[tubemonkey]

Mike Connors -- dead at 91

Mike Connors (born Krekor Ohanian; August 15, 1925 – January 26, 2017) was an American actor best known for playing detective Joe Mannix in the CBS television series, Mannix. Connors' acting career spanned six decades; in addition to his work on television, he appeared in numerous films.

Mannix --> 1967~1975

To improve the ratings of the show, Desilu head Lucille Ball and producer Bruce Geller made some changes, making the show similar to other private-eye shows. Ball thought the computers were too high-tech and beyond the comprehension of the average viewer of the time and had them removed.

From the second season on, Mannix works on his own with the assistance of his loyal secretary Peggy Fair, a police officer's widow played by Gail Fisher – one of the first African American actresses to have a regular series role. He also receives help from the Los Angeles police department, the two most prominent officers being Lieutenant Art Malcolm (portrayed by Ward Wood) and Lieutenant Adam Tobias (portrayed by Robert Reed). Other police contacts are Lieutenant George Kramer (Larry Linville), who had been the partner of Peggy's late husband, and Lieutenant Dan Ives (Jack Ging).