One of the better crime episodes stars John Van Dreelen as international millionaire businessman named Joel Stone, who, along with his mute servant Lucas(played by Walter Burke) is under investigation by an author who is murdered. Meanwhile, a nightclub singer(played by Mary Tyler Moore) becomes the latest object of affection from Mr. Stone, enraging her fellow nightclub employee, comic Lou Walters(played by dependable William Windom) who becomes determined to uncover Stone's true identity, but that secret will come at a high price, and be most surprising indeed. Fine cast and script make this one work well, though it may seem overcomplicated. Still, a most cynical yet satisfying ending comes as a highlight.
6 Reviews
"I had to get rid of those who knew the secret."
classicsoncall12 March 2012
Warning: Spoilers
Well this one leaves me a little perplexed. Make that a lot perplexed. Even though the story had a pretty clever twist with the identity of Joel Stone, what gives with the character of Lou Walters (William Windom)? Didn't he have a thing for Sherry Smith? So how is it he would have been OK with her off screen murder and then take up as the next 'front' for the Lucas character (Walter Burke)? Just like a fair share of Twilight Zone episodes, this one doesn't give any consideration to what happens right after the story ends with the remaining players who have to pick up the pieces.
Little did I know before I started watching Thriller that Mary Tyler Moore would have appeared not once but twice during the series run. She had a rather inconsequential role in #1.11 - The Fatal Impulse, but was a big part of the story in this one. As a lounge singer she even got to do a number with 'Let's Fall in Love', and even though it didn't sound too bad to my tin ear, we all know by now that she didn't become a singer for real.
So thinking back on the story now and seeing how Jill Naylor (Mercedes Shirley) knew all of Joel Stone's secrets, how did she last as long as she did? As written, there are just too many inconsistencies here to hold up under scrutiny, and when you throw in those dummies around the dinner table, you wind up with a real WTF episode. But I'm not complaining, it's so convoluted that it's almost a Thriller.
Little did I know before I started watching Thriller that Mary Tyler Moore would have appeared not once but twice during the series run. She had a rather inconsequential role in #1.11 - The Fatal Impulse, but was a big part of the story in this one. As a lounge singer she even got to do a number with 'Let's Fall in Love', and even though it didn't sound too bad to my tin ear, we all know by now that she didn't become a singer for real.
So thinking back on the story now and seeing how Jill Naylor (Mercedes Shirley) knew all of Joel Stone's secrets, how did she last as long as she did? As written, there are just too many inconsistencies here to hold up under scrutiny, and when you throw in those dummies around the dinner table, you wind up with a real WTF episode. But I'm not complaining, it's so convoluted that it's almost a Thriller.
What just happened?
Hitchcoc15 December 2016
"Man of Mystery" is a convoluted romp designed to test our patience. An extremely rich man has designs on Mary Tyler Moore, who is a singer in a night club. His wealth has made him dangerous. If he doesn't like a woman, he throws her out of a tenth story window. An investigation is brought on by William Windom, who is in love with MTM. He knows the modus operandi of the bad guy and gets involved. The thing is, there are several layers to sort through. Robert Bloch has been playing with our minds from the get go and there are more questions than answers. It's a noble task and interesting. I'm not so sure it would withstand too much analysis.
This one beats the Twilight zone.
theindianmaiden-0652130 October 2019
Meh....it's okay.
planktonrules20 October 2018
"Man of Mystery" is a weird little program. Not a particularly wonderful one...but weird indeed...especially at the end.
When the show begins, a rich and powerful guy begins wooing Sherry (Mary Tyler Moore). He's so powerful that soon folks around Sherry begin getting fired or killed. Obviously he's into SOMETHING weird or evil...but until the end (and some LENGTHY exposition) you really might have no idea what's going on in this one.
So why did I say 'meh' in my summary? Because although there was a nice twist, my wife and I guessed what was happening AND it wasn't all that interesting.
When the show begins, a rich and powerful guy begins wooing Sherry (Mary Tyler Moore). He's so powerful that soon folks around Sherry begin getting fired or killed. Obviously he's into SOMETHING weird or evil...but until the end (and some LENGTHY exposition) you really might have no idea what's going on in this one.
So why did I say 'meh' in my summary? Because although there was a nice twist, my wife and I guessed what was happening AND it wasn't all that interesting.
Mary Tyler Moore as a singer
kevinolzak20 May 2009
"Man of Mystery," Robert Bloch's final THRILLER script, casts Mary Tyler Moore (previously seen in a small but memorable role in episode 11 "The Fatal Impulse") as nightclub singer Sherry Smith, who falls for the mysterious 'man of mystery' known as Joel Stone (John van Dreelen), a reclusive millionaire who has no friends except for his deafmute servant Lucas (Walter Burke, previously in episode 57 "The Hollow Watcher"). Meanwhile, nightclub comedian Lou Waters (William Windom), in love with Sherry, tries to find out the truth about Stone, but everyone he contacts wind up dead, from an author (William Phipps) who used to work for Stone, and a former lover (Mercedes Shirley) who suddenly decides to tell all, much to her regret. Many surprises in store for what must rank as the last great THRILLER. William Windom played the US President in 1971's "Escape from the Planet of the Apes," and did a memorable turn in the STAR TREK episode "The Doomsday Machine," while John van Dreelen had appeared in 1959's "The Leech Woman." The diminutive Walter Burke, the kind of actor one recognizes on sight, not knowing the name, apparently had this role scripted for him by Robert Bloch, inspired by the real-life recluse Howard Hughes.
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