Completely Foolproof (29 Mar. 1965)

Joe Brisson tries to make a political payoff to Baines in a parking lot, but spots an observer, private detective Foyle. Foyle says he was hired by Joe's wife Lisa. Joe visits his ... See full summary »

Director:

Alf Kjellin

Writers:

Andrew Benedict (story), Anthony Terpiloff (teleplay)

Stars:

Alfred Hitchcock, J.D. Cannon, Patricia Barry

Cast

Episode cast overview:
Alfred Hitchcock	...	Himself - Host
J.D. Cannon	...	Joe Brisson
Patricia Barry	...	Lisa Brisson
Geoffrey Horne	...	Bobby Davenport
Myron Healey	...	George Foyle
Joyce Meadows	...	Anna
Lester Matthews	...	Walter Dunham
Robert P. Lieb	...	Baines (as Robert Lieb)
Jo De Winter	...	Betty Lawrence (as Jo de Winter)
Janet MacLachlan	...	The Secretary

Storyline

Joe Brisson tries to make a political payoff to Baines in a parking lot, but spots an observer, private detective Foyle. Foyle says he was hired by Joe's wife Lisa. Joe visits his girlfriend Anna, and discovers a bug in her telephone, and that their love letters were seized. Lisa wants a divorce, but also wants a disproportionate settlement, including 75% of the Brisson Land Development Company. Lisa's young boyfriend, racetrack gambler Bobby Davenport, will lose his inherited property if Joe calls in Bobby's debt. Joe couldn't hire Foyle to murder his wife, but he convinces Bobby to do it while Joe is on a sea cruise to London. Joe calls Lisa from the ship, and listens as Bobby plugs her. Then Joe has a guest. It is Foyle, whom Lisa paid to murder Joe.

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Plot Keywords:

divorce | private detective | gambler | murder for hire | telephone call | 

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

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Details

Language:

English

Release Date:

29 March 1965 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Universal Studios - 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Alfred J. Hitchcock Productions, Shamley Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

48 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The name of Joe and Lisa's real estate firm is the Brisson Land Development Company.

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Connections

Version of Tales of the Unexpected: Completely Foolproof (1981)

User Reviews

J. D. Cannon and Patricia Barry

"Completely Foolproof" is fairly routine Hitchcock, its climactic twist proving quite predictable. A simple battle of wills between a bickering couple headed for divorce; Lisa Brisson (Patricia Barry) is just as loathsome and selfish as husband Joe (J. D. Cannon), demanding 75 percent of his crooked real estate business. Both have been unfaithful, with Lisa using her wiles to lure a gambler (Geoffrey Horne) into virtually giving away his valuable property to her husband's company, while employing a private detective (Myron Healey) to gather evidence on Joe's infidelities and unscrupulous political transactions. Joe's only concern is for his reputation, quickly dumping his lover (Joyce Meadows) in anticipation of a journey to London, expecting to find the answer to his problems en route. Joyce Meadows co-starred with John Agar in the sci fi cheapie "The Brain from Planet Arous," while veteran Lester Matthews began his Hollywood career with "WereWolf of London" and "The Raven," both in 1935. J. D. Cannon is best remembered as Chief Clifford opposite Dennis Weaver in the popular 1970s series MCCLOUD (his scowl reminded me of Barry Atwater).