As described at Wikipedia, this was a classic example of how a TV network could totally fuck up a show. It started out as an ABC private detective series based in San Diego starring David Janssen, then halfway through the first season, the location was moved to Los Angeles. Further modifications were done for the show's second season, but the president of ABC cancelled it in favor of Charlie's Angels. As a result, star Janssen vowed never again to participate in another television series. The show, plus two related pilot episodes, have all been released by Warner Home Archive. Ric Meyers' excellent book Murder on the Air: Television's Great Mystery Series has a chapter on the show.
Sound of Trumpets (S01E17)
First broadcast: January 30, 1975Harry has moved to Santa Monica permanently because his place in San Diego has been torn down to make room for a new high rise. As well, he moved from where he was in the previous episode to some beach shack like he had before and has moved his boat there as well. While at a nearby bar where the owner/pianist Ziggy is played by Jim Backus, Harry helps rescue legendary jazz trumpeter Art Sully (Julius Harris) who falls off the pier into the water below. Only a couple of weeks before, Sully got out of jail where he had been serving a 12-year sentence for second degree murder of some low-level mobster. Now he is being pursued by a knife-wielding thug Manny 'Smitty' Schmitt (Ron Soble) employed by music mogul Sidney Hacktel (Henry Corden) and Hacktel's lawyer Clint Kaplan (Alan Manson). These two, who are both involved in bootlegging concert performances, something the FBI was investigating, want to shut up the boozing Sully in case he starts to blab about the fact they hired him to commit the mobster's murder in exchange for putting Sully's daughter Ruthie (Brenda Sykes) through college.
MORE TRIVIA:
- The IMDB plot synopsis suggests that Sully falls into the water at the beginning of the show because he is threatened by Schmitt. This is not correct, he falls in because he is drunk. Schmitt is several feet away. The synopsis also suggests that Sully is after Hacktel because he was cheated out of royalties, which is also not correct.
- Cab Calloway appears as pianist Chuck Henry, who used to jam with Sully in the old days. Henry is found murdered near the end of the show. There is no logical explanation as to who did this and the motive for the killing. When Harry shows up earlier at Henry's club to inquire about Sully's whereabouts, as Henry is playing the piano with his combo, Harry just starts talking to him!
- At the beginning of the show, Ziggy and Sully are playing Round Midnight. The show closes with Ruthie and her father performing This Thing Called Love.
- Trench says that he doesn't like jazz, his tastes lean more towards Bach. When Harry asks him if Sully will go back to jail if Trench catches him, Trench says "Like a Billie Jean backhand."
- Music for this show is by J.J. Johnson.
Silent Kill (S01E18)
First broadcast: February 6, 1975This show is interesting, in that two of the lead characters are deaf. Ken Corby (James Wainwright) is also mute and his wife Eileen (Kathleen Lloyd) can read lips and speak. Both of them use sign language and there are times in the show where the audio disappears completely, giving an idea how frustrating it must be for someone to live in a deaf person's world. Unfortunately, the script is stupid. Corby was formerly the janitor in a derelict apartment, and he shows up as the place is on fire, having been torched by Alex Keller (Lawrence Pressman), the man in charge of the property's security. Corby is accused of starting the blaze by the building manager who had fired him and was giving him difficulty over his final pay check. Corby is promptly arrested for arson and because three people died in the blaze, but later released on his own recognizance. Harry investigates, and finds out the building's owner, Ted Gillman (Jed Allan), has no reason to profit from the fire, and in fact, goes out his way to hire the handicapped. On the other hand, it turns out that security man Keller is running a scam with the building's insurance company to profit in some way, which makes no sense, since he doesn't own the building. He is aided by Laura Mayo (Gail Strickland), who works in the insurance company's offices, where there is a well-stocked bar. When Harry goes to Keller's dog compound, Keller lets him in via a gate which is then electronically locked, trapping Harry where he is almost attacked by one of the Dobermans. A few minutes later, Keller, who was just seen in the house next to the compound, inexplicably drives up to the gate in his car, and, after calling off the dogs, addresses Harry by his last name, despite the fact that he has never met him before. At the end of the show, Keller pays a visit to Corby who he brings back to the house beside the compound, and then sets the house on fire. If he is trying to make it look like Corby was involved with starting the fire, this also makes no sense, because he leaves Corby inside the house, all tied up! A very disappointing episode.
MORE TRIVIA:
- At the beginning of the show, a car narrowly avoids running into a fire engine on its way to the torched building, and hits a bunch of cardboard boxes. There is no explanation for this.
- Teachers and students at the Marlton School for the Deaf of Los Angeles get a credit at the end of the show.