Mannix (TV Series) The Girl in the Frame (1968) User Reviews

Another episode with a "Star Trek" tie-in...and you'll also get to see Mike Connors do a flying kick!

[planktonrules · 9/10 · 1 May 2013]

Like so many previous episodes of "Mannix", you'll get to see a few actors in this one who also appeared on "Star Trek"--no surprise since both were made by the same studio. In this case, you have an art aficionado (William Wyndom) and a gorgeous model (Leslie Parrish).

"The Girl in the Frame" begins with the millionaire, Calvin Norris, looking through a telescope and seeing a woman modeling for an artist. The things that make him take particular notice is that he's amazed with her beauty and she has a beauty mark in the exact shape and location as in a Renoir painting he just bought! He now wonders if his painting is a fake and gets Intertech to investigate. However, you really get the impression (particularly at the end) that Norris just wants a chance to meet this lady! But, along the way there is murder, mayhem, a risqué scene that I am surprised got past the 1960s censors as well as Mike Connors himself delivering a really wicked flying kick to stop a would-be murderer! Heck, it's worth seeing the show just to see the kick--especially since it clearly IS Connors and not some stuntman! Exciting and enjoyable...and get a load of Mannix's final line--it's pretty funny!

Nice last episode for a detective going out on his own

[Guad42 · 8/10 · 24 October 2020]

Good final adventure before Mannix cuts ties with the tech organization. A nice chorus of veteran TV actors. Leslie Parrish is gorgeous. William Windom is always dependable. I thought Dabbs Greer would be more involved than he was. They all did the rounds, not only Star Trek but Perry Mason, Twilight Zone, Combat, and 12 O'clock High are also on several resumes.

Mannix's last line is good and Joe C. Has a nice line "We were looking for a real model in a fake painting and it turned into a real painting with a fake model." Lots of complaints about computers and Mannix threatening to start his own agency. I wonder if that was already in the works for the next year.

A final comment on the show's first year. Mannix had low ratings and was in danger of being cancelled. Lucille Ball stepped in and saved it while promising changes, the biggest being Joe went out on his own. The show became a hit and played for seven more years. Clearly that was a good move by Lucy and the studio. Given that history, there is a tendency to see the first year as largely a failure. Looking back on it, there are actually several very good episodes with fine writing and excellent acting. Maybe a "lone wolf" Joe Mannix out on his own was needed to save the series but that doesn't take away from a very good first year.

Good episode - lots of Star Trek folk!

[maggdoodle · 9/10 · 19 August 2018]

It's a good episode. Something I noticed though, the painting the artist tries to pawn off on Wiliam Windom (Cmdr Decker in Star Trek) looks for all of the world like the doomsday machine that Decker drove into. Not seen anyone else mention this. Anyway, Mannix is doing what will be his last job for Inotek (thank goodness) and will be going out on his own in the next episode. He's hired to investigate a possible painting fraud ring that revolves around (of course) a beautiful blond. And drama and hiliarity ensue!

Mannix guest stars not only from Star Trek

[steverippey · 9/10 · 19 January 2023]

Didn't really see Mannix when it first came out at 8 years old but have really enjoyed it late night on MeTv. The Girl in the Frame not only has Star Trek guest stars but a whopping 5! Wild Wild West individuals: Joe Campanella Dabs Greer Douglas Henderson William Windom and Leslie Parrish. The last two were in the same ep The Night of the Flying Pie Plate 1966. Anyhoozle great series Mannix even with all the smoking in the first few seasons. And the cars! '67 Toronado "convertible" the '68 and '69 Dart GT's the '72 Cuda convertible (not available to the public) and last (and least) the '74 Camaro. Season II starts tonite.

ONE OF THESE DAYS I'M GONNA' OPEN AN AGENCY!

[tcchelsey · 10/10 · 18 October 2023]

Mannix is about to do this.... But first, he has to settle another puzzling case for Lew. This piece has a rather noirish slant, sort of along the lines of LAURA (1944), written by Wilton Schiller. Schiller also co-produced MANNIX and POLICE SURGEON.

Schiller probably was a fan of old movies, which flooded the airwaves back in the 60s and 70s. Let's face it, there was a ton of rich material waiting to be dusted off and resurrected.

The switch here is that an art collector (well played by William Windom )and not the detective is drawn to a model (Leslie Parrish) who resembles a character in a rare painting. You have to admit, it's a giant coincidence, and just who is this model associated with? Whether its money or not, you have to squeeze in some rules of "attraction" every now and then. You will also get a few chuckles from this scenario, without giving too much away.

Parrish, was perfectly cast here as she began her career as a model, and would appear three times on the series. She guested in scores of cop shows for Warner Brothers tv, and a BATMAN alumnus.

Film and tv favorite Michael Pataki plays Lang, a man to be watched carefully. Always one in the bunch. Pataki had just finished a part in STAR TREK, and was quite popular on tv as he could manage just about type of role.

Watch for Oscar Beregi, always the gentleman of suspicion and a bit from character actor Dabbs Greer as Petey. Applause to producer Barry Crane, who directed this final episode of the first season. Barry stages a run, fall, duck for cover shootout at the Hollywood Bowl, now a staple in the series. Of course, the prime place for gun battles was Griffith Park, just a few miles away. It's true that the park grounds had more Hollywood history than the legendary observatory.

SEASON 1 EPISODE 24 remastered CBS dvd box set.