Shades of the MOD SQUAD here, as there were similar stories dealing with domestic abuse, though writer James V. Fogerty cleverly wrote it with a JR connection. It was also good to see series director Walter Grauman back, who got some fine performances out of the cast.
The switch here is an old gal friend of JR's, Julia, (played by Darlene Carr) is the victim of an abusive husband, forcing her to flee with her young son to a hotel. What makes it a really tight spot for JR is her husband, Floyd (Gary Swanson) is ALSO a friend of his, and appears to be a nice guy. That is -- until he abducts their son!
Definitely a cross between high drama and soap opera, and Walter Grauman carries it well. For fans of the STREETS OF SAN FRANCISCO, Carr was a frequent guest star and her tv son is played by 9 year old David Hollander, who later became a successful music producer as an adult. For all us tv and movie buffs, look for Barney Phillips as Lou and Jeanne Bates as Mrs. Stites. Bates was a fixture in many classic cult films.
Yes, I agree with the last reviewer, this episode, thanks to Fogarty, successfully addresses the issue of spousal abuse (with psychological overtones), definitely an inspiration to many later tv shows.
Partly filmed at the famous Travel Town Museum, not too far from Warner Brothers. The museum boasts some beautifully restored vintage trains, and even holds birthday parties on them to this day. What a treat.
SEASON 7 EPISODE 9 remastered CBS color dvd box set. 2018 release.