JJ Starbuck

1 9 8 7 – 1 9 8 8 (USA)
16 x 60 minute episodes

JJ Starbuck (Dale Robertson) is an eccentric Texas billionaire who meddles in other people’s business in the name of justice.

JJ (short for Jerome Jeremiah) lives on the Starbuck Ranch in San Antonio and owns a Beverly Hills company called Marklee Industries. He wears a cowboy hat and drives a convertible 1964 Lincoln Continental with steer horns mounted on the grille.

Jill Starbuck (former Miss Universe Shawn Weatherly) is JJ’s gorgeous niece, a girl who idolises her uncle and has much in common with him – particularly the strong urge to see that everyone is treated fairly. With this common desire, they work like a team of private detectives to help people in trouble – and never take a penny in return.

Charlie Bullets (Jimmy Dean) is Starbuck’s business manager and confidante.

Stories relate the sometimes dangerous situations they become involved with when helping also means bringing criminals to justice. Guests included Patty Duke, Bill Bixby, Telly Savalas, Kelsey Grammer, Robert Conrad, Jill St. John and Stuart Whitman.

In 1988, JJ acquired an assistant, “Tenspeed” Turner (Ben Vereen), a con man who helps him out, often in disguise. Vereen’s character had previously appeared in the 1980 series Tenspeed and Brown Shoe with Jeff Goldblum.

The NBC series aired between September 1987 and June 1988.

Jerome Jeremiah (JJ) Starbuck
Dale Robertson
Jill Starbuck
Shawn Weatherly
Charlie Bullets
Jimmy Dean
E L ‘Tenspeed’ Turner
Ben Vereen

Episodes

Pilot | A Killing in the Market | Murder in E Minor | The Blimpy Who Yelled Blue | First You’ve Got to Go to the Picnic | Incident at Sam September | Gold from the Rainbow | Graveyard Shift | The 6% Solution | The Circle Unbroken | Murder by Design | Cactus Jack’s Last Call | A Song from the Sequel | Permanent Hiatus | Rag Doll | The Rise and Fall of Joe Piermont

Video