I remember this episode when it came out. It was good then and still holds up. Credit George McGowan (MOD SQUAD) for directing with lots of style, as usual. Watch carefully as it has a Mod Squad slant with a young cast.
10 Stars.
Excellent writing, thanks to Jackson Gillis, behind tv's SUPERMAN, also LOST IN SPACE, and many other cop shows such as COLUMBO and PERRY MASON. Robert Loggia plays one of those nice guy slash psychos who kidnaps a police cadet in an exchange for the cops who shot his brother.
Of course, Loggia believes his brother did no harm and he goes crayola crazy a little bit at a time. Loggia is perfect for this type of role. Veteran actor Edward Binns plays Lieutenant Stacy, one of the most popular actors on tv for decades, working with William Conrad at Warner Brothers/ABC tv for years.
Suzann Arnold plays his daughter, and there's some debate if she's the famous producer of such films as BENNY AND JOON, also the daughter of producer and director Jack Arnold. She is very young here, and possibly one of her first acting roles, obviously having a lot of fun with Bill Conrad. It shows, thanks to George MacGowan, who sometimes just let the cams roll and left in a few minor out-takes.
Watch the opening scenes, filmed outside the LA Policy Academy, next door to Dodger Stadium. This is a very remote area, much like Griffith Park. The desert scenes may have been filmed around Lancaster, CA, rugged area and HOT.
Here, Loggia is hiding out in a makeshift fort, but the most interesting aspect is an underground tunnel which Cannon has to navigate.... without giving too much away. Where they found that tunnel is a real mystery?
Note: Look for a very young Edward James Olmos in a bit role. The future star actor and activist actually wanted to be a baseball player, and worked as a catcher for the Dodger farm team, before Hollywood. This is his first acting credit.
Lieutenant Stacy's house appears to be in North Hollywood, looks like off Colfax and Hatteras Street, an area where all the houses look alike, but a beautiful and quiet place to live and a great place to film. I am surprised, though, that Quinn Martin did not film at the Brady Bunch house over on Dilling and Klump Street, just a few miles away, another quiet street. Could have been the MANNIX connection.
A solid adventure, superior cast and crew. SEASON 4 EPISODE 6 remastered color CBS dvd box set 2016. Much the same style as the Mannix box sets.