QM Productions

Quinn Martin began his television career in the editing room, and his background was evident in the polished, structured nature of the productions his company created. After producing *The Untouchables* at Desilu, he launched QM Productions in 1960, founded on the belief that drama should function with mechanical precision. His shows featured a commanding narrator, episodes divided into formally titled acts and an epilogue, and tightly wound, moralistic conclusions that were dependable in their execution.

This approach led to a string of successful series. *The Fugitive* transformed the story of a wrongly convicted doctor on the run into a must-see event, culminating in one of the most-watched broadcasts of its time. *The FBI* brought the bureau's prestige to a Sunday-night staple, while the company continued to produce a steady stream of hits including *12 O'Clock High*, *The Invaders*, *Cannon*, *The Streets of San Francisco*, and *Barnaby Jones*. At its peak, QM was one of the most productive and profitable independent suppliers of network drama, its logo a familiar symbol of reliable, straightforward entertainment.

Martin managed the company with a producer's efficiency and a preference for avoiding graphic violence, which helped his shows remain family-friendly even as television tastes became more explicit. However, as a sole proprietor dependent on network relationships, he found the business model increasingly challenging by the late 1970s and decided to retire.

In 1978, he sold his fully owned company to a group of investors, who transferred it to Taft Broadcasting the following year. The QM name continued to appear on a few productions before Taft rebranded the company as Taft Entertainment Television in the mid-1980s. Quinn Martin, who had defined an entire era of structured television, died in 1987. Yet the rhythmic voice of the unseen narrator announcing each act remains a recognizable hallmark of network crime drama from its golden age.