Rough-house episode, all about helping a friend who is being chased by some goons. Right there, comes the reveal about Mannix's pals. They always come with a ton of baggage. Stewart Moss plays Joey who needs a safe place to hide. Of course, things don't work out that way; Joe gets the third degree and his bud vanishes from sight.
Who better to direct than John Llewelyn Moxey, behind some of the greatest (now cult) tv movies of the 70s. John had the knack for creating solid suspense scenes, not an understatement. The story leads Mannix to a judge, played by Harold J. Stone. His daughter (surprisingly) is the fly in the ointment, really messing things up for everybody. Perhaps Mannix was lucky to have Joey stop by his office first, instead of her. Shades of unpredictable clients yet to come. Stone made a career out of portraying guys who meant business, good and bad, though he walks a fine line here.
The "tennis girl" who the last few reviewers mentioned (from the show's opening credits) is Thordis Brandt. She was an actual nurse, who became a tech advisor on BEN CASEY and got herself into acting. Often seen in the company of James Arness (GUNSMOKE), though they never got married. That's Hollywood.
Written by Warren Duff, whose career went back to the 30s with James Cagney at Warner Brothers. At the time he was writing for the FBI, on a rival network (ABC), later up against MANNIX when the show moved to Sunday nights.
Paul Stewart guest stars as Morgan, alumnus of CITIZEN KANE. Like Harold J. Stone, he specialized in some prime roles as mob bosses. He looked the part as does Jay Robinson at the beginning, whose trailing Moss.
Peggy's role is steadily growing, and you'll notice as the series continued she got a better wardrobe, thanks to fans writing in with lots of suggestions. To be sure, fans also tuned in to see Joe and Peggy's threads, particularly when the series entered the 70s. The colors. Mike Connors sported some cool jackets through the years and Gail Fisher had some wonderful pantsuits. Blue was her color.
On location note: The familiar mansion here is located on South Hudson Drive, off Highland Avenue and near Hancock Park in Los Angeles. If you have the chance to drive around Hollywood, another choice spot is Outpost Drive (a few blocks from Hollywood Boulevard) where there are several classic Colonial houses that were featured on the show. Beware of parking tickets.
SEASON 2 EPISODE 3 remastered color CBS/Paramount dvd box set. Artsy cover featuring both Joe and Peggy (in background).
