Firehouse (TV series)

Firehouse is a half-hour American drama/adventure series that aired on ABC. A mid-season replacement, it started airing on January 17, 1974, and was cancelled after its 13-episode run.^[1] The series ran on Thursdays from 8:30 to 9:00 p.m., with the last rerun episode aired on August 1, 1974.^[2] The series starred James Drury as Captain Spike Ryerson.^[2]

Firehouse
From left: Bill Overton, James Drury, Brad David (in back), Richard Jaeckel (in front), Michael DeLano
Starring	James Drury Michael Delano Bill Overton Scott Smith Brad David Richard Jaeckel
Country of origin	United States
Original language	English
No. of seasons	1
No. of episodes	13
Production
Executive producers	Aaron Spelling Leonard Goldberg
Running time	22 minutes
Production companies	Dick Berg Productions for the Stonehenge Company Metromedia Producers Corporation
Original release
Network	ABC
Release	January 17 (1974-01-17) – August 1, 1974 (1974-08-01)

Pilot movie

The series pilot was broadcast in 1973 on the ABC Movie of the Week and starred Richard Roundtree and Richard Jaeckel. The pilot concerned a formerly all-white firehouse learning to accept a black rookie firefighter.^[3] All racial difficulties were dropped from the series.^[4]

Richard Jaeckel was the only actor to appear in both the pilot movie and the series.^[3][2]

Cast

• James Drury as Capt. Spike Ryerson
• Richard Jaeckel as Hank Myers
• Michael Delano as Sonny Caputo
• Billy Dalzell as Brad David
• Cal Dakin as Bill Overton

Synopsis

Capt. Spike Ryerson acted as a father-figure to the young firefighters^[2] of Engine Company Number 23, of the Los Angeles Fire Department.^[4] Each episode had two stories, a fire to fight, and a rescue. Because of the 30 minute length there was not time to give depth to the characters, develop friendships, or discuss family life.^[5]

Episodes

No.	Title	Original release date
1	"Burst of Flame"	January 17, 1974 (1974-01-17)
Capt. Ryerson and his men race against time to save six people caught in an elevator in a blazing office building.
2	"Sentenced to Burn"	January 24, 1974 (1974-01-24)
After rescuing a man from a mudslide, Capt. Ryerson and his men fight a fire at a prison and several are taken hostage by the convicts.
3	"The Hottest Place in Town"	January 31, 1974 (1974-01-31)
Capt. Ryerson's men fight a devastating fire in a crowded new nightclub as well as the threat of rip-off artists in their own station house.
4	"Trapped"	February 7, 1974 (1974-02-07)
After saving a man's new dump truck from fire, Capt. Ryerson and his men rush to a tunnel project.
5	"Implosion"	February 14, 1974 (1974-02-14)
Capt. Ryerson and his men rescue a boy stuck in a heating duct, and then battle a spectacular oil refinery blaze.
6	"The Treasure"	February 21, 1974 (1974-02-21)
After saving a pregnant woman trapped by downed high tension wires, Capt. Ryerson and his men rush to an old decaying mansion which is ablaze.
7	"Strike, Spare and Burn"	February 28, 1974 (1974-02-28)
Capt. Ryerson and his men respond to a fire at an old theater building where a vault filled with potentially explosive nitrate film threatens the entire neighborhood.
8	"Tide of Terror"	March 7, 1974 (1974-03-07)
After an ill-fated date with his girlfriend, Caputo joins his colleagues to help rescue a young woman trapped in swirling water under an ocean pier.
9	"No Way Out"	March 14, 1974 (1974-03-14)
Capt. Ryerson and his men save a boy from being buried alive, and also fight a potentially devastating fire in a laundry.
10	"A Gift for Grumper"	March 21, 1974 (1974-03-21)
Capt. Ryerson and his men struggle to save priceless art from a museum fire, not realizing that their friend, arson inspector "Grumper" Barkham is trapped in the blaze.
11	"Randall's Pride"	March 28, 1974 (1974-03-28)
Capt. Ryerson's men save a girl who has driven over a cliff after an argument with her boyfriend, then respond to a fire which is destroying a horse stable.
12	"The Watches of the Night"	April 4, 1974 (1974-04-04)
Capt. Ryerson's men battle a blaze in a slum apartment, then rescue partygoers at a top dress designer's first night celebration.
13	"False Alarm"	April 11, 1974 (1974-04-11)
Capt. Ryerson is hospitalized for a possible heart ailment, and his worried men are called upon to save a young man suffering from a drug overdose, as well as battle a blaze in a junk-filled garage.