This Day in TV History: A 7-year-old rerun on NBC

50 years ago tonight, NBC fortified its prime-time lineup with...a 7-year-old episode of a defunct anthology program? Yes, it led off that Tuesday night, April 18, at 7:30 with Double Jeopardy, which originally aired in 1965 as part of Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre. That hourlong anthology series ran from 1963-1967. Technically, this was the umbrella under which the Hope specials aired, but there were also dramatic stories with all-star casts.

Double Jeopardy, according to IMDB: "A jet-setting private eye is trying to find out what happened to a millionaire, a task made difficult by the millionaire's wife. For some reason, she doesn't want him to question her identical twin sister."

Why did NBC trot this out? Well, maybe it had a deal with Hope to give him some extra residuals. Maybe it was in the middle of a bit of instability in that time slot. The week before and after both featured specials to lead off the night before James Garner's Nichols, which itself wasn't setting the world on fire

Or maybe it's simpler than that. Maybe it's just because IT'S AWESOME!

I haven't seen this program, but the premise is interesting, and the cast is even more so. Lauren Bacall (in a rare dual role!) is the twins. Also included are Zsa Zsa Gabor, Jack Kelly, Tom Poston, Diane McBain, and Lee Meriwether.  Now, I'm not sure about this, but Ultimate70s TV lists BOTNS fave Hugh O'Brian, too!

It has to be worth a look, and it must not have seemed too dated to run in 1972. Hey, I'd like to see it!