Jake and the Fatman

Jake and the Fatman was a television crime drama starring William Conrad as prosecutor Jason Lochinvar "Fatman" McCabe and Joe Penny as investigator Jake Styles. The series ran on CBS for five seasons from 1987 to 1992, but despite its 100-plus episodes has never been picked up for syndication in the US. Murder is a spin-off of this series.

Origins

Conrad guest starred as an aging prosecutor in a two-part episode of Matlock during its first season on NBC. Producer Dean Hargrove decided to use this character as a model for one of the main characters in a new show he was creating for CBS. Penny also guest starred in these episodes, but was not on the same side as Conrad's character in the storyline's legal case.

Background

Characters

Jason "Fatman" McCabe is a Hawaii-born, tough former HPD officer turned Los Angeles district attorney. He is teamed with a handsome, happy-go-lucky special investigator named Jake Styles. They often clashed due to their different styles and personalities. "Fatman" hardly travelled anywhere without his consistent companion Max, his pet bulldog.

Setting

The first season the show was set in Los Angeles. After the end of Magnum P.I., the show was moved to Hawaii. The second, third, and half of the fourth season was filmed in Honolulu. The show then returned to Los Angeles for the remainder of its run.

Rumors

Joe Penny lost a large amount of weight after the show moved to Hawaii, which lead to many rumors. Most were about his health. It was suspected that he had AIDS. He in reality came down with a gastro-intestinal virus and had a difficult time regaining the weight he lost. When the show moved back to Los Angeles, it was also suspected that it was on Penny's urging. This was also not true. The move was CBS's decision.

External links

Crime television series | CBS network shows | 1980s TV shows in the United States | 1990s TV shows in the United States | CBS Paramount Television shows