Michael D. Roberts Movies

Created by Stephen J. Cannell, the weekly, hour-long crime series Baretta rose from the ashes of 1973's Toma, a short-lived weekly based on the exploits of David Toma, a real-life undercover cop with a penchant for elaborate disguises. For the "new" series, only two vestiges of the original Toma remained: Lead character Tony Baretta was an undercover detective, and he revelled in adopting bizarre costumes and eccentric "alternate" personalities. Otherwise, the two characters could not have been further apart. Remaining faithful to its source, Toma featured a tough but compassionate New Jersey cop who, though he preferred to buck the system and argue with his superior officers when pursuing a case, generally played by the rules; he also had a loving wife and two darling children, and lived in a modest but comfortable and well-appointed home. Conversely, Tony Baretta was a logical extension of Robert Blake, the bantam-cock actor who played the role. Like Blake, the streewise Baretta was fiercely, almost violently independent, bending and breaking the rules whenever possible and making no secret of his disdain for the by-the-book instincts of his superiors. And if Toma was diligent in his pursuit of lawbreakers, Baretta was downright savage; one suspects that he would have blown them to bits had he possessed the appropriate hardware. Also, unlike family man Toma, Baretta was single and a loner, his one bid for domestic bliss having been destroyed when his erstwhile fiancée was killed in the very first episode. Almost as if he was doing penance for allowing himself to be happy, Baretta lived in a rundown flophouse, managed by disheveled former cop Billy Truman. Outside of Billy and his pet cockatoo Fred, Baretta had no close friends: Certainly there was no love lost between himself and his commanding officer Insp. Shiller (Dana Elcar), while Tony's favorite street informant Rooster (Michael D. Roberts) was not exactly the sort of fellow one could call a bosom companion. Baretta was unceremoniously tossed into ABC's Friday-night schedule beginning January 17, 1975, as a midseason replacement for the canceled Kolchak: The Night Stalker. Clearly, the network felt that the series was expendable, inasmuch as it was slated opposite NBC's ratings magnet Police Woman. Within a few weeks, however, Baretta developed a respectable following, most of which was engendered by press reports of star Robert Blake's tiltings with the "suits" (his word for network executives) over the series' violence quotient and overall authenticity. By the time the series had completed its inaugural 12-episode run, Baretta was a shoo-in for renewal -- and Robert Blake had earned enough clout to start calling the shots so far as program content and casting choices were concerned. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Shelley Duvall guest stars as Aggie, an incredibly naïve young waitress. Aggie is the only witness when a cop accidentally kills his girlfriend. Preying upon Aggie's childlike faith in the infallibility of authority figures, the killer persuades her to finger another man as the culprit -- but undercover detective Tony Baretta (Robert Blake) smells a rat. This was the final episode of Baretta's second season. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Sanford and Son regular Whitman Mayo guest stars as John Rich, a ghetto father whose son is "on the junk." Witnessing the murder of the dope pusher who hooked his son, John takes credit for the killing, thereby becoming a neighborhood hero. He also becomes the next target of the pusher's real killers, obliging undercover cop Tony Baretta (Robert Blake) to come to the rescue. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Kim Hunter guest stars as Crazy Annie, a skid row derelict. Undercover detective Tony Baretta (Robert Blake) invades the shadowy, squalid world of Annie and her fellow down-and-outers as he searches for an elusive killer. Before he quite knows what has happened, Baretta is kidnapped by Annie, who is convinced that the cop is her long-lost son. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Most of this episode is related in flashbacks, as undercover cop Tony Baretta (Robert Blake) reads a suicide note left behind by a close friend. The bulk of the story concerns policewoman Pat Harley (Anjanette Comer), who had teamed up with Baretta to investigate the death of her husband, likewise a police officer. The investigation dredges up frustrating memories of Pat's private turmoils, culminating in a shattering climax. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The "heavy" in this episode is a crooked federal narcotics agent. Enjoying a brisk sideline of peddling dope during his off-hours, the agent commits murder when one of his customers discovers his true identity. Meanwhile, undercover cop Tony Baretta (Robert Blake) tries to root out the rotten apple in the law-enforcement barrel. Originally slated to air on January 5, 1977, "Don't Kill the Sparrow" was bumped forward to January 12. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Much against his better judgment, undercover cop Tony Baretta (Robert Blake) allows his girlfriend Andrea (Ann Prentiss), a freelance photographer, to tag along with him on his latest investigation. Somewhere along the line, Andrea stumbles upon a sack containing 500,000 dollars in Syndicate money. Hoping to scoop her journalistic rivals, the girl discreetly hides the loot -- thereby virtually signing a death warrant for herself and Baretta. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Tony Baretta (Robert Blake) maintains a 24-hour surveillance on drug kingpin Durone (John Marley), who is expecting a multi-million-dollar shipment. Durone knows that he's being watched, and Baretta knows that he knows. The relentless undercover cop is also fully aware that Durone is in mourning for his recently deceased wife -- a fact that Baretta hopes will break the aging drug lord's spirit. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Samantha Eggar guest stars as daycare worker Laurie Eckhardt, the newest girlfriend of undercover cop Tony Baretta (Robert Blake). Things become tense when Laurie is paid a visit by an escaped murderer. Clearly, she and the escapee have a close personal bond, but until Laurie admits what that bond is, her life is in danger -- and not even Baretta can help her. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

A murder is committed, and the only witness is a restaurant busboy. Undercover cop Tony Baretta (Robert Blake) tries to locate the missing busboy before the bad guys catch up to him. Originally scheduled to air on October 1, 1975, this episode was rescheduled at the last minute, finally seeing the light of day on December 17 of that same year. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The central character in this episode is C.C. (Diego Gonzalez), a street-smart nine-year-old boy. The product of an impoverished family, C.C. steals to support his mother (Janet MacLachlan) and siblings. Undercover cop Tony Baretta (Robert Blake) hopes to convince C.C. to give up his life of crime, but the kid is a little too fast for the intrepid hero. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Oscar-winning character actor Strother Martin makes a return visit to Baretta, this time in the role of an embittered doctor named Shaner. Having given up on humanity, Shaner has become a professional bounty hunter. Undercover cop Tony Baretta (Robert Blake) finds himself in the uncomfortable position of preventing Doc Shaner from killing a scuzzy drug pusher who caused the death of a wealthy banker's daughter. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide