Hank Patterson Movies
Hank Patterson is best known to audiences for his portrayal of farmer Fred Ziffel on Green Acres -- for five seasons, his laconic character and the antics of his pig Arnold helped make life hopelessly confusing for series protagonist Oliver Wendell Douglas (Eddie Albert). Patterson, along with his younger contemporary Arthur Hunnicutt, was one of a handful of character actors who cornered the market on portraying cantankerous old coots, usually in a rural setting, in movies and on television during the middle of the 20th century. With his deep, resonant voice, which could project even when he spoke in the softest tones, Patterson could also evoke menace and doom, an attribute that producers and directors sometimes utilized to great effect on programs like Twilight Zone. He was born Elmer Calvin Patterson in Springville, AL, in 1888, but by the 1890s his family had moved to Texas, and Patterson spent most of his boyhood in the town of Taylor. His main interest was music, and he studied in hope of a serious performing career, but was forced to enter showbusiness as a vaudeville pianist, playing with traveling shows. By the end of the 1920s, he'd made his way to California, and he entered the movie business as an actor -- despite his lack of formal training -- during the 1930s. Patterson's earliest identified screen work was an uncredited appearance in the Roy Rogers Western The Arizona Kid (1939). His first credited screen role was in the drama I Ring Doorbells, made at Producers Releasing Corporation. Patterson spent the next nine years working exclusively in Westerns, starting with Thomas Carr's The El Paso Kid, starring Sunset Carson. Among the best of the oaters that Patterson worked in were Edwin L. Marin's Abilene Town and Henry King's The Gunfighter, but most of the pictures that he did were on the low-budget side, and far less prestigious. He played a succession of blacksmiths, hotel clerks, farmers, shopkeepers, and other townsmen, usually bit roles and character parts. Beginning with Jack Arnold's Tarantula, Patterson moved into occasional modern character portrayals as well. Patterson also appeared on dozens of television series, ranging from The Abbott & Costello Show (where he played a very creepy mugger in "Lou Falls for Ruby") to Perry Mason. He was nearly as ubiquitous a figure on Twilight Zone as he was in any Western series, appearing in at least three installments, most notably as an old man in a modern setting in "Kick the Can," and as an ominous general store proprietor in "Come Wander With Me." It was the 19th century and rural settings, however, that provided his bread and butter -- he had appeared in several episodes of Gunsmoke, and in 1963 became a continuing character on the series in the role of Hank Miller, the Dodge City stableman. That same year, Patterson took on the semi-regular role of farmer Fred Ziffel in the rural comedy Petticoat Junction; and in 1965, that role was expanded into the series Green Acres -- eventually, he even portrayed Fred Ziffel in episodes of The Beverly Hillbillies as well. The association of his character with the utterly surreal (and extremely popular) porcine character of Arnold the Pig (also known as Arnold Ziffel) ensured that Patterson was one of the most visible supporting players on the series. Ironically, by the time he was doing Green Acres, Patterson was almost completely deaf, but the producers loved his portrayal so much, that they worked around this by having the dialogue coach lying on the floor out-of-shot, tapping at his leg with a yardstick when it was his cue to speak a line. Patterson passed away in 1975 of bronchial pneumonia at the age of 86. He was the great-uncle of actress Tea Leoni. ~ Bruce Eder, All Movie Guide- 1970
The merriment continues unabated as Green Acres enters its sixth and last season, with city slickers Oliver and Lisa Douglas (Eddie Albert and Eva Gabor) no more successful at managing a rural farm than they'd been in season one. New to the cast is Judy McConnell as Darlene Wheeler, the latest of handyman Ed Dawson's (Tom Wheeler) girlfriends; and, during the first few episodes of the season, little Victoria Meyerink as the Douglases' youthful house guest Lori Baker. Also, Fran Ryan replaces Barbara Pepper in the role of Doris Ziffel, co-owner of the celebrated Arnold the pig. In other developments, women's lib comes to Hooterville, with typical 1970-era chauvinistic results; Oliver and Lisa run against each other for the office of mayor; the Douglas farm plays host to a war hero who happens to be a duck; and, in the very last episode filmed (though not the last to be shown), the citizenry of Hooterville decide to secede from the state -- and appoint Oliver as their king! The two final sixth-season episodes were intended as spin-offs for a pair of new (and ultimately unsold) series. "Hawaiian Honeymoon" introduces Don Porter as Bob Carter, owner of the Moana Rexford Hotel, and Pamela Franklin as his daughter Pam. And "Ex-Secretary" was designed as a potential vehicle for Elaine Joyce, in the role of Oliver Douglas' former legal secretary Carol Rush. ~ All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Eddie Albert, Eva Gabor, (more)
- 1969
Returning from their Hooterville holiday, Granny and Elly May arrive in Beverly Hills to discover that both Mr. Drysdale -- and Elly's pet bear -- are nowhere to be found. It seems that Drysdale, with bear in tow, had set out for Hooterville to meet the Clampett ladies, unaware that his car carried a generous supply of Granny's white lightning. And now, the bemused banker is languishing in a rustic jail, arrested for vagrancy and bootlegging. "Drysdale and Friend" originally aired on January 1, 1969. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1969
Season five of Green Acres begins as the ramshackle farm of Oliver and Lisa Douglas (Eddie Albert and Eva Gabor) is invaded by Lisa's Hungarian mother (Lilia Skala), a bejeweled countess. As "Mudder" remains on the premises for weeks and weeks, the male citizenry of Hooterville, notably hotelier Uncle Joe Bradley (Edgar Buchanan) and con artist Mr. Haney (Pat Buttram) pay court to the countess, hoping thereby to land a wealthy wife. Elsewhere, Oliver grows a huge beanstalk in his garden, prompting a visit from the "Jolly Green Giant"; a long-undelivered special delivery letter arouses the curiosity of everyone in town; county agent Hank Kimball (Alvy Moore) proposes to carpenter Ralph Monroe (Mary Grace Canfield), whose brother, Alf Monroe (played in previous seasons by Sid Melton), has disappeared without explanation; and Arnold the pig is expelled from school. The season ends with a double birthday party for Oliver...and Arnold. ~ All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Eddie Albert, Eva Gabor, (more)
- 1968
It's hard to believe that the producers of Green Acres could come up with fourth-season episodes that are even crazier than those seen in the previous three seasons, but that's just what happens as city slickers Oliver and Lisa Douglas (Eddie Albert, Eva Gabor) continue to weather the trials and tribulations of farm life for another year. This season begins as the Douglases, along with the entire town of Hooterville, win an all-expense-paid trip to Hawaii, only to end up staging a luau right back where they started. In later episodes, Oliver and Lisa imagine themselves as their own 19th-century ancestors; the Douglases take a two-part journey to Washington, while con artist Mr. Haney (Pat Buttram) transforms their farm into a "tourist inn" during their absence; Uncle Joe Bradley (Edgar Buchanan), a refugee from Green Acres' "sister" series Petticoat Junction, makes a few memorable appearances; and throughout the season, the opening writing and directing credits continue to pop in clever and surrealistic fashions, with Lisa making constant comments about "those little names" on the screen. Season four of Green Acres ends on a characteristically zany note, as Lisa becomes convinced that Eb has died and been reincarnated as a dog (what will Arnold the pig have to say about sharing the animal-star spotlight?). ~ All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Eddie Albert, Eva Gabor, (more)
Season three of Green Acres begins as attorney Oliver Wendell Douglas (Eddie Albert) is nominated for the political post of state senator. Alas, this dream come true is destined to become as much a comic nightmare as city slicker Oliver's efforts to become a successful farmer in the bucolic community of Hooterville. Likewise doomed to failure is Oliver's attempt to improve the local telephone service; by season's end, our hero returns to his usual routine of accepting calls by climbing a nearby telephone pole and tapping into the party line. In another episode, Oliver's glamorous wife, Lisa (Eva Gabor), harks back to World War II, when she and her husband first met. Lisa is also the center of attention in the episode in which one of her Hungarian relatives moves into the farm and makes life even more miserable for poor Oliver. In other season-three developments, handyman Ed (Tom Lester) falls in love and elopes, but soon returns to the Douglas farm a single man. Carpenters -- and twin siblings -- Alf and Ralph Monroe (Sid Melton, Mary Grace Canfield) dissolve their partnership just as they are finally poised to finish building the Douglases' bedroom. Lisa saves herself and her husband from bank robbers by serving up her notorious indigestible hotcakes. And Arnold the pig, the pampered, TV-watching pet of neighboring farmers Fred and Doris Ziffel (Hank Patterson, Barbara Pepper), is whisked off to Hollywood, where in a two-part story he is groomed for film stardom. This particular escapade brings the third season of Green Acres to a close, with the promise of even more rustic zaniness to come in season four. ~ All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Eddie Albert, Eva Gabor, (more)
- 1966
Homer Bedloe (Charles Lane) is back with yet another scheme to put the Hooterville Cannonball out of business. In fact, he's gotten pretty expansive since his last visit: Now he intends to put all of Hooterville out of business as well! It seems that Homer has convinced the stage legislators to build a dam that would ultimately flood Hooterville and force everyone out of the community--including his longtime nemesis Kate Bradley (Bea Benaderet). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1966
The 100th episode of Petticoat Junction finds Uncle Joe (Edgar Buchanan) in the town of Pixley, ostensibly looking for a job but actually loafing about as usual. However, Joe does manage to increase his "riches"--or so he thinks--when the Bradley's dog digs up a tin can full of money. Future Vega$ costar Phyllis Davis shows up, appropriately enough, as a scantily clad showgirl. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1966
Kate (Bea Benaderet) becomes convinced that her daughters would rather live in a big city like New York rather than a tiny whistle-stop like Hooterville. This explains why Kate puts the Shady Rest Hotel up for sale and prepares to move. But since this is only the third of Petticoat Junction's seven seasons, wanna bet that Kate changes her mind before fadeout time? ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
City slickers Oliver and Lisa Douglas (Eddie Albert, Eva Gabor) make the best of another year of "farm livin'" in bucolic Hooterville as Green Acres enters its second season. Still stubbornly determined to make a profit on his rundown farm, Oliver continues to be flustered by such local looneys as con artist Mr. Haney (Pat Buttram), dopey handyman Eb (Tom Lester), and terminally self-contradictory county agent Hank Kimball (Alvy Moore). Meanwhile, the sophisticated, cosmopolitan Lisa Douglas has resigned herself to her rural environs, though she still can be found donning her most glamorous gowns and most valuable jewels to perform such simple chores as milking the cows and raking the leaves. (She still has not learned to cook, however, despite her most valiant efforts!) Gaining prominence throughout season two is Arnold, the pet pig of neighboring farmers Fred and Doris Ziffel (Hank Patterson, Barbara Pepper). Beginning with an episode in which Arnold is mistakenly drafted into the army, the porcine superstar will by the end of the season become the second most popular nonhuman actor on television, losing first place only to Lassie. Conspicuous by their presence during season two are two additional supporting characters: carpenter Alf Monroe (Sid Melton) and his sibling and partner Ralph -- who happens to be a girl (played by Mary Grace Canfield). Of the 30 second-season Green Acres episodes, the most memorable is the one in which Oliver, Lisa, and Hank Kimball appear in a charity-show staging of the TV series The Beverly Hillbillies -- which, like Green Acres, was produced by Paul Henning (what a coincidence!). ~ All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Eddie Albert, Eva Gabor, (more)
- 1965
Stumbling upon a satchel containing $250,000 in stolen bank money, Barney uses the dough to bring the bandits out into the open. Alas, Barney's master plan comes undone when the money is claimed by an "FBI agent"-who turns out to be one of the crooks. Featured in the cast are Al Checco as Hennessy, Robert Brubaker as Brewster, Byron Foulger as Fred, and Hank Patterson as the fleeing hobo who sets the plot in motion. Written by Bob Ross, "If I Had a Quarter Million" originally aired on February 15, 1965. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1965
The third of producer Paul Henning's enormously successful "rustic" comedies of the 1960s, Green Acres made its CBS bow on September 15, 1965. Reversing the situation established on Henning's The Beverly Hillbillies, in which a group of yokels was transplanted to luxurious Beverly Hills, Green Acres stars Eddie Albert as prosperous Manhattan attorney Oliver Wendell Douglas, who to fulfill a lifelong dream forsook his sophisticated surroundings to become a farmer in the tiny rural community of Hooterville. Reluctantly going along for the ride was Oliver's sexy Hungarian wife, Lisa (Eva Gabor), who though she eventually resigned herself to farm life still insisted upon wearing expensive clothes and jewelry while milking cows and plowing the North 40. Alas, she never quite learned to cook, and her rock-hard hotcakes would soon become the source of many hearty laughs from the viewers. Unfortunately for Oliver, the farm he purchased was in deplorable condition, and the surrounding 160 acres weren't much better. Our hero had been suckered into this situation by bucolic con artist Mr. Haney (Pat Buttram), who continued to fleece the Douglases by selling them expensive -- and generally useless -- farm implements and creature comforts throughout the series' six-season run.
Mr. Haney was but one of the many eccentric characters who seemed to have been put on earth to make Oliver Douglas' life miserable. Others included county agent Hank Kimball (Alvy Moore), who never made a statement without immediately contradicting himself ("Good morning, Mr. Douglas. Well...it isn't really good because it's gonna rain...and it's after noon, so it's not really morning..." etc., etc., etc.); doltish handyman Ed Dawson (Tom Lester), who looked upon the Douglases as his surrogate parents and constantly prevailed upon them to bail him out of trouble (usually girl trouble); carpenters and twin siblings Alf and Ralph Malone (Sid Melton and Mary Grace Canfield), who never quite managed to finish construction on the Douglases' bedroom; and neighboring farmer Hank Ziffel (Hank Patterson) and his wife, Doris (played first by Barbara Pepper, then by Fran Ryan), owners of a TV-watching pig named Arnold, who regarded himself as a human being -- and who developed into the series' biggest "superstar"!
Inasmuch as Green Acres was the sister series to Paul Henning's Petticoat Junction -- also set in the mythical village of Hooterville -- there were a number of crossover episodes between the two programs. Also, Frank Cady appeared as storekeeper Sam Drucker on both shows, while one of Petticoat Junction's main characters, Uncle Joe Bradley (Edgar Buchanan), dropped in from time to time. One of the series' most endearing trademarks was its strain of surrealistic humor. This manifested itself in many ways, but none quite as memorable as the method in which the opening credit titles were presented. In several installments, a confused Lisa Douglas would comment upon "those little names" that appeared in front of her on the screen; and in at least one instance, the directorial credit showed up on a newly laid egg! Although it is not generally known, Green Acres was based on a radio series titled Granby's Green Acres, which like its TV counterpart was created by Jay Sommers and written by Dick Chevillat. All but one of the TV series' episodes was directed by Richard L. Bare, a past master at depicting comic frustration, as could be seen in his wonderful "Joe McDoakes" theatrical shorts of the 1940s and '50s. Green Acres might well have run forever had CBS not decided during the 1970-1971 season to purge itself of all its "rural" comedies; thus, the series came to an end on September 7, 1971, still as popular and hilarious as ever. ~ All Movie Guide
Mr. Haney was but one of the many eccentric characters who seemed to have been put on earth to make Oliver Douglas' life miserable. Others included county agent Hank Kimball (Alvy Moore), who never made a statement without immediately contradicting himself ("Good morning, Mr. Douglas. Well...it isn't really good because it's gonna rain...and it's after noon, so it's not really morning..." etc., etc., etc.); doltish handyman Ed Dawson (Tom Lester), who looked upon the Douglases as his surrogate parents and constantly prevailed upon them to bail him out of trouble (usually girl trouble); carpenters and twin siblings Alf and Ralph Malone (Sid Melton and Mary Grace Canfield), who never quite managed to finish construction on the Douglases' bedroom; and neighboring farmer Hank Ziffel (Hank Patterson) and his wife, Doris (played first by Barbara Pepper, then by Fran Ryan), owners of a TV-watching pig named Arnold, who regarded himself as a human being -- and who developed into the series' biggest "superstar"!
Inasmuch as Green Acres was the sister series to Paul Henning's Petticoat Junction -- also set in the mythical village of Hooterville -- there were a number of crossover episodes between the two programs. Also, Frank Cady appeared as storekeeper Sam Drucker on both shows, while one of Petticoat Junction's main characters, Uncle Joe Bradley (Edgar Buchanan), dropped in from time to time. One of the series' most endearing trademarks was its strain of surrealistic humor. This manifested itself in many ways, but none quite as memorable as the method in which the opening credit titles were presented. In several installments, a confused Lisa Douglas would comment upon "those little names" that appeared in front of her on the screen; and in at least one instance, the directorial credit showed up on a newly laid egg! Although it is not generally known, Green Acres was based on a radio series titled Granby's Green Acres, which like its TV counterpart was created by Jay Sommers and written by Dick Chevillat. All but one of the TV series' episodes was directed by Richard L. Bare, a past master at depicting comic frustration, as could be seen in his wonderful "Joe McDoakes" theatrical shorts of the 1940s and '50s. Green Acres might well have run forever had CBS not decided during the 1970-1971 season to purge itself of all its "rural" comedies; thus, the series came to an end on September 7, 1971, still as popular and hilarious as ever. ~ All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Eva Gabor, Eddie Albert, (more)
- 1965
In one of Petticoat Junction's rare fantasy episodes, the Bradley girls' beloved dog (played by future Benji star Higgins) is accused of being a chicken killer by sadistic dogcatcher Hinky Mittenfloss (brilliantly played by the inimitable, squeaky-voiced Percy Helton). Thrown into a dog pound that more closely resembles a miniature Alcatraz, the pooch awaits his fate while Betty Jo (Linda Kaye) pleads for his life in a surrealistic courtroom. This episode was cowritten by Al Schwartz, the brother of Gilligan's Island and Brady Bunch creator Sherwood Schwartz. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1965
Ever seeking opportunities to bring prestige to the Shady Rest Hotel, Uncle Joe (Edgar Buchanan) tries to stir up interest in inviting the state governor to visit Hooterville. Unfortunately, no one else in town is willing to support Joe in his efforts, forcing him to take drastic (and potentially disastrous) action. The role of Emily Simpson is played by Florence Lake, the sister of moviedom's "Dagwood Bumstead" Arthur Lake and a longtime fixture of Edgar Kennedy's "Mr. Average Man" two-reelers of the 1930s and 1940s. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1965
The Bradley girls have reached the age when they want to spend all their time on the telephone. Unfortunately, the nearest receivers are miles away, and Kate (Bea Benadaret) can't afford to install a special line to the Shady Rest. Uncle Joe (Edgar Buchanan) comes to the rescue with the aid of some clunky army surplus phones and a few miles of barbed wire. (Had the cast but waited another year, they could have used the "telephone-pole phone" employed by their neighbors the Douglases on Petticoat Junction's spinoff series Green Acres). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
City-bred attorney Oliver Wendell Douglas (Eddie Albert) and his chic, sophisticated wife, Lisa (Eva Gabor), undergo quite a period of adjustment throughout the first season of Green Acres. Having insisted upon bundling himself and his wife to a 160-acre farm just outside the bucolic town of Hooterville, Oliver is determined to make a go of his new investment, even though the farm and farmhouse are in deplorable shape. Not making life any easier for Oliver are a motley group of local eccentrics: Mr. Haney (Pat Buttram), the bucolic con artist who sold Douglas the farm, and who continues to scam money off the gullible attorney by generous providing him with any number of useless implements and "creature comforts"; clumsy handyman Eb Dawson (Tom Lester), who for some reason regards Oliver as his surrogate daddy; absentminded county agent Hank Kimball (Alvy Moore), who seldom made a statement without immediately qualifying or contradicting himself; and local storekeeper Sam Drucker (Frank Cady), whose favorite pastime (evidently) was misunderstanding everything Oliver asked him. Also seen on occasion are neighboring farmers Fred and Doris Ziffel (Hank Patterson, Barbara Pepper), whose pet pig, Arnold, had not yet assumed full "superstar" status. Season one of Green Acres reaches a climax of sorts as Lisa Douglas, who has never let a day pass without yearning for her beloved "Park Avenue," is allowed to decide whether she and Oliver should return to New York or whether they will remain in Hooterville. Just guess what she decides. ~ All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Eddie Albert, Eva Gabor, (more)
- 1965
Lately, everything Uncle Joe (Edgar Buchanan) does is wrong, and everything he touches has a tendency to break. Word spreads that Joe is a jinx, and as a result he is treated like a leper by the rest of the community. Kate (Bea Benadaret) takes it upon herself to prove that Joe is not a walking "disaster waiting to happen"--but it isn't easy. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1965
In the first episode of the two-part story, despicable railroad executive Homer Bedloe (Charles Lane) has managed to become president of the Pixley Bank. In this capacity, he threatens to foreclose on the Shady Rest Hotel unless the Hooterville Cannonball is scrapped. Rather than see this happen, Uncle Joe (Edgar Buchanan) is willing to make the ultimate sacrifice...and find a job! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1964
Written by Anthony Wilson, this episode stars Gary Crosby as cynical folksinger Floyd Burney. Venturing into backwoods country in search of inspiration and new material, Floyd makes the acquaintance of young Mary Rachel (Bonnie Beecher), who has the facility for extemporizing folksong lyrics. But Floyd begins to think he has made a mistake when Mary Rachel begins singing a doleful ballad about the sorry fate of...Floyd Burney. Director Richard Donner later claimed that he borrowed the ethereal visual style of this episode from the French theatrical feature Sundays and Cybele. Originally telecast May 22, 1964, "Come Wander with Me" was reportedly the last Twilight Zone to be filmed, though it was certainly not the last to be shown. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gary Crosby, Bonnie Beecher, (more)
- 1964
In the final episode of Petticoat Junction's first season, Kate (Bea Benadaret) braces herself for a visit from her former schoolteacher Adelaide Keane (played by Benadaret's fellow old-time-radio veteran Lurene Tuttle), who was so stern and tough that she was known to one and all as "Genghis" Keane. But after having spent a lengthy vacation in Europe, Adelaide is no longer quite the tyrant that she used to be--in fact, she's a pussycat. Ken Osmond, the former Eddie Haskell on Leave It to Beaver, shows up in this episode as Billie Jo's (Jeannine Riley) current beau Harold, while Barbara Pepper makes her first appearance as Mrs. Ziffel (here named "Ruth" instead of "Doris"). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1964
Kate (Bea Benadaret) invites her pregnant friend Elsie (Olive Sturgess) to stay at the Shady Rest until the baby comes. Meanwhile, enterprising Uncle Joe (Edgar Buchanan) works out a "foolproof" plan to make sure that the obstetrician arrives on time when he's needed. And of course, this being a TV sitcom, the "foolproof" plan does not take into account the foolishness of Uncle Joe. This episode marks the first appearance of Kay E. Kuter as eccentric farmer "Nutty" Newt Kiley, and also establishes beyond doubt the fact that hog farmer Mrs. Ziffel's (Barbara Pepper) first name is "Doris." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1964
Charley Pratt (Smiley Burnette), one of the two engineers of the Hooterville Cannonball, has never been known as the sensitve type. But when it appears that no one wants to pay him any attention, Charley goes into a funk--one so deep that he quits his job. Bob Hastings, a busy comic actor best known in 1964 as the obsequious Lt. Carpenter on McHale's Navy, is here seen as Bill Tuttle. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1963
Famous for her collection of valuable rings, movie star Bunny Blake (Maggie McNamara) is inexorably drawn back to her home town by an unusual ring which seems to talk to her. Upon her arrival, Bunny continues heeding the messages conveyed by the ring, and in so doing averts a tragedy -- for everyone but herself. If Earl Hamner, Jr.'s script is carefully scrutinized, it could be suggested that Bunny brought about the tragedy herself, but let us not cavil. Vic Perrin, the unseen "Control Voice" on The Outer Limits, shows up briefly as a state trooper. "Ring-A-Ding Girl" made its Twilight Zone debut on December 27, 1963. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Maggie McNamara, Mary Munday, (more)
- 1963
Kate (Bea Benadaret) is confused when Uncle Joe (Edgar Buchanan) begins buying up old bug-spray cans. It turns out that Joe is off on another of his get-rich-quick schemes, in this case the manufacture and sale of his own brand of cologne, "Lord and Lady Violet." Joe boasts that this business enterprise will be something new in "the field of smell"--and unfortunately, he's right. Hank Patterson makes his first series appearance as hog farmer Fred Ziffel. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1962
Richard Connell's venerable suspense yarn "The Most Dangerous Game" was the obvious inspiration for this nail-biting episode. Summoned to Oregon to help lumberwoman Vanessa Stuart (Joan Elan) fend off her enemies, Paladin (Richard Boone) arrives to discover that he has been lured into a trap. Debauched Russian monarch Prince Radachev (Leonard Kinskey), a hunting aficionado, has grown bored with merely tracking and killing animals and birds. Now Radachev wants to hunt down a human quarry--and Paladin fits the bill perfectly! The climactic chase sequence was filmed on location in Bend, Oregon. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1962
Ubiquitous Untouchables guest star Nehemiah Persoff makes his final appearance as criminal mastermind Jake "Greasy Thumb" Guzik. Determined to drive Guzik out of the bootlegging business, Elliot Ness secretly begins supplying Jake's rivals with illegal booze. Ness hopes this heightened competition will force Guzik to import a huge new shipment of liquor, thereby bringing the crook out in the open so the Feds can close in. Knowing that Ness is watching every move he makes, Guzik enters into an unholy alliance with an old enemy, "Bugs" Moran, to ship in the liquor undetected. Problem is, Moran still holds Guzik partly responsible for the St. Valentine's Day Massacre which wiped out Bug's gang--and worse, so does a vengeful young punk whose thirst for vengeance will bring about practically everyone's downfall. Appearing as Bugs Moran in this episode is Harry Morgan (Dragnet, M*A*S*H, succeeding such previous Morans as Lloyd Nolan and Robert J. Wilke. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
