a stunt double for flying sequences.[9]
Broadcast syndication
After its initial run in syndication beginning in 1979, the series later re-appeared on TV Land in 1999 as part of a package of series licensed from Universal. MeTV aired reruns of Baretta on Saturday afternoons in 2007. It was also aired on WKAQ-TV.
Home media
On October 29, 2002, Universal Studios released the first season of Baretta on Region 1 DVD in the United States.[10]
In Taskmaster Live, a 2016 show at the Edinburgh Festival contested by five television executives, Jeff Ford, the UK Managing Director of Fox Networks Group and SVP and Content Development Manager for Europe and Africa, described Baretta as a "lesser known 1960s vehicle".
In the Barney Miller episode "Copycat", Detective Arthur Dietrich tells a copycat criminal that cops and committing a crime are not like they are depicted on television, and ends by saying, "And dat's the name of dat tune."
In the film Reservoir Dogs, protagonist Mr. Orange steels himself before meeting main antagonist Joe Cabot by saying "You're not gonna get hurt. You're fucking Baretta. They believe every fucking word 'cause you're super cool."
In the sitcom That 70's Show, in the season one episode “Stolen Car”, Bob Pinciotti tells his wife Midge, "you can't tell me anything while i'm watching Baretta, it's complicated."
^McMurran, Kristin (July 7, 1980). "With Stunning Intensity, David Toma, Ex-Cop, Ex-Addict and Model for TV's 'Baretta', Harangues Kids Against Drugs". People. Time Inc.
^Armstrong, Lois (April 28, 1975). "A Time Bomb Named Robert Blake Re-Explodes as 'Baretta'". People. Time Inc.
^"Dave Grusin & Morgan Ames: Baretta ('Keep Your Eye on the Sparrow')". Dave Tomkins: Musica Database. University of British Columbia. Retrieved August 22, 2018 – via cs.ubc.ca.
^"Sammy Davis Jr. added lyrics to so many instrumental TV theme songs". MeTV.com. October 29, 2016. Retrieved August 23, 2018.
^Maçek III, J.C. (August 2, 2012). "'American Pop'... Matters: Ron Thompson, the Illustrated Man Unsung". PopMatters.
^Robert Blake: I ain't dead yet, so stay tuned... on YouTube
^obert Blake: I ain't dead yet, so stay tuned... on YouTube
^"Cockatoo". San Diego Zoo. Retrieved January 3, 2023.
^. hive4media.com. Archived from the original on October 17, 2002. Retrieved September 16, 2019.
Roy Huggins discusses the creation of Baretta in an Archive of American Television Interview
January 04, 2023
baretta, other, uses, disambiguation, american, detective, television, series, which, from, 1975, 1978, title, screengenredetective, fictioncreated, bystephen, cannellstarringrobert, blake, dana, elcar, ewell, michael, robertstheme, music, composerdave, grusin. For other uses see Baretta disambiguation Baretta is an American detective television series which ran on ABC from 1975 to 1978 1 BarettaBaretta title screenGenreDetective fictionCreated byStephen J CannellStarringRobert Blake Dana Elcar Tom Ewell Michael D RobertsTheme music composerDave Grusin Morgan AmesOpening theme Keep Your Eye on the Sparrow Performed by Sammy Davis Jr Music performed by El ChicanoCountry of originUnited StatesOriginal languageEnglishNo of seasons4No of episodes82 list of episodes ProductionProduction companiesRoy Huggins Public Arts Productions Universal TelevisionDistributorMCA TV 1980 1981 NBCUniversal Television Distribution 2004 2011 ReleaseOriginal networkABCOriginal releaseJanuary 17 1975 1975 01 17 May 18 1978 1978 05 18 ChronologyPreceded byTomaThe show was a revised and milder version of a 1973 1974 ABC series Toma starring Tony Musante as chameleon like real life New Jersey police officer David Toma When Musante left the series after a single season the concept was retooled as Baretta with Robert Blake in the title role 2 3 Keep Your Eye on the Sparrow the show s theme music was composed by Dave Grusin and Morgan Ames 4 and sung by Sammy Davis Jr 5 in addition to being a chart hit for two other artists Contents 1 Overview 2 Episodes 3 Cast 4 Production 5 Broadcast syndication 6 Home media 7 Cultural references 8 References 9 External linksOverview EditAnthony Vincenzo Tony Baretta is an unorthodox plainclothes police detective Badge 609 with the 53rd Precinct in an unnamed fictional city He resides in Apartment 2C of the run down King Edward Hotel with Fred his Triton cockatoo A master of disguise Baretta wears many while performing his duties When not working he usually wears a short sleeve sweatshirt casual slacks a brown suede jacket and a newsboy cap Baretta is often seen with an unlit cigarette in his lips or behind his ear His catchphrases include Don t do the crime if you can t do the time You can take dat to da bank and And dat s the name of dat tune When exasperated he occasionally speaks in asides to his late father Louie Baretta He drives a rusted out Mist Blue 1966 Chevrolet Impala four door sport sedan nicknamed The Blue Ghost license plate 532 BEM He frequents Ross s Billiard Academy and refers to his numerous girlfriends as his cousins Episodes EditMain article List of Baretta episodes SeasonEpisodesOriginally airedFirst airedLast aired112January 17 1975 1975 01 17 April 30 1975 1975 04 30 222September 10 1975 1975 09 10 April 28 1976 1976 04 28 324September 22 1976 1976 09 22 May 4 1977 1977 05 04 424September 28 1977 1977 09 28 May 18 1978 1978 05 18 Cast EditAnthony Vincenzo Tony Baretta Robert Blake a police detective Billy Truman Tom Ewell retired cop who used to work with Baretta s father Louie at the 53rd Precinct Rooster Michael D Roberts a streetwise pimp and Baretta s favorite informant Inspector Shiller Dana Elcar and Lieutenant Hal Brubaker Edward Grover Baretta s supervisors Detective Foley John Ward police detective Fats Chino Fats Williams a gravelly voiced older detective Detective Nopke Ron Thompson a rookie detective 6 Little Moe Angelo Rossitto a shoeshine man and informant Mr Nicholas Titos Vandis a mob boss Mr Muncie Paul Lichtman the owner of a liquor store at 52nd and Main Production EditUpon watching Blake in the 1973 film Electra Glide in Blue then ABC executive Michael Eisner contacted the star about doing a police series which culminated in Baretta Blake was given creative control in most aspects of production 7 Baretta with Fred The theme song Keep Your Eye on the Sparrow was written by Dave Grusin and Morgan Ames initially an instrumental lyrics were added in later seasons that were sung by Sammy Davis Jr Every episode of Baretta began with the song which contained the motto Don t do the crime if you can t do the time According to Blake studio executives did not want Davis s vocals for the theme song for fear that audiences would confuse Baretta for being a black series Blake threatened to leave production if Davis s recording was rejected His bosses relented 8 The song was released as a single in Europe in 1976 reaching number one in the Dutch Top 40 as Baretta s Theme The music for the theme song was performed by Los Angeles based Latin influenced Rock band El Chicano from Los Angeles California El Chicano also released the song as a 45 and also as a track on one of their albums The Baretta theme song by El Chicano was a huge hit in many countries including Turkey Malaysia Singapore France and The Philippines The song was released as a single in the US but only charted as high as 42 on the Adult Contemporary Chart while it bubbled under the Hot 100 at 101 Fred the cockatoo was in fact portrayed by two Triton cockatoos named Lalah and Weird Harold the latter used as a stunt double for flying sequences 9 Broadcast syndication EditAfter its initial run in syndication beginning in 1979 the series later re appeared on TV Land in 1999 as part of a package of series licensed from Universal MeTV aired reruns of Baretta on Saturday afternoons in 2007 It was also aired on WKAQ TV Home media EditOn October 29 2002 Universal Studios released the first season of Baretta on Region 1 DVD in the United States 10 DVD Name Ep Release DateSeason 1 12 October 29 2002Cultural references EditMad magazine spoofed the series as Barfetta In Taskmaster Live a 2016 show at the Edinburgh Festival contested by five television executives Jeff Ford the UK Managing Director of Fox Networks Group and SVP and Content Development Manager for Europe and Africa described Baretta as a lesser known 1960s vehicle In the Barney Miller episode Copycat Detective Arthur Dietrich tells a copycat criminal that cops and committing a crime are not like they are depicted on television and ends by saying And dat s the name of dat tune In the film Reservoir Dogs protagonist Mr Orange steels himself before meeting main antagonist Joe Cabot by saying You re not gonna get hurt You re fucking Baretta They believe every fucking word cause you re super cool In the sitcom That 70 s Show in the season one episode Stolen Car Bob Pinciotti tells his wife Midge you can t tell me anything while i m watching Baretta it s complicated References Edit Baretta The New York Times Retrieved March 13 2012 McMurran Kristin July 7 1980 With Stunning Intensity David Toma Ex Cop Ex Addict and Model for TV s Baretta Harangues Kids Against Drugs People Time Inc Armstrong Lois April 28 1975 A Time Bomb Named Robert Blake Re Explodes as Baretta People Time Inc Dave Grusin amp Morgan Ames Baretta Keep Your Eye on the Sparrow Dave Tomkins Musica Database University of British Columbia Retrieved August 22 2018 via cs ubc ca Sammy Davis Jr added lyrics to so many instrumental TV theme songs MeTV com October 29 2016 Retrieved August 23 2018 Macek III J C August 2 2012 American Pop Matters Ron Thompson the Illustrated Man Unsung PopMatters Robert Blake I ain t dead yet so stay tuned on YouTube obert Blake I ain t dead yet so stay tuned on YouTube Cockatoo San Diego Zoo Retrieved January 3 2023 Announcements hive4media com Archived from the original on October 17 2002 Retrieved September 16 2019 External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Baretta Baretta at IMDb TV Character Bio Tony Baretta at TV Acres Roy Huggins discusses the creation of Baretta in an Archive of American Television Interview Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Baretta amp oldid 1131464499, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
