The Roaring Twenties

The Roaring Twenties, a two-season American television series from Warner Brothers, first aired in 1960 and sought to bottle the spirit of one of the most vibrant decades in US history. Set in 1920s New York, the show followed the exploits of two intrepid journalists, Scott Norris (Rex Reason) and Pat Garrison (Donald May), as they worked for the fictional New York Daily Record. Their mission? To expose corruption and criminality by getting up close and personal with gangsters, bootleggers, and the assorted underworld figures who thrived during the Prohibition era.

In many ways, the show was a classic example of early 1960s American TV entertainment — a mixture of action, light drama, and musical interludes. Warner Brothers aimed to recreate the jazz-fuelled energy of the time, infusing the series with period music, flappers, speakeasies, and the broader glamour of the age. It wasn’t just surface sparkle either — the programme also incorporated authentic newsreel footage from the 1920s to lend a semi-documentary feel, a novel touch that grounded its otherwise stylised presentation.

The central cast was well chosen, with Reason and May playing it straight as the morally upright leads. They were often joined by the more comedic Gary Vinson as cub reporter Chris Higbee, and Dorothy Provine, who all but stole the show as Charleston Club singer Delaware "Pinky" Pinkham. Provine’s performances added charm and period flair, with musical numbers often being a highlight. In fact, some of the show’s most memorable moments came courtesy of its dance sequences and attention to wardrobe detail — one number even saw Provine wear a jacket and wig once used by Al Jolson. On another occasion, a supporting actor discovered the label inside his suit revealed it had been worn by none other than James Cagney in the 1939 film The Roaring Twenties.

Though the storytelling could be formulaic at times, and occasionally slipped into nostalgia over substance, The Roaring Twenties remained engaging due to its lively production values and the sheer affection it had for its chosen setting. It captured enough of the visual style and cultural touchstones of the Jazz Age to make for enjoyable, escapist viewing.

Carefully crafted, if at times lightweight, The Roaring Twenties never truly reached the heights of the classic gangster films or more serious dramas of the time. Still, it delivered what it promised — a glossy, entertaining romp through a bygone era of fringe skirts and tommy guns.