Mannix is hired to look into who's trying to kill a movie studio's popular, but non-believing, arrogant male star.Mannix is hired to look into who's trying to kill a movie studio's popular, but non-believing, arrogant male star.Mannix is hired to look into who's trying to kill a movie studio's popular, but non-believing, arrogant male star.
Photos
- Prop Man
- (as William Erwin)
- Bud Nicholson
- (as Tom Huff)
- Cang
- (uncredited)
- Crew Member
- (uncredited)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaExcept for the series premiere, this is the only episode in which the special guest star (Robert Conrad) is listed at the beginning of the episode.
- GoofsWhen Mannix plunges into Cantrell's gut---to save him from the falling spotlight---Robert Conrad's stuntman is clearly spotted because he has a major receding hairline. (Unless Conrad himself took off his toupee?)
- Quotes
Mona: Hi.
Joe Mannix: Hi.
Mona: A star is born.
Joe Mannix: Well, you see, I happen to be sitting in this drug store.
Mona: Do you happen to have a drink?
Joe Mannix: So happens. Scotch?
Mona: No, nothing. Thanks. I gave up drinking. I just wanted to remind myself that I'm a girl of tremendous willpower. Mitch knows you're watching him. He doesn't like you.
Joe Mannix: Figures. Excuse me.
Mona: Oh, relax. They're just going over to wardrobe. It's Friday night. The Mardi Gras. They'll be back. That Mitch is an independent cat. He looks after himself. Resents you. He'd do anything to get you off his back.
Joe Mannix: He's already had a go at it.
Mona: Well, you didn't yell chicken.
Joe Mannix: If I didn't get out, it'd be bad for business.
Mona: What did you hear from the Prop Department?
Joe Mannix: I drew a blank.
Mona: That's very funny.
Joe Mannix: Wasn't intended to be.
Mona: Well, somebody switched that blank with a live cartridge.
Joe Mannix: Question: Who is he?
Mona: Or she. There's something you should know.
Joe Mannix: There's something you've been aching to tell me ever since you breezed in here.
Mona: You know Carol Relly-- that girl who was on the motorcycle with Pete Joplin yesterday? She thought Mitch was picking her up. That's a game-made play when Mitch has had it with a girl, she gets passed on to his double. 'Course, it comes as a complete surprise to her. There's been a long line of those hand-me-downs. Any one of those girls would have good reason to to kill him. How do you like that Mitch?
Joe Mannix: How do you?
Mona: Well, he's just a boss to me. Strictly business. I don't fall for that famous Cantrell smile.
Joe Mannix: A girl with tremendous willpower.
Mona: You bet.
Joe Mannix: Even this morning when you were massaging him. The way you warmed the job, that isn't what I would call strictly business.
Mona: You were seeing things.
Joe Mannix: Yeah. A lot of willpower going down the drain.
[the phone rings]
Joe Mannix: Hello? Uh, Mona, wait.
[Mona walks out of the toom]
Here he plays your atypical Hollywood egotistical actor, called Mitch Cantrell, stalked by an unknown killer. Mannix steps into the action, trying to convince him that this threat is very real and his glory days may be numbered. Conrad is the whole show in an over the top role that must have been fun to play. He played a similar character a few years later on COLUMBO, as the head of a health and fitness company, only this time he was the clever killer.
Series director Paul Krasny, who directed 28 episodes, gets the right stuff from the entire cast. This will keep you guessing as to who wants Mitch dead. The fictional movie studio scenes were filmed right on the Paramount lot, giving you a neat behind the scenes tour of sorts. Also note the Paramount western ranch sets. It was also a clever way for Paramount to save a lot of money, ya think? The tv unit was apparently on a super tight budget, and it really showed sometimes.
Former model Leslie Parrish also guest stars, who would return to the series a few more times. All purpose character actor Bill Irwin has a small part as a prop man. Irwin was at his best in later years, playing obnoxious old men. A memorable actor.
Great late night fistacuffs, and Robert Conrad may be doing his own stunts.
SEASON 3 EPISODE 4. Remastered CBS dvd box set.
- tcchelsey
- Jun 2, 2022