On this day April 3 1980 the final episode of Barnaby Jones aired on CBS. Starring Buddy Ebsen as the title character the series followed a retired private investigator who returned to solve crimes after his son was murdered.
The show ran for 8 seasons with a total of 178 episodes blending classic detective work with a calm and methodical lead who stood out from the grittier TV cops of the era. Barnaby Jones became a steady presence in CBS's crime drama lineup and helped solidify Ebsen's second career on television following his role as Jed Clampett on The Beverly Hillbillies.
80s insight: Buddy Ebsen was 64 years old when Barnaby Jones premiered and played the role well into his seventies making him one of the oldest lead actors in a prime time crime drama.
The show ran for 8 seasons with a total of 178 episodes blending classic detective work with a calm and methodical lead who stood out from the grittier TV cops of the era. Barnaby Jones became a steady presence in CBS's crime drama lineup and helped solidify Ebsen's second career on television following his role as Jed Clampett on The Beverly Hillbillies.
80s insight: Buddy Ebsen was 64 years old when Barnaby Jones premiered and played the role well into his seventies making him one of the oldest lead actors in a prime time crime drama.
