Highway Patrol

Watch Highway Patrol

  • TV-PG
  • 1960
  • 4 Seasons
  • 7.7  (1,585)

Highway Patrol was an American crime drama television series that aired from 1955 to 1959. Starring Broderick Crawford, the show revolved around the daily duties of the state police force responsible for enforcing traffic laws on the vast network of highways in California. Shot in black and white, Highway Patrol was a captivating drama that captured the attention of American audiences during the late 1950s.

The show presents Crawford as the commanding figure of the Highway Patrol, Chief Dan Mathews. With his signature gravel voice and tough guy demeanor, Mathews is portrayed as a no-nonsense cop who takes his job very seriously. Every episode sees Mathews and his team of Highway Patrol officers tackle a range of dangerous and high-risk situations, from high-speed car chases to emergency medical rescues.

This show was a pioneer in the genre of television cop dramas with a focus on highway patrol officers. The episodes feature different plots based on true events involving highway crimes such as car thefts, hijackings, and accidents. The series has several intense moments where the police officers put themselves in harm's way to protect the public.

Throughout the four seasons of Highway Patrol, Crawford brought his unique perspective to his character. He was not only the enforcer of justice but also a father figure for his subordinates, who strive to live up to his high standards while still maintaining their own integrity. The show is notable for portraying a sense of justice in the role of law enforcement. It highlights the importance of enforcing regulations and investigating a situation thoroughly before coming to any conclusions.

Despite the fact that the show took place in the 1950s, Highway Patrol has a timeless appeal. It manages to capture the atmosphere of the era, showcasing classic cars, vintage clothing, and architecture, only seen on this show. Highway Patrol's fast-paced action and suspenseful chase scenes are equally thrilling today as they were then, keeping the viewer engaged throughout the episode.

One of the standout aspects of Highway Patrol is its attention to detail. The show goes into great depth, showing police procedures and tactics used by state troopers when dealing with criminal activity. The series accurately depicts how these police officers go about their day-to-day business, often displaying admirable professionalism and bravery with a focus on maintaining public safety.

Another prominent feature of Highway Patrol is its use of location shots. In many of the scenes, the surroundings play a role in the telling of the story, such as the geography of the highways or the settings of various criminal activities. These settings, including America's vast and picturesque highways, provide the perfect backdrop to make the show more appealing to audiences.

Overall, Highway Patrol is an innovative and engaging series that never loses its appeal. Its focus on real, everyday crimes, as well as the occasionally extraordinary events, gives viewers an insight into the many challenges that law enforcement officers face on a daily basis. It remains a classic, old-school show, providing American audiences during the late 1950s an unvarnished look into the important work of highway patrol officers depicted in cinematic quality.

Highway Patrol
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Seasons
Bank Messenger
39. Bank Messenger
 
A couple pull two robberies in one day but when they attempt a third, Dan gets hot on their trail.
Fire
38. Fire
 
Dan races to the rescue to prevent a pyromaniac from setting a farm ablaze.
Detour to Death
37. Detour to Death
June 15, 1959
Two men and a damsel use a fake detour sign to misdirect motorists to an isolated road where they use a fake police patrol car to stop and rob the drivers.
Confession
36. Confession
 
Three bank robbers gun down a confederate who made off with the loot but when they don't find the money they head for the house of the dead man's wife. Unknown to them, Dan already has the house staked out.
Desperate Men
35. Desperate Men
 
Cornered in a hospital boiler room, two criminals threaten to increase the boiler's pressure and blow the hospital sky high unless they're given free passage.
Express Delivery
34. Express Delivery
 
A thief poses as a kidnapped diamond courier to receive a jewel shipment worth $200,000 at the airport.
Auto Press
33. Auto Press
 
Dan faces another husband and wife hold-up team whom he traces to a junkyard.
Women Escapees
32. Women Escapees
 
Two gun molls, serving a life sentence for murder, escape and kill a driver on the highway. Dan and the Highway Patrol cut off all escape routes but that doesn't stop the two desperate damsels. They hijack a bus and blast through the roadblock.
Dan Hostage
31. Dan Hostage
May 4, 1959
Caught in the middle of a diner hold-up, Dan persuades the robber to take him as a hostage instead of the owner's wife.
Prisoner Exchange Copter
30. Prisoner Exchange Copter
 
After a sheriff apprehends a fugitive racketeer, one of the racketeer's henchmen kidnaps the wife of the sheriff and demands an exchange of hostages.
Killer on the Run
29. Killer on the Run
April 19, 1959
A hood who just ripped off a counterfeiting gang catches a ride with two middle-aged woman with the gang and the Highway Patrol in hot pursuit.
Illegal Entry
28. Illegal Entry
April 12, 1959
An alien smuggler smuggles in farm workers from Mexico and then blackmails them by threatening to report their illegal status.
Hitchhiker
27. Hitchhiker
April 6, 1959
Needing money to finance their cross country journey from New York to California, a couple begins robbing motorists.
Cargo Hijack
26. Cargo Hijack
 
Dan goes after a husband and wife hijacking team who recently killed a truck driver.
Diversion Robbery
25. Diversion Robbery
 
Two robbers use a harmless but loud bomb to divert attention from their getaways. Dan Mathews, as usual, is hot on their trail.
Brave Boy
24. Brave Boy
 
A young boy is the only witness to his father's murder by a burglar.
Revenge
23. Revenge
March 9, 1959
A young man sets out to get revenge on another man who was acquitted of manslaughter in a car accident which killed the young man's father. Dan races against time to prevent murder.
The Collector
22. The Collector
 
An ex-convict goes on the lam after accidentally killing a blackmailer.
Framed Cop
21. Framed Cop
February 23, 1959
A man who's bitter at a Highway Patrol officer for sending his brother to prison tries to frame him for a hit and run.
Mexican Chase
20. Mexican Chase
 
The Mexican Highway Patrol helps Dan track a car theft ring that alters stolen cars before smuggling them across the border.
Gem Robbery
19. Gem Robbery
 
A diamond firm employee disappears with a consignment of precious stones but in reality she was kidnapped by the thieves who are in cahoots with a co-worker.
Copter Cave-In
18. Copter Cave-In
February 1, 1959
Dan takes to the air in a helicopter again to capture an escaped convict who's hiding out in an old gold mine.
Narcotics Racket
17. Narcotics Racket
January 26, 1959
Two con men, posing as a narcotics agent and dealer, dupe people into believing that their relatives are members of a drug ring. Then they take bribery money to lay off them.
Breath of a Child
16. Breath of a Child
 
A sailor who was exposed to spinal meningitis keeps fleeing the police who are after him and his new bride. He thinks they were sent by the bride's father who was opposed to their marriage.
Expose
15. Expose
 
Dan must save the life of a reporter who exposed a protection racket.
The Trap
14. The Trap
January 1, 1959
Dan, taking a man to prison, tries to prevent the man's co-horts from freeing him.
Split Robbery
13. Split Robbery
 
Dan tries to deduce where two supermarket robbers will strike next.
Confidence Game
12. Confidence Game
December 22, 1958
Dan goes after a con artist who swindled an elderly man out of his life savings thus inducing a fatal heart attack.
False Confession
11. False Confession
December 15, 1958
A man confesses to a robbery/murder so that his indigent family can claim the reward but the real killers are soon on his trail after he has a change of heart and escapes from custody.
Blood Money
10. Blood Money
 
After racketeer's kill his brother, a man foolishly decides to hunt them down without any help from the police.
Deadly Diamonds
9. Deadly Diamonds
 
Dan tries to prevent three salesmen carrying diamonds from being robbed.
Train Robbery
8. Train Robbery
 
Dan races against time to prevent a train robbery at an isolated railroad station.
Portrait of Death
7. Portrait of Death
 
A reclusive artist is found murdered near a mountain resort. It's up to Dan to find the culprit.
Train Copter
6. Train Copter
 
Dan Mathews takes to the air in a helicopter to stop a train robbery.
Gambling Story
5. Gambling Story
November 1, 1958
A gambling den owner decides to eliminate the gambling room of a rival by staging a murder there.
Transmitter Danger
4. Transmitter Danger
 
Two thieves make off with a safe unaware that it's been booby trapped.
Family Affair
3. Family Affair
 
A woman and her son spring her husband from a courthouse and manage to kill a police officer in the process.
Hostage
2. Hostage
 
A wounded fugitive hides in a stationary store, taking the owner and her invalid mother hostage.
Frightened Witness
1. Frightened Witness
 
A man sets out to silence two witnesses who saw his brother kill the owner of a roadside cafe during a robbery.
Description
  • Premiere Date
    October 3, 1960
  • IMDB Rating
    7.7  (1,585)