Highway Patrol with Broderick Crawford

R

Rich Richardson

Member
Joined
Jan 25, 2021
Messages
323
Reaction score
899
Location
Arizona & Colorado
I’ve been watching the episodes and noticed a not so good habit of the actors. Almost without fail their fingers are on the triggers and the guns are pointed at another person.
What guns are used in the show?
 
Register to hide this ad
I’ve not seen that show since I was a kid ( less than 12) but my memory is Crawford used a snub nosed revolver. I’m not sure if it was a Colt or Smith.

I seem to recall liking the revolvers whose ejector rod isn’t just hanging out there like the early Colts so I suspect Crawfish used a Smith. I suspect it was an early bodyguard M38 or M49.
 
Last edited:
I don't pay as much attention to guns in films or TV as some do, but that show was bad the first time around. I doubt it has aged well in re-runs. Broderick Crawford was in some great movies, but he was past his best acting days when Highway Patrol came out.
 
Last edited:
Driving

What I remember about that show was the slop in the steering. Crawford would saw the steering wheel 4-6" each way to keep the car on the road.

Of course he was not really driving a car, just hollywood.

I started driving on a 1961 vehicle that had maybe an inch of free play each way. Used to do the "Broderick" at traffic lights when I was not moving, could not do it while car was moving.
 
duman444 said:
What I remember about that show was the slop in the steering. Crawford would saw the steering wheel 4-6" each way to keep the car on the road.

Of course he was not really driving a car, just hollywood.

I started driving on a 1961 vehicle that had maybe an inch of free play each way. Used to do the "Broderick" at traffic lights when I was not moving, could not do it while car was moving.
Click to expand...

Crawford was only allowed to drive on private roads, since he had a long history of DUI.
 
I, too, remember Broderick Crawford with a snubby revolver. Got shot at from some ridiculous distance by a bad guy with a rifle, who missed. Crawford responded with his snubby, and hit. Too bad he couldn't have lived long enough to teach Jerry Miculek how to shoot.
 
duman444 said:
What I remember about that show was the slop in the steering. Crawford would saw the steering wheel 4-6" each way to keep the car on the road.

Of course he was not really driving a car, just hollywood.

I started driving on a 1961 vehicle that had maybe an inch of free play each way. Used to do the "Broderick" at traffic lights when I was not moving, could not do it while car was moving.
Click to expand...

I seem to recall most cars had slop in the steering in comparison with what we drive these days. Maybe it was just the mechanics of the systems in the '50s. I never drove anything with power steering until 1965, but don't recall slop with that setup.
 
From the web:

"What guns were used ?"

"The highway patrolmen packed Smith & Wesson Model 10 Military & Police revolver, with 6" barrel [thanks to Bill Cawthon for this information]. Mathews' gun was a Smith & Wesson Model 10, with 2" barrel (snub nose) 38 Special. It was holstered on his left hip for a right hand draw. The uniformed officers had snap away holsters on their right side. Both revolvers held 6 bullets, which sometimes the show took liberties by extending the amount to 8 or more! The accuracy range on Dan's gun is about 25' or so. However, Dan was a dead eye. He could hit suspects off roofs, from the helicopter and even hiding in the mountains using a one handed grip and no sight! He also had a keen ability to "call for the coroner" without even checking the suspect for vitals."
 
The series ran through four seasons from 1955 to 1959. So it is possible he may have used a Model 10 in the last two seasons. Whatever it was he used, he was a dead shot with it, always bringing down a BG 50 yards away and never needing to use the sights. I remember it, but was not a regular viewer.
 
Rpg said:
I’ve not seen that show since I was a kid ( less than 12) but my memory is Crawford used a snub nosed revolver. I’m not sure if it was a Colt or Smith.

I seem to recall liking the revolvers whose ejector rod isn’t just hanging out there like the early Colts so I suspect Crawfish used a Smith. I suspect it was an early bodyguard M38 or M49.
Click to expand...

The regular "patrolmen" in that show carried six inch Model 10's.
Crawford carried many snubs, usuallly Model 10's, 36, and Colt Detective Specials....sometimes in the same scene! (wink wink nudge nudge)
 
I stopped him for speeding when I was a town cop, about 1969 or so. He had ties to Central New York. He was sober and ,no, I did not ticket him! He had a fender bender in my town the year before, but I wasn't there for that.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

boykinlp
The Unit
2 3
Replies
41
Views
2K
lihpster
lihpster
Bald1
Joe Pickett series
2
Replies
23
Views
1K
sniper
S
glenwolde
How times have changed....
Replies
13
Views
540
jeffrefrig
J
Kiwi cop
Origins: The NCIS Prequal
Replies
9
Views
569
Denverd0n
D
C
Trigger finger problem
Replies
13
Views
680
Brian Parrish
Brian Parrish

Latest posts

Back
Top