QM File: THE FBI (ABC/1965-1974) (4 Viewers)

[JohnHopper]

the fbi season 7 publicity shot

 

[JohnHopper]

THE FBI SEASON 7

Episode #10
“End of a Hero”
written by Ed Waters
directed by Ralph Senensky
cinematography by William W. Spencer
guests: Ed Nelson, Lee Meriwether, Kaz Garas, Joseph Hindy, James McCallion, William Bryant, Tim Herbert, Dennis McCarthy, Craig Guenther, Jimmy Hayes, Jerry Taft, Ric Drasin

INTERSTATE TRANSPORTATION OF STOLEN PROPERTY, INTERSTATE TRANSPORTATION OF STOLEN MOTOR VEHICLE

It’s a fun and dynamic jewel thieves entry that relies on air escapes combined with a poor family and existential drama about a man living in a fantasy world forced to accept a dirty job to survive. The two robberies-escapes are templates of film-making. As usual, actress Lee Meriwether is a delight and even at portraying a desperate poor wife but, previously, used to play the recurring FBI bureaucrat Joanna Lauren during season 1. Three scenes (Erskine and Colby step into a private club and encounter a bouncer and book the jewel fence, a helicopter shot, Erskine diving from the upper floor and arresting the first helicopter pilot in a motel’s swimming pool) from that episode were used in the 1972 ABC Fall Preview. Don’t miss the final helicopter showdown: two federal ones versus the thieves one! The cast of the criminals is good: Kaz Garas as the thief leader, Joseph Hindy as the thief associate, Ed Nelson as the reluctant broke helicopter pilot, William Bryant as the helicopter pilot who double-crosses the team, James McCallion as the jewel fence.

QM actors notes: Ed Nelson guests in some QM series like The Untouchables (3), The New Breed (2), The Fugitive (2), The FBI (3), Cannon, The Streets of San Francisco, Barnaby Jones (2), Most Wanted.

Returning guest actors: Lee Meriwether (the season 4 “The Nightmare”), Kaz Garas (the season 4 “Wind It Up and It Betrays You”), James McCallion (the season 5 “Conspiracy of Corruption”), Dennis McCarthy (the season 6 “The Condemned”), Craig Guenther (the season 6 “Death Watch”), Jerry Taft (the season 6 “The Stalking Horse”).

 

[JohnHopper]

THE FBI SEASON 7

Episode #10
“End of a Hero”

Pictures of pilot Vincent Paquette (actor Ed Nelson).

 

[JohnHopper]

THE FBI SEASON 7

Episode #11
“Superstition Rock”
written by Mark Rodgers
directed by Seymour Robbie
cinematography by William W. Spencer
guests: Lou Antonio, Michael Baseleon, Marj Dusay, Dana Elcar, Craig Guenther, Richard Hale, Douglas Henderson, Robert Knapp, Colin Male, Richard Merrifield, Wayne Rogers, Artie Spain, Bard Stevens, Garrison True

ASSAULT ON A FEDERAL OFFICER

It’s a laborious mine workers whodunit related to a local corruption ring combined with some Indians folklore. Inspector Erskine wears a casual outfit to investigate amongst blue collars and as in “The Game of Terror”, saves a third party from a terrible death. Special Agent Tom Colby goes undercover and poses as a petty thief and a mine worker and watches the shady head worker. The cast of the corrupted big shots consists of Dana Elcar, Wayne Rogers and Marj Dusay. The cast of the main mine workers consists of Lou Antonio as the shady drunk and Michael Baseleon as the righteous Indian.

QM actors notes: Wayne Rogers guests in some QM series like The Fugitive, 12 O’Clock High, The FBI (7), The Invaders, Cannon, Barnaby Jones.

Returning guest actors: Michael Baseleon (the season 6 “Eye of the Needle”), Marj Dusay (the season 6 “The Impersonator”), Dana Elcar (the season 6 “The Fatal Connection”), Craig Guenther (the season 7 “End of a Hero”), Douglas Henderson (the season 3 “By Force and Violence, Part 2”), Robert Knapp (the season 6 “Center of Peril”), Richard Merrifield (the season 6 “The Impersonator”), Wayne Rogers (the season 6 “The Traitor”), Bard Stevens (the season 6 “Time Bomb”), Garrison True (the season 6 “The Architect”).

 

[JohnHopper]

the fbi season 7 publicity shot

 

[bmasters9]

The cast of the criminals is good: Kaz Garas as the thief leader, Joseph Hindy as the thief associate, Ed Nelson as the reluctant broke helicopter pilot, William Bryant as the helicopter pilot who double-crosses the team, James McCallion as the jewel fence.

And Kaz and Ed also worked together in that first-season Streets of San Francisco episode "The Albatross" the next season (1972-73); Kaz would be Artis Pierce in that episode (who could not hear the Miranda given to him when he was arrested for murder, and had his confession initially thrown out of court on those grounds); and Ed would be Robert Alan Hobbes, whose son Kaz's character was accused of killing, and who took it upon himself to try to deliver justice in his own way (by first refusing to name him in court, and then trying to purchase a gun to carry out his own homebrewed "justice", as I understand it).

 

[JohnHopper]

And Kaz and Ed also worked together in that first-season Streets of San Francisco episode "The Albatross" the next season (1972-73); Kaz would be Artis Pierce in that episode (who could not hear the Miranda given to him when he was arrested for murder, and had his confession initially thrown out of court on those grounds); and Ed would be Robert Alan Hobbes, whose son Kaz's character was accused of killing, and who took it upon himself to try to deliver justice in his own way (by first refusing to name him in court, and then trying to purchase a gun to carry out his own homebrewed "justice", as I understand it).

“The Albatross” is one of the best season 1 episodes.

 

[bmasters9]

“The Albatross” is one of the best season 1 episodes.

Indeed-- here is that episode, almost in full (starts with last creative credit, and lacks end titles, but is still quite entertaining, IMO).

 

[JohnHopper]

THE FBI SEASON 7

Episode #12
“The Minerva Tapes”
written by Warren Duff
directed by Michael O’Herlihy
cinematography by William Margulies
guests: Louis Jourdan, Donald Harron, Lynne Marta, David Birney, Walter Brooke, Allyn Ann McLerie, Erik Holland, Paul Hahn, Don Spruance, Richard Merrifield, David Brandon, Chuck Morrell

ESPIONAGE

It’s another conventional and dull rework of the season 3 “Counter-Stroke” that is enhanced by the film-making of Michael O’Herlihy especially during Act 4: see the season 6 “The Replacement” with an art gallery front but, here, an antique shop. Inspector Lewis Erskine goes undercover and poses as Soviet operative Lucas Vale to meet the mysterious Minerva and get a coded tape back to decipher secret messages but he is first tested by the two agents which includes a foreign language ordeal and a phony code called Zebra to trap him and in the very end, Erskine appears as the middle man in a power struggle. Witness if you will the Seventies zeitgeist throughout the daughter of the leading mature soviet agent: a student agitator (Lynne Marta) who loves a young Soviet agent (David Birney). The cast of the Soviet agents consists of Louis Jourdan as the network leader-father, Donald Harron as the diehard militant, Erik Holland as the silent henchman, David Birney as the romantic young man, Walter Brooke as the settled man with a heart condition.

QM actors notes: Louis Jourdan guests in the QM series The FBI thrice.

Returning guest actors: Louis Jourdan (the season 4 “Wind It Up and It Betrays You”), Donald Harron (the season 4 “The Flaw”), Lynne Marta (the season 6 “Unknown Victim”), Paul Hahn (the season 6 “The Replacement”), Don Spruance (the season 6 “The Inheritors”), Richard Merrifield (the season 7 “Superstition Rock”), David Brandon (the season 6 “Turnabout”).

 

[JohnHopper]

the fbi season 7 publicity shot

 

[JohnHopper]

¶​

¶ Next on The F.B.I. season 7, the reviews of the fourth disc and starting on Monday 14!​

¶ Get your ID and be ready!​

¶​

​

​

 

[JohnHopper]

THE FBI SEASON 7

Episode #13
“Bitter Harbor”
written by Robert Heverly and Ron Bishop
story by Ron Bishop
directed by Virgil W. Vogel
cinematography by William W. Spencer
guests: Joseph Wiseman, James Luisi, Cameron Mitchell, Fred Beir, Than Wyenn, Nicholas Colasanto, Len Wayland, Lawrence Montaigne, Renata Vanni, Edith Diaz, Lew Brown, Carlos Romero, John Davey, Bob Hoy

EXTORTIONATE CREDIT TRANSACTIONS

It’s a decent poor Italian fishermen drama about Syndicate corruption through a workers association: The FBI meets On the Waterfront! Find another variation on the season 2 “The Scourge”. The main interest lies in the wicked performance of Cameron Mitchell. Special Agent Tom Colby goes undercover and poses as a fisherman on the dock and is threatened by the mob. Unfortunately, actor Fred Beir has a limited part during the prologue. The script is penned by story consultant Robert Heverly. The cast of the main fishermen consists of Joseph Wiseman as the old father, James Luisi as the young son, Than Wyenn as the traitor. The cast of the gangsters is good: Cameron Mitchell as the fancy representative of the mob, Lawrence Montaigne as the leading henchman, Bob Hoy as the second henchman.

QM actors notes: Joseph Wiseman guests in some QM series like The Untouchables (2), The New Breed, The FBI (2), The Streets of San Francisco (2).

Returning guest actors: James Luisi (the season 6 “The Impersonator”), Fred Beir (the season 5 “Pressure Point”), Than Wyenn (the season 5 “The Diamond Millstone”), Nicholas Colasanto (the season 2 “The Camel’s Nose”), Len Wayland (the season 7 “The Last Job”), Lawrence Montaigne (the season 6 “Antennae of Death”), Renata Vanni (the season 2 “The Extortionist”), Lew Brown (the season 7 “Death on Sunday”), Carlos Romero (the season 4 “The Patriot”).

 

[JohnHopper]

THE FBI SEASON 7

Episode #14
“The Recruiter”
written by Robert C. Dennis
directed by Virgil W. Vogel
cinematography by William W. Spencer
guests: Monte Markham, Arthur Franz, Jessica Walter, Patricia Donahue, Jesse Vint, William Sargent, Barry Russo, Richard Eastham, John Lance, K.L. Smith, Lynnette Mettey, Florence Sundstrom, Michael Stokey, William Swan, Dallas Mitchell, John Mayo

BANK ROBBERY

It’s a good criminal’s love story with a good couple cast (Monte Markham, Jessica Walter) that features two robberies. The prologue starts as the season 6 “The Condemned”. As in season 6 “The Architect”, Monte Markham plays again a mastermind and interacts with Arthur Franz and, unlike it, Markham’s performance is smoother and portrays a ladies’ man who is obliged to seduce a department manager to neutralize the security system of a big store. The cast of the robbers is good: first team (Monte Markham, Jesse Vint), second team (Monte Markham, Arthur Franz, Barry Russo, Patricia Donahue).

QM actors notes: Monte Markham guests in some QM series like The FBI (3), Dan August, Cannon, Barnaby Jones, The Manhunter, Caribe, A Man Called Sloane.

Returning guest actors: Monte Markham (the season 6 “The Architect”), Arthur Franz (the season 6 “The Architect”), Jessica Walter (the season 4 “Death of a Fixer”), Patricia Donahue (the season 6 “Downfall”), Jesse Vint (the season 6 “The Natural”), William Sargent (the season 6 “The Traitor”), Barry Russo (the season 6 “Turnabout”), Richard Eastham (the season 3 “Crisis Ground”), Lynnette Mettey (the season 6 “Eye of the Needle”), Florence Sundstrom (the season 1 “The Defector, Part 2”), William Swan (the season 1 “The Insolents”), Dallas Mitchell (the season 6 “The Stalking Horse”), John Mayo (the season 7 “The Watch-Dog”).

 

[JohnHopper]

the fbi season 7 publicity shot

 

[JohnHopper]

THE FBI SEASON 7

Episode #15
“The Buyer”
written by Ed Waters
directed by Carl Barth
cinematography by William W. Spencer
guests: Tim O’Connor, David Hedison, Stefanie Powers, Leon Askin, Michael Vandever, Mark Dana, Jim Raymond, Lew Brown, Hank Brandt, Ric Mancini

THEFT FROM INTERSTATE SHIPMENT

It’s a fun infiltrator entry—and the best one of this season—about a business negotiation to buy stolen platinum. Inspector Lewis Erskine goes undercover and poses as a fancy European playboy smuggler with a fake moustache and sunglasses sailing to San Francisco. It’s odd to see David Hedison as a crude hood because he is so closely related to his Navy part from Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea. The third ritual is back! The cast of the thieves is really good: Tim O’Connor as the abrasive thief leader, David Hedison as the younger thief associate, Stefanie Powers as the dubious girlfriend of the leader who cheats him.

QM actors notes: Tim O’Connor guests in some QM productions like 12 O’Clock High, The Fugitive (3), The FBI (6), Dan August, Incident in San Francisco, Cannon (4), The Streets of San Francisco (4), Banyon, Barnaby Jones (5), The Manhunter (2), Tales of the Unexpected. Tim O’Connor had the regular part of Lt. Roy Devitt in The Streets of San Francisco.

Returning guest actors: Tim O’Connor (the season 5 “Flight”), Jim Raymond (the season 6 “The Architect”), Lew Brown (the season 6 “Bitter Harbor”), Hank Brandt (the season 6 “The Witness”), Ric Mancini (the season 6 “The Inheritors”).

 

[JohnHopper]

THE FBI SEASON 7

Episode #16
“A Second Life”
written by Dick Nelson
directed by Ralph Senensky
cinematography by William W. Spencer
guests: Martin Sheen, Meg Foster, Frank Aletter, Zooey Hall, John Sylvester White, William Sylvester, Lynn Wood, Tony Colti, Arlen Stuart, Lew Brown, Phil Dean, John Lawrence, Peggy Doyle, Danni Nolan, George Sawaya

INTERSTATE TRANSPORTATION OF STOLEN MOTOR VEHICLE, UNLAWFUL FLIGHT TO AVOID PROSECUTION, ATTEMPTED MURDER

It starts out as a political assassination assignment that turns into a very good hitman that fails his contract entry about the theme of the second chance-redemption, an impossible love story and a close look at the Syndicate. What’s interesting about this episode is the odd and dense relationship between a nihilistic hired killer (Martin Sheen) and a pregnant hippie artist (Meg Foster) who draws an eyes-less sketch of her new friend: the eyes-less representation symbolizes his lack of soul but, in the very end, he becomes a good samaritan at his own risk. To highlight the Seventies zeitgeist, the costume designer dresses actress Meg Foster with the current fashion of the day. The cast of the Syndicate figures consists of Martin Sheen as the failure young hitman, John Sylvester White as the head mobster who supervises young gun men in a fancy mansion, Zooey Hall as the ruthless second young hitman, George Sawaya as the old hitman posing as a flower delivery man.

Ironside notes: Martin Sheen previously plays a hitman encountering a woman related to counterculture in the season 4 “No Game for Amateurs” that also takes place in San Francisco.

QM actors notes: Martin Sheen guests in some QM series like The FBI (4), Dan August, Cannon (3), The Streets of San Francisco.

Returning guest actors: Martin Sheen (the season 6 “The Condemned”), Frank Aletter (the season 3 “Act of Violence”), John Sylvester White (the season 6 “The Natural”), Lew Brown (the season 7 “The Buyer”), Phil Dean (the season 6 “The Replacement”), Danni Nolan (the season 7 “Dynasty of Hate”), George Sawaya (the season 5 “Summer Terror”).

 

[JohnHopper]

THE FBI SEASON 7

Episode #16
“A Second Life”

Pictures of hitman Steve Chandler (actor Martin Sheen).

 

[JohnHopper]

¶​

¶ Next on The F.B.I. season 7, the reviews of the fifth disc and starting on Monday 21!​

¶ Get your ID and be ready!​

¶​

​

 

[JohnHopper]

THE FBI SEASON 7

Episode #17
“The Break-Up”
written by Ed Waters
directed by Virgil W. Vogel
cinematography by William W. Spencer
guests: Donna Mills, Charles Cioffi, Jerry Ayres, Byron Mabe, Richard Roat, Lauren Gilbert, Carolyn Lee Eddy, Colby Chester, Frank Jamus, Garrison True, Brent Davis, Don Furneaux, Eric Sinclair

BANK ROBBERY

It’s an unusual, fun and cynical young couple (Jerry Ayres/Donna Mills) of bank robbers drama and the novelty is that it includes a woman—disguised as a man during the first job—but acts as a fancy prima donna who enjoys luxury and double-crosses her own husband. Three scenes (the federal car entering the lumber company, Ward informing Erskine about the criminal file of Todd Rawson over the phone, the federal car stopping cold next to the big shot outside his mansion while Erskine points his gun at him) from that episode were used in the 1972 ABC Fall Preview. The cast of the fence consists of Byron Mabe as the lumber blue collar middle man and Charles Cioffi as the playboy big shot living in a hired mansion who poses as a wealthy man. The action scenes (the escape from the bank, the escape from the lumber factory) are tracked with Duane Trato’s “Incident in the Desert”.

QM actors notes: Donna Mills guests in some QM series like Dan August, The FBI (2), Cannon, Barnaby Jones, Banyon.

Returning guest actors: Donna Mills (the season 6 “The Hitchhiker”), Jerry Ayres (the season 6 “Eye of the Needle”), Richard Roat (the season 6 “Eye of the Needle”), Lauren Gilbert (the season 5 “Journey Into Night”), Frank Jamus (the season 6 “The Deadly Pact”), Garrison True (the season 7 “Superstition Rock”).

The 1972 ABC Fall Preview | The FBI

 

[JohnHopper]

the fbi season 7 publicity shot