The Unhired Assassin: Part 2 (3 Mar. 1960)

Although unsuccessful in their first attempt to assassinate Chicago's Mayor, Anton J. Cermak, the Capone mob under the command of Frank Nitti and several other of the imprisoned mobster's ... See full summary »

Director:

Howard W. Koch

Writer:

William Spier

Stars:

Robert Stack, Joe Mantell, Robert Gist

Cast

Episode cast overview, first billed only:
Robert Stack	...	Eliot Ness
Joe Mantell	...	Giuseppe 'Joe' Zangara
Robert Gist	...	Fred 'Caddy' Croner
Bruce Gordon	...	Frank Nitti
Robert Middleton	...	Mayor Anton J. Cermak
Anthony George	...	Agent Cam Allison
Abel Fernandez	...	Agent William Youngfellow
Nicholas Georgiade	...	Agent Enrico Rossi
Frank DeKova	...	Louis 'Little New York' Campagna
Lee Van Cleef	...	Frank Diamond
Percy Helton	...	Jocko Monaghan
Dick Whittinghill	...	Earl Forrest
Steve London	...	Agent Jack Rossman
Sterling Holloway	...	Horace De Vilbill
Eleanor Audley	...	Mrs. Cross

Storyline

Although unsuccessful in their first attempt to assassinate Chicago's Mayor, Anton J. Cermak, the Capone mob under the command of Frank Nitti and several other of the imprisoned mobster's lieutenants, have not given up. This time they hire a professional, Fred 'Caddy' Croner, an expert at using a long rifle with a scope who carries his weapon in a golf club bag. They put him on a retainer until Cermak goes out of town and sure enough, they learn that the Mayor will be traveling to Miami to attend a public event in honor of the President-elect, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, who is visiting the area before returning to Washington for his inauguration a few weeks later. Eliot Ness and the Untouchables are soon onto their plan and travel to Miami to protect Cermak. Unbeknown to them however, a crazed man, Giuseppe 'Joe' Zangara, has purchased a handgun with the intent to kill Roosevelt at the same public function.

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Plot Keywords:

pistol | hotel fight | sniper rifle | police shoot out | assassin

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Genres:

Action | Crime | Drama

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

3 March 1960 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Desilu Studios - 9336 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Desilu Productions, Langford Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

60 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

User Reviews

Shooting in Miami

After the mob fails to kill Mayor Anton Cermak of Chicago due to the work of Robert Stack and The Untouchables in Part One of this two part story, it's decided by Bruce Gordon as Frank Nitti to contract an out of town hit. They contract a marksman played by Robert Gist known as 'the caddy' because he carries his weapons in a golf bag.

In the meantime in Miami Giuseppe Zangara as played by Joe Mantell hears that the President-elect who was cruising on Vincent Astor's yacht will be stopping in Miami. That part of the episode is true.

Stack and the Untouchables get a tip about another assassination attempt against Robert Middleton playing Cermak. Also true is Cermak deciding he needs a little time away and he goes to Miami to meet FDR. The reason he was doing this was because he had not backed Roosevelt for the Democratic nomination, he backed Alfred E. Smith for another nod. A little vacation combined with a little political fence mending.

Well The Untouchables deal with Frank Nitti's contract killer, but the lone assassin Zangara, no. History records that Zangara fired several shots missing FDR, but hitting several other people and wounding Anton Cermak fatally. Cermak died several days later in a Miami hospital and FDR went on to be inaugurated president. And as Paul Harvey used to say, you know the rest of that story.

Again both Joe Mantell as Zangara and Robert Middleton as Cermak completely fitted my conception of both figures from what I've read. But The Untouchables were not involved in the picture in real life in any way, shape or form.