Classical American TV Shows
Highway Patrol Destined to become one of the most popular syndicated television shows of all time, Highway Patrol screamed onto the scene with fast cars and the catch phrase 10-4. Each week, Broderick Crawford played Highway Patrol's Chief Dan Mathews, leading his troops into another harrowing roadway adventure. Crawford's depiction of Mathews was as a tough, no-nonsense Chief of the Highway Patrol, that was in actuality based on the California Highway Patrol, though no state is named on the show. The actual head of the CHP acted as show consultant for the first season and during that season, the actors who portrayed officers wore CHP uniforms, without the name California on the shoulder patch. Using high powered cars, motorcycles and helicopters, Highway Patrol appealed greatly to young males and many future law enforcement recruits watched faithfully each week as narrator Art Gilmore proclaimed: Whenever the laws of any state are broken, a duly authorized organization swings into action. It may be called the State Police, State Troopers, militia, the Rangers, or the Highway Patrol. These are the stories of the men whose training, skill, and courage have enforced and preserved our state laws.
