The Man Who Wasn't There

I'm going against the tide again and must say I enjoyed this one. Oh, you can fill out your Bingo cards again, Joe's got another person he was in the war with gunning for him. Hmm, makes me wonder if anybody ever made a real bingo card for Mannix? No doubt the free space will be labeled 'Mannix gets knocked in the head'

I specifically want to single out Clu Gulager. I've seen him on Alfred Hitchcock shows before and he's another actor I'd coin a dependable actor. You watch him in something and he'll put out a good performance. This episode was no exception and I honestly got a kick out of his 'Joker' laugh. Bet his throat hurt if they had to reshoot those scenes a bunch of times.

This one is about Joe being targeted by a sniper and Peggy being taken hostage by him.

The first third of the episode is pretty good but then quickly goes downhill after that when the focus shifts to the actual sniper, whose constant cackling isn't interesting or scary at all but is actually really annoying and dumb.

Of course, you KNOW nothing's going to happen to either Joe or Peggy because without them there wouldn't be a show, so there's absolutely no suspense, but just a lot of silly cackling and taunting, all of which is very tedious and unimpressive.

The one bright spot is the brawl in the bar which happens early on, but everything after that is a dumpster fire.

This is quite an embarrassing spectacle.

This for sure was one of the better late series episodes of "Mannix" from season 6 number 16 "The Man Who Wasn't There" which first aired on Jan. 7, 1973. The show begins with a prize fight in which a boxer is gunned down in the ring, yet rumor was he was suppose to take a dive in a thrown fight only this up above bullet was meant for Joe Mannix(Mike Connors). Thru his investigation Joe is stalked with calls and creepy recordings and laughs from a voice he remembers from the past! The cat and mouse game was clever and creepy it's like the bad guy favored the "Joker" with his high pitched laugh! The Words Foster, Where's my Secretary become so true as Mannix's secretary Peggy(the beautiful and elegant Gail Fisher) is abducted and taken hostage(as Peggy becomes a damsel in distress by being tied up and gagged) by this sick clown form Joe's past! This episode is thrilling with action and drama and the cat and mouse game gave a viewer chills, as the laugh and voice was a parody of the famous "Joker" character from "Batman". And it's memorable for Peggy being tied up and gagged. Really one of the better "Mannix" episodes of the series!

This story has its moments, and with one off the wall villain, much in the tradition of HAWAII FIVE O. Sutton Roley returns to direct, quite creative here, who also headed MISSION IMPOSSIBLE. Gets my vote for a Halloween episode.

Without fail another of Joe's old army buds has an axe to grind, a certified basket case named Lyle (played to the max by Clu Gulager), quite handy with a rifle, out for revenge. It's amazing how most, if not all, of Joe's war comrades had mental health issues, begging the question: how did they make it this far?

Peggy gets kidnapped (about once per season), making Joe sweat it out so Lyle could get his kicks. Again a reminder that Peggy should have carried a weapon. Clu Gulager, to his credit, was a veteran of several tv westerns early in his career, a regular on THE VIRGINIAN.

The supporting cast backs this one up. One of the great heavies, Robert Middleton, plays Jake. In later years he was generally cast as businessmen, though still looking suspicious, which we loved. Popular shady guy or cop Ken Lynch plays Harry and Arthur Bantanides plays Emmett.

Robert Reed (Tobias) makes a return appearance, smoking a few more cigarettes this time?

Look for Bart LaRue (or his voice). LaRue began his career playing computer voices on STAR TREK.

Replete with creepy TWILIGHT ZONE-ish phone calls and laughs. Yes I agree, definitely shades of the Joker from BATMAN. The dummy with the bullet meant for Joe is bizarro stuff alone, followed by Peggy gagged and tied up tight, a camp version of an old movie serial.

The floodlight ending an all time Mannix classic. 100 percent. Although... Joe poking around a funeral home at night chock full of coffins is a close tie. Everytime I catch this mini classic, I still think Lyle ditched Peggy in one of those coffins. It may have originally been written that way, but the idea nixed, more in line for something out of DARK SHADOWS.

On a historical note, partly filmed at the world famous Grand Olympic Auditorium in downtown LA, the site for some classic boxing, wrestling and roller derby events since the 1920s. In 2005, it became a Korean American church.

HAPPY NEW YEAR, 1973. SEASON 6 EPISODE 16 remastered color CBS/Paramount dvd box set.