Jerry Orbach returns for his third "MSW" outing as Boston P.I. Harry McGraw in this episode centering around professional boxing, featuring numerous familiar guest stars, including John Amos, Ernest Borgnine, LeVar Burton, Bradford Dillman, Ray Girardin, Lynne Moody and Adam West.
At Ponzini's Gymnasium, in Boston, Massachusetts, Cosmo Ponzini (Ernest Borgnine) oversees a practice sparring round between veteran boxer Blaster Boyle (Harold Sylvester) and a rookie boxer who is coached by Trainer Dennis McConnell (Bradford Dillman).
Harry McGraw (Jerry Orbach) stands outside the ring, cheering on Blaster Boyle, with Harry's guest, Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury), at his side. Cosmo Ponzini orders Harry to stop Blaster's fiercely beating the trainee, and so Harry and Blaster escort Jessica to a restaurant, for Harry to explain his reason for inviting Jessica to Ponzini's Gymnasium.
Harry explains that he has acquired Blaster's contract through a $5,000 loan outstanding to Pinky (uncredited actor), who has passed and left Harry in charge of Blaster. But Harry still owes the $5,000 to another unscrupulous creditor, as requests that Jessica purchase into a partnership, by pitching in the same amount.
Jessica says that she doesn't wish to own a boxer's contract, but trusts Harry for a $5,000 loan, and, after Harry steps aside, she tells Blaster that she trusts that he could win the fight.
But Blaster replies that his upcoming bout against Sean Shaleen (Michael McGrady) (who is also trained by Dennis McConnell) must be rigged in order for both contenders to survive the wrath of Sean Shaleen's contract holder, Wade Talmadge (Adam West), who escorts his squeeze, Lois Ames (Caren Kaye), wherever Wade goes, even to Ponzine's Gymnasium, at which Cosmo frowns upon the presence of women.
Cosmo doesn't evict Lois because of the powerful Wade Talmadge, but points to the "No Women Allowed" sign upon Jessica's presence, as well as to the equity-minded Pam Collins (Lynne Moody), who arrives with Reporter Dave Robinson (LeVar Burton) and objects mightily to Cosmo's mistreatment.
When Jessica returns to Cabot Cove, she receives a telephone call from "Boston Evening Post" Sports Reporter Dave Robinson, whom she tells that she has no interest in boxing matches, until he informs her that according the the Massachusetts Boxing Commission, she is listed as Blaster Boyle's contract owner.
An incensed Jessica immediately telephones Harry McGraw to demand an explanation, but Lieutenant Casey (Ray Girardin) answers the call, telling Jessica that his officers are in the process of arresting Harry for murder.
So, Jessica returns to Boston, to hear Harry's account of the incident, as ballistics tests match bullets with Harry's pistol, and he explains that an altercation erupted inside the Gymnasium, in which a perpetrator fired Harry's firearms during a struggle, in order to ward Harry to the floor, at which time nobody was hurt; plus, he was nowhere near the scene of the park, where the body has been discovered in an automobile.
Jessica then decides to investigate Ponzini's Gymnasium, when her taxi driver turns out to be Photographer Pam Collins, who picks up Reporter Dave Robinson along the way, to provide information regarding the murder, for which she suspects ulterior motives to Robinson's investigation.
Blaster and his Trainer, Doc Penrose (John Amos), also meet with Jessica, to provide additional clues, as they announce plans to purchase a Tennessee dairy farm, to leave the boxing world behind, as "Death Takes a Dive."
The cast is rounded out by Marcia Moran as Waitress, Richard Bravo as Sanchez, Bill Capizzi as Doorman, and Richard Balin as TV Sports Commentator.
This episode marks the first of two "MSW" appearances for Richard Balin, the second of three for Ray Girardin, including this, his second of two as Boston P.D. Lieutenant Casey, the first of four for Michael McGrady, the third of six for Jerry Orbach, each in his role as Harry McGraw, and the second of eight "MSW" guest starring roles for Bradford Dillman.
Jerry Orbach, acting in film and on television since 1955, has unfortunately since passed.
At Ponzini's Gymnasium, in Boston, Massachusetts, Cosmo Ponzini (Ernest Borgnine) oversees a practice sparring round between veteran boxer Blaster Boyle (Harold Sylvester) and a rookie boxer who is coached by Trainer Dennis McConnell (Bradford Dillman).
Harry McGraw (Jerry Orbach) stands outside the ring, cheering on Blaster Boyle, with Harry's guest, Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury), at his side. Cosmo Ponzini orders Harry to stop Blaster's fiercely beating the trainee, and so Harry and Blaster escort Jessica to a restaurant, for Harry to explain his reason for inviting Jessica to Ponzini's Gymnasium.
Harry explains that he has acquired Blaster's contract through a $5,000 loan outstanding to Pinky (uncredited actor), who has passed and left Harry in charge of Blaster. But Harry still owes the $5,000 to another unscrupulous creditor, as requests that Jessica purchase into a partnership, by pitching in the same amount.
Jessica says that she doesn't wish to own a boxer's contract, but trusts Harry for a $5,000 loan, and, after Harry steps aside, she tells Blaster that she trusts that he could win the fight.
But Blaster replies that his upcoming bout against Sean Shaleen (Michael McGrady) (who is also trained by Dennis McConnell) must be rigged in order for both contenders to survive the wrath of Sean Shaleen's contract holder, Wade Talmadge (Adam West), who escorts his squeeze, Lois Ames (Caren Kaye), wherever Wade goes, even to Ponzine's Gymnasium, at which Cosmo frowns upon the presence of women.
Cosmo doesn't evict Lois because of the powerful Wade Talmadge, but points to the "No Women Allowed" sign upon Jessica's presence, as well as to the equity-minded Pam Collins (Lynne Moody), who arrives with Reporter Dave Robinson (LeVar Burton) and objects mightily to Cosmo's mistreatment.
When Jessica returns to Cabot Cove, she receives a telephone call from "Boston Evening Post" Sports Reporter Dave Robinson, whom she tells that she has no interest in boxing matches, until he informs her that according the the Massachusetts Boxing Commission, she is listed as Blaster Boyle's contract owner.
An incensed Jessica immediately telephones Harry McGraw to demand an explanation, but Lieutenant Casey (Ray Girardin) answers the call, telling Jessica that his officers are in the process of arresting Harry for murder.
So, Jessica returns to Boston, to hear Harry's account of the incident, as ballistics tests match bullets with Harry's pistol, and he explains that an altercation erupted inside the Gymnasium, in which a perpetrator fired Harry's firearms during a struggle, in order to ward Harry to the floor, at which time nobody was hurt; plus, he was nowhere near the scene of the park, where the body has been discovered in an automobile.
Jessica then decides to investigate Ponzini's Gymnasium, when her taxi driver turns out to be Photographer Pam Collins, who picks up Reporter Dave Robinson along the way, to provide information regarding the murder, for which she suspects ulterior motives to Robinson's investigation.
Blaster and his Trainer, Doc Penrose (John Amos), also meet with Jessica, to provide additional clues, as they announce plans to purchase a Tennessee dairy farm, to leave the boxing world behind, as "Death Takes a Dive."
The cast is rounded out by Marcia Moran as Waitress, Richard Bravo as Sanchez, Bill Capizzi as Doorman, and Richard Balin as TV Sports Commentator.
This episode marks the first of two "MSW" appearances for Richard Balin, the second of three for Ray Girardin, including this, his second of two as Boston P.D. Lieutenant Casey, the first of four for Michael McGrady, the third of six for Jerry Orbach, each in his role as Harry McGraw, and the second of eight "MSW" guest starring roles for Bradford Dillman.
Jerry Orbach, acting in film and on television since 1955, has unfortunately since passed.
