Old police series among new DVDs

"Cannon: Season One, Volume One" (CBS/Paramount, 1971, four discs, $36.98). Portly, deep-voiced William Conrad is the title character, an unlikely private eye and former cop who's living the high life in Los Angeles but often takes out-of-town cases to help old pals — emphasizing brains over guns. This one's all Conrad, and he's great.

Guests in this set include Tom Skerritt, Mark Hamill and Roy Scheider, as well as Vera Miles, Keenan Wynn, Barry Sullivan and Earl Holliman in the feature-length pilot.

Extras: full frame, two-part pilot, 11 episodes, promos

"Jake and the Fatman: Season One, Volume One" (CBS/Paramount, 1987, three discs, $36.98). A decade-and-a-half later, Conrad plays aging, unshaven, disheveled L.A. District Attorney J.L. McCabe (who keeps a pet bulldog in his office), with Joe Penny as a high-living police detective who works for him.

Not quite up to "Cannon" but enjoyable cops 'n' robbers stuff. Anne Francis guests as a restaurant owner/chanteuse in the feature-length pilot episode.

Extras: full frame, 11 episodes, promos

"The Streets of San Francisco: Season 2, Volume 1" (CBS/Paramount, 1973, three discs, $38.99). Karl Malden and Michael Douglas are back in action, working homicide in San Francisco, in this intelligent series with two fine stars in top form. Guests include Martin Sheen, Leslie Nielsen, Jessica Walter, Ricky Nelson and Mariette Hartley.

Extras: full frame, 11 episodes

"Walker, Texas Ranger: The Fifth Season" (CBS/Paramount, 1997-98, seven discs, $49.99). Hey, you either enjoy Chuck Norris as Cord Walker or you don't; it's as simple as that. Included in this season is a two-parter that marks the debut of Old West bounty hunter Hayes Cooper (also played by Norris). Guests include Haley Joel Osment, Robert Vaughn and Rod Taylor.

Extras: full frame, 25 episodes

E-mail: hicks@desnews.com

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