The Need of a Friend (23 Nov. 1968)

Mannix seeks to help a man released from prison after seven years. The detective helped send him to prison. This occurred when Mannix was on his first case and, as he remarks, "I was green"... See full summary »

Director:

Sutton Roley

Writers:

Richard Levinson (creator), William Link (creator),

Stars:

Mike Connors, Gail Fisher, John Colicos

Cast

Episode cast overview:
Mike Connors	...	Joe Mannix
Gail Fisher	...	Peggy Fair
John Colicos	...	David Barker
Paul Stevens	...	Walter Timpkins
Cloris Leachman	...	Barker's Ex-wife
Barbara Babcock	...	Lucille
Richard Bull	...	Bernard Cord
Teru Shimada	...	Gardener
Sam Gilman	...	Tom Sommers
Marie Windsor	...	Barbara Timpkins
Terri Messina	...	Gloria
Mark Stewart	...	Toby
E.A. Sirianni	...	Mortuary Manager
Brian Wood	...	Doctor
Pete Kellett	...	Second Bartender

Storyline

Mannix seeks to help a man released from prison after seven years. The detective helped send him to prison. This occurred when Mannix was on his first case and, as he remarks, "I was green" then. After the man's release, people start dying at his former employer. Mannix must probe two possibilities: whether the man was framed seven years or ago or whether he is seeking revenge now.

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Genres:

Action | Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

23 November 1968 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Paramount Studios - 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Television

Technical Specs

Runtime:

60 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Goofs

After Mannix is drugged in the bar where he goes to find Tom Sommers (Sam Gilman), he wakes up in a seedy room beneath a bare metal bed frame. As Mannix crawls out from under the bed and along the floor, the shadow of the cameraman's head and of the camera move along with Mannix during part of this time.

User Reviews

A bit weak.

"The Need of a Friend" begins with David Barker (John Colicos) being released after seven years in prison. Mannix shows up to talk to him and Barker responds by decking him! It seems that Mannix's investigation was key to convicting Barker of theft and murder! However, inexplicably, Mannix has returned because he has some doubts....perhaps this guy was really innocent. After all, apart from this case, he's never seen a job so open and shut!

I liked seeing Colicos playing a different sort of character--not the usual heavy. However, apart from this and a nice performance by a skid row bum (Sam Gilman), this was an awfully weak episode. It just wasn't that interesting and it was pretty obvious what had occurred. Not bad--just not up to the series' usual high standards.