My main purpose in reviewing this episode is the appearance of Ruth Roman as Victoria Parish, the selfish and immoral mother of the under fire police officer Paul Parish played by Robert Ritchie. I was watching this episode and cleaning the kitchen. When Roman appears on the screen I did not recognize her and wondered who is this crazy looking middle aged woman with the obvious wig on her head?
After watching the show and looking it up on IMDB I realized Ruth Roman played this part. Victoria Parish is a middle aged woman who will shack up with any man she meets. She sits at home all day drinking and smoking. Her son Paul sends her money each month so she can pay her bills. She seems more interested in using her son for the money than being a loving mother.
I went back and reviewed Ruth Roman's performance again. She was only 49 years old at the time. She definitely looked her age if not older. Ruth's performance is the best part of this episode.
Ruth's deep voice and mannerisms remind me of the late Martin Balsam. They would have made a perfect middle aged Jewish couple. I searched to see if they were in any movie together and sure enough they both appeared in the 1970 movie, The Old Man who Cried Wolf. Unfortunately, they did not star as husband and wife but the movie was released a year this Mannix episode. Although It features Edward G. Robinson as the top billed star.
Brenda Benet has no impact as Helen Parish and could have been played by another actress. Other reviewers have correctly pointed out the plot holes. Going back to 1970 when this was likely filmed and getting to enjoy the solid acting makes it bearable to watch despite the plot holes. So despite the weak plot, I give this episode a 7.
Mannix gets bashed in the head again and of course suffers no effects. For all the times he has been bashed in the head up until this episode, he would either be dead or severely mentally impaired. He would have diminished eye sight and wear thick glasses. Peggy would have to drive him around. Mannix would no longer speak in complete sentences. He would utter his words like the Incredible Hulk. A Mannix in this state, I jokingly refer to as "Frannix." The name just came to me from the image conjured up in my mind of Connors appearance in this type of state of mind.
After watching the show and looking it up on IMDB I realized Ruth Roman played this part. Victoria Parish is a middle aged woman who will shack up with any man she meets. She sits at home all day drinking and smoking. Her son Paul sends her money each month so she can pay her bills. She seems more interested in using her son for the money than being a loving mother.
I went back and reviewed Ruth Roman's performance again. She was only 49 years old at the time. She definitely looked her age if not older. Ruth's performance is the best part of this episode.
Ruth's deep voice and mannerisms remind me of the late Martin Balsam. They would have made a perfect middle aged Jewish couple. I searched to see if they were in any movie together and sure enough they both appeared in the 1970 movie, The Old Man who Cried Wolf. Unfortunately, they did not star as husband and wife but the movie was released a year this Mannix episode. Although It features Edward G. Robinson as the top billed star.
Brenda Benet has no impact as Helen Parish and could have been played by another actress. Other reviewers have correctly pointed out the plot holes. Going back to 1970 when this was likely filmed and getting to enjoy the solid acting makes it bearable to watch despite the plot holes. So despite the weak plot, I give this episode a 7.
Mannix gets bashed in the head again and of course suffers no effects. For all the times he has been bashed in the head up until this episode, he would either be dead or severely mentally impaired. He would have diminished eye sight and wear thick glasses. Peggy would have to drive him around. Mannix would no longer speak in complete sentences. He would utter his words like the Incredible Hulk. A Mannix in this state, I jokingly refer to as "Frannix." The name just came to me from the image conjured up in my mind of Connors appearance in this type of state of mind.