Actor Don 'Red' Barry plays the significant role of fresh-out-of-prison "paper-hanger" Charlie Bishop. Barry had appeared in 3 previous episodes of Adam-12. In the 3rd season ep, "LEMRAS", he played the role of a victim of a home burglary. His character, in a screen time of perhaps 2 minutes, proved one of the meanest, crabbiest and downright rudest victims of a crime ever seen on the show. He practically accused Malloy and Reed of having robbed his house themselves. The actor is terrific!
Here, in this episode, you'd never guess it was the same actor. With a face of 2-week stubble and the sweetest of smiles, you just can't help but feel for this Charlie Bishop character. Meeting at a dive-bar in a lousy area of Los Angeles, Charlie tells his old pal, Officer Pete Malloy (who made the arrest that sent him to prison in the first place!) that he "misses home" and wants to go back. To prison, that is.
This is a very sad character who ingratiates himself to the viewing audience immediately. This is right after Sergeant MacDonald warns Malloy that this "ex-con" (who has requested the meet-up with Malloy) might just be out for some revenge for that past arrest. So viewers go into the next scene just as weary as Malloy's partner, Jim Reed is regarding the possibilities of what might be about to happen.
There's lots of great back and forth between Malloy and Bishop, and therefore lots of great acting from Martin Milner and Don 'Red' Barry. The concluding moments of the episode and the plight of Charlie Bishop (who just wants to find a way to live out the rest of his life in a "nice, pleasant" Federal Prison - State Prisons are awful!) are quite shocking. Oh, and it's sort of wild to see the actor who played the farmer on "Green Acres" who owned the rotten Hooterville Phone Company, here playing the Bank Security Guard who "sends Charlie on his way... " Except a bit further than any prison.
For some light-heartedness to this otherwise pretty heavy episode, M & R respond to a call regarding a home burglary. The home was torn apart, but only a heavily-insured stamp collection was stolen. Oh, and the "thief" left behind the screwdriver he used to break into the house via the back door. Left it behind, placed nicely in a kitchen drawer where Reed locates it. "Adam-12" teaches another lesson here: If you know ahead of time that you have a very nosy neighbor who minds your every move, then make certain you don't "rob your own house" when and where that very nosy neighbor will probably be watching!
Here, in this episode, you'd never guess it was the same actor. With a face of 2-week stubble and the sweetest of smiles, you just can't help but feel for this Charlie Bishop character. Meeting at a dive-bar in a lousy area of Los Angeles, Charlie tells his old pal, Officer Pete Malloy (who made the arrest that sent him to prison in the first place!) that he "misses home" and wants to go back. To prison, that is.
This is a very sad character who ingratiates himself to the viewing audience immediately. This is right after Sergeant MacDonald warns Malloy that this "ex-con" (who has requested the meet-up with Malloy) might just be out for some revenge for that past arrest. So viewers go into the next scene just as weary as Malloy's partner, Jim Reed is regarding the possibilities of what might be about to happen.
There's lots of great back and forth between Malloy and Bishop, and therefore lots of great acting from Martin Milner and Don 'Red' Barry. The concluding moments of the episode and the plight of Charlie Bishop (who just wants to find a way to live out the rest of his life in a "nice, pleasant" Federal Prison - State Prisons are awful!) are quite shocking. Oh, and it's sort of wild to see the actor who played the farmer on "Green Acres" who owned the rotten Hooterville Phone Company, here playing the Bank Security Guard who "sends Charlie on his way... " Except a bit further than any prison.
For some light-heartedness to this otherwise pretty heavy episode, M & R respond to a call regarding a home burglary. The home was torn apart, but only a heavily-insured stamp collection was stolen. Oh, and the "thief" left behind the screwdriver he used to break into the house via the back door. Left it behind, placed nicely in a kitchen drawer where Reed locates it. "Adam-12" teaches another lesson here: If you know ahead of time that you have a very nosy neighbor who minds your every move, then make certain you don't "rob your own house" when and where that very nosy neighbor will probably be watching!
