Matt Houston
This article is about the TV crime series on ABC. For French R&B singer originating from Guadeloupe, see Matt Houston (singer).
| Matt Houston | |
|---|---|
|
Series title screen | |
| Genre | Crime drama |
| Created by | Lawrence Gordon |
| Starring |
Lee Horsley Pamela Hensley George Wyner Buddy Ebsen (1984–1985) |
| Theme music composer | Dominic Frontiere |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language(s) | English |
| No. of seasons | 3 |
| No. of episodes | 67 |
| Production | |
| Executive producer(s) |
Aaron Spelling Douglas S. Cramer Lawrence Gordon |
| Camera setup | Single-camera |
| Running time | 45–48 minutes |
| Production company(s) |
Aaron Spelling Productions Largo Productions Matt Houston Company |
| Distributor | CBS Television Distribution |
| Broadcast | |
| Original channel | ABC |
| Audio format | Monaural |
| Original run | September 26, 1982 – July 19, 1985 |
Matt Houston is an American crime drama series that aired on ABC from 1982 to 1985. Created by Lawrence Gordon, the series was produced by Aaron Spelling.
Synopsis
Matt Houston stars Lee Horsley as a wealthy mustachioed Texas oilman named Matlock "Matt" Houston who worked as a private investigator in Los Angeles in his abundant free time. The show also stars Pamela Hensley as his lawyer sidekick, C.J., and George Wyner as his continuously frustrated business manager. During the show's third and final season (1984–85), Buddy Ebsen joined the cast as Matt Houston's uncle, Roy Houston.
Most episodes typically involved one of Matt Houston's close friends being murdered or involved in some criminal enterprise, requiring his assistance. Fortunately, C.J. had access to an Apple III computer named "Baby" that contained a remarkable database on virtually all living and deceased persons, allowing her to provide all necessary information.
Cast
| Actor | Character |
|---|---|
| Lee Horsley | Mattlock 'Matt' Houston (1982-85) |
| Pamela Hensley | C.J. Parsons (1982-85) |
| John Aprea | Lt. Vince Novelli (1982–83) |
| Paul Brinegar | Lamar Pettybone (1982–83) |
| Dennis Fimple | Bo (1982–83) |
| Penny Santon | Mama Rosa Novelli (1982–83) |
| Lincoln Kilpatrick | Lt. Michael Hoyt (1983–85) |
| Buddy Ebsen | Uncle Roy Houston (1984–85) |
Episode guide
Season 1 (1982-1983)
| № | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Pilot" | September 26, 1982 |
| Matt Houston, an oil tycoon's son from Texas, comes to California to manage off-shore drilling. With plenty of cars, a helicopter, and lots of millionaire toys to choose from, Matt Houston finds plenty of time for his PI hobby. | ||
| 2 | "Stop the Presses" | October 3, 1982 |
| A disreputable tabloid's publisher is nearly killed after telling his four worst enemies he plans to run a front-page story on them. | ||
| 3 | "Deadly Fashion" | October 17, 1982 |
| A famous fashion designer has been murdered and Matt's former girlfriend is under suspicion. | ||
| 4 | "Killing isn't Everything" | October 24, 1982 |
| A football player is being blackmailed by someone who says they have proof he killed the coach. | ||
| 5 | "Who Would Kill Ramona?" | October 31, 1982 |
| When an actor dies after drinking from a tainted glass, the star who it belonged to becomes a suspect. | ||
| 6 | "Recipe for Murder" | November 7, 1982 |
| A severed head in gelatin shocks a food critic who recognizes it as belonging to his partner. | ||
| 7 | "Shark Bait" | November 21, 1982 |
| Sharks have been attacking beachgoers, and Matt wonders if something sinister might be going on. | ||
| 8 | "The Kidnapping" | November 28, 1982 |
| A critically ill Arab prince has been abducted. | ||
| 9 | "Joey's Here" | December 5, 1982 |
| Matt tries to discover why a robot would murder the brother of its genius creator. | ||
| 10 | "The Good Doctor" | December 12, 1982 |
| During a party at Matt's, a research scientist is murdered. | ||
| 11 | "The Rock and the Hard Place" | January 2, 1983 |
| A champion boxer's physical ailments and his wife's addictions come into light after a murder. | ||
| 12 | "The Purrfect Crime" | January 9, 1983 |
| When a cat food mogul is found mauled to death by a domesticated tiger, his four ex-wives retain Matt's services so they can receive proceeds the from the will. | ||
| 13 | "The Yacht Club Murders" | January 16, 1983 |
| A yacht club is the target of a killer, concerning someone with ties to Matt. | ||
| 14 | "Whose Party is This Anyway?" | January 23, 1983 |
| Five famous folks are summoned to Matt's place through a murderous ruse. | ||
| 15 | "Get Houston" | February 20, 1983 |
| A psychopath orchestrates attacks on Houston from his padded confinement. | ||
| 16 | "The Visitors" | February 27, 1983 |
| A famous scientist suffers a fatal heart attack while witnessing an alleged extraterrestrial visit by an Unidentified Flying Object. | ||
| 17 | "Here's Another Fine Mess" | March 6, 1983 |
| Someone is targeting C.J. and her sorority sisters. | ||
| 18 | "The Beverly Hills Social Club" | March 13, 1983 |
| A gossip columnist is murdered after threatening to expose a high-class prostitution house. | ||
| 19 | "The Showgirl Murders" | March 20, 1983 |
| Matt's friend, who suffers from alcoholic binges and blackouts, is accused of murder. | ||
| 20 | "Fear for Tomorrow" | April 3, 1983 |
| When a special code predicts deaths, Matt hunts for clues to prevent them and expose the code's reality. | ||
| 21 | "A Deadly Parlay" | April 10, 1983 |
| Matt is charged with murdering a jockey whose body he happened upon. | ||
| 22 | "A Novel Way to Die" | April 17, 1983 |
| A mystery is revealed when a murder-mystery writer is found dead at a convention. | ||
| 23 | "The Hunted" | April 24, 1983 |
| A notorious crime leader kidnaps C.J. in order to force a trade for his son who is being held in connection with a terrorism plot. | ||
Season 2 (1983-1984)
| № | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 24 | "Heritage I, II" | September 9, 1983 |
| While investigating a land scam, Matt finds out a few unnerving things about his family and his past. | ||
| 25 | "The Woman in White" | September 16, 1983 |
| A former peace officer is jailed and under arrest for murder, but he might not have committed the crime. | ||
| 26 | "Love You to Death" | September 23, 1983 |
| Matt is the victim of a stalker one-night stand. | ||
| 27 | "The Centerfold Murders" | September 30, 1983 |
| Three stunning women have been murdered, their connection: they are all top centerfolds. | ||
| 28 | "Needle in a Haystack" | October 7, 1983 |
| After witnessing a brutal crime, a diabetic is deported to Mexico, and his mother is concerned about his condition. | ||
| 29 | "Marilyn" | October 14, 1983 |
| As he lay dying from a fatal gunshot, an associate asks Matt to protect Marilyn. Only one problem: Matt has no idea who she is. | ||
| 30 | "The Ghost of Carter Gault" | October 28, 1983 |
| A man trying to expose dirty union tactics is murdered right after asking Matt to take the case. | ||
| 31 | "China Doll" | November 4, 1983 |
| Did Chinese drug smugglers murder C.J.'s former roommate? | ||
| 32 | "Butterfly" | November 18, 1983 |
| In the attempt to protect her little sister from a child prostitute ring, a teenage call girl is murdered. | ||
| 33 | "The Crying Clown" | November 25, 1983 |
| A talented art forger is found murdered, and the clues may rest one of his paintings, which is now missing. | ||
| 34 | "The Outsider" | December 2, 1983 |
| A self-proclaimed "Psychic" who is involved in a kidnapping scheme targets Matt. | ||
| 35 | "Target: Miss World" | December 23, 1983 |
| A sniper assassin kills an innocent girl to maximize his targeting location. | ||
| 36 | "The Monster" | January 6, 1984 |
| C.J. is left to deal with defending a man who has confessed to killing four teens. | ||
| 37 | "Waltz of Death" | January 13, 1984 |
| Someone thinks a renowned concert pianist is a mad strangler. | ||
| 38 | "Houston is Dead" | January 20, 1984 |
| While investigating the death of a nursing home nurse, Matt is shot. | ||
| 39 | "Criss-Cross" | January 27, 1984 |
| A retired Lieutenant Vincent Novelli is charged with stealing cocaine from a police evidence vault upon his return from vacation in Hawaii. | ||
| 40 | "The Bikini Murders" | February 3, 1984 |
| A secretary is murdered after uncovering a plot to blackmail her boss. | ||
| 41 | "Death Match" | February 24, 1984 |
| A serial killer who killed Matt's fiancee in the past reveals that he has struck again. | ||
| 42 | "Blood Ties" | March 2, 1984 |
| A hospital angel of death targets Matt's father. | ||
| 43 | "The Secret Admirer | March 9, 1984 |
| C.J. is stalked by an obsessed admirer who murders her beau. | ||
| 44 | "Cash and Carry" | March 23, 1984 |
| A thief has second thoughts after stealing a cool $3 million from the mob. | ||
| 45 | "On the Run" | March 30, 1984 |
| An amnesiac Matt wakes in his penthouse to discover a month is past and he is accused of murder. | ||
Season 3 (1984-1985)
| № | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 46 | "Wanted Man" | September 21, 1984 |
| Buddy Ebsen stars as Roy Houston, Matt's uncle who investigates the accusations against his nephew and uncovers a mind control plot. | ||
| 47 | "Vanished" | September 28, 1984 |
| Hoyt's young daughter is kidnapped by a child molester. | ||
| 48 | "Eyewitness" | October 12, 1984 |
| A TV newsman covers a kidnapping that he might be involved in to boost ratings. | ||
| 49 | "Apostle of Death" | October 19, 1984 |
| Whether it's a religious cult or a commune, Matt must rescue a girl who is being bilked out of a $3 million inheritance by the evangelist leader who plans to murder her after he has gained control of the cash. | ||
| 50 | "Caged" | October 26, 1984 |
| After getting amnesia after a car accident, C.J. finds herself in prison and uncovers a prostitution ring. Guest starring Cynthia Cypert as Cynthia | ||
| 51 | "Return to Nam" | November 2, 1984 |
| Matt discovers that his cousin, who was once believed dead in Cambodia, is still a POW. | ||
| 52 | "Escape from Nam" | November 9, 1984 |
| The Cambodian warlord who has imprisoned Matt's cousin might be getting a little help from someone close to Matt. | ||
| 53 | "High Fashion Murders" | November 16, 1984 |
| Two models have been murdered, and Matt can't accept the alibi of the most likely suspect. | ||
| 54 | "Death Stalk" | November 23, 1984 |
| An international assassin has a grudge against Matt. | ||
| 55 | "Blood Money" with Scott Marlowe | November 30, 1984 |
| Matt is dragged into a case involving international gem smuggling from a war-torn Vietnam. | ||
| 56 | "Deadly Games" | December 7, 1984 |
| The most dangerous game is revisited when a sporting goods mogul hunts athletes. | ||
| 57 | "Stolen" | December 21, 1984 |
| An actress, whose infant son had been kidnapped a year earlier, asks Matt to investigate a woman she saw in a park with a child who resembled her lost baby. | ||
| 58 | "The Nightmare Man" | January 4, 1985 |
| Matt believes that the man who abducted him as a boy is kidnapping again. | ||
| 59 | "Breakpoint" | January 11, 1985 |
| Matt rushes to the aid of a girl who is threatening suicide. | ||
| 60 | "Death Trap" | January 18, 1985 |
| A once prosperous oil town is now home to corruption and embezzlement. | ||
| 61 | "The Honeymoon Murders" | January 25, 1985 |
| Someone is targeting brides to be. | ||
| 62 | "Beach Club Murders" | February 1, 1985 |
| Matt investigates blackmail murders with the assistance of one of the victims sisters. | ||
| 63 | "New Orleans Nightmare" | February 8, 1985 |
| A stewardess accidentally happens upon and photographs a murder and asks Matt to protect her. | ||
| 64 | "Company Secrets" | February 15, 1985 |
| Roy fakes his death to uncover a plot to murder his CIA squad members. | ||
| 65 | "Killing Time" | February 22, 1985 |
| Matt's new flame has a family secret; her brother is funding Irish terrorists. | ||
| 66 | "Death Watch" | March 15, 1985 |
| Matt and company investigate a drug ring. | ||
| 67 | "Final Vows" | March 29, 1985 |
| Elizabeth, the object of Matt's affections, returns. | ||
DVD release
On March 9, 2010, CBS DVD (Distributed by Paramount) released season 1 of Matt Houston on DVD in Region 1 for the first time.[1]
Award nominations
| Year | Award | Result | Category | Recipient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | Emmy Award | Nominated | Outstanding Film Editing for a Series | Bob Bring (For episode "The Showgirl Murders") |
| Edgar Award | Best Television Episode | Richard Christian Danus and Ken Trevey (For episode "Matt Houston") | ||
| 1985 | Young Artist Award | Best Young Actor – Guest in a Television Series | Bumper Robinson |