NOT FOR HIRE

Ralph Meeker

 NOT FOR HIRE (1959 tv series). 

Sgt. Steve Decker (Ralph Meeker) works as an investigator for the CID, the Criminal Investigations Division of the Army. Meeker, who radiates a certain degree of charm while also making you think he's going to deck someone with extreme nastiness at any second, is perfect for the role. The half-hour series lasted for only one season and 39 episodes. With most of these old forgotten series, especially the ones that don't turn up on DVD, more and more episodes keep turning up on youtube. With Not for Hire, it's just the opposite, as some episodes that were once available on youtube and the internet archive have now disappeared. You are left with three episodes to choose from.

Meeker with Lisabeth Hush

Smuggled Wife has Decker going off to find an AWOL soldier who is desperate to see if he can get his wife out of Hong Kong. She's pregnant and he hopes that his child will be born in the U.S. but authorities suspect the woman of espionage. Nora Hayden guest-stars as a pretty lady -- not said wife -- who is not on the side of the angels. 

In The Fickle Fingers Decker finds himself with a real puzzle. A soldier has been found dead but his corpse has the wrong fingerprints. Decker tries to find out if this was a simple mistake, or if the fellow faked his death and that's somebody else's body in the morgue. 

The Fall Guy has Decker investigating what at first seems to be an open and shut case: a soldier apparently stabbed his girlfriend to death. However Colonel Madge Turner (Lisabeth Hush) is convinced that the man is innocent and starts her own investigation to Decker's initial annoyance. However, charmed by the woman and impressed by her persistence, he takes a hand in the case. Hush is appealing and adept and Barbara Stuart makes an impression as a nasty femme fatale of sorts. 

These three episodes, while not exactly classic television, still whetted my appetite, and one can hope that the full series will one day find itself on DVD. These episodes have also been colorized (!) and can be found on youtube. 

Verdict: Meeker scores in an interesting crime show that is a little different than usual. **1/2.