The Classic/Retro Pop Culture Thread

[The Old Mixer]

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50th Anniversary Viewing (Part 2)

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The Odd Couple
"The Ides of April"
Originally aired January 19, 1973

Summoned to the IRS to sign his tax return, Felix convinces them to audit Oscar.

This is even more ahead of schedule than it appears, because it's twelve days after the titular occasion when Oscar asks Felix to belatedly mail his taxes, and Felix gets a telegram from the IRS about a discrepancy in his own returns. Already sinus-suffering from the seasonal, flower-bringing weather, Felix frets all night over it. When Oscar finds him deeply asleep with an empty pill bottle the next morning, he summons Dr. Melnitz, who's exasperated to learn that Felix only took one pill, but recently.

Felix reports to Lee Ferrett (Vivian Bonnell) at the IRS office, launching into a rant about how fastidious he is with his taxes, which includes contrasting himself to Oscar, only to learn that he merely neglected to sign his check...and that Ferrett had him summoned with such urgency because everyone in the office wanted to meet their model taxpayer (who even has his returns bound). But Ferrett takes an interest in what Felix said about Oscar, which Felix tries to backpedal on.

Felix fixes Oscar a special dinner as part of an effort to butter him up, and has Murray over when he breaks the news...which he and Murray do after working themselves into hysterical laughter. Oscar has his aspiring accountant (Joshua Shelley) make a house call, but the accountant quits because he finds Oscar's unorthodox manner of keeping records (which includes writing receipts on objects in his room) impossible. Oscar is left with no choice but to enlist Felix's help. While Felix is trying to make sense of Oscar's records, Oscar goes to Ferrett to throw himself at her mercy. She notes that the office all wanted to see him as well, because of his legendarily bad returns, saying that winos have done better on bricks. It looks like Oscar is going to owe jail-time big when Felix swoops in to save the day, having found that Oscar never deducted eight years of alimony.

Didn't one of the recent episodes claim that Oscar had only divorced Blanche three years prior? The writers must have kept their continuity notes on the junk in Oscar's bedroom.

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Mission: Impossible
"The Question"
Originally aired January 19, 1973

A top KGN assassin (Gary Lockwood) claims to be defecting, and the IMF team (which includes Elizabeth Ashley) must kidnap him from the headquarters of an untrustworthy Federal Intelligence Service (FIS) in order to determine whether he's a genuine defector (or "defecting" for the purpose of feeding false intelligence).

More pining for the old days, eh? Nicholas Varsi (Lockwood) makes an airport locker rendezvous with a contact (John Baer) for his next assignment when the pair are busted by Ben Nelson (Jason Evers) of the FIS. Varsi instantly switches gears into defection mode, putting valuable information he's privy to on the table.

Good morning, Mr. Phelps. Nicholas Varsi, a top-grade assassin, was captured eight days ago. He claims to be a defector, but he's refused to reveal his mission to the Federal Intelligence Service, unless he is guaranteed safe asylum. But we cannot prove that he is a defector, that he's not here to feed us false intelligence. Unfortunately, we cannot trust the FIS in this affair. There's a strong possibility that they have been infiltrated by a deep agent. Your mission, should you agree to undertake it, will be to determine if Varsi is a genuine defector. You will have to kidnap Varsi from the FIS without their cooperation and get the truth out of him. This tape will self-destruct in five seconds. Good luck, Jim.

This appears to be another leftover from Lynda's pregnancy...Casey is referenced as having helped set up the operation from Europe. Varsi's being held in an abandoned hotel that's set up as a temporary low-profile interrogation center, where he negotiates terms with a skeptical Nelson. Barney tosses an explosive in a window so that Officers Phelps and Armitage can investigate, police patrols having been assigned to the location. In Varsi's room, Phelps does the Paris Neck Pinch again...on Gary Mitchell, no less! Then they put him in a uniform and Willy mask so he can be smuggled out as a wounded Officer Willy under cover of a staged escape attempt. Fake Officer Willy is taken out in an ambulance crewed by Barney and Andrea (Ashley), but Nelson quickly realizes he's been had and orders one of his agents, Coleman (Richard Van Vleet), to pursue the ambulance, but the IMF has an alley rigged with a makeshift oil drum roadblock.

Varsi wakes up in a warehouse in the custody of the IMFers, who are posing as KGNers. Jim, doing a very light bad accent, tries to get Varsi to reveal details of his assignment to prove that he's not actually defecting. Andrea poses as an FIS agent who was captured from the FIS facility and is being brutally interrogated by Willy. She and Varsi bond romantically while being listened in on via bug, but Barney's remote lie detector turns up inconclusive results. Jim then demands that Varsi prove his loyalty by shooting Andrea.

Varsi pulls the trigger, but the gun is empty. (He says it's a blank, but it doesn't fire.) Jim sets him loose with a suit, money, ID, and car, and lets him take Andrea as a potential hostage. The IMFers, figuring that what Varsi actually does with Andrea will tell whether he's still loyal to the KGN or defecting, tail the car via tracking device. Varsi stops somewhere to grab a bug detector and finds that the car is clean, but there's a device in his collar. When they're underway again, Andrea activates a device in her hair clip, but at a gas stop, a rando attendant (Paul Ryan) plays with the detector and it discovers Andrea's tracker. Varsi now figures that the IMFers might be FISers rather than KGNers.

While the IMFers patrol the area hoping for a signal of opportunity from Andrea, Varsi takes her to his assignment digs across from what appears to be a courthouse and preps his sniper rifle. Bound and gagged in a bedroom, Andrea wiggles to a phone, dials the IMFvan, and taps the address on the mouthpiece in Morse code. Then Varsi receives an expected visitor--Nelson, who reveals that he's Colonel Kemmer, Varsi's KGN runner whom he's never met. Varsi has a revelation of his own--his actual plan is to take Kemmer prisoner and turn him over to the FIS. But it turns out that his rifle was tampered with by Kemmer, who in turn puts a silenced round in Varsi's side. Kemmer intends to carry out the assassination of the arriving target, have a dead Varsi take the blame, and claim credit for foiling the attempt as Nelson. But a distraction from Andrea foils his opportunity to shoot, and Jim, who's climbed up the building like Spidey with the help of some good gaps between large stones, jumps in the window to take down Kemmer with assistance from Willy coming in the door.

As Varsi is taken away in an ambulance, Andrea acknowledges that he was sincere; but when he asks about who she really is, she responds that they'll have to leave that a titular interrogative.

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Love, American Style
"Love and the Missing Mister / Love and the Old Lover / Love and the Twanger Tutor"
Originally aired January 19, 1973

In "Love and the Twanger Tutor," singer, songwriter, and successful businessman Jesse Clemens (Roy Clark) loses the girl he's trying to impress, Lou Ellen (Carolyn Groves), over his illiteracy and crude mannerisms. She's a publisher's daughter, and tells him to come back when she can read some of her father's books. Jesse has a tutor hired, sophisticated and attractive Virginia Dickinson (Jessica Walter), who doesn't want to take the job because she was under the impression that her student would be a child, but Clemens guilts her into it. Soon Jesse is learning his letters, though he mispronounces words that he reads and misspells ones that he hears. After a month, he's flawlessly reading a book. Virginia is impressed, and Jesse is clearly smitten with her. He shares his feelings for her with his assistant, Sy (Larry D. Mann), as well as his intention to tell her.

Virginia goes to Jesse's place to find the place full of flowers, a giant Valentine covering the window, and a song for her (still in his characteristically crude style) left in a cassette player; to top things off, roses drop on her when she leaves. She rejects the notion of a relationship with Jesse, going to Sy about it, who advises that she'll have to turn Jesse down firmly if she expects him to get the message. When Jesse comes in, she tries to overwhelm him with high-culture dating choices, but he's up for it all. Her next attempt involves throwing a swank party at his place with her sophisticated friends. They act downright rude and cruel toward Jesse, but he takes it very graciously. It's an outraged Virginia who ends up throwing them all out, following which she returns Jesse's affection.

Jesse is said to be 31, which is nearly a decade younger than Clark was at the time.

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All in the Family
"Oh Say Can You See"
Originally aired January 20, 1973

Archie starts worrying about his age when he sees an old high school friend who looks 15 years younger.

Edith's trying to convince Archie that he needs to get reading glasses, which makes him very touchy about the subject of age, causing him to walk out during dinner and go to Kelcy's. There he runs into Bill Mulheron (Larry Storch), an old friend whom he hasn't seen in nearly thirty years, though Archie doesn't think it's him because he looks, in Kelsey's estimation, ten to fifteen years younger than he should. (In actuality, Storch was over a year older than O'Connor. And note that Bob Hastings's character is now being billed as Kelsey, though the bar's window signage still reads "Kelcy's".)

Archie doesn't act like himself afterward, becoming preoccupied about things like balding and making an effort to exercise. When he makes a return visit to Kelcy's he learns that Bill's philosophy about staying young by thinking young includes cheating on his wife of 22 years by seeing a younger woman. Ironically, Bill references the longevity of Picasso, who's about to die in a few months. Archie tries to impress Bill by claiming that he fools around, too, and when the young woman Bill's seeing, Tina (Arlene Golonka), arrives, Bill leaves Archie at the table with her. Archie's enjoying her flattery and flirtatiousness when it comes out that she's only seeing Bill because he's paying. Archie chastises Tina for her profession, then rubs the matter in with Bill, with a denouement in which Archie learns that Bill uses reading glasses, and his eyesight is worse than Archie's.

In the coda, Archie's wearing reading glasses, but is otherwise back to his old self, blowing raspberries at Cronkite.

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The Mary Tyler Moore Show
"The Georgette Story"
Originally aired January 20, 1973

Mary and Rhoda decide it is time they have a heart-to-heart talk with Georgette, since it appears Ted is taking his new girlfriend way too much for granted.

When Georgette drops by the station to see Ted, Lou is in a good mood because WJM now has the second-worst-rated news program in Minneapolis, so he makes small talk with her, learning that she's now selling Golden Girl cosmetics. Ted, by contrast, seems self-conscious about her presence and brushes her off on his way out of the newsroom. Mary and Rhoda discuss their prospects for hooking Georgette up with somebody else, and Mary learns that Rhoda went out with Ted once but didn't tell her. Georgette drops by, and when Mary and Rhoda learn that she's doing Ted's laundry, they refer her to their best prospect. Ted's reaction is later evident in his on-air demeanor...

Murray: I haven't seen Ted so angry since they canceled My Mother the Car.​

Ted holds an impromptu meeting in the newsroom to accuse Mary of being a back stabber. Lou takes Mary in his office to inform her that for once he's with Ted, as what she do affects his work. Feeling that it shouldn't, Mary very hesitantly walks out of Lou's office.

Lou subsequently avoids facing Mary, then offers an apology without finishing any sentences. Mary defiantly makes a point of setting Georgette up on the phone with another guy in front of Ted. But after a double date, Mary realizes that Georgette's the problem, as she's enabling the worst behavior in the men she sees. Mary and Rhoda sit her down for a talk about self-respect, encouraging her to list her own best qualities.

Georgette: And I like to think I'm a nice person.
Mary: Just "nice"?
Georgette: Very nice. Damn nice.​

Georgette dates Ted again with Mary's encouragement, but when the couple are alone, Georgette stands up for herself and announces that she thinks they shouldn't see each other anymore. This brings Ted to groveling mode, and she sets down rules about Ted's behavior toward her, following which they express their love for one another. In a newsroom coda, Ted initially seems enthusiastic about how Georgette's now like a completely different woman, but tells Mary that he'll never forgive her.

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The Bob Newhart Show
"The Man with the Golden Wrist"
Originally aired January 20, 1973

Bob is too nervous to wear the expensive watch that Emily bought him.

On the morning of what we later learn is Bob's 40th birthday (a few years younger than Newhart), Emily gives him her present, an engraved Swiss watch, in bed. At the office, Bob tries to prevent Carol and Jerry from making a fuss over his birthday, though it seems that neither of them knew. When Bob shows Jerry the watch, Jerry indicates that it's much more expensive than Bob thinks, and puts him on the phone with a jeweler, who informs Bob that it would have cost about $1,250. When Bob returns home, Emily learns that he's now keeping the watch wrapped in a handkerchief in his jacket pocket, and a discussion about its cost ensues, with Emily confessing that she spent $1,300.

Bob: Emily, I could have gotten it for twelve-fifty!​

After Bob makes clear that Emily's income as a substitute teacher (as they're now specifying again) doesn't realistically cover such an extravagant purchase, he explains that he could get a watch for $20 that would do the same thing.

Emily: You know, Bob, I never realized it before...you're cheap.​

Nevertheless, Bob learns that Emily has made plans at an expensive restaurant...for what was supposed to be a surprise party. Bob attempts not too successfully to act happy and surprised in the banquet room, with guests that include Howard, Jerry, Carol, Bernie Tupperman, Aunt May (Joan Tompkins), and Doc Ock. Bob's lack of enthusiasm opening gag gifts causes Emily to mention to Carol, who's sitting next to her, that she and Bob had a fight over the cost of the watch, which gets around the table from one person to the next in what turns out to be a game of Post Office...

Howard (sitting next to Bob): You and Emily are getting a divorce because she spent $100,000 on a watch!?!​

When the Hartleys get home, the tension between them is stronger than ever.

Bob: I'm going to bed...unless you have another surprise for me.
Emily: I did have, but you're sure not gonna get it now.​

As they attempt to patch things up, Bob explains how, when he was a kid, he used to measure the value of things in numbers of ice cream cones...

Bob: And when I found out how much this watch cost, I felt like I had been run over by a Good Humor truck!​

Emily offers to take Bob to exchange the watch (though earlier in the same scene he'd made the point that he couldn't return it because of the engraved message on the back). As the Hartleys are about to go to bed, Howard shows up to bring Bob a gift that he'd left behind...

Howard: You left your pajamas at the party...I thought you might need 'em tonight.
Bob: I don't think I will, Howard.​

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I found the scary Cap splash page:

That was when Cap faked his death as a way of backpedaling on having revealed his secret identity.

 

[RJDiogenes]

"The Ides of April"

Cute. Beware!

Ferrett had him summoned with such urgency because everyone in the office wanted to meet their model taxpayer (who even has his returns bound).

I remember this. He even gets a round of applause if I remember right.

She notes that the office all wanted to see him as well, because of his legendarily bad returns, saying that winos have done better on bricks.

Then why did she need Felix to draw her attention to him?

It looks like Oscar is going to owe jail-time big when Felix swoops in to save the day, having found that Oscar never deducted eight years of alimony.

I remember that, too. Nice twist.

Didn't one of the recent episodes claim that Oscar had only divorced Blanche three years prior? The writers must have kept their continuity notes on the junk in Oscar's bedroom.

The evidence mounts that Oscar and Felix are a focal point in the Temporal Cold War.

More pining for the old days, eh?

As well they should.

Nicholas Varsi (Lockwood)

Frank Poole, in addition to Gary Mitchell as noted. I wonder if Mitchell will show up in Strange New Worlds. But I digress.

This appears to be another leftover from Lynda's pregnancy...Casey is referenced as having helped set up the operation from Europe.

How? Why?

Varsi's being held in an abandoned hotel that's set up as a temporary low-profile interrogation center

Because Cheyenne Mountain and wherever were all overbooked.

Barney tosses an explosive in a window so that Officers Phelps and Armitage can investigate, police patrols having been assigned to the location.

"Hello, we're the Conventional Law Enforcement. May we come in?"

Phelps does the Paris Neck Pinch again...on Gary Mitchell, no less!

But did he learn it from time travelers from the future or the Vulcans who were stranded in the 50s?

Varsi pulls the trigger, but the gun is empty. (He says it's a blank, but it doesn't fire.)

Just as well. Blanks can be pretty dangerous.

The IMFers, figuring that what Varsi actually does with Andrea will tell whether he's still loyal to the KGN or defecting

For crying out loud, Phelps, he already pulled the trigger on her once!

Varsi now figures that the IMFers might be FISers rather than KGNers.

OMG!

Bound and gagged in a bedroom, Andrea wiggles to a phone, dials the IMFvan, and taps the address on the mouthpiece in Morse code.

"N-o-t-d-e-a-d-h-e-l-p..." Great secret agent moves, though.

Then Varsi receives an expected visitor--Nelson, who reveals that he's Colonel Kemmer, Varsi's KGN runner whom he's never met. Varsi has a revelation of his own--his actual plan is to take Kemmer prisoner and turn him over to the FIS.

Heavily foreshadowed, but I like the wheels within wheels.

Jim, who's climbed up the building like Spidey with the help of some good gaps between large stones, jumps in the window to take down Kemmer with assistance from Willy coming in the door.

Nice climax, too. Phelps has gotten some good action in the last couple of episodes.

As Varsi is taken away in an ambulance, Andrea acknowledges that he was sincere; but when he asks about who she really is, she responds that they'll have to leave that a titular interrogative.

Cute. The "temporary interrogation location" strains credulity, but a good episode overall.

Jesse Clemens (Roy Clark)

Banjo Master.

She's a publisher's daughter, and tells him to come back when she can read some of her father's books.

Quite an advocate for literacy.

It's an outraged Virginia who ends up throwing them all out, following which she returns Jesse's affection.

Not quite as cliched as it seems at first glance, since Jesse did improve himself.

Jesse is said to be 31, which is nearly a decade younger than Clark was at the time.

He always had that boyish look about him.

There he runs into Bill Mulheron (Larry Storch), an old friend whom he hasn't seen in nearly thirty years

Who just popped up outta nowhere.

In actuality, Storch was over a year older than O'Connor.

That's surprising. He does look a lot younger.

Ironically, Bill references the longevity of Picasso, who's about to die in a few months.

They should have done a sequel.

Archie chastises Tina for her profession, then rubs the matter in with Bill, with a denouement in which Archie learns that Bill uses reading glasses, and his eyesight is worse than Archie's.

Kind of lame, and seems a bit off topic for AITF.

blowing raspberries at Cronkite.

Except for this part.

Mary learns that Rhoda went out with Ted once but didn't tell her.

What? What? What?!

Georgette: Very nice. Damn nice.

In a newsroom coda, Ted initially seems enthusiastic about how Georgette's now like a completely different woman, but tells Mary that he'll never forgive her.

"I, too, hate spunk."

Bob's 40th birthday (a few years younger than Newhart)

And closer to Suzanne Pleshette.

Emily learns that he's now keeping the watch wrapped in a handkerchief in his jacket pocket, and a discussion about its cost ensues, with Emily confessing that she spent $1,300.

Wow, that's probably a new car in 1973.

Bob: Emily, I could have gotten it for twelve-fifty!

He cracks me up.

Howard, Jerry, Carol, Bernie Tupperman, Aunt May (Joan Tompkins), and Doc Ock.

The Sinister Six!

Emily: I did have, but you're sure not gonna get it now.

Don't mess with Emily, Bob.

Emily offers to take Bob to exchange the watch (though earlier in the same scene he'd made the point that he couldn't return it because of the engraved message on the back).

Bob is a pretty common name.

That was when Cap faked his death as a way of backpedaling on having revealed his secret identity.

Now you tell me. That explains the rubber Steve Rogers mask they found in the other panel. For some reason, I always thought it had something to do with the Red Skull and the Cosmic Cube, like the Skull teleported him away just as the bullets hit (and apparently wanted to see him naked).

 

[DarrenTR1970]

Mission: Impossible "The Question" Originally aired January 19, 1973

This appears to be another leftover from Lynda's pregnancy...Casey is referenced as having helped set up the operation from Europe.

This was the tenth episode filmed, and the seventh sans Lynda Day George who was on maternity leave. IMO this season would probably have been best watched in production order vs. airdate order because it solves the problem of having Casey disappear and reappearing at odd intervals.

Anyway, the book says that this is the cheapest 'M:I' episode ever mounted, with most of the sets being abandoned interiors and the exterior scenes shot on the streets of Hollywood Boulevard adjecent to Paramount Studios.

The book also singles out the performances of Gary Lockwood (sans foreign accent) and Elizabeth Ashley, returning to the show after playing an alcoholic in episode 132 'The Encounter' from the previous season, who both underplay their roles.

 

[DarrenTR1970]

And now for something completely different . . .

I stumbled across this while searching for another video. Anyone who remembers Robert Palmer from 'Bad Case of Lovin' You (Doctor, Doctor)' and 'Addicted to Love' will find this surprising. Here he is with his first group, 'Vinegar Joe' a blues-rock group.

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Wiki says they only released one album and a compellation album before calling it quits. Kind of a shame as there's some really good playing there.

 

[The Old Mixer]

Then why did she need Felix to draw her attention to him?

Maybe he just became a new legend.

Temporal Cold War

But did he learn it from time travelers from the future or the Vulcans who were stranded in the 50s?

Too many Enterprise references in this post.

How? Why?

She was siphoning them intel.

"N-o-t-d-e-a-d-h-e-l-p..." Great secret agent moves, though.

From an early '70s perspective, it's noteworthy that dialing with her wrists tied behind her back was facilitated by it being a push-button phone.

Banjo Master.

And Hee Haw host. He actually dropped that phrase at one point.

They should have done a sequel.

Of course, I only knew that Picasso's passing was imminent off the top of my head because of a Wings song...

Kind of lame, and seems a bit off topic for AITF.

Is anything off topic for AITF?

Except for this part.

"This just in--former president Lyndon John--"
"PFFFFFFFTTTTT!!!"

What? What? What?!

That did seem like a case of show, don't tell.

Wow, that's probably a new car in 1973.

Bob said that he could have gotten a piano for the difference between that and a cheap watch.

 

[RJDiogenes]

IMO this season would probably have been best watched in production order vs. airdate order because it solves the problem of having Casey disappear and reappearing at odd intervals.

Airing episodes out of order doesn't ever seem to work well.

Wiki says they only released one album and a compellation album before calling it quits. Kind of a shame as there's some really good playing there.

Three albums, actually. The singer is really good, but never made much of an impression in America, unfortunately. And I got a kick out of the Alfred E Neuman sticker on that guy's guitar.

Too many Enterprise references in this post.

Not an Enterprise fan?

She was siphoning them intel.

Okay, that's good. Not sure what intel that would be, but at least they addressed it.

From an early '70s perspective, it's noteworthy that dialing with her wrists tied behind her back was facilitated by it being a push-button phone.

She could have beeped out the Morse code on the buttons too.

And Hee Haw host. He actually dropped that phrase at one point.

Oh, yeah, Hee Haw. I actually saw that a couple of times or so. I recall girls with cleavage popping up in a cornfield.

Is anything off topic for AITF?

Well, maybe "non topical" would have been a better way to put it.

"This just in--former president Lyndon John--"
"PFFFFFFFTTTTT!!!"

Ouch.

That did seem like a case of show, don't tell.

And it was never spoken of again, as far as I can recall.

Bob said that he could have gotten a piano for the difference between that and a cheap watch.

A little Googling tells me that a new car would have been 2-3 times the amount of the watch, actually.

 

[The Old Mixer]

50 Years Ago This Week

January 28

• With the expiration of hostilities the Vietnam War [sic] to go into effect at 0:00 Universal Time, the ceasefire began at 8:00 in the morning local time. The war continued in the neighboring kingdom of Laos, where no truce had been reached, and U.S. B-52 bombers continued to bomb suspected Communist positions and supply lines that were infiltrating South Vietnam.
• The television detective drama Barnaby Jones premiered on the CBS television network for the first of 178 episodes and eight seasons. At the age of 64, Buddy Ebsen, who had starred in the comedy The Beverly Hillbillies from 1962 to 1971, took on a dramatic role as an elderly private investigator seeking to find the killer of his son-in-law between cases. Actress Lee Meriwether portrayed his daughter-in-law and assistant in the program, a production of Quinn Martin.

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​

• Died: John Banner, 63, Austrian-born American stage, film and TV actor best known for playing Sergeant Schultz on Hogan's Heroes, died while visiting friends in Austria.

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January 29

• Three people were killed in fighting in Belfast, capital of Northern Ireland. A member of the Ulster Defence Association (UDA) shot dead a Catholic civilian at his workplace, a petrol station on Kennedy Way, Belfast. Later, the UDA killed a 15-year-old Catholic civilian in a drive-by shooting at Falls Road/Donegall Road junction, and a Provisional IRA shot and killed dead UDA member Francis 'Hatchet' Smith, rumored to have led the group that shot the teenager.

January 30

• Bass guitarist Gene Klein and rhythm guitarist Stanley Eisen, members of the heavy metal band Wicked Lester, introduced their reimagined format, wearing face makeup and playing before a group of 10 customers [at the] Popcorn Club, a bar located in the borough of Queens in New York City. Klein renamed himself Gene Simmons while Eisen became Paul Stanley. With drummer George Peter Criscuola (Peter Criss) and lead guitarist Paul "Ace" Frehley, the band played for the first time under the name KISS.
• The U.S. Department of Defense announced that the list of 555 prisoners of war included a U.S. Marine, Private First Class Ronald L. Ridgeway of Houston, Texas, who had been listed as killed in action on February 25, 1968. Ridgeway had been on patrol with eight other Marines during the Battle of Khe Sanh when the group was ambushed, and a group burial had been made in the Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis, Missouri. After more than five years as a prisoner of war in the "Hanoi Hilton", Ridgeway was released with the other listed POWs on March 16, 1973, and would work in administration with the Veterans Administration and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs after returning to civilian life.
• G. Gordon Liddy and James W. McCord Jr., both former officials in the Committee to Re-Elect the President that had coordinated U.S. President Nixon's re-election campaign, were convicted by a federal jury in Washington on charges of conspiracy to spy on Democratic Party officials at the Watergate Hotel. Unlike the other five persons charged, Liddy and McCord had declined to enter a plea bargain, and the jury returned guilty verdicts after less than 90 minutes of deliberation.
• The first 125 officers and enlisted men out of 37,000 Republic of Korea troops who were still remaining in South Vietnam returned home to Seoul as South Korea's pullout from the Vietnam War began.

February 1

• North Vietnam's government provided the names of only seven of the 319 Americans who had been listed by the U.S. as having been captured in Laos. There were 308 U.S. servicemen and four civilians who had been listed as missing in action or as prisoners of war.
• The United States First Fleet was inactived[?] by the U.S. Navy and its duties and equipment were transferred to the United States Third Fleet.

February 2

• James R. Schlesinger became the new U.S. Director of Central Intelligence, succeeding Richard M. Helms, who resigned after almost seven years as DCI. At the same time, five new members of the presidential cabinet secretaries were sworn in—Elliot Richardson (Defense), Frederick B. Dent (Commerce), Peter J. Brennan (Labor), James T. Lynn (HUD) and Claude S. Brinegar (Transportation).
• The Midnight Special, introduced by Wolfman Jack (Robert Weston Smith), began an 8-season run as the first U.S. network series to run at 1:00 in the morning, premiering on NBC. A pilot episode had been shown on August 19, 1972, and the series premiere was hosted by Helen Reddy, with Ike and Tina Turner as the opening act.
• President Richard Nixon sent his written State of the Union message to Congress rather than speaking to a joint session. For the first time since 1956, when Dwight D. Eisenhower was recovering from a heart attack, the President of the United States had the text printed rather than speaking on national television.

February 3

• Six people were shot to death and more wounded in two shootings by the Ulster Defense Association and by the British Army that happened within a few hours of each other in the predominantly-Catholic New Lodge neighborhood of Belfast in Northern Ireland. Three of the dead were Irish Republican Army members, while another three were civilians who happened to be in the group fired upon.
• "Crocodile Rock", a song about a dance that never actually existed, reached the top of the U.S. charts, giving Elton John his first U.S. number-one single.

Selections from Billboard's Hot 100 for the week:

1. "Crocodile Rock," Elton John
2. "You're So Vain," Carly Simon
3. "Superstition," Stevie Wonder
4. "Why Can't We Live Together," Timmy Thomas
5. "Your Mama Don't Dance," Kenny Loggins & Jim Messina
6. "Oh Babe, What Would You Say?," Hurricane Smith
7. "Trouble Man," Marvin Gaye
8. "The World Is a Ghetto," War
9. "Do It Again," Steely Dan
10. "Hi, Hi, Hi," Wings
11. "Me and Mrs. Jones," Billy Paul
12. "Don't Expect Me to Be Your Friend," Lobo
13. "Could It Be I'm Falling in Love," The Spinners
14. "Rocky Mountain High," John Denver
15. "Dancing in the Moonlight," King Harvest
16. "Love Jones," Brighter Side of Darkness
17. "Superfly," Curtis Mayfield
18. "Dueling Banjos," Eric Weissberg
19. "Rockin' Pneumonia--Boogie Woogie Flu," Johnny Rivers
20. "Separate Ways," Elvis Presley
21. "Daddy's Home," Jermaine Jackson
22. "Jambalaya (On the Bayou)," The Blue Ridge Rangers
23. "Clair," Gilbert O'Sullivan
24. "Last Song," Edward Bear
25. "You Turn Me On, I'm a Radio," Joni Mitchell
26. "Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight," James Taylor

28. "Love Train," The O'Jays
29. "Do You Want to Dance?," Bette Midler
30. "Funny Face," Donna Fargo
31. "I Wanna Be with You," Raspberries
32. "Reelin' and Rockin'," Chuck Berry

34. "Killing Me Softly with His Song," Roberta Flack

36. "The Cover of 'Rolling Stone'," Dr. Hook & The Medicine Show
37. "Pieces of April," Three Dog Night
38. "Peaceful Easy Feeling," Eagles

41. "Living in the Past," Jethro Tull

43. "Jesus Is Just Alright," The Doobie Brothers

46. "I Got Ants in My Pants (and I Want to Dance), Pt. 1," James Brown

49. "Danny's Song," Anne Murray
50. "Hummingbird," Seals & Crofts
51. "Lucky Man," Emerson, Lake & Palmer

58. "I'm Just a Singer (in a Rock 'n Roll Band)," The Moody Blues

60. "Space Oddity," David Bowie

62. "Neither One of Us (Wants to Be the First to Say Goodbye)," Gladys Knight & The Pips

66. "Dead Skunk," Loudon Wainwright III

73. "It Never Rains in Southern California," Albert Hammond
74. "Also Sprach Zarathustra (2001)," Deodato

78. "Aubrey," Bread

85. "Peaceful," Helen Reddy

87. "Ain't No Woman (Like the One I've Got)," Four Tops

89. "Little Willy," The Sweet

Leaving the chart:

• "Been to Canaan," Carole King (10 weeks)
• "Keeper of the Castle," Four Tops (12 weeks)
• "One of the Boys," Mott the Hoople (1 week)
• "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone," The Temptations (16 weeks)
• "The Relay," The Who (8 weeks)
• "Sitting," Cat Stevens (11 weeks)
• "Walk on Water," Neil Diamond (12 weeks)
• "You Ought to Be with Me," Al Green (15 weeks)

Recent and new on the chart:

"One of the Boys," Mott the Hoople
(Jan. 27; #96 US; #96 UK)

"Peaceful," Helen Reddy

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(#12 US; #2 AC)

"I'm Just a Singer (in a Rock 'n Roll Band)," The Moody Blues
(#12 US; #36 UK)

"Ain't No Woman (Like the One I've Got)," Four Tops

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(#4 US; #14 AC; #2 R&B)

"Also Sprach Zarathustra (2001)," Deodato

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(#2 US; #5 AC; #7 UK)


And new on the boob tube:

• M*A*S*H, "Sometimes You Hear the Bullet"
• Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In, Season 6, episode 18
• Hawaii Five-O, "The Odd Lot Caper"
• Adam-12, "The Beast"
• Kung Fu, "The Tide"
• The Brady Bunch, "Bobby's Hero"
• Love, American Style, "Love and the Hand Maiden / Love and the Hot Spell / Love and the Laughing Lover / Love and the Perfect Set-Up"
• Emergency!, "The Professor"
• The Mary Tyler Moore Show, "What Do You Say When the Boss Says 'I Love You'?"
• The Bob Newhart Show, "Not with My Sister You Don't"

_______

Timeline entries are quoted from the Wiki pages for the months.

_______

IMO this season would probably have been best watched in production order vs. airdate order because it solves the problem of having Casey disappear and reappearing at odd intervals.

Substitute Artie Effect. They tried to patch over it by saying Casey was on "assignments," but it was still obvious--especially earlier on when Barney's 'stache was also popping in and out.

Not an Enterprise fan?

Meh.

She could have beeped out the Morse code on the buttons too.

I'm not clear if it was touch-tone, however. There was no sound of beeps. There were button phones that effectively dialed like a rotary phone, where you'd hear the clicks of each number going through.

Oh, yeah, Hee Haw. I actually saw that a couple of times or so.

Routinely on Saturday afternoons (I think) at Grandma's house. She may have been the first person I knew with a push-button phone, as well.

I recall girls with cleavage popping up in a cornfield.

Maybe Bill Mumy wasn't such a monster...

And it was never spoken of again, as far as I can recall.

They played it as something that had come up before, but Rhoda hadn't specified which jerk she'd gone out with.

 

[RJDiogenes]

The television detective drama Barnaby Jones

A pleasant enough show, thanks to Buddy Ebsen and Lee Meriwether, both eminently likeable actors. I didn't care for the addition of his nephew or whoever that was. And it had a great 70s-style theme.

a dramatic role as an elderly private investigator seeking to find the killer of his son-in-law between cases.

I may be mistaken, but I don't think this is right. I think that case was resolved in the first episode and Barnaby just decided to stay unretired.

Wicked Lester, introduced their reimagined format, wearing face makeup and playing before a group of 10 customers [at the] Popcorn Club

A select and fortunate group indeed.

The United States First Fleet was inactived[?] by the U.S. Navy and its duties and equipment were transferred to the United States Third Fleet.

Reminds me of Frank Burns: "Corporal, deform the men!" I think the word they're looking for is "deactivated," although I suppose there may be some official military term for it.

President Richard Nixon sent his written State of the Union message to Congress rather than speaking to a joint session.

Wow.

the President of the United States had the text printed rather than speaking on national television.

I wonder how many Congress Critters had to ask their pages to read it to them.

"One of the Boys," Mott the Hoople

I don't recognize this at all. It's not a great song, but their sound is still good.

"Peaceful," Helen Reddy

This started vaguely ringing a bell partway through. I think. Also not great.

"I'm Just a Singer (in a Rock 'n Roll Band)," The Moody Blues

Now we're talking.

"Ain't No Woman (Like the One I've Got)," Four Tops

Also a goodie.

"Also Sprach Zarathustra (2001)," Deodato

I'm surprised Zarathustra didn't smite Deodato for claiming that he sprach'd this.

Meh.

Huh. Poor Enterprise.

I'm not clear if it was touch-tone, however. There was no sound of beeps. There were button phones that effectively dialed like a rotary phone, where you'd hear the clicks of each number going through.

That's true, and they persisted at least into the early 80s. I had one in my first apartment.

Maybe Bill Mumy wasn't such a monster...

They played it as something that had come up before, but Rhoda hadn't specified which jerk she'd gone out with.

So weird....

 

[TREK_GOD_1]

I found the scary Cap splash page:

Great "bridge" issue between Steranko's magnificent, all-too brief run on Captain America. It would also be Kirby's last issue of the title until his return to Marvel several years later with issue #193 (January, 1976)--

--with excellent inking and other embellishment by the legendary John Romita, Sr.

"I'm Just a Singer (in a Rock 'n Roll Band)," The Moody Blues
(#12 US; #36 UK)

Always a favorite, and the usually musically expansive Moodies were as capable of creating driving rock as well as any other group--with a flair all their own.

"Ain't No Woman (Like the One I've Got)," Four Tops
(#4 US; #14 AC; #2 R&B)

Timeless.

• Adam-12, "The Beast"

Light episode, and probably the reason the GAF corporation arranged to shoot their 3-D images of this episode--

--instead of one with darker criminal subject matter.

 

[DarrenTR1970]

Now we're talking.

Always a favorite, and the usually musically expansive Moodies were as capable of creating driving rock as well as any other group--with a flair all their own.

Work began on what would be the Moodies seventh album in January 1972, after taking a break following the end of their world tour on 16-November-1971.

According to the interviews conducted with the band for the liner notes of the deluxe reissue, the band was feeling pressure both from within themselves and the label to produce another high-quality record.

As Justin Hayward points out, they had recently launched their own label, Threshold, and built their own recording studio, yet they laid down the basic tracks in Mike Pinder's garage studio as a way to keep the outside pressure at bay.

John Lodge's "Isn't Life Strange", Justin Hayward's "You and Me" and Mike Pinder's "Lost in a Lost World" were all completed before the band went out on another American/European tour in February, ending on 22-April-1972 at Wembley Stadium.

Recording sessions would resume four weeks later and continue sporadically at various studios until September.

Again, as Justin Hayward says, the band couldn't muster any enthusiasm to go into the studio and complete the album. No one wanted to be around each other anymore.

"Seventh Sojourn" was finally released on 23-October-1972, preceded by the single "Isn't Life Strange" b/w "After You Came" and followed by the single "I'm Just A Singer (In A Rock And Roll Band)" b/w "For My Lady".

The album was mixed in stereo and Quadrophonic sound. Quadrophonic pressings are extremely rare and valuable, and the mix differs from the stereo version owing to the Quadrophonic system. If you happen to own the deluxe expanded edition, you can insert the disc into your Blu-Ray player and listen to the Quadrophonic version through your home theater system.

A world tour would follow, lasting from September 1973 to 4-February-1974. It would be the last tour to feature founding member Mike Pinder, who would move to California to be with his American wife and his newborn children. The band would record portions of their comeback album "Octave" in Mike Pinder's home studio in California in late-1977

An attempt at recording an eighth album was begun on 13-February-1973 with the Justin Hayward composition "Island"; but after the basic backing track and guide vocal were laid down, the tape was consigned to the vaults and any further work on the album halted.

All five members of the Moodies would release solo albums during their break-up/hiatus. (Make no doubt about it - the liner notes to the deluxe reissue and the liner notes to the Moodies solo albums with the interviews conducted with the band members all say they more or less broke up and had no intention of reforming. Even when they did get back together to record their eighth album 'Octave', tensions were still high. Initial recording would begin at Mike Pinder's home studio in California before Mike had a falling out with the other four. The album would be completed back in London. Mike would contribute only one song and the majority of the keyboards would be added in later by the other band members. Mike's face would subsequently be pasted into the cover after the album was completed. [I've read a couple of stories where Mike's newfound spiritual beliefs were in conflict with the other band members; but there doesn't seem to be any corroborating evidence. That being said, his solo album released during this time 'The Promise' is a highly spiritual/religious album and the interview in the liner notes he talks about his religious beliefs that he found thanks to his wife.])

Graeme Edge would form "The Graeme Edge Band featuring Adrian Gurvitz" and release "Kick Off Your Muddy Boots" (1975) and "Paradise Ballroom" (1977),
Justin Hayward would release the album "Songwriter" (1977),
John Lodge would release "Natural Avenue" (1977),
Mike Pinder would release "The Promise" (1976),
and Ray Thomas would release "From Mighty Oaks" (1975) and "Hopes, Wishes and Dreams" (1976).

(It's one of those situations, where, if you were to take the best songs from each solo album - barring Graeme Edge because he doesn't sing on his two albums - you could make a decent eighth Moody album.)

An interesting postscript to this, is that in mid-1974, Mike Pinder invited Justin Hayward to his home in California to discuss the possibility of recording an album together and possibly reforming the Moody Blues, but the discussions grew heated, and Mike Pinder withdrew from the project.

Not one to let the idea of an album with a collaborator go to waste, Justin called John Lodge and invited him to work on the album, and both brought material destined for their solo albums to the project, subsequently releasing the album as "Justin Hayward/John Lodge - Blue Jays" on 14-March-1975, peaking at #4 on the UK charts.

 

[The Old Mixer]

I may be mistaken, but I don't think this is right. I think that case was resolved in the first episode and Barnaby just decided to stay unretired.

Apparently it's wrong about that, and in saying that the murder victim was Barnaby's son-in-law, when it was Barnaby's son / Betty's husband, which makes more sense.

On the subject of John Banner's death--this is another item that I think I have a first-hand recollection of.

I don't recognize this at all. It's not a great song, but their sound is still good.

Covered here because the album is on the RS list. The single version was somewhat shorter, but I couldn't find it.

This started vaguely ringing a bell partway through. I think. Also not great.

I'm not sure how deep my hobgoblin will want me to dig now that I've opened the Helen Reddy can of worms, but this forgettable number isn't making an argument for top 20 charters.

Now we're talking.

A decent, radio-friendly bit of business.

Also a goodie.

Early '70s soul classic. Both of these numbers have been on my playlist for a while now as their albums have been on the chart.

I'm surprised Zarathustra didn't smite Deodato for claiming that he sprach'd this.

I might've gotten this if the single edit had been available, but I don't need nine minutes of it.

 

[RJDiogenes]

Great "bridge" issue between Steranko's magnificent, all-too brief run on Captain America. It would also be Kirby's last issue of the title until his return to Marvel several years later with issue #193 (January, 1976)--

By which time his style had changed considerably, though I still liked it (others I knew didn't). I especially liked the Bicentennial Treasury Edition. We actually found out about Jack's return to Marvel when Roy Thomas accidentally blurted it out at a Sunday Funnies comic convention in Boston. My friend and I, plus several other people, were standing at a table getting comics signed by Thomas and he just casually mentioned it, thinking that it had already been announced.

Light episode, and probably the reason the GAF corporation arranged to shoot their 3-D images of this episode--

I've still got my Talking View-Master and my reels, but I don't think I ever had Adam-12.

Again, as Justin Hayward says, the band couldn't muster any enthusiasm to go into the studio and complete the album. No one wanted to be around each other anymore.

A common enough story for bands, but I had never heard that it happened to The Moody Blues.

All five members of the Moodies would release solo albums during their break-up/hiatus.

I'm guessing that none of these resulted in any memorable singles, since I don't remember any-- not that I have a perfect memory anymore.

Mike's face would subsequently be pasted into the cover after the album was completed.

Ouch.

[I've read a couple of stories where Mike's newfound spiritual beliefs were in conflict with the other band members

Also a fairly common story. It's a shame, but you can't fault a guy for his beliefs, assuming they're well intentioned.

Apparently it's wrong about that, and in saying that the murder victim was Barnaby's son-in-law, when it was Barnaby's son / Betty's husband, which makes more sense.

I definitely knew that part, but the "in-law" slipped right by me.

I'm not sure how deep my hobgoblin will want me to dig now that I've opened the Helen Reddy can of worms, but this forgettable number isn't making an argument for top 20 charters.

Aside from "I Am Woman," I can only think of three, maybe four, Helen Reddy songs that I have in my collection. I'd have to check on that fourth one.

 

[The Old Mixer]

_______

50th Anniversary Viewing (Part 1)

_______

M*A*S*H
"The Ringbanger"
Originally aired January 21, 1973

While a colonel with a high casualty record (Leslie Nielsen) is recovering in post-op, Hawkeye and Trapper conspire to keep him out of action.

After taking a bullet out of the thigh of Col. Buzz Brighton (Nielsen)--who's been featured in Stars and Stripes magazie--Hawkeye and Trapper invite him to the Swamp for drinks. The colonel gets on their bad side when he pulls a Patton by opining that soldiers suffering from battle fatigue are yellow; expresses his belief that casualties come second to the objective; and makes clear that his objective is offing thousands of g****s. (The title comes from Brighton's habit of banging his ring against the arm of his chair while talking about such matters.) The guys try to find an excuse to keep him around for a while so his unit will be reassigned, but find that he's in great health; and discourage him from going higher up by telling him that Blake is a drunk and Burns a crossdresser (with a scene ensuing in which Burns tries to examine the highly defensive colonel).

The guys decide that the way to get to Brighton is through his head, but their somewhat nonsensical way of going about this involves switching tents around on him and having Radar slip milk in the tents that doesn't appear to have anything special in it; motivating an already smitten Hot Lips to pay him a personal visit by telling her that he needs some confidence boosting, so that she'll be caught by Frank and then Blake; and getting Blake sauced up for the occasion while giving him a Radar-cooked excuse to brandish a gun. Brighton too easily agrees to say that he's suffering from battle fatigue to get away from Blake, and the guys have Blake sign a recommendation that Brighton be given some rest time.

The episode was directed by Jackie Cooper. I guess I can see here what you've been saying, RJ...I can't see them attempting this half-assed excuse for a Hogan's Heroes plot with Potter.

_______

Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
Season 6, episode 17
Originally aired January 22, 1973

Sammy Davis Jr.

The intro and many subsequent short segments feature Sammy reprising the role of the judge.

A Salute to the '50s that doesn't really capture the vibe of the decade:

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Sammy joins in on the recurring skit of Dan and Dick playing spies giving and repeating complicated instructions. Sammy and Dan both do Bogey impressions.

Edith Ann on Buster being sick:

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Sammy gets in some tap-dancing with Willie Tyler and Lester:

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Ernestine calls Burt Reynolds. You can guess the subject.

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This one didn't have a cocktail party or a news segment. There is a closing joke wall. I haven't been able to locate joke wall segments from this season so far, but they've really simplified it. All of the openings are square and parallel with no hatches.

_______

Hawaii Five-O
"Here Today, Gone Tonight"
Originally aired January 23, 1973

Five-O has to solve the riddle of how a suspected killer (Monte Markham) can appear to be in two places at the same time.

The episode opens with a montage of Barry Dean (Monte Markham) drawing lots of attention to himself at a hotel; following which we see him meeting with his boss, industrialist Peter Fleming (Douglas Kennedy), who assigns Barry to attend a gala on his behalf to sound out the Governor on a contract. At the event, Barry approaches McGarrett, offering to help him expose his boss's criminal operations. Dean subsequently sends a man named Whitelaw (Lawrence Montaigne) to arrange a helicopter-pickup rendezvous to the undisclosed location where Dean is hiding, during which he tells them that an attempt was made on Dean's life. At the Governor's insistence, McGarrett sends an unarmed Danno in his place. (Steve is said to be involved in preparations for an upcoming presidential visit--Will Dick be socking it Five-O?)

Dean is just starting to describe his history with Fleming when he has an angina attack (set up in his meeting with Steve) and has to go upstairs for awhile. Minutes later, we see Dean going through the elaborate security to have another meeting with Fleming in his Bond villain-style concealed office. At this one, Dean draws a Five-O Special and shoots Fleming, then calmly leaves with the security outside none the wiser (thanks to the magic of silenced revolvers). Minutes after that, he comes back downstairs at his digs, where Danno's been working at a newspaper crossword puzzle, to continue testifying. Danno returns to HQ carrying boatloads of evidence from Dean.

Cut to McGarrett, Chin, and Ben at the scene of Fleming's murder, which is also attended by insurance investigator Bella Morgan (Sandra Smith), who's already an acquaintance of Steve's. McGarrett is puzzled to learn from the security guards that Dean was the last one to visit Fleming...at the same time Danno was sitting downstairs in what he's determined to be Maui. Danno retraces his copter-steps on a map, including fairly precise timing. Then he, Steve, and Che take a fly to the place and pay Dean a visit, informing him of Fleming's death. Danno goes over his activities while he was waiting downstairs, and Che produces fingerprint evidence that Danno was there. Steve theorizes that Dean used a double, referencing Wo Fat's M.O. Che produces finger- and voiceprints from Dean at Maui as well. Cut to Dean having a rendezvous in Fleming's office with the boss's widow, June (Madlyn Rhue)--who's just returned from a trip to London--at which we learn that they're affair-having conspirators.

Dean arranges for them to not see each other for five months, after which they'll establish a public relationship with the appearance of more appropriate timing. Five-O and Bella speculate how Mrs. Fleming, who's cheated on a previous husband, may have conspired in Fleming's murder, as she was the only one with free enough access to his office to plant a gun there (enjoying the use of a private entrance with no security). An incident in the parking lot with a man who drives an identical car sparks a brainstorm in Steve, following which he and Che investigate what appears to be Dean's beachfront property, then demonstrate to Danno in a helicopter simulator how instrument readouts and island lights could have been faked. The property they investigated was the recent location of duplicate of the Maui house that they visited after Fleming's murder, ten minutes from Fleming's office on Oahu. Everything that Danno touched in the duplicate house had been transferred to the one on Maui, following which the duplicate house was quickly demolished (construction having been Felming's business).

Bella makes an anonymous call to June, dropping details of the scheme to shake her. Like a rank amateur, she immediately calls Dean at her husband's office, but he more shrewdly doesn't give her a chance to talk, pretending for the sake of anyone listening that their relationship is all business. Bella later calls June again to arrange a blackmail payment rendezvous, at which she puts on that she's the woman Barry is having an affair on her with, dropping convincing details. June defiantly rips up the checks she brought, threatening Bella while admitting to her role in the murder...at which point the Five-Oers reveal themselves; following which they pay a booking visit to Dean at Fleming's office.

_______

Adam-12
"Citizen's Arrest – 484"
Originally aired January 24, 1973

Malloy and Reed arrest a seemingly less-fortunate woman for shoplifting items for her baby, but she escapes from custody during a disruption at the station.

The officers are assigned to the titular call at a supermarket, where a moonlighting officer, Dave Parlow (Byron Bradley), has caught Jessie Gaynor (Pamela Jones) shoplifting for baby supplies. She protests that she didn't have any money or food stamps, and when she tries to make a break for her car in the parking lot, they find the baby inside, along with a mostly empty purse. Jessie is primarily concerned that she not lose little Poppy because of her arrest. Everyone assumes that she'll get off lightly as it's a minor first offense; but when the policewoman who's minding her at the station tries to assist with a rowdy suspect, Gaynor escapes from the bathroom with the baby. Afterward, Mac tells Malloy and Reed that he got a call from a Mrs. Hardy, whose baby was stolen by the Gaynors after she hired them as sitters.

Back on patrol, the officers respond to a code 30 at a warehouse. When they split up to search the outside of the building for how the burglars got in, Reed is held at gunpoint by one of them who's hiding in an alley under the open window (John Dennis), waiting for his accomplice to come out. The suspect wants Reed to call his partner into the trap, so Reed complies, alerting Pete by addressing him as "Brinkman". Malloy gets the drop on the suspect and they nab his accomplice coming out the window. Back at the station, Mac further exposits that Mrs. Hardy has reported a ransom call for her baby, which doesn't smell right to the officers.

On patrol again, the officers are called to a landlord-tenant dispute. At the apartment complex they catch Jessie Gaynor trying to slip out, and find the manager, Elword Staff (Robert DoQui), having been beaten and his apartment trashed by Jessie's escaped husband. Jessie accuses Staff of having made the ransom call, trying to cash in on the situation. The officers instigate a search for Jack Gaynor, who now has Poppy. At the station, Jessie is confronted by Mrs. Hardy (Kim Hamilton), and explains how she and Jack couldn't have a baby of their own and were too poor to adopt.

On patrol, the officers hear a call about the vehicle that Gaynor is driving, spot it, and pursue, leading to Reed chasing Jack (Doug Johnson) on foot in a railyard, which involves some requisite running and jumping over Santa Fe cars before Jim catches Gaynor trying to hide in one of them. As he's being cuffed, Jack says that he returned Poppy by putting him in the back of a parked police car.

Back at the station, Mrs. Hardy has been reunited with Poppy, and requests leniency for the Gaynors.

_______

Kung Fu
"An Eye for an Eye"
Originally aired January 25, 1973

A southern family seeks vengeance against the yankee soldier who raped and impregnated their daughter, setting in motion an escalating cycle of violence that Caine may be powerless to stop. Winner of 2 Emmy Awards: (1) Best Director (Jerry Thorpe) and (2) Best Cinematography Jack Woolf.

Cue flashback...

I might not have placed Harry Townes in this for awhile if I hadn't seen his name in the credits.

Well, I thought I recognized the actor playing the impregnated girl's brother...it's Tim McIntire, who'd go on to play another role in the series before he finally got cast as the end of Kwai Chang's quest, Danny Caine. Makes his casting in that role all the more underwhelming, that he was a twice-reused guest. In the meantime: Hey, Caine, your brother's RIGHT THERE!

It's hard not to feel sympathy for the Southern family here, but Cullen Bohannon never would have fallen for that duel trick.

Did Caine learn midwifing at the monastery?

Caine Badassery Moment: Confronting the threat of the Indians head-on by just going and sitting in their camp while they were sleeping.

Well, this episode certainly doesn't pull any punches, given the fate of he baby....

_______

 

[DarrenTR1970]

@RJDiogenes

You're not wrong in not remembering any of the Moodies solo albums. I looked at the charts and neither of Graeme's albums made the top 100 UK chart. Nor did Mike Pinder's (a lowly 177). Justin Hayward and John Lodge's efforts barely made the top 40. Ray Thomas' first album charted the highest at 23, but his second stalled at 68. None of their singles charted. The Justin Hayward/John Lodge album "Blue Jays" fared the best, UK #4 and US #16, with the single "Blue Guitar" reaching #8 on the UK charts and #94 on the US.

 

[RJDiogenes]

I rather doubt her AIRPORT '75 song made the cut, but it was certainly a future inspiration in 1980.

My three favorites were "Delta Dawn," "Ruby Red Dress," and "Angie Baby," and the fourth was "Ain't No Way To Treat A Lady." I don't remember what she did for Airport '75.

Col. Buzz Brighton (Nielsen)

JJ Adams, plus ex-CONTROL agent Frank Drebin.

(The title comes from Brighton's habit of banging his ring against the arm of his chair while talking about such matters.)

Kind of a Captain Queeg.

I guess I can see here what you've been saying, RJ...I can't see them attempting this half-assed excuse for a Hogan's Heroes plot with Potter.

Yeah, Henry was just too much of a clown to be taken seriously as a commanding officer. The whole tone of the show changed with Potter.

A Salute to the '50s that doesn't really capture the vibe of the decade:

Does not sound like the 50s.

Edith Ann on Buster being sick:

I fear for Buster's life.

Sammy gets in some tap-dancing with Willie Tyler and Lester:

The world needs more ventriloquists.

Ernestine calls Burt Reynolds. You can guess the subject.

She's exploring the Cosmos.

This one didn't have a cocktail party or a news segment.

That's odd.

There is a closing joke wall. I haven't been able to locate joke wall segments from this season so far, but they've really simplified it. All of the openings are square and parallel with no hatches.

That's also odd. It doesn't seem like there would be any cost savings or whatever.

Barry Dean (Monte Markham)

The Seven-Million-Dollar Man.

Barry approaches McGarrett, offering to help him expose his boss's criminal operations.

In return for immunity, I presume, since he must have dirty hands as well.

At the Governor's insistence, McGarrett sends an unarmed Danno in his place.

"The governor insisted that you be flown to a secret location with a known criminal, helpless as a newborn baby, and beyond any hope of rescue. Still got your eye on my job, kid?"

(Steve is said to be involved in preparations for an upcoming presidential visit--Will Dick be socking it Five-O?)

They better keep their wallets in their front pockets.

Danno's been working at a newspaper crossword puzzle

"Hmm... five-letter word for excuse used to get away with murder that begins with A...."

June (Madlyn Rhue)--who's just returned from a trip to London

Yeah, sure, the London Hotel in Honolulu.

he and Che investigate what appears to be Dean's beachfront property, then demonstrate to Danno in a helicopter simulator how instrument readouts and island lights could have been faked.

Who says conventional law enforcement needs the IMF?

Everything that Danno touched in the duplicate house had been transferred to the one on Maui, following which the duplicate house was quickly demolished (construction having been Felming's business).

How many people were involved in this scheme, anyway? They would have needed some kind of permit to knock down the house, and they would have had to rally the deconstruction crew at a moment's notice, among so many other things.

June defiantly rips up the checks she brought, threatening Bella while admitting to her role in the murder...at which point the Five-Oers reveal themselves; following which they pay a booking visit to Dean at Fleming's office.

Yeah, that really all depended on June being a rank amateur. Once again, the pendulum swings on the quality of this show. Not only did it strain credulity, but it made Danno look a little stupid-- which is probably why Jack Lord insisted that his character get stuck with that assignment.

The suspect wants Reed to call his partner into the trap, so Reed complies, alerting Pete by addressing him as "Brinkman".

I wonder if they work out these little routines ahead of time or if Reed just expected Malloy to get it.

Jessie accuses Staff of having made the ransom call, trying to cash in on the situation.

Nice little twist.

Jessie is confronted by Mrs. Hardy (Kim Hamilton), and explains how she and Jack couldn't have a baby of their own and were too poor to adopt.

Shame. They would have made such excellent parents.

Back at the station, Mrs. Hardy has been reunited with Poppy, and requests leniency for the Gaynors.

A surprisingly compassionate ending.

You're not wrong in not remembering any of the Moodies solo albums. I looked at the charts and neither of Graeme's albums made the top 100 UK chart. Nor did Mike Pinder's (a lowly 177). Justin Hayward and John Lodge's efforts barely made the top 40. Ray Thomas' first album charted the highest at 23, but his second stalled at 68. None of their singles charted. The Justin Hayward/John Lodge album "Blue Jays" fared the best, UK #4 and US #16, with the single "Blue Guitar" reaching #8 on the UK charts and #94 on the US.

That's a shame. And yet when they got together, that amazing Moody Blues synergy happened.

 

[TREK_GOD_1]

By which time his style had changed considerably, though I still liked it (others I knew didn't).

The art of miid-70s Kirby dropped off considerably--unless inked by Romita (BTW, Romita just turned 93 years old on 1/24). At this time, Kirby's favorite inker (apparently) was Mike Royer, who worked with him at DC and Marvel, but was merely a tracer; he could not bring out the best in Kirby's work, while taking the robotic tendencies from his figures that a Romita, Sinnott or Shores.

I especially liked the Bicentennial Treasury Edition. We actually found out about Jack's return to Marvel when Roy Thomas accidentally blurted it out at a Sunday Funnies comic convention in Boston. My friend and I, plus several other people, were standing at a table getting comics signed by Thomas and he just casually mentioned it, thinking that it had already been announced.

Ah, Captain America's Bicentennial Battles. I recall its release, and although it was a marginally fascinating concept, I would have preferred the Treasury Edition reprinting Cap stories from Tales of Suspense, or Kirby's late 60s run on Captain America.

I've still got my Talking View-Master and my reels, but I don't think I ever had Adam-12.

My family had the basic Adam-12 reels. Where the Talking View-Master sets were concerned, we only a a few--namely Star Trek: Mr Spock's Time Trek (adapting TAS' "Yesteryear"), Superman Meets Computer Crook (strange, yet stunning mix animation cels and miniature sets / backgrounds) and Snoopy and The Red Baron (all miniatures). Such a unique form of entertainment.

A common enough story for bands, but I had never heard that it happened to The Moody Blues.

I've read about the Moodies having band tension dating as far back as the Denny Laine period (e.g., when he bailed on the band to start a solo career), but I never knew they were as dysfunctional as DarrenTR1970 revealed in his post. Generally, I've found the most internally destructive 60s (or 60s survivor) band was The Rolling Stones (honestly, take your pick of the abusive situations / relationships in that band), on a level even the disgruntled Moodies could not match.

 

[The Old Mixer]

Yeah, Henry was just too much of a clown to be taken seriously as a commanding officer.

He was Colonel Klink!

That's also odd. It doesn't seem like there would be any cost savings or whatever.

Probably a lot easier to shoot than with everyone popping out of doors and getting close-ups.

"Hmm... five-letter word for excuse used to get away with murder that begins with A...."

Not only did it strain credulity, but it made Danno look a little stupid-- which is probably why Jack Lord insisted that his character get stuck with that assignment.

Maybe. Steve did make a point of telling Danno that he would've fallen for it, too.

I wonder if they work out these little routines ahead of time or if Reed just expected Malloy to get it.

I got the impression that it was improvised.

Shame. They would have made such excellent parents.

A surprisingly compassionate ending.

The Gaynors were played sympathetically, Jessie in particular.

 

[DarrenTR1970]

I've read about the Moodies having band tension dating as far back as the Denny Laine period (e.g., when he bailed on the band to start a solo career), but I never knew they were as dysfunctional as DarrenTR1970 revealed in his post.

The Denny Laine lead version of the Moody Blues actually did make an attempt to record a second album, but Laine left before it was completed. The tracks are included on the bonus disc of the 50th anniversary reissue.

After Laine left, he would record the single "Say You Don't Mind" which would be featured on Wings university and Europe tours of '72-'73.

I found these quotes in the liner notes for the expanded reissue of "Seventh Sojourn" - Ray Thomas, "By the time we began the sessions I think we needed a break from each other. Up to that time everywhere one of us went the others would be there too. All my experiences were their experiences."

Graeme Edge, "It was a strained and awkward time for us. Mike Pinder, particularly, found it difficult. We were all exhausted and become prisoners of our own success."

John Lodge, "By then we were subject to lateral pressures which we'd brought on ourselves that were outside of music. On our 1973 tour we had our own Boeing 707 aircraft which was decked out with a sitting room and a fireplace. There were two bedrooms, some twenty individual TV's, sound systems everywhere and we had our own butler and our name written on the outside of the plane. I had a very empty feeling knowing things had gotten this excessive."

There's another story, I think it's in the box set, where one of the members talks about there being a hat with pieces of paper with numbers written on it, and each number represented the punchline to a joke, and all one member had to do was reach in, pull out a piece of paper with a number on it and everyone would laugh because they knew what the joke was; and he said that was when he knew that things had to change within the group. Edit to add - The story comes from the liner notes in Ray Thomas' "Hopes Wishes and Dreams".

Graeme Edge calls "Seventh Sojourn" his least favorite album of the core seven because of the bad memories associated with it.

Edit to add - Having read the liner notes to all the solo albums, all of the Moodies at one point or another say that the reason they did a solo album was because they didn't think the Moody Blues would reform.

Also, if I read between the lines to Justin Hayward solo album liner notes, it looks like Justin and John Lodge had a bit of a falling out after the release of the "Blue Jays" album with Justin saying he had to break up the songwriting partnership because John and the record company wanted the duo to tour the states, but Justin resisted because he felt the audience would be there to see the Moody Blues perform and not Justin and John's material, which is why some of the songs earmarked for a second "Blue Jays" album wound up on Justin and John's solo album.

 

[RJDiogenes]

The art of miid-70s Kirby dropped off considerably--unless inked by Romita (BTW, Romita just turned 93 years old on 1/24). At this time, Kirby's favorite inker (apparently) was Mike Royer, who worked with him at DC and Marvel, but was merely a tracer; he could not bring out the best in Kirby's work, while taking the robotic tendencies from his figures that a Romita, Sinnott or Shores.

I'm less familiar with his DC work, but I seem to remember that he worked with two inkers around that time, Mike Royer and Bruce Berry. That must have been part of his deal to return to Marvel, along with writing everything he drew. Neither of those was the best decision, I don't think, but I still like his 70s work.

And Happy Birthday to John Romita. He was one of those guys, like Sal and George, who never got the credit that bigger names did, but kept Marvel alive and well.

Ah, Captain America's Bicentennial Battles. I recall its release, and although it was a marginally fascinating concept, I would have preferred the Treasury Edition reprinting Cap stories from Tales of Suspense, or Kirby's late 60s run on Captain America.

They should have done both. Those Treasury Editions were bonanza of classic stuff in those days, when classic stuff was not easy to find.

My family had the basic Adam-12 reels. Where the Talking View-Master sets were concerned, we only a a few--namely Star Trek: Mr Spock's Time Trek (adapting TAS' "Yesteryear"), Superman Meets Computer Crook (strange, yet stunning mix animation cels and miniature sets / backgrounds) and Snoopy and The Red Baron (all miniatures). Such a unique form of entertainment.

Those miniature sets were so cool. Road Runner was another one. But I think all of my talking reels were nature documentaries, like the Grand Canyon. I didn't have many.

Just as well. Her first sung line to Linda Blair's kidney patient is ''You should take better care of yourself.'' Easy for her to say.

The Zucker Brothers knew better.

Indeed.

He was Colonel Klink!

Poor Radar....

Probably a lot easier to shoot than with everyone popping out of doors and getting close-ups.

But booor-ing.

The Gaynors were played sympathetically, Jessie in particular.

Yeah, they were more pathetic than evil.

Graeme Edge calls "Seventh Sojourn" his least favorite album of the core seven because of the bad memories associated with it.

It's so sad to think that works of art that bring happiness to millions also bring distress to their creators.

 

[TREK_GOD_1]

Ever notice the female jaws in his CAPTAIN AMERICA and 2001 comics were just as blocky as the male ones?

Yes, and Kirby crept toward that way of illustrating women during his last years at Marvel (the first time around). After a time, there was no difference between the wide faces of Sue Storm, Janet Van Dyne, Sharon Carter or any other Kirby female, and as you point out, by the time of his return to Marvel, his female faces were wide, to say the least.

As great as Kirby was, he would not rate high on the list of comic book artists who knew how to illustrate various female appearances (John Romita, Nick Cardy, Neal Adams and Gene Colan would top that list).