The Man Behind the Badge 1953
What is The Man Behind the Badge?
The Man Behind the Badge is a half-hour American television police drama series that aired on CBS from 1953 to 1955. The program was hosted by and starred character actor Charles Bickford.
- Type
- TV series
- Year
- 1953
- Status
- Ended
- Episodes
- 90
- Runtime
- 30 minutes
- First aired
- Oct 11, 1953
- Last aired
- Aug 13, 1958
- Original language
- EN
- Origin
- US
- Networks
- CBS
- Genres
- Crime, Drama
- Updated
Where to watch
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How long to binge?
Estimate the schedule using 90 episodes and an average 30-minute runtime.
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Find the trailer on YouTube ↗Overview
The Man Behind the Badge is a half-hour American television police drama series that aired on CBS from 1953 to 1955. The program was hosted by and starred character actor Charles Bickford. During its initial season, the series was scheduled for broadcast on Sundays at 9:30 p.m. EST. In that time slot, the show aired opposite the ABC program Jukebox Jury. Beyond his work on this police drama, Charles Bickford later appeared in the NBC western series The Virginian, where he portrayed one of the owners of Shiloh Ranch. The production focused on the professional lives of law enforcement officers, utilizing the format of a dramatic anthology to present its stories. As a television series, it remained on the air for two years before concluding its run on the CBS network. The information regarding the series reflects its historical placement within the landscape of mid-1950s American television programming and the career trajectory of its primary host and lead actor.
Should you watch it?
“A 1950s CBS police drama led by veteran actor Charles Bickford.”
- Charles Bickford’s seasoned performance
- Shows early 1950s police storytelling
- Compact half‑hour episodes
- Production values reflect its 1950s era
- Limited archival availability
Watch it if you enjoy classic 1950s police dramas anchored by a veteran character actor.
The series presents straightforward crime drama typical of early television, suitable for general audiences.
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Episode guide
Season 1 · 52 episodes
- E1 The Probation Officer Story Oct 11, 1953
- E2 The Portland, Oregon Story #1 Oct 18, 1953
- E3 The Denver Story Oct 25, 1953
- E4 The Wilkes-Barre Story Nov 1, 1953
- E5 The Nashville Story Nov 8, 1953
- E6 The Story of a Woman Warden Nov 15, 1953
- E7 The Houston, Texas Story Nov 22, 1953
- E8 The Nebraska Story Nov 29, 1953
- E9 The Buffalo, New York Story Dec 6, 1953
- E10 The St. Paul Story Dec 13, 1953
- E11 The Parole Officer Story Dec 20, 1953
- E12 The Germany Story Dec 27, 1953
- E13 The Reading, Pennsylvania Story Jan 3, 1954
- E14 The New Orleans Story Jan 10, 1954
- E15 The Detroit Story Jan 17, 1954
- E16 The Ohio State Prison Story Jan 24, 1954
- E17 The Los Angeles Story Jan 31, 1954
- E18 The Cleveland Story Feb 7, 1954
- E19 The Philadelphia Story #1 Feb 14, 1954
- E20 The Richmond, Virginia Story Feb 21, 1954
- E21 The Dade County, Florida Story Feb 28, 1954
- E22 The Massachusetts Story Mar 7, 1954
- E23 The Philadelphia Story #2 Mar 14, 1954
- E24 The Portland, Oregon Story #2 Mar 21, 1954
- E25 The Glacier National Park Story Mar 28, 1954
- E26 The Seattle Story Apr 4, 1954
- E27 The Indiana State Prison Story Apr 11, 1954
- E28 The Boston Story #1 Apr 18, 1954
- E29 The East Baton Rouge Story Apr 25, 1954
- E30 The Chicago Story May 2, 1954
- E31 The Boston Story #2 May 9, 1954
- E32 The Case of the Blues May 16, 1954
- E33 The Case of the Deadly Circles May 23, 1954
- E34 The Case of the Quiet Room May 30, 1954
- E35 The Case of the Mutinous Crew Jun 6, 1954
- E36 The Case of the Jinxed Circus Jun 13, 1954
- E37 The Case of the Reluctant Fugitive Jun 20, 1954
- E38 The Case of the Yankee II Jun 27, 1954
- E39 The Case of the Cop Hater Jul 4, 1954
- E40 The Case of the Last Escape Jul 11, 1954
- E41 The Case of the Slightly Used Car Jul 18, 1954
- E42 The Case of the Phantom Fire Jul 25, 1954
- E43 The Case of the Gambling Lady Aug 1, 1954
- E44 The Case of the Tell-Tale Coin Aug 8, 1954
- E45 The Case of the Bouncing Checkbook Aug 15, 1954
- E46 The Case of the Light-Fingered Shoplifter Aug 22, 1954
- E47 The Case of the Winning System Aug 29, 1954
- E48 The Case of the Narcotics Racket Sep 5, 1954
- E49 The Case of the Strategic Air Command Sep 12, 1954
- E50 The Case of the Berkhire Fires Sep 19, 1954
- E51 The Case of the Reluctant Flop Artist Sep 26, 1954
- E52 The Case of the Aerial Manhunt Oct 3, 1954
Season 2 · 38 episodes
- E1 The Case of the Troubled Circus Jan 8, 1955
- E2 The Case of the Crying Lady Jan 15, 1955
- E3 The Case of the Wild Wind Jan 22, 1955
- E4 The Case of the Fatal Warning Jan 29, 1955
- E5 The Case of the Tattooed Man Feb 5, 1955
- E6 The Case of the Dying Past Feb 12, 1955
- E7 The Case of the Uncrowned Champ Feb 19, 1955
- E8 The Case of the Priceless Passport Feb 26, 1955
- E9 The Case of the Black Sheep Mar 5, 1955
- E10 The Case of the Wholesale Robberies Mar 12, 1955
- E11 The Case of the Part-Time Cop Mar 19, 1955
- E12 The Case of the One-Eyed Jack Mar 26, 1955
- E13 Season 2, Episode 13 Apr 2, 1955
- E14 The Case of the Deadly Delicacy Apr 9, 1955
- E15 The Case of the Unknown Man Apr 16, 1955
- E16 The Case of the Long, Dark Night Apr 23, 1955
- E17 The Case of the Imperfect Crime Apr 30, 1955
- E18 The Case of the Elusive Firebug May 7, 1955
- E19 The Case of the Wild West May 14, 1955
- E20 The Case of the Desperate Moment May 21, 1955
- E21 The Case of the Unwelcome Stranger May 28, 1955
- E22 The Case of the One-Way Ticket Jun 4, 1955
- E23 The Case of the Educated Prisoner Jun 11, 1955
- E24 The Case of the Pot of Gold Jun 18, 1955
- E25 The Case of the Hot Stock Jun 25, 1955
- E26 The Case of the Red Letter Day Jul 2, 1955
- E27 The Case of the Second Chance Jul 9, 1955
- E28 The Case of the Deadly Homburg Jul 16, 1955
- E29 The Case of the Most Dangerous Game Jul 23, 1955
- E30 The Case of the Phoney Paper Jul 30, 1955
- E31 The Case of the Quiet Guest Aug 6, 1955
- E32 The Case of the Guardian Angel Aug 13, 1958
- E33 The Case of the Hunted Hobo Aug 20, 1955
- E34 The Case of the One-Armed Bandits Aug 27, 1955
- E35 The Case of the Big Break Sep 3, 1955
- E36 The Case of the Reluctant Thief Sep 10, 1955
- E37 The Case of Operation Sabotage Sep 17, 1955
- E38 The Case of the Silent War Sep 24, 1955
Frequently asked questions
When did the series originally air?
It aired on CBS from 1953 to 1955.
Who starred in the show?
Charles Bickford starred and also served as host.
What was the original time slot?
During its first season it aired on Sundays at 9:30 p.m. EST.
How long is each episode?
Each episode runs about a half‑hour.
Is the series connected to any other shows?
Charles Bickford later appeared as a Shiloh Ranch owner in the NBC western The Vrginian.