The Gamble (1974)

A policewoman (Angie Dickinson) of two years joins the force's vice squad where she goes undercover as a prostitute to expose an illegal gambling ring. Directed by Richard Benedict, an actor turned director. Back in the day, TV networks would often make a TV movie or an episode of an anthology series as a pilot to test the waters for a proposed TV series. This pilot (originally shown on POLICE STORY) came out in March of 1974 and that fall, POLICE WOMAN with Angie Dickinson made its debut and ran for four years. Her character's name here is Lisa but when the series debuted, she was renamed Pepper! As for THE GAMBLE, it's a typical police procedural and its ace in the hole is the enormously appealing Dickinson. She's the only cast member who gets to develop a fully rounded character. With John Kerr, Bert Convy, Corinne Calvet, Jeff Morrow, Peter Brown and Joseph Campanella.