Peter Krause's First Starring Role Was In This Forgotten '90s Legal Drama
Peter Krause has starred in several notable TV shows over the course of his career, but he got his start in a legal drama that flew under the radar.
Peter Krause's initial starring role was in a forgotten legal drama titled The Great Defender, which aired on Fox in 1995. Created by Frank Renzulli, the series followed the brash Boston attorney Lou Frischetti, played by Michael Rispoli. Krause appeared as Crosby Caufield III, a lawyer with a snobby demeanor who provided a delightful contrast to Lou's personality.
Despite its name recognition, The Great Defender only ran for eight episodes, with the pilot premiere on March 5, 1995, followed by a second episode a week later. However, the series was canceled almost immediately after its debut, with the third episode, titled "Naked Truth," not airing until July 17, 1995. The show's abysmal ratings, capturing only 6% of the available audience, were attributed to poor scheduling and lack of promotion.
Executive producer George Schenck admitted that the first two or three promotions for the show had the main character's name wrong. Krause's role in The Great Defender eventually led to his casting on Cybill, where he appeared in 23 episodes between 1995-1997.
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