Checkmate Portrait of a Man Running (1960–1962) Online

Checkmate's second and final season began with an episode with a pair of old time movie names as guest stars. Ralph Bellamy and Chester Morris play a three term governor running for his 4th term in some unnamed western state and Morris is his campaign manager. Both these guys have been around the block a few times and there's an aroma. But nothing has ever been pinned on them.

A little bit of an inside joke here with Ralph Bellamy who had just come off doing his career role for the stage and screen as Franklin D. Roosevelt who did serve 3 terms as president and was in 1944 running for a 4th term.

This episode also anticipates Tim Robbins's political film Bob Roberts where Robbins plays a ruthless right wing presidential candidate who fakes an assassination attempt. It's what gets Anthony George and Doug McClure in as extra security. Even when they discover the hoax George and McClure stay around because there are people who are really out to get Bellamy one way or another.

Checkmate got off to a good start to its second and unfortunately last season.