The Honorable Matthew J Sirota (Michael Constantine) was a night-court judge in a large metropolitan city, and far from the traditional serious, austere justices of most TV series. He had a sense of humour, was often more concerned with the practical rather than strictly legal resolution of cases, and was considered a character by many of his associates.
For years he had been having an on-again, off-again affair with court clerk Maureen O’Connor (Cynthia Harris), and periodically seemed on the verge of marriage.
Others seen regularly in his court were super-liberal public defender Gail Goodman (Kathleen Miller) who was forever the idealist but lacking the skills to be really successful; District Attorney Bud Nugent (Fred Willard), whose incredible ambition and vanity blinded him to his own incompetence; Sawyer Dabney (Ted Ross), an attorney who would handle any case if the price was right; and John Belson (Owen Bush), Sirota’s bailiff, who treated the judge with adoration.
13 episodes of this NBC series were taped in front of a live studio audience and broadcast on Wednesday nights.
Judge Matthew J Sirota
Michael Constantine Maureen O’Connor
Cynthia Harris Gail Goodman
Kathleen Miller Bud Nugent
Fred Willard Sawyer Dabney
Ted Ross Bailiff John Belson
Owen Bush
