Solly Girsh (Jack Klugman) is a real greedy and two-faced jerk. On one hand he supplies cheap booze to mom and pop grocers...a real sweet and likable guy. On the other, he's got a heart of stone...and is more than willing to use muscle to get what he wants...even if it means strong-arming other mobsters higher up the food chain! He sure has nerve.
The problem is that since his clients like him or are scared of him, no one will talk and Solly works with impunity. However, when an old man's son is killed transporting Girsh's liquor, his father, Charles Tarasovich (George Voskovec), he's more than willing to risk his life to bring down Solly. So he and Ness work together...with Charles agreeing to be one of Solly's clients and documenting EVERYTHING. And, when Charles gets on Solly's bad side, just how nasty and horrible the bootlegger could be becomes obvious.
I loved this episode because of how awful Klugman's character was...and he did a great job. He is the ultimate creep...shedding fake tears and being a real monster...and also being a nice likable guy at other times. One of the more memorable baddies from "The Untouchables".
The problem is that since his clients like him or are scared of him, no one will talk and Solly works with impunity. However, when an old man's son is killed transporting Girsh's liquor, his father, Charles Tarasovich (George Voskovec), he's more than willing to risk his life to bring down Solly. So he and Ness work together...with Charles agreeing to be one of Solly's clients and documenting EVERYTHING. And, when Charles gets on Solly's bad side, just how nasty and horrible the bootlegger could be becomes obvious.
I loved this episode because of how awful Klugman's character was...and he did a great job. He is the ultimate creep...shedding fake tears and being a real monster...and also being a nice likable guy at other times. One of the more memorable baddies from "The Untouchables".
