McCloud Meets Dracula (17 Apr. 1977)

While trying to get on a squad tracking down a sniper (which he ultimately does, by accident), McCloud happens onto a series of murder scenes where the victims' blood was drained from them ... See full summary »

Director:

Bruce Kessler

Writers:

Herman Miller (creator), Glen A. Larson

Stars:

Dennis Weaver, Terry Carter, Victor Fisher

Cast

Episode cast overview, first billed only:
Dennis Weaver	...	Sam McCloud
Terry Carter	...	Sergeant Joe Broadhurst
Victor Fisher	...	Stokes
J.D. Cannon	...	Peter B. Clifford
Ken Lynch	...	Police Sergeant Grover
Gino Ardito	...	Cop
Michael Sacks	...	Dr. Harvey Pollick
Vince Howard	...	Reporter
Diana Muldaur	...	Chris Coughlin
Bobbie Mitchell	...	Angie
Ken Scott	...	Police Detective Polk
Toni Lawrence	...	1st Girl
Booth Colman	...	Coroner
Tom Snyder	...	Himself
John Carradine	...	Loren Belasco

Storyline

While trying to get on a squad tracking down a sniper (which he ultimately does, by accident), McCloud happens onto a series of murder scenes where the victims' blood was drained from them through bite marks in the neck, leading him to a retired horror-film actor who seems to live as Dracula.

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Mystery

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

17 April 1977 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Glen A. Larson Productions, Universal TV

Technical Specs

Runtime:

75 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor) Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In the extended "Tomorrow Show" sequence, the scenes with Chris Coughlin and Loren Belasco are filmed on a Hollywood set, while Tom Snyder is on his own New York set. Later editing shows them on adjacent TV monitors.

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Quotes

Sam McCloud: Give it up, Belasco, you've got no place to go!
Loren Belasco: You're wrong, policeman. I have a thousand years' head start on you!

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Connections

Features House of Dracula (1945)

User Reviews

"I've Seen Shut-ins Move Faster than Him"

Enjoyable. Nostalgic. Disappointing. This final episode in the McCloud series delves into the supernatural and seems to take flight in more areas as well. Sam wants badly to get on a sniper squad but somehow is stuck investigating a case about a victim that has two bite marks on his neck and a body drained of blood. He along with a pathologist who believes an actual vampire is the culprit and Chris Coughlin who is writing a book about vampires get on the not-so-hot trail of the killer. Couglin goes on the Tom Synder show and meets Loren Belasco - an actor famed for playing Dracula and for being an expert on vampire lore. Belasco is played by the always elderly looking John Carradine - an actor who knows a lot about playing Dracula! We get clips from House of Frankenstein and House of Dracula on a television station as well as a very creepy house and a very creepy servant played by a future vampire Reggie Nalder. Carradine is good as always and I love the McCloud character, Broadhurst, and especially Chief Clifford who barks out funny one-liners like McCloud moving slower than shut-ins, but as the final episode of the series I have to admit this one is a bit of a let down. The sniper story is under-played and the resolution to the Dracula story is full of holes accentuated by a very ambiguous ending. That notwithstanding the episode is fun and where can you see Dennis Weaver chew up scenery with an actor who has chewed it up for decades like Carradine as Dracula. So what if the story is preposterous - and it is - this in simple, clean entertainment.