television trivia question

[Don Shepherd]

There was a television series involving the police that ran in the United States during the 1950's. There was a 4-digit number associated with the star of the series. The sum of the digits of the number is 8. The product of the digits is 0.

What is the name of the series, the name of the star, the 4-digit number associated with the star, and what did the 4-digit number refer to?

[rkf]

Highway Patrol, Broderick Crawford as Dan Mathews, 2150, Mathews growls "21-50 to headquarters" - thus in German the series is called "Streifenwagen 2150" (police car 2150).

Not that I've ever seen it - I was born in 1962 - this answer is a neat example of how quickly one can find information on the internet nowadays with the help of Wikipedia. Use "Liste von Krimiserien", then sort every letter of the alphabet by year of first airing, look through series of the 1950's until you find the answer.

[burkhard]

(11-22-2018 12:14 PM)rkf Wrote:  Highway Patrol, Broderick Crawford as Dan Mathews, 2150, Mathews growls "21-50 to headquarters" - thus in German the series is called "Streifenwagen 2150" (police car 2150).

Not that I've ever seen it - I was born in 1962 - this answer is a neat example of how quickly one can find information on the internet nowadays with the help of Wikipedia. Use "Liste von Krimiserien", then sort every letter of the alphabet by year of first airing, look through series of the 1950's until you find the answer.

Ahhh, there’s a big advantage if you search in German since the number is then in the title!
Sie sind sehr raffiniert!

[Don Shepherd]

(11-22-2018 12:14 PM)rkf Wrote:  Highway Patrol, Broderick Crawford as Dan Mathews, 2150, Mathews growls "21-50 to headquarters" - thus in German the series is called "Streifenwagen 2150" (police car 2150).

Not that I've ever seen it - I was born in 1962 - this answer is a neat example of how quickly one can find information on the internet nowadays with the help of Wikipedia. Use "Liste von Krimiserien", then sort every letter of the alphabet by year of first airing, look through series of the 1950's until you find the answer.

Correct. I didn't know it aired also in Germany. I grew up in the 50's watching this show, and now enjoying it in reruns.

2150 was Dan Mathews radio callsign, no matter what car he was driving. Actually, actor Broderick Crawford's driving license was suspended during those years, due to his drunk driving. Many of his roadway driving scenes were done on private property because of that.

Ah, the good old days.

[rkf]

By the way, for those that unlike Don Shepherd did not grow up in the fifties, an IMHO highly recommendable read is Bill Bryson´s
“The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid“!