The Official KRESKY Homepage

Production History

Season Two:

For most of its first two seasons, Kresky was one of the highest rated crime dramas on the air, frequently placing in the top twenty shows just behind such genre competition as Charlie's Angels, Baretta and Hawaii Five-O. Much of the credit for the show's success was owed to its inimitable star -- a fact which was not lost on Matterly himself. The actor had not gone unaffected by his dizzying ascent on the ladder of Hollywood stardom. As his fame and celebrity grew, so too did his reputation for difficulty on the set. Directors complained that he ignored their direction in favor of his own so-called "Matterly Method". Crew members and co-stars bristled at his unsolicited recommendations on every topic from lighting and cinematography to acting and wardrobe. When displeased with a line or a scene, Matterly would often demand an immediate on-set rewrite, only to reject the rewrite in favor of the original script. His temper tantrums and silent rages were the stuff of legend. Only a precious few would come to recognize over time that his outrageous, alienating behavior was merely a product of the actor's tireless drive for artistic and technical perfection.

Despite Matterly's Herculean efforts, however, Kresky's ratings faltered somewhat late in its second season. During the program's summer hiatus, executive producer Matt Jameson brainstormed with his writing staff on what could be done to bolster the program's sagging numbers. Shortly before production was due to restart, Jameson received another terse memo from network Prez Larry Rubin. This one read, "McCloud meets the Midnight Cowboy." Jameson promptly set about creating an "urban cowboy" sidekick for Kresky, a contingency to be unveiled only if the program's ratings did not improve in the coming season. Fearing his star's reaction, Jameson kept his plan from Matterly and prayed he would never have to resort to it.