50th Anniversary Viewing (Part 1)
The Six Million Dollar Man
"The Price of Liberty"
Originally aired September 28, 1975
Edited Wiki said:
When a disgruntled ex-government employee rigs the Liberty Bell to explode, Steve and Oscar must rely on an incarcerated explosives expert to defuse the bomb.
At Independence Hall, a couple of security guards (Tom [Bill Quinn] and probably Bill [George Jordan]) watch over an undersized, imperfectly detailed replica of the Liberty Bell, which is about to be sent out on tour for the Bicentennial. A couple of guys dressed as guard types (Henry Beckman and Scott B. Wells) with a truck come to pick the bell up unexpectedly early, but their method doesn't match the planned arrangements, so they have to resort to gas bombs. Steve arrives at the hall to work on a speech, finds the guards down and the bell gone, and runs after the getaway truck that he'd passed outside. He jumps on top and does the old peeling back the roof trick, but there's a guy in back with the bell who uses a gas bomb on him.
Steve briefly comes to as the baddies are switching the bell into another truck. Steve's still in back when the original truck is sent to fall down a ravine, but comes to again and bionic-kicks his way out. The renter of the truck is identified as Robert Meyer, a war hero and explosives expert who worked in the space industry but missed its peak while he was recovering from a heart attack. Leading an aerial search, Steve finds the second truck parked with Meyer (Beckman) sitting outside. Meyer, showing the signs of his ill health, presents his demands--that he's rigged multiple sophisticated explosives that only he has the knowledge to deactivate, which will blow the bomb to bits inside of eight hours if he doesn't receive $5 million; or sooner if they're tampered with. Delivering a case that IMDb informs us isn't large enough to hold that much money in $1,000 bills that were out of circulation by this point, Steve tries to reason with the disgruntled Meyer.
Meyer: The American dream is like a beautiful balloon, Mr. Austin. But balloons have a way of bursting in your face, and then there's nothing left but air.
But as Steve's helping Meyer to his arranged getaway chopper, Meyer has another heart attack, the case bursting open and the money scattering in the blade wash. Steve uses his bionic strength to pull some wires from the chopper for an improvised defib, but it doesn't work. Clearly not having expected things to end like this, Meyer's dying words to Steve are "red, white, and blue".
The FBI digs up a short list of people with the expertise to potentially defuse the explosives, and Steve flies out to contact the nearest available one--Niles Lindstrom, a safecracker who's in a federal penitentiary in Virginia. Guest Star:
Lindstrom is none too concerned about the bell and reluctant to risk messing with Meyer's work, but agrees to help...only to make an escape attempt at the airfield, which Steve thwarts by going full frontal bionic on him. Lindstrom ducks into a hangar and puts up a good fight using improvised weapons...
...but ultimately Steve proves to have the pummeling advantage and subdues him; following which Steve asserts that he'll be right there with Lindstrom while he works on the devices.
Lindstrom is flown to the truck, where Philly Bomb Squad captain Doug Witherspoon (Sandy Ward) briefs him and sets him up with the equipment he needs. Lindstrom carefully examines the truck to find the outside thoroughly wired. At a suggestion from Lindstrom, Steve peels open the top in lieu of risking a power tool, but even that trips a wire, producing a small blast that sends Steve over the side. This does get Lindstrom and Witherspoon in, however. They find two metal barrels wired to the bell, and determine that the third charge is under the bell. By this point, they have just over 90 minutes. They carefully remove the top of the barrel, and Steve's bionic-speed unbolting skills help Lindstrom to snip a wire covered by a metal casing in time to avoid it triggering the device. This separates the three charges so that each can be defused in turn.
As they work on the first bomb, Lindstrom is incredulous to learn that Witherspoon is due to retire in three months but is risking his life with them. Steve's bionic eye helps him locate the bit that has to be clipped on a circuit board to defuse the first bomb, at which point they have eight minutes. As they're working on the second device, Lindstrom expresses his dissatisfaction with his country, and in the resulting discussion learns that Witherspoon lost his son in Korea. (The actor's too young to have had an adult son serving in that war.) Lindstrom accidentally trips a relay, so Steve pulls the barrel free from the bottom of the truck and tosses it through the hole in the roof and into the air to blow. At that point, Witherspoon has been injured and Lindstrom wants out, but a lecture from Steve about the titular subject, an appeal to Lindstrom's pride, and the time being down to three minutes persuades him to stay. Steve lifts the bell to reveal a booby trap. Lindstrom has to do some quick wiring to ground the detonator, but isn't sure which of two wires to connect with the red and white ones. Steve remembers and shares Meyers's last words...but before Lindstrom connects the blue wire, Steve remembers Lindstrom pointing out earlier examples of how Meyers baits his traps with things that look obvious, so he tells Lindstrom to connect the yellow in its place. The bomb doesn't go up when the clock runs out, and Steve and Lindstrom shake hands.
In the coda, Lindstrom, having earned his own freedom, admires the symbol that he hadn't felt was worth risking his life to save; and we see it restored in its place at Independence Hall.
There wasn't a single crack about Lindstrom joining the Level 7 Club.
All in the Family
"Archie the Hero"
Originally aired September 29, 1975
Wiki said:
Archie gets a rude shock when the tall, classy dame whose life he saved in a taxicab turns out to be a man.
Mike's at the Bunkers' to take a bath while Gloria's taking too long in theirs (i.e., still on strike) when Archie comes home excited to tell a story about what happened in Munson's cab. After he stops Edith from sidetracking into one of her stories, he reenacts how he noticed something was wrong with his tall, classy-looking lady customer and stopped the cab to give her mouth-to-mouth; and left his contact information so that he could collect the fare for Munson. When Mike won't cooperate, Archie puts Edith on the phone to report the story to a newspaper while he sees to upstairs business, but she's interrupted when Archie's rescuee, Beverly LaSalle (Lori Shannon), rings at the door. She explains that she was diagnosed with exhaustion and tells Edith that she's a female impersonator, which Edith doesn't get.
Beverly: I'm afraid you don't understand, Mrs. Bunker. I'm a transvestite.
Edith: Well, you sure fooled me. I mean, you ain't got no accent at all.
After he flushes, Archie's enthusiastic to come downstairs and greet Beverly. When he brings up the subject, she gives him $50 for an $8.50 fare. When she corrects him that she's not a lady, he misunderstands, assuming that she's a "working girl"; and asks if she likes to be called "Miss" or "Ms."
Beverly: Why don't you call me...[removes wig to reveal balding head]..."mister".
Mike's amused to hear the story from Edith in the morning, and teases Archie when he comes home with a huge bottle of mouthwash, now not wanting anyone to know what he did. Mike challenges Archie's insinuation that he wouldn't have saved Beverly if he'd known she was a he; and informs Archie that the majority of cross-dressers are heterosexual.
While Archie's trying to drink it off at Kelcy's, Munson--now wanting to promote the story--brings in reporter Jim Kitchener from the
Long Island Press (Sandy Kenyon). Then Beverly drops in to give Archie an invitation to her show. She goes to the men's room while Kitchener's using it and the reporter comes out in disbelief. As he proceeds to ask her about the subject of his story, she covers for Archie by claiming that it was an anonymous truck driver who gave the mouth-to-mouth, after Archie pulled over for help. When they're alone, Archie expresses his gratitude.
Archie: I just wanted ta say ta ya, Beverly, for a dame, you're one helluva guy.
M*A*S*H
"The Late Captain Pierce"
Originally aired October 3, 1975
Frndly said:
The Army's report of Hawkeye's death is greatly exaggerated, but he begins to warm to the idea if it's his ticket home.
In the wee hours of a wintry night while Radar's on leave, Klinger wakes B.J. for an unusual bit of business--Hawkeye's father is calling from the States and has specifically asked to talk to Hunnicutt. Hawkeye accompanies him, but the bad connection is lost with B.J. only getting a couple of questioning words from Mr. Pierce. Hawkeye waits by Radar's phone for a follow-up that never comes. Lt. "Digger" Detmuller (Richard Masur), working the morgue detail for the Quartermaster Corps, arrives at the camp the next day looking for Captain Pierce and is pointed to the shower. It turns out that Detmuller's looking for a corpse, and informs Hawkeye that he's been reported dead, producing a copy of the death certificate. Hawkeye realizes that his father would have gotten a telegram, which explains the call, and goes to Potter with the telegram. The colonel orders Klinger to clear it up.
Klinger: Sir, if it'll help, I'll take his place. Just gimme some sandwiches and drill a few holes in the coffin!
But Hawkeye's unable to get through with phone calls, and an attempt to send a telegram is blocked because of security precautions surrounding General Eisenhower's impending visit to Korea (placing this episode around December 1952). Being informed of this busts Hawkeye's mood at the wake that B.J. throws for him. Meanwhile, Detmuller lurks around the camp waiting for the OR to produce a body that he can take with him so he doesn't get reprimanded.
Hawkeye takes advantage of the situation to get out of sundry camp obligations like Burns's calisthenics course, but finds that his mortal status comes with drawbacks, like his mail and pay being stopped. The latter results in a mess tent brawl/food fight with Burns, who's on pay duty. Potter has a Captain Pratt (Eldon Quick) brought in, who indicates that this is a common type of clerical error, produces ludicrous amount of arcane paperwork that Hawkeye will have to fill out to get his death certificate rescinded, and refers to Hawkeye as having become Orwell's "unperson". Hawkeye decides to take charge of the situation by packing up and taking his assigned bunk in Detmuller's busload of corpses to be sent home. B.J. comes in to persuade him to go back on duty for incoming casualties, and Hawk tries to argue that he doesn't care as they'll keep coming whether he's there or not, referencing Trapper's discharge and Henry's death. But as Digger's about to drive out of the camp, the bus stops and Hawk gets out the back.
In the coda, Hawk's finally got Dear Dad on the phone, which picks up his spirits for the time that the connection lasts.
The credits list for this episode includes Sherry Steffens as Nurse Able. Looking into who'd played her before, I found something interesting.
Nurse Able was a generic name for minor nurse characters in the M*A*S*H TV series. Like Nurse Baker and Nurse Charlie, the name Able was derived from the phonetic alphabet used by the US Army in the 1950s before it was changed to "Alpha, Bravo, Charlie" later. From Seasons 2-11 there were at...
mash.fandom.com
In this one, frequently recurring nurse actress Kellye Nakahara is credited as Nurse Baker, though her character is usually named Yamamoto.
In addition to Gary Burghoff, Loretta Swit is also not in this episode.
Hawaii Five-O
"Target? The Lady"
Originally aired October 3, 1975
Paramount+ said:
Five-O must find a female courier who witnessed a murder before a hitman can.
Susan Bradshaw (post-Partridge Susan Dey) makes a dirty money delivery to associate and sometimes lover Curt Anderson (Todd Armstrong), informing him that the people in Vegas think he's got his hand in the till, which she's figured he has; and he threatens to implicate her as an accomplice. She tries to fend him off with a pistol, he makes a move to get it from her, and it goes off. She encounters a couple of heavies in the corridor; and as Curt's calling for an ambulance, one of them, Wally Hatch (Andrew Prine), shoots him with a silenced automatic (for a change). The other hitman, Kimo Yoshihara (Jake Hoopai), chases after Susan, pursuing her car. Hatch leaves the cash-case with the weapons inside, but takes Susan's purse. Having a difficult time eluding her pursuer, Susan gets out and runs on food, eventually finding a hiding place to duck into and shake him.
Investigating the scene of Anderson's murder, Five-O figures that he was into money laundering and that there was a woman on the scene who left articles of clothing in his closet. Susan changes clothes to show her midriff for thr rest of the episode, buses to a beach, asks around about a Rob Bradshaw, and is pointed to another Rob who works on surfboards. As expected, he turns out to be her estranged brother (Brendan Burns), whom she hasn't seen in three years and doesn't approve of what she's gotten into. The catching up gets tense and she asks for some money. Then Jeff Heywood (Marc Singer) comes by for his boards and takes an interest in her. While the guys are occupied with business, she grabs some cash Jeff left unattended in his vehicle and runs off. Elsewhere, local mobster Charles Brolin (Robert Witthans) chastises the two hitmen, who are out-of-towners sent from Vegas, concerned that Susan can finger him. Hatch casually refuses to be intimidated by him, but asserts that he'll find and kill the girl. The hoods are shooed out for a visit from McGarrett to probe Brolin about the matter.
Hatch searches Susan's hotel room and finds a letter she wrote for her brother. The hitmen proceed to search his old place, finding nothing, but some neighbors direct him to Rob's old roomie, Kenny, who works at a shaved ice stand. Heywood comes upon Susan in his Jeep and offers her a ride. He starts by chatting pleasantly, then confronts her about the money, wanting to know why she took it. He proceeds to his board manufacturing plant and she stays outside, the money having been left in the car. She brings it in to him, and introduces her to his guys; then lets her have the money and directs her to the airport bus. With Che's help, Five-O determines that they're dealing with two shooters, the first of whom used Anderson's gun and wounded him nonfatally.
While Susan's scoping out the bus stop, she sees the Vegas hoods drive up and ask a station attendant about Kenny. After Hatch questions Ken Bowers (Dana Yoshimura) about Rob, Ken digs up Rob's current address in time for a follow-up visit from Hatch. Susan runs back to Jeff, asking for a place to stay--having by now figured out that he's a good guy who's willing to take chances on a girl in trouble. He takes her sailing, after which she confesses to him about her line of work, how she got into it, and the shooting. He offers to hide her out. Five-O determines Susan's identity from the car she rented and searches her room to find that it's already been searched. They determine from her traveling and Anderson's bank deposits that she was a courier who was having an affair with Anderson. They figure that Anderson was a skimmer who was offed and that Susan was involved; and identify Hatch as a hitman who came from Vegas in Susan's wake.
Susan talks to her brother before leaving with Jeff for the big island, where Jeff has some friends who live in a commune-type arrangement. The hitmen arrive at Rob's right after they leave. Jeff swings by the shop and is delayed by some business. Five-O arrive at Rob's place to find him beaten. The hitmen tail Susan after Jeff sends her ahead to the boat in his Jeep. Five-O hits the shop asking about Susan, and Jeff tries to cover for her until he learns about Rob, then takes them to the marina.
The hoods make their move as Susan's taking groceries to the boat. She sees Hatch in time to dart for cover as he takes a shot. McGarrett arrives in a chopper and bullhorns for Hatch's surrender. The hitman hijacks a motorboat, while Kimo tries to fend off Five-O with a sidearm and quickly finds himself surrounded and apprehended. McGarrett is dropped into the boat as its captain struggles with Hatch for his gun. As Hatch is being brought back to the dock, Jeff introduces Susan to Duke and informs her that she didn't kill Anderson. She agrees to cooperate with McGarrett in exchange for his recommendation of leniency. As she's being taken by Duke to be booked, Susan says goodbye to Jeff, and Jeff invites her return when she's able.
Ah, the Airship Express. Kind of at the mercy of the winds, unfortunately.
Was it actually a thing?
Loganed.
My junior high school girlfriend. I think I mentioned that she recently died when something else reminded me of her. Coincidentally, we used to go roller skating quite a bit.
Ah. Doing a bit of searching, you did mention her death recently, but didn't refer to her by name; though you had referred to her by name on other occasions in the past.
Same here. Roller skating was a popular fad at the time, so maybe it was part of their act on TV shows or something.
Glad it's not just me! I think I may have seen a video set to the song that showed roller skaters, possibly competition ones. May not have been an official video, just something put together for some TV program.
They were also one of those bands who were referred to briefly as the new Beatles, for reasons that elude me.
So I read.
I have strong memories of it being called tonic when I lived in Dorchester, but nobody else remembers that. It's like a little Mandela Effect that only applies to me.
Interesting. I assumed that was a regional thing.
