Mid season episode and Outstanding --although there is a very sad ending... It will stay with you.
10 Plus Stars.
Dynamic writing, again thanks to Meyer Dolinsky, over the top, yet poignant. Meyer did also some very fine work for HAWAII FIVE O, and no surprise. Charles Dubin directed, who was associated with IRONSIDE. An incredible team.
Big Guy John Vernon (and with that voice you know he did Shakespeare) portrays Ross, a man completely out of control, if not out of his mind on hard drugs. OR IS HE? The weird slant to all this is Dawn (played by Charlotte Stewart from LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE) who has curiously adopted him, and to the point where her life revolves around the man. Fritz Weaver (as Thurston) plays her devious father, tied to a smuggling operation, and of course the goal is to fool Cannon.
Pretty clever stuff, but the ending will really get to you (and a total surprise) what pushed CANNON into the top 10 with Emmy nominations. John Vernon made four appearances on the series, also MANNIX. He did voice work for many animation projects, such as BATMAN. He is such a great actor, and should have won an Emmy for this story.
To note, this was partly filmed on the elegant grounds of the legendary Langham Huntington Hotel at Pasadena, California, built in 1914. Also there are scenes filmed on the grounds of the fabulous Ambassador Hotel in LA (Wilshire Blvd) where Bobby Kennedy was shot.
Also listen for a Stephen Stills (Crosby, Stills and Nash) song called "Judy Blue Eyes." Popular actor Ray Oliver plays Father Sal, the Hollywood DJ who Cannon checks the lyrics with. Ray later appeared regularly on LOU GRANT. Does this mean that Cannon was a Top 40 fan??? "Judy Blue Eyes" peaked at #21 on the charts in 1969, dedicated to singer Judy Collins.
For all us old actor buffs, Sidney Clute plays the doctor, who later played Dr. Simms on MCCLOUD. Burly Kelly Thordsen guest stars, a staple in Warner Brothers/ABC tv westerns, an old friend of William Conrad.
First episode of 1973. HAPPY NEW YEAR! SEASON 2 EPISODE 14 remastered CBS/Paramount dvd box set #2. 3 dvds per box. 10 hrs each. Check out the back cover photo with Cannon next his Lincoln, and the dead guy in the middle of the street!