10 STARS. Leo Penn was the perfect fit to direct this episode, perhaps the most violent of the season. Penn directed five episodes for the series, one of the best tv directors in the biz.
Tina Louise (GILLIGANS ISLAND) is excellent here, playing an undercover cop, posing as a prostitute --waiting for a psychopath to knock at her door! Her dramatic role in the tv movie DEATH SCREAM, may have lead to this part. Tina played the friend of Kitty Genovese, the true story of a young woman in New York City who was killed at her apartment building while no one called the police. This may have been one of the best tv movies of the 70s.
None other than James Olson plays the maniac, who actually is a distinguished judge, hooked on "The Wedding March" song each time he meets his victims. There's no question this is one of Olson's best roles. He is scary, and in a very similar role he played on BARNABY JONES during the first season, a serial killer.
Julie Adams returns to the series, playing Olson's wife, and she's good here. Julie was old friends with William Conrad, her old boss at Warner Brothers/ABC tv, as was director Leo Penn who got his start at WB.
If you happen to catch some of the classic Warners cop shows in reruns, such as 77 SUNSET STRIP and HAWAIIN EYE, you'll find many of the same actors (a bit younger) in similar roles that they would play on CANNON. Amazing! Several of these episodes were directed and produced by Bill Conrad. METV runs these golden oldies on Sunday nights for all us buffs.
Singer and actress Paula Kelly is a standout as Cora. She made several appearances at the time on POLICE WOMAN.
Look for Vic Tayback, this time playing the captain. Comedic actress Hollis irving (ALL IN THE FAMILY, BEWITCHED) has a bit role in an office.
Cannon earns his stripes in this one, and note the opening and closing scenes are graphic, which was rare for 70s tv. NOT for all tastes.
SEASON 5 EPISODE 11 remastered color CBS/Paramount dvd box set. 7 dvds. Released 2016. A collectors edition.