What Frightened You, Fred? (1 May 1962)

Fred Riordan is an ex-con who is re-arrested less than 48 hours after his release on parole. He served four years for robbery and on his release, seems like a mild mannered man who is ... See full summary »

Director:

Paul Henreid

Writers:

Joel Murcott (teleplay), Jack Ritchie (story)

Stars:

Alfred Hitchcock, R.G. Armstrong, Edward Asner

Cast

Episode cast overview:
Alfred Hitchcock	...	Himself - Host
R.G. Armstrong	...	Fred Riordan
Edward Asner	...	Warden Bragan
Adam Williams	...	Doctor
Steve Peck	...	Tony Wando (as Steven Peccaro)
Eve McVeagh	...	Mae
Kreg Martin	...	Kowalski
Harry Mackin	...	Side Man in Patrol Car

Storyline

Fred Riordan is an ex-con who is re-arrested less than 48 hours after his release on parole. He served four years for robbery and on his release, seems like a mild mannered man who is intent on making a go of it. He recounts to the warden and prison psychiatrist the events during his two days of freedom as they try to determine what may have caused him to get drunk and break up a bar in his old neighborhood. The psychiatrist is convinced that something in the outside world frightened him and probes to determine exactly what that was. Little do they know that there is something altogether different taking place.

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

1 May 1962 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Revue Studios, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Shamley Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

30 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

User Reviews

Yawn

Disappointing episode about a petty criminal (Armstrong) who just can't seem to stay out of prison. When the tale begins, he is being released, but in less than a day, he is back in again. The warden (Asner) and a state shrink try to fathom why. The shrink correctly assumes something traumatic must have happened on the outside. Little does he know. We eventually get to see what happened via a flashback. The episode falls heavily on Armstrong's shoulders, and he's fine. But the episode is overly talky, and the conclusion is a something of a letdown. You can't win all of them, I guess, not even Hitchcock. By the way, this was Asner's second appearance on the show. He also played the gruff, abusive dad of a psychotic, homicidal child in an episode that rings loudly today after all the mass murders around the nation, one of the most recent taking place in my home state of Connecticut and not too far from where I live.