Product Details

• Actors: Checkmate
• Directors: n, a
• Format: Box set, Black & White, DVD, NTSC
• Language: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 3
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: Timeless Media Group
• DVD Release Date: March 25, 2008
• Run Time: 600 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B0011VJS00
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #43,999 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Genre: Television: Series
Rating: NR
Release Date: 25-MAR-2008
Media Type: DVD

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Unique 1960's Detective Series, February 25, 2008

By 

Only-A-Child - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Checkmate: Best of Season Two (DVD)

The 70 black and white hour-long episodes of "Checkmate" were originally broadcast from 1960-62 on CBS. Those who only remember Sebastian Cabot as the prissy butler "French" on "Family Affair" will be surprised at his superior acting talent, which was nicely showcased in this series.

"Checkmate Inc." was an unusual organization based in San Francisco, a posh detective agency whose specialty was thwarting crimes "before" they occurred. The plotline for each episode was structured to resemble a chess game, which reflected the series title.

Middle age detective Don Corey (Anthony George) operated the firm out of his elegant Nob Hill apartment. Young Jed Sills (Doug McClure) was the designated hunk of the series. Dr. Carl Hyatt (Cabot) was a trained criminologist who served as the organization's brain trust. The three mostly worked as a team and a lot of the humor came from Cabot's frequent frustration over the dimness of his two associates.

Warner Brothers had hit on a successful formula for the intelligent detective series (insert "Surfside Six", "77 Sunset Strip", etc. here) and Jack Benny's "JaMco Productions" appropriated this and created "Checkmate". Thankfully they eliminated Warner's obligatory weird side-kick/informer and good looking but airheaded singer/girlfriend/etc.

So they basically had a main character targeted at all age levels of the female demographic, with one of which almost any male viewer could identify. And each episode included some attractive young actress's and has-been movie stars in the cast.

The early John Williams' theme music was a memorable jazz instrumental for which he received a Grammy nomination. As often happens with these things they tried to get cute between seasons and added Jack Betts to the cast as investigator Chris Devlin and they moved the agency into a normal office suite. It limped through its second season until cancellation.

12 episodes from Season One are now out in a DVD package with the misleading title "Best of Checkmate:Season One". It does not appear that any effort was made to actually cull out the "best" episodes for this release, most likely this group was included because they were the only ones to which Edi Video had the rights and/or the only ones in good enough condition for digital re-mastering. The DVD package has no special features and is a relatively low-budget but serviceable effort. A similar collection of Season Two episodes is due for release in March 2008.

Then again what do I know? I'm only a child.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Bravo Checkmate, April 22, 2009

By 

Norman F. Nelson "Norm" (California) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Checkmate: Best of Season Two (DVD)

These episodes of Checkmate are delightful and entertaining. Some of the episodes "prints" are flawed, but not to the point of distraction. My wife and I have enjoyed every episode we have seen. The array of guest stars is quite impressive. I only wish there were more available and that they were filmed/recorded in color. To fans of Anthony George, Sebastian Cabot, and/or Doug McClure, take a look and enjoy!

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars checkmate and game over, May 28, 2008

By 

Robert J. Quigley "specs" (Mesa, az.) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Checkmate: Best of Season Two (DVD)

I write the above title only because the other reviewers point out the playful(best of Checkmate) slant. With over 70 episodes to choose from, why pick out 12 shows per box? I would like to buy the "best of season two" but it seems rather silly when you consider there are 58 other episodes out there that weren't selected for this honorable title of being selected to be the"best of ". Why not release the whole thing and let the consumer decide the best or not.