''The Connection'' is an

ABC Movie of the Week ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster ** Disney–ABC Television ...

that was broadcast on February 27, 1973, starring

Charles Durning Charles Edward Durning (February 28, 1923 – December 24, 2012) was an American actor who appeared in over 200 movies, television shows and plays.Schudel, Matt (December 26, 2012) "''In real life and on the screen, he played countless role ...

as an out-of-work newspaper reporter who becomes involved with jewel thieves.

Synopsis

Frank Devlin is a popular newspaper columnist who is now out of work and in debt. A young man he knows through his regular poker game, Sy McGruder, approaches him through his wife, June. Sy was one of the robbers and now wants to sell back the jewels to the insurance company. Devlin agrees in return for ten percent of the proceeds. But Sy and his wife double-cross him. The movie ends with a high-speed chase through the West Side of Manhattan in which Sy and his wife are prevented from making off with the insurance money.

Cast

as Frank Devlin *

Ronny Cox Daniel Ronald Cox (born July 23, 1938) is an American actor, singer and songwriter. His best-known roles include Drew Ballinger in ''Deliverance'' (1972), George Apple in ''Apple's Way'' (1974–75), Ozark Bule in '' Bound for Glory'' (1976), Co ...

as Everett Hutchneker *

Zohra Lampert Zohra Lampert is an American actress, who has had roles on stage, film and television. She performed under her then-married name of Zohra Alton early in her career. Among her performances were as the title character in the 1971 cult horror film ...

as Hannah *

Dennis Cole Dennis Cole (July 19, 1940 – November 15, 2009) was an American actor in film and television. A familiar face on the screen during the 1960s and 1970s, Cole made guest appearances in numerous television series. After the 1991 murder of Jo ...

as Sy McGruder *

Heather MacRae Heather MacRae (born October 5, 1946) is an American actress known for her role in the Woody Allen 1972 comedy '' Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex* (*But Were Afraid to Ask)''. Early years MacRae is the daughter of motion picture ...

as June McGruder *

Howard Cosell Howard is an English language, English-language given name originating from Old French Huard (disambiguation), Huard (or Houard) from a Germanic source similar to Old High German ''*Hugihard'' "heart-brave", or ''*Hoh-ward'', literally "high defe ...

as Himself *

Mike Kellin Mike Kellin (born Myron Kellin, April 26, 1922 – August 26, 1983) was an American actor. Early life Kellin was born in Hartford, Connecticut, the son of Sophia and Samuel Kellin, Russian-Jewish immigrants. His younger sister, Shirley Ann ...

as Pillo *

Dana Wynter Dana Wynter (born Dagmar Winter; 8 June 19315 May 2011) was a German-born British actress, who was raised in the United Kingdom and southern Africa. She appeared in film and television for more than 40 years, beginning in the 1950s. Her best-know ...

as Eleanor Warren * Richard Bright as BeeJay * Joe Keyes Jr. as Dewey *

Tom Rosqui Thomas Francis Rosqui (June 12, 1928 – April 12, 1991) was an American character actor known for his versatility at portraying a variety of stage and film roles. Born in Oakland, California, the son of a Portuguese mother, Sally (née Fern ...

as Detective Phelan *

Christopher Allport Christopher Allport (born Alexander Wise Allport Jr.; June 17, 1947 – January 25, 2008) was an American actor. Biography Alexander Wise Allport Jr. was born in Boston. His acting life began at the age of nine in New Canaan, Connecticut, ...

as Richard Wilcox *

Norman Bush Norman or Normans may refer to: Ethnic and cultural identity * The Normans, a people partly descended from Norse Vikings who settled in the territory of Normandy in France in the 10th and 11th centuries ** People or things connected with the Norm ...

as Gilson *

Franklin Cover Franklin Edward Cover (November 20, 1928 – February 5, 2006) was an American actor best known for starring in the sitcom ''The Jeffersons''. His character, Tom Willis, was half of one of the first interracial marriages to be seen on prime-time ...

as Lee Harris *

Dan Frazer Daniel Thomas Frazer (November 20, 1921 – December 16, 2011) was an American actor, born in a West Side neighborhood (formerly known as Hell's Kitchen) of Manhattan in New York City. He was probably best known for his role as Captain Frank McN ...

as Verplanck *

Frank Gio Frank or Franks may refer to: People * Frank (given name) * Frank (surname) * Franks (surname) * Franks, a medieval Germanic people * Frank, a term in the Muslim world for all western Europeans, particularly during the Crusades - see Farang Cur ...

as Kloss *

Merwin Goldsmith Merwin or Merwyn may refer to: People *Merwin (name), or Merwyn, a surname and masculine given name * W.S. Merwin (1927–2019), American poet. Places ;United States *Merwin Dam, a hydroelectric dam in the state of Washington * Lake Merwin, th ...

as Summons Server *

Burt Young Gerald Tommaso DeLouise (born April 30, 1940), known professionally as Burt Young, is an American actor, author and painter. He played Rocky Balboa's brother-in-law and best friend Paulie Pennino in the '' Rocky'' film series. He was nominated f ...

as Ernie

Reception

New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...

'' reviewer John J. O'Connor wrote that the plot "had holes wide enough to need a car chase or two" but praised the directing by Tom Gries and the performance by Charles Durning, whose character he described as resembling

Jimmy Breslin James Earle Breslin (October 17, 1928 – March 19, 2017) was an American journalist and author. Until the time of his death, he wrote a column for the New York ''Daily News'' Sunday edition.''Current Biography 1942'', pp. 648–51: "Patterson, ...

References

External links

* 1973 television films 1973 films 1973 in American television 1973 crime drama films ABC Movie of the Week Films directed by Tom Gries American crime drama films 1970s American films {{1970s-crime-drama-film-stub