The first of three private-eye movies created by Robert Blake about rugged Joe Dancer as the forerunner to a prospective but unrealized series after the retirement of his "Baretta" character. In the initial outing, Blake, as Dancer, follows a trail of bodies through a maze of corruption involving a politically ambitious Beverly Hills family.

Robert Blake's second (of three) "Joe Dancer" movies has the hard-boiled private investigator teaming up with a chimp named Gregor, his trainer (who also happens to be an expert thief), and an electronics genius of questionable repute to steal back a priceless vase looted from a family collection during World War II.

The last of Robert Blake's three "Joe Dancer movies" finds the private investigator framed for manslaughter as he tries to uncover a Hollywood scandal that could ruin a studio and destroy a top star's career.