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Reviews
The Dick Van Dyke Show: Sally Is a Girl (1961)
Sally Called For Her Date
For me the, the plights of single Sally Rogers are some of the best episodes of this show. Laura always seems to be on the look-out for an eligible match for Sally; this time, it is Ted, "the brother of a friend". Unfortunately, Sally is so used to being treated like one of the boys (she is the only female that these guys will play poker with because she is not a "woman"), that she seems to forget how to be soft and feminine, to attract and catch that elusive animal, known as a husband. Laura goads Rob into treating Sally more like a lady at work; this prompts Buddy and Mel to think that Sally and Rob have fallen for each other. When next we see Sally and Ted, she actually does look and sound softer and more feminine.
Burke's Law: Who Killed Julian Buck? (1963)
The Arrogant Author
Whenever you hear that someone has been murdered, you like to think that maybe it was for the inheritance through a will or something. While investigating the murder, we find that writer Julian Buck had quite a few enemies/people with a motive to do him in; the list includes Terry-Thomas, Rita Moreno, Ed Begley, Karl Boehm, Corinne Calvet, and Keenan Wynn.
Marissa Mathes, Rita Moreno, and Rebecca Welles are still alive.
Burke's Laws: "You can't solve a murder without first finding a suspect." "Never call your captain unless it's murder." "Never punch driver in nose; see how big first."
Burke's Law: Who Killed Harris Crown? (1963)
A Bevy of Blondes
Entrepreneur Harris Crown dies in a car accident, due to faulty brakes. Crown had a girlfriend (Barbara Eden), who has a boyfriend (Gene Nelson), who has a keeper (Ruth Roman), who knows that her boy-toy is seeing Crown's wife (Juliet Prowse), who is stalked by Crown's brother (Don Rickles), who is hounded by his shrewish wife (Joan Blondell). This story has more twists and turns than "The Big Sleep".
Eva Gabor, Lola Albright, and Jackie Loughery round out the bevy of blondes in this episode; there is even a brief appearance by a then-unknown Susan Flannery as a secretary. Albright, Eden, Flannery, Loughery, and Rickles are still among us. Loughery and Albright are on the receiving end of Burke's kisses.
Burke's Law: "Never confuse the improbable with the impossible."
Burke's Law: Who Killed Cable Roberts? (1963)
Scott vs. Lynde
It seems that Cable Roberts was a larger-than-life safari-hunter, a la Ernest Hemingway; other than the maid (someone really had a sense of humor---casting Zsa Zsa Gabor as a commoner), it seems that no one who knew him really liked him. When Roberts is murdered, the suspects are his game-hunting partner (the always amiable Chill Wills), his ex-wife (Mary Astor), his son (a very young John Saxon), his secretary (Paul Lynde), and his current wife (Lizabeth Scott).
It's a draw between Lynde and Scott, as to who gave the campiest performance. Every time that Lynde opened his mouth, I saw Uncle Arthur, the Hooded Claw, or the center star of the Hollywood Squares. I found this on Wikipedia regarding Scott's performance: "In Burke's Law "Who Killed Cable Roberts?" (1963), she camps it up as the non-grieving widow of a celebrity big game hunter."; it seems to be appropriate.
Ms. Gabor and Mr. Saxon are still around and they both look fantastic! I was unable to find anything on Karen Flynn (wife of Wills' character) or June Kyoto Lu (Henry's girl/date).
Burke's Law: "When the bell rings, keep on your feet."
Burke's Law: Who Killed Mr.X? (1963)
He Loved Women
The titular murder victim was a rich entrepreneur and studio mogul named Emery Flood, who apparently was so rich that most people didn't like him, know him, or miss him. Mr. Flood was a keeper of women and we meet four: Elizabeth Montgomery, a lovable lush who was given an exclusive contract, except she hasn't made a picture; instead, she was given a house and $500 per week (she hasn't met the man in the 5 years that she has been living there!).
Barrie Chase, a not-so-lovable lush, who resides in the beach house (apparently, she saw Mr. Flood annually); she can't stand Mr. Flood and wants to erect a monument to the person who killed him.
Dina Merrill, the kept-woman who is so starved for attention/affection that she has begun to pick up strangers in the park and invite them up to the apartment Mr. Flood keeps her in (this character garnered quite a bit of sympathy from me).
Ann Harding, (SPOILERS?)a woman who could have been Norma Desmond revisited.
Chase, Merrill, and Frederick Barry (Gene's son) are still among us.
The only Burke's Law that I can recall hearing: "Never drink martinis with beautiful suspects."
Burke's Law: Who Killed Holly Howard? (1963)
Beauty is Only Skin-Deep
I received Season 1 DVDs just last week; by the time I got to Volume 2, I knew I would have to watch them again. If you're a fan of Old Hollywood, you can get so caught up in naming the guest stars and marveling at the glamorous women/clothes, that when the murderer and the motive is revealed, you forgot what you saw/heard about the victim, during the first 2 minutes of the episode.
These are fun to watch and I really don't want to provide any "spoilers". Basically, a nice, small-town, plain-Jane young lady (one suspect described her as UGLY a few times) named Holly Howard gets the beauty treatment (via a benefactor) and is on her way to stardom with a modeling contract (which could lead to an acting gig), when she is "snuffed out".
Captain Burke kisses two of the guest stars and utters four of his laws: "Never box with a senior citizen." "Never eat little, round pancakes when you're in a hurry." "Always be punctual where a beautiful girl is concerned." "In cases of homicide, check out the facts one at a time, slow & easy."
Besides series-regular, Regis Toomey, three of the guest stars were born in the late 1800's: Zasu Pitts, Jay C. Flippen, and Sir Cedric Hardwicke. It must have been a real treat for newcomers like series-regular Gary Conway to reap the benefit of their acting experience, professional savvy, and hear their recounts of working with/being around DeMille, Bogart, or Will Roger, Sr. (Will Rogers, Jr. is in this one, as well).
Gunsmoke: Carter Caper (1963)
"He killed my friend; that's why I killed him."
This is one of my favorite episodes of Season 9; as another reviewer wrote, you will remember this one long after it's over.
Joe Stark (who was mean/rude to everyone he spoke to) steals an old man's pet chicken, to dine on; while dining, Billy Hargis rides up and Stark invites him to stay/camp with him. Billy catches Stark trying to steal his horse and beats him to a pulp, leaving Stark to shout, "You're a killer!" Both men find their way to Dodge City: Stark is in need of an oral surgeon (Doc Adams will suffice) and Billy Hargis is well-liked and even loved by Cara (a beautiful Anjanette Comer), the saloon girl he saves from an obnoxious customer. Before Stark leaves Dodge, he starts a rumor that Billy Hargis killed the infamous Bo Carter, a gunfighter from Amarillo, TX. This rumor inspires fear in the people whom Billy has "corrected" from wronging others and hope in those who are seeking to build their reputation.
Dan Flack does everything but spit in Billy's face to get him into a gunfight, but he promised fiancée' Cara he wouldn't put on a gun. When Flack brutally beats Cara up, Billy goes looking for him; Flack comes up from behind Billy and with his gun already drawn and cocked, calls Billy's name and shoots him twice as he is half-turned around----thus making it look like a fair fight. Everyone or "the flies" (as Chester puts it) all belly-up to the bar to back-slap and boot-lick Flack; a stranger enters the bar and orders a glass of rye.
When Mims, an old bum and friend of Billy challenges Flack, he tries to laugh it off; Mims will not be put off and he kills Flack, just as Matt has returned from a trip. Flack's friends claim it was murder and Sam and Chester couldn't see he drew first. Matt asks the stranger, who says Flack drew first; when asked his name, the man replies, "Bo Carter."!!!! It just goes to show that you can't always judge people by their demeanor. Bo Carter seemed to a soft-spoken man, who "could remember when killing a man was a time for mourning", not for celebrating. Only two small questions lingered for me: Who was Barkley Mims before he became a bum? Did Bo Carter (or anyone else) eventually give Stark his comeuppance?
The Untouchables: The Eddie O'Gara Story (1962)
"Public Enemy" Remake
While I can appreciate that in-between the censors and the general public, the writers might have been running out of fresh material, the writers of "The Eddie O'Gara Story" all but stole this episode from 1931's "The Public Enemy" (this sentence alone is the spoiler).
Eddie's older brother, Vince, drives a trolley car, so did Tom Powers' older brother, Mike. Eddie is his widowed mother's favorite--she babies him and calls him Eddie (Vince calls him Ed); Tom was his widowed mother's favorite--she babied him and called him Tommy (Mike called him Tom). Eddie is pals with "Bugs" Moran; Tom is tight with "Paddy" Ryan. When Eddie starts a gang war, his steely look/stare rivals that of Cagney's Tom Powers; neither character has much time or use for women.
With so many similarities, I was surprised that Vince didn't open the door to a dead and bound O'Gara (it was Ness advising that Eddie was dead).
Gunsmoke: The Gentleman (1958)
Doc Adams, Comedian
I love this episode! The basic story is about dancehall girl Boni, who is rescued from her woman-beating, ugly-as-sin boyfriend by Marcus (Jack Cassidy), a gentleman whose attire and manners makes Sir Walter Raleigh look like a panhandler. Marcus seems like the Doc Holliday-type (gambler who is dying, so he's fearless/unafraid), so he won't marry Boni because he is too much of a gentleman to leave her a widow (he can't last more than two more months). Matt fixes it so they do run off together, for whatever time he has left.
It's a great story, but what makes it worth watching is the two-minute monologue that Doc Adams delivers while dining with Matt. What he says is so far-fetched that Matt first calls him a liar and then says he is not even listening to him anymore. What Doc says is laugh-aloud funny!
Gunsmoke: Chester's Mail Order Bride (1956)
"It's My Fault for Learning to Write"
This is one of my favorite 30-minute episodes that features Chester.
Chester has been corresponding to a beautiful blonde in Philadelphia; when she asks for a picture, he sends one of Matt (I can't say that I blame him). When "Ann" decides to come to Dodge City, Matt greets her, only to discover that she is not the blonde beauty in the picture (it's her sister). Chester and Ann have a talk and decide that what they wrote in the letters is how they truly feel, (picture mix-ups not withstanding), and they decide to get married. It seems that 17-year-old Ann ran away from home and her mother has taken ill because of it. The parents send a detective to retrieve her and bring her back home; after some soul-searching and sacrificing of his own happiness, Chester does the right thing.
This is a favorite of mine for a few reasons. When Chester tells the "gang" that he is getting married, Doc wants to say something, but Kitty practically shoots daggers at him--daring him to say something, so he passes on it. Then there's Nate, who hit Chester at the beginning of the episode, but is ready to pummel the detective on behalf of "the little feller" (Chester). The scene where Chester tells the party-goers that the wedding is off puts a lump in my throat and tears in eyes ever time I see it.
Kojak: The Betrayal (1974)
Emmy Time
This is one of the 10 best episodes of Kojak series.
Paul Anka deserved at least an Emmy nod (if not the trophy) for his excellent portrayal of an ambitious stoolie. Prior to this, Anka was seen as a singer and songwriter; after seeing this (when it originally aired), I don't see why he never acted in any of the Coppola or Scorcese movies. Anka is likable, but after setting up his partner and killing a witness, you know that he can be ruthless; he is little, but lethal.
I disagree with the previous post that Det. Calucci was a crooked cop; he proved his honesty by trying to arrest Anka, once he had irrefutable proof that he had killed the witness (Karen). We understand why he was so tenacious; he told Anka that he had a Lt. that didn't like him. Perhaps, this is why Kojak (at the end) calls Det. Crocker "Bobby" and says that even though he yells at him, he loves him.
Kojak: Nursemaid (1974)
Kojak's softer side
The other writer's review was a bit skewed. Lynette Mettey was NOT the witness, but the policewoman who is protecting the eyewitness to the murder of the gun dealer boss. The reason the witness looks 50, instead of 30, is because the witness is Kay Medford, who probably was 50 at the time! I like how Medford's character was a salty, old soul at the beginning, but warmed up to Det. Crocker by the end, like a mother (you almost expected her to start bringing chicken soup around to the precinct). The shootout seemed more appropriate for a mobster, than a bookkeeper.
I believe that we see policewoman Mettey again (undercover as a call girl), later in the series.
Perry Mason: The Case of the Black-Eyed Blonde (1958)
"You Only Outweighed Her By 60 lbs.!"
I think this is one of the top ten episodes of the first season: the millionaire is a good guy, the killer does the right thing at the end, and the guy who gave the blonde the black eye even goes to jail (albeit, for perjury).
To me, Marian, the murder victim, seemed a little unhinged--pulls a gun on her roommate because her fiancée' says the roomie has been making passes? The murderer was cool, calculated, and not at all obvious; the actress gave a great performance.
It's a good feeling to know that Bobby ("he's a doll") would get a home and all the love he would ever need (from the roomie and the millionaire). Ahhhh....fate.
Gunsmoke: Legends Don't Sleep (1963)
He Was Never One to Deny It....
In my opinion, some of the best Gunsmoke episodes were the hour-long black & white ones from 1961-1966; this one is no exception.
The story begins with Brett, a restless young man, who is at a crossroads in his life--he could go either way. After Matt Dillon kicks him out of town, he meets reputed and aging ex-con, Race Fallon ("he was never one to deny it."). Race would like to retire and live out his days on his aunt's farm, but no one believes him, save for Aunt Jen, who thinks Race should settle down and get married ("The decent women wouldn't have me and the ones that would, aren't worth having.").
Brett has a huge case of hero-worship and his bragging in another town, brings the law out to the farm, where they tell Race, he will be shot on sight, if he comes to town. Race sends Brett to get Matt, who doesn't want to see Race in Dodge City, either. Race's former gang members show up, ready to pick up where they left off, but without Brett, who has unofficially joined. Race saves Brett from the other gang, and ends up getting that long rest with some help of his "only friend", Matt.
When Race leaves Aunt Jen, she cautions him to "live as long as you can", knowing she will never see him (alive) again. William Talman gives a fine performance; your eyes may well.
Perry Mason: The Case of the Moth-Eaten Mink (1957)
A Nod to Film Noir?
I remember watching this one as a kid in the early 70's with my parents; it stuck out for a few reasons.
The lighting seemed so dark and seedy, even at Morey's Restaurant. Also, everyone looked/seemed shady, even the defendant(s). I still haven't figured out how the killer legibly wrote a message with lipstick on the bottom of a table.
By this time, I knew Douglas Kennedy as Fred, the sheriff on "The Big Valley"; I had a hard time accepting someone who had been a symbol of law and order, playing a bad guy. Speaking of which, the normally, straight-as-an-arrow Lt. Tragg has the memorable line of "Call an ambulance----but....don't hurry."
Perry Mason: The Case of the Baited Hook (1957)
Lt. Tragg Meets His Match
I think the episodes from the first four seasons are the best, including this one.
Albert Tydings is a slimy character (I guess most murder victims in this series are) and there are plenty of people who had motives for killing him: the blackmailer, whom Tydings himself was blackmailing; the client, whom he has fleeced/embezzled $60K; the client's fiancée', who can't expose Tydings for fear that the client's circumstances surrounding her birth would be made public, and the jealous secretary, whom Tydings boldly tells he has a date with a "nice girl" later on.
My title refers to A.E. Leeds, who is acerbic through most of the episode and even manages to leave the usually gruff, Lt. Tragg at a loss for words. When Mrs. Leeds and Lt. Tragg "stroll" arm-in-arm out of Mason's office, the viewers are left with a feeling that everything will turn out okay for everyone.
The Untouchables: The Jake Lingle Killing (1959)
Pre-Hawaii Five-O Training
This is one of my favorite episodes of the first season. Jack Lord is ex-con Bill Hagen, who collaborates with Eliot Ness to collect the $25,000 reward for the killer of a prominent newspaperman. There seems to be a genuine respect between the two men; and while Hagen's honesty is in question through the entire episode, in the end, he seems to have been a better (read: honest) man, than the "beloved" newspaperman, Jake Lingle".
One of the most ruthless scenes in the series is watching the two mob leaders casually give away their "boys" in a game of Black-Jack, where the stakes are a dime.