Bob Goughan
Stunt Coordinator
Funny as hell.Episode Revisit
77 Sunset Strip
"Attic" (S3E1)
In light of the recent news of Edd Byrnes, I thought it would be nice to return to a 77 SS episode, albeit one that has very little Kookie exposure. Written directed by Montgomery Pittman, this one always ranks high on everyone's list of faves.
Jeff Spencer is hanging around downtown in a phone booth because...well, why not? He suddenly spots the fetching Vetta Nygood (Kathleen Crowley), an accomplice in a notorious gang of robbers on the loose. Vetta is downtown because...well, why not? Unlike Quasimodo, I haven't a hunch. Heck, if I could be downtown, I would be, too. Anyway, Jeff makes a point of secretly following her down some dusty back roads to a ramshackle farmhouse in the county of Where-the-hell-am-I. As he sneaks up the driveway, he's accosted by one of the robbers (Robert Colbert) at gunpoint and marched into the house. Jeff tries to act a few dubloons short of a treasure as to why he's there, but is soon revealed to be a Private Investigator, which is of course the natural enemy of all bank robbers in the woods.
The gang, headed up by Mark Hammett (John Dehner), is holed up waiting for the arrival of their last member Deek (Lee Van Cleef). While tapping their toes, they bicker like brats at dinnertime as to who's the smartest, bravest, yada yada yada. Jeff spends his time flirting with the lovely Vetta, who licks her lips and flashes her pearly whites at him. Hammett eventually gets his corduroys in a bunch and decides to split the money and leave before Deek arrives. Hammett apparently doesn't cotton to the adage of honor among thieves. But what to do with Jeff? Kill him? Knock him out? Make him watch old episodes of Sgt. Preston? Nah. Let's tie him up in the attic and let him make friends with the spiders. It's not known if Jeff is given the respite of visiting the bathroom first. Oh, and there's also a giant rattlesnake up there, too--which of course is the natural enemy of Private Investigators in attics.
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Before road tar was considered useful in LA; Everyone loves an attic party; Ad commercials hit a new technical highpoint
In the hours that follow, the farmhouse is visited by a group of Leave It To Beaver kids who want to smoke the cigarette butts they find on the floor. Kids'll do stuff like that. They're followed by a newly-wed couple with intentions of "christening" the house. Jeff, bound and gagged, is unable to gain attention before any of them decide to leave. Soon, the late and very nasty Deek shows up, pissed to the gills that his comrades haven't waited for him. He curses himself for stopping at the malt shop beforehand for an egg cream, and rushes off to find his gang. Jeff remains in the attic, all stinky and sweaty but mostly wishing he hadn't eaten that bean burrito for breakfast.
Deek finds Hammett in a posh motel room, enjoying the complimentary 21-inch RCA Victor black and white TV and counting his cash. Deek puts a bullet or two into him in revenge. Vetta, on the other hand, has opted for a casino and sunning herself poolside. She begins to feel remorse at having left Jeff tied up. But before she can act on good faith, she meets a young guy at the pool and drags him to her room. Horny beats good intentions on any given day. Eventually, Vetta and Deek return to the farmhouse--unknown that Jeff has finally worked himself loose. Jeff handily shoots Deek and shares a chuckle with Vetta before turning her in. The rattlesnake, not a fan of gunfire, remains in the attic.
Notes:
Montgomery Pittman has a cameo as a somewhat greasy hotel desk clerk.
Hammett drops a hint that his favorite TV show is Lawman. John Dehner actually appeared in one episode of that series. WB was never shy at cross pollinating their shows.
