Ironside

Watch Ironside

  • TV-PG
  • 1967
  • 8 Seasons
  • 6.9  (3,990)

Ironside was a crime drama television series that aired on NBC from 1967 to 1975. The show starred Raymond Burr as the titular character, a paraplegic chief of detectives in San Francisco. Don Galloway, Don Mitchell, and Barbara Anderson played his trusted assistants, while Elizabeth Baur and Ted Cassidy joined later in the series.

Ironside centered around the cases that the San Francisco Police Department's Special Investigations Division tackled under the leadership of Chief Robert T. Ironside. Despite being confined to a wheelchair, Ironside was no less of an effective leader than his able-bodied counterparts. He used his intellect, sharp analytical skills, and ability to read people to solve complex cases.

Ironside's team consisted of three detectives: Sergeant Ed Brown (Don Galloway), Officer Eve Whitfield (Barbara Anderson), and Mark Sanger (Don Mitchell), Ironside's personal assistant. While Brown was a no-nonsense detective with a rough exterior, Whitfield's compassionate approach often helped solve cases that required a different perspective. Sanger was the brains behind the operation, frequently deciphering clues that no one else noticed.

In the early seasons, Ironside often visited the scenes of the crimes in person, actively investigating and almost always had his pistol holstered on his lap. Being a paraplegic, he sometimes found himself in precarious situations in the line of duty, but his colleagues always had his back. In later seasons, the show focused more on investigations from the detectives' perspectives.

Throughout the series, Ironside tackled a wide range of cases, such as murder, robbery, and even international espionage. He often clashed with other law enforcement agencies due to his unorthodox methods, but his team always managed to find the clues that led to the perpetrators.

In season four, Elizabeth Baur joined the show as Officer Fran Belding, replacing Barbara Anderson's character, Eve Whitfield. Belding was a young and enthusiastic detective who proved to be a valuable addition to the team, providing a fresh perspective on cases. Ted Cassidy also joined the cast in later seasons as the houseman for Ironside's wheelchair-bound home.

The series was known for its strong writing and realistic portrayal of police work, garnering critical acclaim for its depictions of complex cases and intricate investigations. The show also tackled sensitive topics such as racism, poverty, sexism, and mental illness, which were hot-button issues during the time when the show aired.

Ironside lasted for eight seasons, ending in 1975 after 199 episodes. The show was popular with viewers, consistently ranking high in the Nielsen ratings. Its success led to a made-for-television movie and a short-lived revival series in the late 1990s.

In conclusion, Ironside was a classic crime drama that focused on cases investigated by the San Francisco Police Department's Special Investigations Division, headed by a paraplegic chief of detectives. The show featured strong writing, realistic portrayals of police work, and an excellent cast of characters, including Raymond Burr's iconic portrayal of Chief Robert T. Ironside. The series remains a favorite of fans of the crime drama genre and is still enjoyed by viewers today.

Ironside is a series that is currently running and has 8 seasons (202 episodes). The series first aired on September 14, 1967.

Ironside
Filter by Source

Do you have Hulu?
What are you waiting for?
Nice! Browse Hulu with Yidio.
Ad Info - This show may not be available on Hulu
Seasons
The Rolling Y
19. The Rolling Y
 
A young man befriended by the Chief is framed for a series of cattle rustlings near to the ranch owned by his father. Ironside and Ed head out for the ranch to try to prove him innocent, whilst at the same time helping him to convince his father that his artistry is an acceptable career.
The Organizer
18. The Organizer
 
Mark and Ed go undercover as gangsters at a big meeting designed to unite the small time hoods of California's underworld under one leader. With the help of Ironside, himself posing as a businessman staying at the same hotel, the pair set out to trap the would-be crime kingpin, by helping him to dig his own grave and destroy any chance of gangland unity.
A Matter of Life or Death
17. A Matter of Life or Death
 
A lifetime of paraplegia threatens Detective Sergeant Ed Brown (Don Galloway) when he is shot by a sniper. Part 1 of 2.
The Faded Image
16. The Faded Image
January 16, 1975
Ed befriends the daughter of the judge presiding over his latest case, only for the girl to come to him in fear for her father's life. It seems she is overreacting to a series of accidents, but events soon suggest her suspicions may be correct; especially after it turns out that her father's new wife has old Underworld connections she thought she had left behind.
The Return of Eleanor Rogers
15. The Return of Eleanor Rogers
January 2, 1975
Ed befriends the daughter of the judge presiding over his latest case, only for the girl to come to him in fear for her father's life. It seems she is overreacting to a series of accidents, but events soon suggest her suspicions may be correct; especially after it turns out that her father's new wife has old Underworld connections she thought she had left behind.
The Visiting Fireman
14. The Visiting Fireman
December 26, 1974
A British police inspector visits San Francisco for a conference, and whilst there assists his old friend Chief Ironside with an awkward investigation. It soon appears, however, that he knows more about the case than he should do, and that his involvement may have something to do with his deteriorating state of health.
Fall of an Angel
13. Fall of an Angel
December 19, 1974
A retired assassin kills the son of a mob chief, and tries to escape town after anonymously leaving his own young son in the care of Chief Ironside. The Chief soon puts two and two together, and figures out who the boy is; but he still has to find the father, before a major league gangster out for revenge can get to him first.
Speak No Evil
12. Speak No Evil
December 12, 1974
A friend of Ed's becomes the target of an assassin, but cannot shed any light on the reasons for the attempt on his life. When Ed discovers that his friend is a priest, prevented from speaking by the bounds of confession, he and the Chief attempt to discover the truth; which soon leads them to three unexplained murders amongst the city's drug dealers.
The Over-the-Hill Blues
11. The Over-the-Hill Blues
December 5, 1974
Peter Justin, a gentleman jewel thief and old adversary of the Chief's, returns from a five year stretch in San Quentin and is soon back to his old life. When a protégé frames him for a robbery and murder charge the Chief has to prove him innocent, despite his knowledge that another recent robbery is most definitely the work of Justin alone.
Far Side of the Fence
10. Far Side of the Fence
November 21, 1974
After the killing of one of his men, gangland boss Lew Parker puts out a contract on Ironside, which the undercover Ed is forced to pick up. Unable to contact the rest of the team Ed has to go along with the preparations for a heist, but when his cover is blown and he winds up a prisoner, the Chief and co must find the missing links before it is too late.
Act of Vengeance
9. Act of Vengeance
November 14, 1974
A convict awaiting parole hears that his son has been shot dead following a clash with a rival teenage gang. Although eager for vengeance he has another son to think about, and the Chief is determined to keep them both on the straight and narrow, whilst at the same time finding out who really killed the boy.
Run Scared
8. Run Scared
November 7, 1974
The Chief's god-daughter witnesses a murder whilst performing in a street-side harlequin show. On the run from the murderer, she and her boyfriend remain one jump ahead of Ironside's team; but there is an added dimension to the case which the Chief cannot at first hope to guess at, and a further reason for his god-daughter's desperate flight.
The Lost Cotillion
7. The Lost Cotillion
October 31, 1974
A series of murders appear to be connected to an old friend of the Chief's, an ageing woman from San Francisco's old rich set; and when the murders are linked to her debutante's ball and she appears to be exhibiting signs of deteriorating mental health, the odds look stacked against her. As always, though, the Chief looks elsewhere to find the truth.
Set-Up: Danger!
6. Set-Up: Danger!
October 24, 1974
When Ed returns from a holiday he finds the Chief missing, and a series of obscure clues pointing to the suggestion that he has been kidnapped. In truth Ironside has been waylaid by an old enemy, a mobster seeking his help to solve a murder, but a gang war is brewing and the Chief needs his team to find him in time to stop it erupting unchecked.
Cross Doublecross
5. Cross Doublecross
October 10, 1974
When somebody takes pot shots at Fran's hot-headed cop boyfriend, he soon comes under suspicion for a handful of assaults and two murders. All the trouble seems to be linked back to a case he investigated with his one-time partner, now turned private eye; but is it a case of cop-turned-bad, or is it something else?
Trial of Terror
4. Trial of Terror
October 3, 1974
A woman reluctantly turns to Ironside for protection after she witnesses the murder of her father, a man who was set to testify in the trial of a drug kingpin.
What's New With Mark?
3. What's New With Mark?
September 26, 1974
Mark and his girlfriend come across a murder whilst on a date, but decide to defend the killer when it transpires that he acted in self defence. During the case the pair get married, and Ed decides to move in with the Chief in Mark's place.
Raise the Devil (2)
2. Raise the Devil (2)
September 19, 1974
Clues of the murder lead Ironside and his team to a psychiatrist who hypnotizes his patients with criminal purposes.
Raise the Devil (1)
1. Raise the Devil (1)
September 12, 1974
Startling story about exorcism, witchcraft and murder. Ironside and his officers must unveil the facts of the murder of a woman who was worried about a devilish possession she believed she was under.
Description
Where to Watch Ironside
Ironside is available for streaming on the NBC website, both individual episodes and full seasons. You can also watch Ironside on demand at Vudu and Google Play.
  • Premiere Date
    September 14, 1967
  • IMDB Rating
    6.9  (3,990)
Watch all of
Do you have Hulu?
Ad Info - This show may not be available on Hulu
No thanks, I'm not interested in Hulu