The Hero

Well-meaning drunk aerospace executive Tom Longman (Dean Stockwell) intervenes after seeing a wild-eyed creep (Thom Christopher) abusing a woman in the back of a bar. The creep identifies himself as Paul Rogan - a well-known violent psycho cult leader. Rogan leaves but finds Longman later and runs him off the road then he pulls a knife on Longman and chases him through an amusement park.

In a drunken stupor Longman stumbles and is knocked out. When he regains consciousness he is holding the now bloody knife and Rogan is dead from stab wounds from that very same knife. At his first moment of consciousness he is discovered by a security guard. Given Rogan's reputation not only can Longman walk on murder charges by claiming self-defence but the media will proclaim him a hero.

Longman will have none of it. He didn't kill Rogan. Longman's father (Morgan Woodward) hires fat, homely, short and balding private detective Frank Cannon (William Conrad) to troubleshoot. After Cannon fails to convince Tom Longman to claim self-defence he is left with plan b - finding out what really happened and proving it. That proves difficult when Rogan's 'family' i.e. brainwashed followers try to kill Longman and Cannon.

The Manson Family murders became fodder for fiction and movies and TV shows about crazed cults. For whatever reason the one depicted in this episode is a group of bored rich kids who like to play with guns. It seemed like Cannon was a show fixated upon the affluent and malevolent overlooking the fact that the vast majority of it's audience had little or nothing in common with characters like that.

As with any episode of this show the guest stars are the most impressive aspect of the production. Among them Thom Christopher and Randy Powell each excelled at playing baddies and cads in their careers in apparent avoidance of straight ahead roles. We see them here near the very beginning of their respective careers on the screen.

Laurie Walters ('Eight is Enough') appeared uncredited as a cult member.

Irv Pearlberg wrote this adventure, and did a heck of a job. Co-producer and producer of the MAN FROM UNCLE and DR. KILDARE.

Adventurous story about the son (Dean Stockwell) of a general (Morgan Woodward) accused of killing a gang leader. The guy more than deserved what he got, but Stockwell is innocent. He wakes up, after being chased by the creep and knocked unconscious, now accused of killing him. An old storyline, add the bloody knife and fingerprints, but carried out well. This episode really moves.

10 Stars.

The acting is memorable, especially Dean Stockwell, who had been working in movies since he was nine years old ( SONG OF THE THIN MAN as William Powell and Myrna Loy's son). Lee Purcell returns to the series, and in one of her best dramatic roles.

Yes, I agree, Irv Pearlberg took notes from the notorious Manson Family. The teens here are brainwashed and deadly. Look for Laurie Walters, soon to co-star on EIGHT IS ENOUGH, playing one of the brooding cult members.

Honorable mention goes to Morgan Woodward, who worked with William Conrad in many westerns at Warner Bros/ABC TV, like TEMPLE HOUSTON, which Conrad produced and directed. Morgan was inducted in the Hall of Fame for western performers. He appeared over 50 times on DALLAS. Woodward has some excellent scenes here. Just entering a room, he has your full attention.

Philip Pine, often cast in Quinn Martin productions, plays Lt. Gold.

The opening chase scene was filmed at the historic train museum near Griffith Park, not far from Warner Bros. Director William Wiard gives this a real atmospheric feel, filmed late at night. The museum is still around today with all the neat old choo choo's. A great place for the entire family.

Not to be missed. SEASON 5, EPISODE 12 Nov 1975 Happy Thanksgiving. Remastered box set contains 7 dvds. A collectors item for all us kids of the 70s.

Tom (Dean Stockwell) is doing what he does best...he's at a local bar drinking. However, while he's there, he's threatened by a nasty guy. Later, after Tom leaves the bar, that nasty thug is waiting for him and gives chase. Oddly, however, he is knocked out and when he awakens, he finds the thug next to him...dead! The police arrest Tom...who tells them what happens but no one believes him. If he would just say he was attacked and fought back, he would likely serve no prison time. But if he sticks with this story, he's in trouble...and that's when Tom's father hires Cannon to investigate.

The dead man apparently was a member of a cult-like group, much like Charles Manson and his sick 'family'. This means that a group of psychopaths is angry and blame Tom for their friend's death....and they are a violent brood who would have no problem killing him. Can Cannon unravel everything before Tom assumes room temperature?

A theme running throughout the episode is Tom's masculinity and his father, a retired general. The old man wants Tom to be tough and admit to the killing...mostly to allay his fears about his son being a wimp! Nice guy, huh?

Overall, this is a very good episode with a nice twist. Well worth seeing.