Tenspeed and Brown Shoe

1980 - 1980

Tenspeed and Brownshoe (1)

27th January 1980

Episode 1

E.L. is out of prison and quickly involved in a new scam - stealing a million dollars from the Mob. Unfortunately, he's unaware that the Mob got it from fencing Nazi diamonds. Meanwhile, accountant Lionel Whitney is in town to get married to his dominating fiance, and quickly finds his plans gone awry when Tenspeed hides the diamonds in his limousine. Both groups are now after both him and Tenspeed.

Tenspeed and Brownshoe (2)

27th January 1980

Episode 2

Lionel finds himself being pursued by Nazis and mobsters who are after the diamonds that Tenspeed hid on him. Lionel manages to talk Tenspeed into doing the right thing by appealing to his conscience (such as it is) and running a scam to get everyone arrested. With Tenspeed out on parole and needing a job, Lionel decides to finance a new detective agency with the reward money to fulfill his lifelong dream of being a hard-boiled detective.

The Robin Tucker's Roseland Roof and Ballroom Murder

3rd February 1980

Episode 3

Lionel and E.L. form a detective agency and get their first case: an unidentified man who is willing to pay lots of money to find a woman.

Savage Says "There's No Free Lunch"

Episode 4

Lionel takes a fancy to a client who claims someone is trying to kill her and then leads Lionel and E.L. around in circles while putting killers on their trail.

Savage Says, "What Are Friends For?"

Episode 5

A stockbroker and friend of Lionel's hires the detectives to investigate two men who are having him make investments with negotiable bonds.

The Sixteen Byte Data Chip and the Brown-eyed Fox

Episode 6

Pressure is put on Lionel and E.L. to create a phony investigation for their client: a woman looking for her missing brother who was working on a super computer.

The Millionaire's Life

16th March 1980

Episode 7

E.L. gets his old partner, Mike McGill, to run a scam to pay Lionel with con money to keep the agency afloat. However, the fake crime that they set up uncovers a real one, and the crooks will do anything to keep it quiet.

Savage Says, "The Most Dangerous Bird is the Jailbird"

23rd March 1980

Episode 8

A mobster goes after Lionel and E.L. after they help his girl friend dump him so she can run off with a lounge singer.

It's Easier to Pass an Elephant Through the Eye of a Needle Than a Bad Check in Bel Air

30th March 1980

Episode 9

E.L.'s nephew's appearance is concurrent with that of thugs who are after a book which E.L. knows nothing about.

Loose Larry's List of Losers

Episode 10

Lionel receives a hot birthday present from E.L., while E.L.'s probation officer is trying to find a way to get E.L. put back in prison.

This One's Gonna Kill Ya

Episode 11

When Lionel investigates the 40-year-old murder of a woman, people start shooting at the partners.

Untitled

Episode 12

E.L. comes up with a get rich quick scheme when he learns that the Agency's cleaning lady is a descendent of the Russian royal family.

The Treasure of Sierra Madre Street

Episode 13

Lionel and E.L. set out to discover if a ""random"" killing by a mental patient was in fact the work of a hired killer.

Diamonds Aren't Forever

Episode 14

E.L. helps Lionel impress his visiting parents by arranging for him to gain access to a luxurious office, belonging to diamond thieves, which Lionel can claim as his own.

Top Cast

Ben Vereen•Jeff Goldblum

Drama Crime Comedy

Tenspeed and Brown Shoe is an American detective/comedy series originally broadcast by the ABC network between January and June 1980. The series was created and executive produced by Stephen J. Cannell.

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Production Companies

Full Cast

Ben Vereen Image

Ben Vereen

E.L. 'Tenspeed' Turner

Jeff Goldblum Image

Jeff Goldblum

Lionel Whitney

Full Crew

Juanita Bartlett

Producer

Stephen J. Cannell Image

Stephen J. Cannell

Producer

Chuck Bowman

Producer

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