Another CLASSIC Cannon. 10 Plus.
Popular husband and wife team Bob and Esther Mitchell wrote this exceptional episode, and without too much surprise, they wrote for PERRY MASON. To their credit the Mitchells also did adventure stories for COMBAT.
Lovely Dana Wynter, who played victims in past episodes, is cast, and very convincingly, as one lethal lady. Wynter had just appeared on MEDICAL CENTER. The (censured) story is she achieved her business wealth and status by stealing from her clients. She hires Cannon to find her runaway niece (well played by Lee Purcell), but not because she's missing --- she saw her aunt kill a pesty blackmailer. How dare he! About as good as it gets, and Dana Wynter is tops in this role. She should have gotten an Emmy nod.
This could have been a PERRY MASON episode that the Mitchells may have put aside many years earlier. This was a common practice among many writers. I believe some of the stories on CANNON were redone from writers Bill Conrad worked with at Warner Brothers ABC/tv in the 60s. There was a lot of rich material ready to be updated.
You know the crew was having fun as William Conrad does a solid stunt down a beach cliff, still showing he's a man for all seasons. I always listen closely if there are any giggles... I am sure there was applause and a gracious bow after the director yelled cut! This probably was filmed at Malibu.
Great cast at work here. Menacing Alex Rocco is the perfect partner in crime, also playing a goofy drunk --OR IS HE? Watch carefully. Look for gritty Abe Vagoda, and veteran James Wainwright. Lee Purcell is excellent in her role, and you really feel sorry for her.
Is that an old rubber MISSION IMPOSSIBLE mask Alex Rocco is holding? Looks familiar.
Edward Abroms directed, who handled many episodes for KOJAK and POLICE STORY. He had to have been a good friend of Bill Conrad as he later directed his next series NERO WOLF, and then JAKE AND THE FATMAN.
The big secret in Hollywood (that everyone knew) was the FATMAN resembled Frank Cannon in many ways.
Definitely a ratings grab as the fourth season comes ot a close. SEASON 4 EPISODE 24 remastered CBS dvd box set.