Honey West is a ground-breaking American crime drama television series that aired on ABC from September 17, 1965, to April 8, 1966, as an entry in the 1965–1966 television season. Based upon a series of novels that had launched in 1957, the series starred Anne Francis as female private detective Honey West and John Ericson as her partner Sam Bolt. The popular series was historic in that it marked the first time a woman played the lead character in a network TV series with her character's name as the title.
Francis as Honey West with Bruce
John Ericson
Anne Francis was an American actress known for her ground-breaking roles in the science-fiction film Forbidden Planet (1956) and the television action-drama series Honey West (1965–1966). Forbidden Planet marked a first in color, big-budget, science-fiction-themed motion pictures. Nine years later, Francis challenged female stereotypes in Honey West, in which she played a perky blonde private investigator who was as quick with body slams as witty one-liners. She earned a Golden Globe Award and Emmy Award nomination for her performance.
Studio publicity photo from the 1950s
James Best, Laura Devon, and Anne Francis (right) in "Jess-Belle", an episode of The Twilight Zone (1963)
Leslie Nielsen and Francis in Forbidden Planet, 1956