QM File: THE FBI (ABC/1965-1974) (1 Viewer)

[JohnHopper]

THE FBI SEASON 6

Episode #12
“The Witness”
written by Mark Rodgers
directed by William Hale
cinematography by William W. Spencer
guests: Murray Hamilton, Flora Plumb, Roger Perry, Don Grady, John Vivyan, June Dayton, Hank Brandt, Robert Phillips, Barbara Baldavin, Lisa James, Michael McDonald, Steve Marlo, Edward Colmans, Larry Ward, Logan Field

CRIME ON A GOVERNMENT RESERVATION

It’s a very good sociological piece and an inspired tight dual narrative and not a wild criminal case but a silly accident that triggers a manhunt plot combined with a family sub drama that includes the Cosa Nostra who threatens a father so that he accepts laundry money to finance his company and extra executives to supervise it. What links the three male guests? Responsibility. After “The Savage Wilderness”, find another young couple drama that starts on the beach and ends up with trouble. Scenes from the prologue are so good that they are part of the season 6 promo film. As in “The Condemned”, find the return of the helicopter chase led by Inspector Erskine. This is the third Cosa Nostra episode after “Escape to Terror” and “The Deadly Pact”. As in “Escape to Terror”, witness a big shot of the mob over the phone. As in some previous episodes, It omits the third ritual. The cast of the men from the Cosa Nostra is good: Roger Perry, John Vivyan, Robert Phillips.

QM actors notes: Murray Hamilton guests in some QM series like The Untouchables (4), The Fugitive (2), The FBI (4), The Invaders, Cannon (3), The Streets of San Francisco, Barnaby Jones, Caribe, Most Wanted.

Returning guest actors: Murray Hamilton (the season 4 “A Life in the Balance”), Roger Perry (the season 4 “The Fraud”), June Dayton (the season 5 “The Silent Partner”), Hank Brandt (the season 5 “Conspiracy of Corruption”), Robert Phillips (the season 1 “Quantico”), Barbara Baldavin (the season 3 “Overload”), Michael McDonald (the season 5 “The Silent Partner”), Steve Marlo (the season 3 “Region of Peril”), Larry Ward (the season 5 “Fatal Impostor”), Logan Field (the season 5 “Return to Power”).

 

[JohnHopper]

the fbi season 6 publicity shot

 

[JohnHopper]

¶​

¶ Next on The F.B.I. season 6, the reviews of the fourth disc and starting on Monday 26!​

¶ Get your ID and be ready!​

¶​

​

 

[JohnHopper]

the fbi season 6 publicity shot

 

[JohnHopper]

THE FBI SEASON 6

Episode #13
“Incident in the Desert”
written by Mark Weingart
directed by Bernard McEveety
cinematography by Fred Mandl
music by Duane Tatro
guests: Steve Ihnat, Dabney Coleman, Ross Hagen, Corinne Camacho, Paul Fix, Charles Robinson, Richard Evans, Clint Howard, Paul Carr, Herb Armstrong, Shirley O’Hara, Bing Russell, Regis Cordic, Wilma Francis, Ed Bakey, Jack Garner, David Brandon, Paul Todd, Dallas Mitchell, Maurice Meyer, Craig Guenther

INTERSTATE TRANSPORTATION OF STOLEN PROPERTY, MAJOR THEFT

It’s an exciting action-adventure gang of wild beast robbers on the run entry that ends up as a huit-clos of terror in a lost southern hotel. As usual, the performance of actor Steve Ihnat is very solid. The funny detail to notice: the robbers wear old-fashioned stockings during the dirty job of the prologue. The script is penned by associate producer Mark Weingart. It features a big car chase scene in the desertic mountains followed by a manhunt in an abandoned industrial site acompanied by Duane Tatro’s weird echoplexed trumpet cue. As in “The Savage Wilderness”, find the return of the helicopter without Inspector Erskine. This is the second original score composed by Duane Tatro and one action-packed cue was recycled for the season 7 promo film during the 1972 ABC Fall Preview. It omits the third ritual. The cast of the wild beast robbers is really good: Steve Ihnat, Ross Hagen, Richard Evans, Charles Robinson.

Mission: Impossible notes : Oddly enough, the huit-clos in the middle of nowhere element from that narrative will be recycled in a season 7 episodes entitled “Ultimatum” and whose music is also by Duane Tatro.

QM actors notes: Steve Ihnat guests in two QM series that are The Fugitive (2) and The FBI (7).

Returning guest actors: Steve Ihnat (the season 5 “The Prey”), Dabney Coleman (the season 5 “Flight”), Ross Hagen (the season 3 “The Messenger”), Paul Fix (the season 5 “The Prey”), Charles Robinson (the season 5 “Deadly Reunion”), Richard Evans (the season 5 “The Diamond Millstone”), Clint Howard (the season 1 “An Elephant Is Like a Rope”), Herb Armstrong (the season 5 “The Swindler”), Shirley O’Hara (the season 5 “Gamble with Death”), David Brandon (the season 5 “The Dealer”), Paul Todd (the season 5 “Dead Fall”), Dallas Mitchell (the season 5 “Silent Partner”), Craig Guenther (the season 5 “Summer Terror”).

‘The FBI’ ABC Promo (1972) (season 7)

 

[JohnHopper]

THE FBI SEASON 6

Episode #14
“The Inheritors”
written by Alvin Sapinsley
directed by Jesse Hibbs
cinematography by Jack Swain
guests: Gene Raymond, Ray Danton, Suzanne Pleshette, Larry Linville, William Traylor, Mary Munday, John S. Ragin, Lew Brown, Phil Dean, Don Spruance, James Chandler, Paul Sorensen, Ivan Bonar, William Tregoe, Ric Mancini, Vera Stough, Frank Albertson

INTERSTATE TRANSPORTATION OF STOLEN PROPERTY, MAJOR THEFT

It’s a conventional intimistic and existential, semi romantic and family piece disguised as a dual con artist entry, in other words, a man (Ray Danton) and a woman (Suzanne Pleshette) eventually meet each other in a country town but the main difference between the two sharks is that the woman ceases her illegal activities and finds her second chance and the man posing as his brother uses her to get some money as a blackmailer. At first, the female part reminds the male one from the serial lover in “The Impersonator”. Fashion-wise, Suzanne Pleshette wears the hip young people clothes of the time. Oddly enough, the episode highlights veteran actor Gene Raymond playing an old wealthy, widower, Californian wine producer in love with a younger woman. And even Larry Linville is dull as hell. It omits the third ritual.

QM actors notes: Ray Danton will play another well-dressed crook in the season 2 “Before I Die” from The Streets of San Francisco. Danton guests in some QM series like The FBI, Dan August, Cannon (2), The Streets of San Francisco, Barnaby Jones, The Manhunter, Caribe.

Returning guest actors: Suzanne Pleshette (the season 3 “The Mercenary”), Larry Linville (the season 5 “Flight”), John S. Ragin (the season 1 “Quantico”), Lew Brown (the season 5 “Tug-of-War”), Phil Dean (the season 5 “Pressure Point”), Don Spruance (the season 1 “Image in a Cracked Mirror”), Paul Sorensen (the season 5 “Blood Tie”), Ivan Bonar (the season 2 “Passage into Fear”).

 

[JohnHopper]

the fbi season 6 publicity shot

 

[JohnHopper]

THE FBI SEASON 6

Episode #15
“Unknown Victim”
written by Mark Weingart
directed by William Hale
cinematography by William W. Spencer
guests: Tom Skerritt, Fabian Forte, Lynne Marta, Woodrow Parfrey, John Lasell, Susannah Darrow, Norma Connolly, Anthony Eisley, Sherry Boucher, Carole Shelyne, Eloise Hardt, Mel Novak

EXTORTION, KIDNAPPING

It’s a really good and unusual kidnappers entry that fits the time and much better that the previous one (“The Innocents”) because it toys with human failure/error. The originality of the narrative lies in many details: the duo of kidnappers pretend to be police inspectors and show a badge, the same duo abducts the wrong person who looks like the initial target (a female student with wealthy parents), the hideout of the duo (an abandoned and stale movie theater), the girlfriend of one of the kidnappers recognizes the wrong girl and vainly let her escape, the girlfriend acting as the bag woman who fears the predatory leader. The script is penned by associate producer Mark Weingart. The Seventies zeitgeist is present when Erskine and Colby enter a hip record store called Rare Records & New and interrogate the groovy chick seller. It omits the third ritual. The cast of the kidnappers is good: Tom Skerritt—really shines as the mad beast—and Fabian Forte.

QM actors notes: Tom Skerritt guests in some QM series like The Fugitive (2), 12 O’Clock High (5), The FBI (4), Cannon (3), Barnaby Jones, The Manhunter.

Returning guest actors: Tom Skerritt (the season 3 “The Legend of John Rim”), Lynne Marta (the season 5 “Flight”), John Lasell (the season 5 “Fatal Impostor”), Susannah Darrow (the season 5 “The Dealer”), Norma Connolly (the season 1 “The Animal”), Anthony Eisley (the season 5 “The Quest”).

 

[JohnHopper]

THE FBI SEASON 6

Episode #15
“Unknown Victim”
written by Mark Weingart
directed by William Hale
cinematography by William W. Spencer
guests: Tom Skerritt, Fabian Forte, Lynne Marta, Woodrow Parfrey, John Lasell, Susannah Darrow, Norma Connolly, Anthony Eisley, Sherry Boucher, Carole Shelyne, Eloise Hardt, Mel Novak

Pictures of ruthless kidnapper Thorn Hazard (actor Tom Skerritt).

 

[Purple Wig]

Skerritt looking slightly more well groomed here than in some of his 70’s guest spots; was this around the time of Kolchak?

What a cast—-Eisley, Parfrey, Lynne Marta and ol’Fabian, whose early recordings are more rockin’ than most will give him credit for.

 

[JohnHopper]

Skerritt looking slightly more well groomed here than in some of his 70’s guest spots; was this around the time of Kolchak?

What a cast—-Eisley, Parfrey, Lynne Marta and ol’Fabian, whose early recordings are more rockin’ than most will give him credit for.

“Unknown Victim” was broadcast on January 3, 1971, by the way.
The Kolchak episode was broadcast on November 15, 1974.

 

[stuartfanning]

Here's a question for John or any other The FBI expert here. What is the backstory on Arthur Ward? Was he married and now a widower like Erskine. Is he divorced, or just someone who never married. Just watched a Season 4 episode, and there was Ward in a single bed answering a call at night from Colby. I remember an earlier episode to with Ward speaking to Erskine from a single bed.

 

[JohnHopper]

Here's a question for John or any other The FBI expert here. What is the backstory on Arthur Ward? Was he married and now a widower like Erskine. Is he divorced, or just someone who never married. Just watched a Season 4 episode, and there was Ward in a single bed answering a call at night from Colby. I remember an earlier episode to with Ward speaking to Erskine from a single bed.

If you remember, Tony Vincenzo from Kolchak phones Carl on a single bed too.
The same thing applies to the agents from Mission: Impossible.
Seriously, I don’t know. There is no companion book about it.

 

[Lecagr]

I recently watched the four episodes on disc 4 of season 6 and enjoyed them all.

I'm glad I made the decision a few years ago to purchase the DVD's of all nine seasons, it was well worth the price of investment. Too bad it ended after nine seasons, I think it could have continued for another season or two. I like several series from Quinn Martin but this one is probably my favorite. The Eff Bee Eye.

 

[JohnHopper]

THE FBI SEASON 6

Episode #16
“The Stalking Horse”
written by Jack Turley
directed by Nicholas Webster
cinematography by Jack Swain
guests: Steve Forrest, Harold Gould, Diana Hyland, Lawrence Pressman, Lyn Edgington, Reuben Singer, Duncan McLeod, Karl Lukas, Jerry Taft, Dallas Mitchell, Dan Barton, Tom Stewart, James Driskill

ESPIONAGE

It’s a decent intimistic rework and the companion piece to this season “The Traitor” in terms of industrial espionage and compromised character: replace Bradford Dillman by Steve Forrest (who has a higher social position and even gets a big promotion and is married to the rich daughter of the company director) and replace Wayne Rogers by Diana Hyland who is a foreign agent (Joanne Kingston alias Marie Roska) pretending to be his mistress to get the secret formula. The main sociological difference with “The Traitor” is not a money problem but an existential matter. Fashion-wise, the Soviet spy wears trendy clothes unlike the daughter of the industrialist. This is the first episode of this season in which Inspector Erskine goes undercover and, here, poses as a quality control specialist (a computer analyst of some kind) to corner the guilty man at Millard Industries. The full third ritual comes back at last.

QM actors notes: Steve Forrest will play a fine part of hired killer in the season 1 “A Room with a View” from The Streets of San Francisco. Forrest guests in some QM series like 12 O’Clock High, The Fugitive, The FBI, Cannon, The Streets of San Francisco.

Returning guest actors: Harold Gould (the season 4 “The Butcher”), Diana Hyland (the season 3 “Overload”), Lyn Edgington (the season 4 “Wind It Up and It Betrays You”), Duncan McLeod (the season 1 “The Bomb That Walked Like a Man”), Dallas Mitchell (the season 6 “Incident in the Desert”), Dan Barton (the season 4 “The Butcher”).

 

[JohnHopper]

The ABC Color Announcement
Next… The F.B.I., in color.

 

[JohnHopper]

¶​

¶ Next on The F.B.I. season 6, the reviews of the fifth disc and starting on Monday 3!​

¶ Get your ID and be ready!​

¶​

​

 

[JohnHopper]

THE FBI SEASON 6

Episode #17
“Center of Peril”
written by Robert Malcolm Young
directed by Carl Barth
cinematography by Jack Swain
guests: Vic Morrow, Gary Collins, Susan Howard, Robert Cornthwaite, Maurice Marsac, Lewis Charles, Robert Knapp, Wayne McLaren, Marie Cheatham

INTERSTATE TRANSPORTATION OF STOLEN PROPERTY, MAJOR THEFT

It’s a decent yet old new painting thieves entry with a fancy last Act and a rehash of the season 4 “The Fraud”: just replace William Smithers by Vic Morrow. As in “The Stalking Horse”, find again Inspector Erskine who goes undercover and poses as an art expert just like the season 4 “The Intermediary”—and therefore undergoes a crash course that defies realism—but as a gem expert who is again unmasked by a member of the gang. Don’t miss the Seventies style car chase that ends up in a closed sand and gravel plant. The helicopter is back but led by Colby and even at night to track Vic Morrow down and that scene was used to promote the show during the 1971 ABC Fall Preview! The third ritual is omitted. The cast of the heavies is really good: Vic Morrow as the buyer and representative of the Syndicate, Gary Collins as the thief leader, Wayne McLaren as the thief hand, Susan Howard as the girlfriend of the thief leader working at the museum as the infiltrator. Features Duane Tatro’s echoplexed trumpet cue from the score “Incident in the Desert” during the robbery prologue.

QM actors notes: Vic Morrow will later play the fine part of gold bricks robber Vic Tolliman in the season 2 “The Twenty-Four Karat Plague” from The Streets of San Francisco. Morrow guests in some QM series like The Untouchables (2), The FBI (2), Dan August, The Streets of San Francisco.

Returning guest actors: Robert Cornthwaite (the season 4 “The Flaw”), Robert Knapp (the season 6 “The Innocents”).

The 1971 ABC Fall Preview for The FBI season 6
It features scenes from “Center of Peril”, guest starring Vic Morrow.

 

[JohnHopper]

THE FBI SEASON 6

Episode #17
“Center of Peril”
written by Robert Malcolm Young
directed by Carl Barth
cinematography by Jack Swain
guests: Vic Morrow, Gary Collins, Susan Howard, Robert Cornthwaite, Maurice Marsac, Lewis Charles, Robert Knapp, Wayne McLaren, Marie Cheatham

Pictures of gangster Porter Bent (actor Vic Morrow).

 

[Flashgear]

Nice screen caps, John!

One of my all-time favorite actors, the great Vic Morrow also guest stars in season 8 of The FBI, as an escaped prisoner on the run from inspector Erskine...Desperate Journey, S8E19, Jan. 28, 1973...an exciting chase episode filmed spectacularly at Lake Tahoe and San Bernardino National Forrest...Burr DeBenning, Sandra Smith, William Bryant, and Rance Howard flesh out the cast.