Highway Patrol

Highway Patrol starred a big man with a big voice - Broderick Crawford.  No one on the wrong side of the law wanted to have this guy in your rear view mirror.  What was it about that large highway cop with the intimidating gruff voice that we baby-boomers loved?  Maybe it was the idea that it gave us an assurance that there were tough guys out there keeping our streets safe.

I remember Broderick Crawford playing in some great rolls in movies such as: 'Born Yesterday', 'All The Kings Men', and 'Between Heaven & Hell').  IMDB shows that Crawford kept acting until his death in 1986.  I do remember seeing him play his old Highway Patrol character Chief Dan Mathews on a hilarious episode of Saturday Night Live in the late seventies (with the original SNL cast).  I also recall Broderick on an episode of CHiPS in the early 80's.

"My trademarks are a hoarse, grating voice and the face of a retired pugilist: small narrowed eyes set in puffy features which look as though they might, years ago, have lost on points."
-Broderick Crawford