This 73-minute TV Movie pilot for the 1975-78 series SWITCH was a real treat, especially for a longtime fan of both Eddie Albert and Robert Wagner. Back in the 1960s, who would have imagined Oliver Wendell Douglas and Alexander Mundy would prove a popular pair and enjoy such an easy chemistry? Television impresario Glen Larson did, and paired them for a fun few years. And it all started here.
This pilot, which I saw under the title LAS VEGAS ROUNDABOUT, establishes the premise inventively. Crooked cop Lt. Phil Beckman engineers an elaborate frame-up of reformed safecracker Chuck Powell. We see Beckman planting a couple diamonds in Powell's car before arresting Powell at his little kid's birthday party. In jail, Powell's lawyer Murray Franklin wants Powell to plea bargain, but Powell insists he's innocent so convincingly that Franklin decides to bring in the only two investigators who can break the frame: Frank "Mac" MacBride and Pete Ryan. In a voice-over, Franklin narrates the improbable origin story of how a retired bunco cop teamed up with his greatest nemesis--now reformed--to open a private investigation office.
Yeah, it does smack a little of IT TAKES A THIEF. But what's wrong with that? Robert Wagner again plays the reformed criminal whose talents he now turns to good. And like Malachi Throne's older, wiser Noah Bain, Eddie Albert's Mac is the seasoned voice of wisdom and experience. A big difference, however, is that Mac and Pete are equal partners. Gone are the pulling rank and threats of returning Al to prison that made Bain and Mundy's partnership uneasy at best. In SWITCH it appears Mac and Pete sincerely enjoy working together.
In this pilot episode, Mac and Pete conspire to con the con man at his own game. They know Beckman pulled that jewel heist to cover his gambling debts. The only way to catch him in the act is to dig him another hole and push him into it. Pete impersonates a CIA agent and Mac plays the retired cop hired to assist him on a special assignment. Mac acts like a bumbling old cop treating this federal gig as a lark and spills confidential details to Beckman, leading to Pete's wanting to fire him and find a capable replacement. Beckman presents himself and into the carefully laid trap he steps.
Next stop: Las Vegas, where the goal is to trick Beckman into believing he lost a whopping $25,000, forcing him to steal again. There are bumps in the road and of course the best laid plans go awry. Glen Larson keeps things suspenseful and the action moving swiftly to the inevitable denouement.
TV fans will spot many familiar faces among the guest cast. Charles Durning is featured as Lt. Beckman and does an excellent job, going from deferential second banana to confidently taking charge. He was well cast as the bad guy. Ken Swofford is on hand as the police captain. Blink and you'll miss Ken Lynch's one scene and couple lines at the very beginning. Two younger stars paying their dues were series regular Sharon Gless as put-upon secretary Maggie and Roger E. Mosley in a small but key role as a fence. Fame on CAGNEY AND LACEY and MAGNUM P.I. was awaiting just across the '80s Rubicon.
Also in a small role was Marc Lawrence as Franks, the casino manager. James Bond fans will fondly recall his minor but memorable parts in both DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER and THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN. Interestingly, DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER was set primarily in Vegas and James Bond's cover name was Franks. (And that film's leading lady--Jill St. John--has been Mrs. Robert Wagner since 1990.)
And speaking of beautiful women, bringing the glamour to this episode was Jaclyn Smith as Ally McGuinness, a freelance operative Mac and Pete called in to slip a mickey to Beckman. Smith appeared poised to be a regular player, but disappeared after only two more episodes (shades of Susan Saint James' Charlie Brown on IT TAKES A THIEF). And of course the next year Smith was snapped up by Aaron Spelling, slipped into that white bikini, and was propelled to iconic status on CHARLIE'S ANGELS.
SWITCH series creator and writer Glen Larson specialized in striking the balance between suspenseful and lighthearted adventure, and he struck it again here. The banter between Mac and Pete bring smiles, while the violent intensity of Beckman raises the threat menace to red, especially in the end when the audience doesn't know whether he looked into that file revealing Mac and Pete as private investigators. Like on COLUMBO, we know who the bad guy is, so the fun is watching the good guys draw the noose tighter. And they do it with style and verve.
LAS VEGAS ROUNDABOUT is the series pilot, but it can be enjoyed on its own as a lighthearted and entertaining movie. Eddie Albert and Robert Wagner make engaging leads and they left me eager to track down episodes of the series and to dream of a DVD release.
This pilot, which I saw under the title LAS VEGAS ROUNDABOUT, establishes the premise inventively. Crooked cop Lt. Phil Beckman engineers an elaborate frame-up of reformed safecracker Chuck Powell. We see Beckman planting a couple diamonds in Powell's car before arresting Powell at his little kid's birthday party. In jail, Powell's lawyer Murray Franklin wants Powell to plea bargain, but Powell insists he's innocent so convincingly that Franklin decides to bring in the only two investigators who can break the frame: Frank "Mac" MacBride and Pete Ryan. In a voice-over, Franklin narrates the improbable origin story of how a retired bunco cop teamed up with his greatest nemesis--now reformed--to open a private investigation office.
Yeah, it does smack a little of IT TAKES A THIEF. But what's wrong with that? Robert Wagner again plays the reformed criminal whose talents he now turns to good. And like Malachi Throne's older, wiser Noah Bain, Eddie Albert's Mac is the seasoned voice of wisdom and experience. A big difference, however, is that Mac and Pete are equal partners. Gone are the pulling rank and threats of returning Al to prison that made Bain and Mundy's partnership uneasy at best. In SWITCH it appears Mac and Pete sincerely enjoy working together.
In this pilot episode, Mac and Pete conspire to con the con man at his own game. They know Beckman pulled that jewel heist to cover his gambling debts. The only way to catch him in the act is to dig him another hole and push him into it. Pete impersonates a CIA agent and Mac plays the retired cop hired to assist him on a special assignment. Mac acts like a bumbling old cop treating this federal gig as a lark and spills confidential details to Beckman, leading to Pete's wanting to fire him and find a capable replacement. Beckman presents himself and into the carefully laid trap he steps.
Next stop: Las Vegas, where the goal is to trick Beckman into believing he lost a whopping $25,000, forcing him to steal again. There are bumps in the road and of course the best laid plans go awry. Glen Larson keeps things suspenseful and the action moving swiftly to the inevitable denouement.
TV fans will spot many familiar faces among the guest cast. Charles Durning is featured as Lt. Beckman and does an excellent job, going from deferential second banana to confidently taking charge. He was well cast as the bad guy. Ken Swofford is on hand as the police captain. Blink and you'll miss Ken Lynch's one scene and couple lines at the very beginning. Two younger stars paying their dues were series regular Sharon Gless as put-upon secretary Maggie and Roger E. Mosley in a small but key role as a fence. Fame on CAGNEY AND LACEY and MAGNUM P.I. was awaiting just across the '80s Rubicon.
Also in a small role was Marc Lawrence as Franks, the casino manager. James Bond fans will fondly recall his minor but memorable parts in both DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER and THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN. Interestingly, DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER was set primarily in Vegas and James Bond's cover name was Franks. (And that film's leading lady--Jill St. John--has been Mrs. Robert Wagner since 1990.)
And speaking of beautiful women, bringing the glamour to this episode was Jaclyn Smith as Ally McGuinness, a freelance operative Mac and Pete called in to slip a mickey to Beckman. Smith appeared poised to be a regular player, but disappeared after only two more episodes (shades of Susan Saint James' Charlie Brown on IT TAKES A THIEF). And of course the next year Smith was snapped up by Aaron Spelling, slipped into that white bikini, and was propelled to iconic status on CHARLIE'S ANGELS.
SWITCH series creator and writer Glen Larson specialized in striking the balance between suspenseful and lighthearted adventure, and he struck it again here. The banter between Mac and Pete bring smiles, while the violent intensity of Beckman raises the threat menace to red, especially in the end when the audience doesn't know whether he looked into that file revealing Mac and Pete as private investigators. Like on COLUMBO, we know who the bad guy is, so the fun is watching the good guys draw the noose tighter. And they do it with style and verve.
LAS VEGAS ROUNDABOUT is the series pilot, but it can be enjoyed on its own as a lighthearted and entertaining movie. Eddie Albert and Robert Wagner make engaging leads and they left me eager to track down episodes of the series and to dream of a DVD release.
