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Decoy: The 1957 Show That Paved the Way
5 Jul
Summary
- Decoy starred Beverly Garland as undercover officer Casey Jones.
- The show ran for 39 episodes before its production company folded.
- Angie Dickinson regretted her role in the later hit 'Police Woman'.
The pioneering television series "Decoy," which debuted in 1957, starred Beverly Garland as the tough and competent undercover police officer Patricia "Casey" Jones. Each episode saw Casey tackle new criminal assignments across New York City, often without being patronized for her gender. Garland herself recalled that her character inspired women to join the police force. The show's original run comprised 39 episodes, concluding when its production company faced financial difficulties, though reruns continued for years.
It would take another 17 years for a similar female-led police procedural to appear. "Police Woman," a successful show from the 1970s, propelled Angie Dickinson to stardom during its four-year run. However, Dickinson later expressed disillusionment with the role, stating in 2019 that she regretted the time the series consumed.
