Jessica comes to the aid of a promising young reporter when he is suspected of murdering a rival magazine's unscrupulous publisher.Jessica comes to the aid of a promising young reporter when he is suspected of murdering a rival magazine's unscrupulous publisher.Jessica comes to the aid of a promising young reporter when he is suspected of murdering a rival magazine's unscrupulous publisher.
- NYPD Lieutenant Artie Gelber
- (as Herbert Edelman)
- Hans Dietrich
- (as Reiner Schoene)
- Man
- (uncredited)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaDean Richards Scott Valentine is an American actor, best known for his role as Nick Moore on the series Family Ties (1982)
- Quotes
[last lines]
Ben Forman: Hey, oh, and Abby's going to be doing this great role, a-a real plum, at this little theater in Connecticut.
Jessica Fletcher: Oh, well, I certainly hope that Gary Mannion isn't negotiating your deal.
Ben Forman: We've severed that relationship.
Abby Peters: Ben is my manager now. Oh, and you should hear him on the phone, Mrs. Fletcher. He is a regular killer.
Dean Richards: Yeah.
- SoundtracksMurder She Wrote Theme
Written by John Addison
Publisher Dean Richards (Scott Valentine) doesn't heed some suggestions by Administrative Assistant Ellen Harper (Janet Julian) and also disagrees with Financial Manager Carter Drummond (Jack Laufer) when banks deny loan applications for the fledgling operation.
Photographer Hans Dietrich (Reiner Schöne) works diligently to meet his deadlines with Model Kathryn Scofield (Vanessa Angel), to develop her fashion poses by Friday.
And fumbling Article Writer Ben Forman (David Kriegel) attempts his assignment to feature an interview with busy Mystery Author Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury) by Friday, as she permits Ben to tag along with her on the run. So, Ben becomes Jessica's sidekick of sorts, but also investigates on his own.
Struggling Actress Abby Peters (Emily Warfield) goes with Ben Forman, while Dancer/Motorcyclist Dave Wolski (Christian Bocher) encourages Abby to meet her audition appointments, leading to a romantic triangle entanglement among Abby, Ben and Dave.
Dean Richards and Kathryn Scofield also see each other socially, which causes additional tension with Ellen Harper, who seems to like Dean, while Hans' working closely with Kathryn adds to the tension among Ellen, Carter, Hans, Kathryn and Dean.
But tensions and altercations are merely beginning when Corporate raider Harrison M. Kane (Alan Thicke) announces his take-over plans for "Follies Magazine" when Dean Richards lunches with Jessica, who, neither, is glad to see Harrison M. Kane because he has, against her permission, usurped one of her books to shop around to Hollywood studios, devaluing potential film rights once they all turn down Kane's demands.
While "Follies Magazine" employees rally to meet the publishing deadline with high professional standards to their output, somebody tosses an active hair dryer into the tub of a victim who bathes while inviting a sting of visitors into the open-door bubble-bath session. Well, you know how these things go by now.
Waiter (Mark Barriere) stumbles across the body while delivering room service, but he doesn't scream, uttering, "OMG!"
NYPD Lieutenant Artie Gelber (Herb Edelman) and Detective Henderson (Leonard Lightfoot) investigate the murder with Jessica on the trail. Artie Gelber's cases usually have sub-plots, and this time around, he's in a hurry to wrap the case because he has promised wife, Doris, a Catskills get-away.
With Detective Henderson around to identify fingerprints very speedily, and Jessica around to expedite matters all the more readily, evidence begins to point to cigar-happy Agent Gary Manning as the perpetrator. (Or do they call him Greg? or Manion? Maybe let's call him "GM.")
But whom does GM represent? And how could Detective Henderson identify the last fingerprint if nobody has seen Gary Manion, the perceived "Phantom Agent?"
Will "Follies Magazine" meet its deadline? Will Doris and Artie make it to the Catskills on time? Will Jessica manage to nurture young love from either set of frustrated admirers? And what about the Phantom? Has the Phantom killed, or has somebody killed the Phantom, as there is much to uncover regarding "The Phantom Killer."
The cast is rounded out by Steven Martini as (uncredited), who, perhaps serves as the voice across the intercom?
This episode represents the first of two "MSW" appearances each for Steven Martini and Scott Valentine, the second of two for Janet Julian, the second of five for Leonard Lightfoot (each in his role as Detective Henderson), and the seventh of ten for Herb Edelman (including this, his fourth of seven as NYPD Lieutenant Artie Gelber).
Herb Edelman, acting in film and on television since 1964, has unfortunately since passed.
- WeatherViolet
- May 17, 2010