S1.E0

Such Dust as Dreams Are Made On

Episode aired Mar 11, 1973
1h 13m

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Martin Sheen in Such Dust as Dreams Are Made On (1973)

Harry Orwell is a LA cop who is retired due to a bullet in his back. Now a Private Detective, Harry O. is hired by the man who shot him to find the other man who was involved in the shooting... Read allHarry Orwell is a LA cop who is retired due to a bullet in his back. Now a Private Detective, Harry O. is hired by the man who shot him to find the other man who was involved in the shooting. Scheerer is trying to kill Garrison and also keep his heroin business alive. Harry O. wa... Read allHarry Orwell is a LA cop who is retired due to a bullet in his back. Now a Private Detective, Harry O. is hired by the man who shot him to find the other man who was involved in the shooting. Scheerer is trying to kill Garrison and also keep his heroin business alive. Harry O. wants to bring both to justice.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.1/10

125

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

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Trivia
This made-for-TV movie was the first pilot for Harry O (1973). For some reason this pilot didn't sell the show, but someone at ABC saw enough in it that a second pilot was made seven months later: Smile Jenny, You're Dead (1974).

Goofs
In the opening scene Harlan Garrison (Martin Sheen) explains to Harry Orwell that he is the man who shot him causing his eventual retirement from the police department. He states that it was about 4 years ago on Friday January the 18th. That would have been 1969 and the 18th of January that year was on a Saturday. The 18th of January fell on a Friday in 1963 and not again until 1974.

Quotes
Harry Orwell: How old are you?
Girl Clerk: 19
Harry Orwell: You ever go fishing?
Girl Clerk: I'd love to.
Harry Orwell: Sometimes when you go fishing you catch a little fish.
Girl Clerk: Hmmm
Harry Orwell: You can't keep those; you gotta throw 'em back.
[pauses]
Harry Orwell: If they're too young.
Girl Clerk: You have to?
Harry Orwell: [Nods slightly] It's a pity.

Alternate versions
Two versions of the pilot were made. A 50-minute version was ordered by ABC to fill the first half of a double-bill in a two-hour time slot (with commercials), with the Stuart Whitman pilot Intertect being the second program. A 76-minute version was also produced for later syndication as a TV Movie. Writer Howard Rodman produced two versions of his script to guide the editing process, once ABC had requested the reduced running time.

Connections
Edited into Harry O: Elegy for a Cop (1975)

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Review

Featured review

8/10

Harry O's adventures begin!

This made for TV movie was the first pilot for the "Harry-O" tv series, but didn't sell the show. Another pilot was commissioned (Smile Jenny, You're Dead) and aired a year later and it got "Harry-O" picked up as a weekly series. "Such Dust..." introduced Harry Orwell (PI, womanizer and curmundgeon) that we liked so much during the series; a guy you wanted to go out and have a beer with. Like in the TV show, Harry's little Austin-Healy sports car was perpetually broken down, and Harry used the bus to get around LA to solve his cases. In this instance Harry meets up with Harlan Garrison (Martin Sheen), the fellow who shot him (and caused Harry to have to retire from the police force) several years earlier. Harlan wants Harry's help to find the other fellow (played by Sal Mineo) who was involved in the shooting, who is also trying to kill him. Sounds sort of complicated, but it made for an interesting plot. This movie was far more dark than the second pilot, and the series for that matter, which may explain the second pilot with its retooling. I like it alot, and try to catch it when it is shown from time to time on sunday afternoons. Last note; it was originally a two hour movie, but was edited down to 1 1/2 hours for syndication.