Mannix (TV Series) To Quote a Dead Man (1973) User Reviews

One of the better season 6 episodes.

[planktonrules · 9/10 · 8 January 2016]

The problem with any series, particularly a cop or detective show, is that if they go on for more than a few seasons, the episodes become more and more stale and less original over time. This is practically a given and clearly happened with shows such as the original "Hawaii Five-O" and "Mannix". While I can see a quality difference between season six and the earlier seasons, at least they occasionally had a stand-out show...and "To Quote a Dead Man" is one of these stand- outs.

When the show begins, you see a hobo who is wearing a particularly elegant coat and hat. He's standing in the alley and some criminals inside a building assume he's seen something he shouldn't have seen...and the boss (Lloyd Bochner) orders his flunkie to kill the guy! While the man escapes, he ends up dying from alcoholism a short time later. But before that, he told his buddy 'Boston' (David Wayne) about almost getting shot. And, after his death, Boston takes the guy's coat and hat. Boston doesn't know it, but the man who tried to kill his friend are still looking...and what he remembers most is the coat and hat Boston now wears.

Soon attempts are made on Boston's life and this unusually erudite hobo comes looking for help from Mannix. Mannix is never one to turn down a case because of money and agrees to help. Soon, it's obvious someone is trying to kill Boston and eventually, of course, Mannix is able to piece it all together.

This is an exciting and original show--one you should see if you get a chance. Since the program is now on DVD, you can--though at this point only a few of the early shows are available through Netflix. Worth seeing and one that features not only some nice acting by Wayne but nice supporting characters played by Bochner and Barbara Babcock.

David Wayne is the scene stealer here

[Guad42 · 7/10 · 14 April 2021]

The plot has been covered by others so only a few comments here. David Wayne, as the educated hobo "Boston", is the bad guys' target and Mannix's client. Boston is TV's version of hobos and other n'er-do-wells - well educated people happy with their lot and meandering thru life with nary a worry for themselves nor ill feelings toward others. We seen those characters before on Hawaii Five-0, Magnum, Gunsmoke, and Bonanza to name a few. I put them right next to "prostitutes with hearts of gold" as stereotypical characters only seen in television land. Even when Boston steals $10 at the end of the show, Joe, Peggy, and the rest of us, let it slide.

Joe has more than his usual hunches here and they all pay off. He pieces together the chain of events with minimal clues and easily dismisses a suicide that the police had wrapped up in a nice bow. Lloyd Bochner is the standard bad guy and Barbara Babcock has a nice turn as the unhappy widow. Jonathan Goldsmith has a part in this episode. Years later he would be the "world's most interesting man" in beer commercials. "I seldom beat up private detectives, but when I do it is Joe Mannix."

The story is a bit different and I give them kudos in this sixth season for doing it. Another unusual aspect - the police show up in time to actually help Mannix at the end. A rare event indeed. One of the things that is not different is the marksmanship differences between good guys and bad guys. As with many shows, there is a scene where a bad guy, with a rifle, has all the time in the world to line up his shot on an unsuspecting target and, as always, it's a near miss. Meanwhile Joe, with his stub nose revolver, continues to be the world's greatest shot. At least Joe doesn't get knock out but he not only works for free, he actually loses money. I thinking pay cut for Peggy.

WHAT THE HOBO KNEW AND DIDN'T...

[tcchelsey · 10/10 · 7 October 2022]

David Wayne makes an interesting hobo (called Boston) in this episode, who has the luck of being confused with another homeless gent who witnessed a murder. Now the goons are after him and Mannix has the most unusual job of protecting this guy. The catch is that every time he puts on a unique patchwork coat he becomes a walking target. What luck!

A really offbeat story, shedding more light on an otherwise minor character. Let's face it, how many tv shows and movies had homeless people as central characters to begin with? An 'A" for originality, and Wayne has fun with this role, it shows.

On the villainous side, none other than Lloyd Bochner, the dark, deep voiced actor who has menaced many, in a class by himself. Also look for funny Eddie Quillan, as a fellow hobo, a regular on JULIA in the late 1960s, whose career went back to the 1920s. Eddie said tv actually saved his career. Younger casting directors never heard of him ... but he was a natural. That got him in the door.

Some other familiar faces, such as Peggy Rae, on tv for decades and French actor Maurice Marsac, who played a ton of butlers and maitre d's and many other distinguished gentlemen. Filmed partly at Burbank Airport, probably because there's a lot less traffic than LAX. And still to this day.

Watch for the sentimental ending, hard to say goodbye to Mr. Boston. He was cool.

This is a very good story and you can tell the cast is into their roles. Recommended. SEASON 6 EPISODE 22. CBS/Paramount remastered color dvd box set.

One of the worst eps of this or any show

[belanger75 · 3/10 · 17 January 2019]

God--how wrongheaded could writers get? Ridiculous premise. Mannix works for less than pennies (yes absolutely nothing) to help an often illegal hobo who does not want to ever help himself.

The ep stupidly ends with the hobo totally illegally entering some truck and taking off to another city all with Joe's observing and pleased blessing (for what that's worth!).

Solid performance by beauty Barbara Babcock is the show's sole highpoint.

Terrible cliched ending

[jameselliot-1 · 4/10 · 11 October 2022]

Instead of staying in a crowded airport terminal with lots of people around, Babcock runs with the stolen loot to a deserted parking garage with crime boss Lloyd Bochner and his thug in hot pursuit. The writers and story editors couldn't think of a better, more novel climax than this ridiculous plot device that was already ancient in the 1930s? This is almost as predictable as Joe getting hit on the head from behind nearly every week. Otherwise, Bochner was always terrific playing sophisticated businessmen, politicians and scientists as well as criminals and had a great voice perfect for narration work.

A bummer

[pkfloydmh · 4/10 · 21 November 2021]

In this one, Joe tries to find out who took a shot at a bum.

The parts of the episode that focus on the mystery element are really good but the parts that focus on Boston, the bum (who is overacted by David Wayne), are dreadful as he's extremely annoying as he never stops talking and is constantly talking nonsense and all of it is just a distraction from the mystery part of the story and was obviously added as filler since the writers didn't have enough of a script for a whole episode. The idea that Joe would work for him when he's not getting paid anything is ludicrous and even more ludicrous is when he turns down an offer from a potential paying client later on to continue working for Boston.

There are lots of plot holes and loose ends. How did the thugs know Joe and Boston were at the outdoor theater and how did they know Boston hired Joe? How did the bum know Sands' phone number or even who he was? It was also never explained who killed West or why and what Ellen West's involvement was.

Then there are the clichés. Joe gets shot at but not hit and his client leaves the hideout after Joe told him not to.

Barbara Babcock's performance as Ellen West is strong. This is her third appearance.

Lloyd Bochner is really good in his final appearance and of course plays the villain as he always does.

There isn't much action except at the end. There are no fight scenes.

This is not one of the better episodes from this season and there's nothing particularly memorable about it.