1973-The Magician

The Magician starred Bill Bixby as Anthony Blake, a playboy philanthropist and professional stage magician who used his skills to solve crimes and help the helpless.
Blake had been unjustly imprisoned in an unnamed South American country years before the events of the series. He discovered a way to escape with his cellmate, which began his interest in escapology.
The cellmate died and left him a fortune. The escape led to a career in stage magic which made him famous. Never forgetting his imprisonment, it motivates him to seek justice for others.
What was cool about this show was that during the series, Bill Bixby did all the magic on camera as seen. Trick photography and post production special effects were not used.
This show makes me think of CBS's upcoming new series, The Mentalist.