CLASSIC VIDEO SHOWPLACE: Man With A Camera
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For over a hundred years some of the greatest video treasures of all time have been produced. Some have been lost in the sands of time and others, soon to be rediscovered, will become fan favorites for a whole new generation.
Each week we will feature just one of the many hidden gems that you can see on RCN TV with insights and commentaries on classic television shows and legendary cinematic performances.
In the early 1970s, Charles Bronson was THE biggest movie box office draw in the world (according to allmovies.com).
Just a handful of his starring roles include the “Death Wish” movie series, “The Magnificent Seven,” “Mr. Majesty”, “The Great Escape,” “The Dirty Dozen” and “Once Upon a Time in the West.”
He was also offered top billing in other iconic films including the lead role of Tuco in “The Good, The Bad and The Ugly,” before turning it down and asked for, but was eventually rejected for, the role of “Superman,” that eventually went to Christopher Reeve.
Before all of those flicks, Bronson played the lead role in the TV series “Man with a Camera.”
After receiving bit parts on both the big and small screens for almost a decade, “Camera” marked Bronson’s first-ever starring role.
Bronson portrayed the fictional Mike Kovac, a former war correspondent turned freelance photographer. His uncanny ability to get unique camera shots that no other photographer can match, leads him to finding out information which involves Kovac in a series of heart-pounding adventures.
“Man With A Camera” was produced by Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz’s Desilu Studios and aired for two seasons on ABC. While most of the series’ storylines were set as occurring in New York City, all location shooting for the program was done in Hollywood.
After “Camera” was cancelled in 1960, Bronson did not stay idle for long. His very next project was “The Magnificent Seven,” which started an amazing run of top-tiered movies, and vaulted Bronson into the stratosphere among the industry’s most popular figures. He’s still regarded as one of the toughest on-screen action figures of all time to this day.
The show also marked some very early on-screen appearances by future stars like:
- Yvonne Craig (“Batman,” “Kissin’ Cousins”)
- Angie Dickinson (“Rio Bravo,” “Police Woman”)
- Norma Crane (“Fiddler On The Roof, “They Call Me Mister Tibbs!”)
- Harry Dean Stanton (“The Godfather Part II,” “Cool Hand Luke,” “Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me”)
…to name a few.
You can see “Man With A Camera,” every Wednesday afternoon at 3 p.m. this fall on RCN TV.
To view the complete rundown of classic programming on RCN TV, check out the weekly listings here on our website.
