HONG KONG – Lesson in Fear – 1961
Rod Taylor headlines this 1960-61 series as a newsman who is stationed in Hong Kong. Taylor is constantly in trouble with various shady types who are always involving him in their troubles. It usually takes several round of fisticuffs, a dead body or two and a gun battle before things get settled. This is the 15th episode.
Cruise ship purser David Hedison has a sweet sideline, he smuggles US dollars into Hong Kong and smuggles jewels back to Hawaii. He has grown tired of just getting a piece of the action from his boss, Simon Scott. He figures he has come up with the perfect plan to keep the latest shipment.
Hedison lands his latest bundle of cash to his Hong Kong contacts and picks up the jewels. He then hires a down on her luck lounge singer, Suzanne Pleshette. He pays her passage on the ship back to Hawaii. She is to smuggle the jewels off by simply wearing them. Hedison then hires a local strong arm type, Len Lesser to beat the crap of him. With the marks to prove it, Hedsion is going to tell his boss, Simon Scott, that he had been robbed of the jewels.
Our boy, newsman Rod Taylor has heard rumours of a smuggling racket involving cruise ships. He just happens to book passage on Hedison's ship. It does not take long for Hedison's plan to start springing leaks. It seems that Robert Carricart, another seaman on the ship, is also in the employ of Hedison's boss, Scott. He sees Hedison's battered face and figures out Hedison's play. He wants a piece of the action or he spills to their boss. A brisk exchange of fists and other blunt objects ensues with Carricart on the losing end. The body is dropped overboard after the ship leaves Hong Kong.
Taylor has taken a liking to Miss Pleshette and the two are soon clinking glasses in the bar. A most pleasant cruise is expected. Taylor is also keeping an eye on Hedison. Something about the man rubs him wrong and he smells a rat. Once in Hawaii, Hedison tells his story of being robbed to Scott. Scott does not swallow it for an instant and has his men work Hedison over. Hedison soon breaks and admits he tried a fast one. He then tells Scott and the boys that Pleshette has the jewels at her hotel.
Pleshette happens to be in the arms of Taylor when the nasty types come a calling. Fists and guns flash with several of the villains hitting the floor in a less than alive state. When Taylor reaches for the phone to call the Police, Pleshette cracks his skull with a handy vase. She has decided to keep the jewels for herself. Off to the airport where she books a flight to Sydney Australia.
The next day, with a bandaged head, Taylor flies back to Hong Kong. He is met at the airport by his buddy, Hong Kong Police Inspector, Lloyd Bochner. When asked about the bandage, Taylor responds, "It was one of those times where crime seems to have paid off." As they walk out of the airport, the camera zooms in on the headline of the latest paper. "Airliner to Sydney Australia crashes with all lost".
This entertaining episode moves along quite well under the capable direction of Boris Sagal. Journeyman helmsman Sagal worked in film and television from 1955 till his rather nasty death in 1981. He walked into the tail rotor of a helicopter he had just exited. His daughter, Katy Sagal, played Peg Bundy on the long running, MARRIED WITH CHILDREN series.
Look quick and you will see Roy Jenson in a bit part as a thug. Jenson was the fellow who helped Roman Polanski slice up Jack Nicholson's nose in, CHINATOWN
(b/w)
Rod Taylor headlines this 1960-61 series as a newsman who is stationed in Hong Kong. Taylor is constantly in trouble with various shady types who are always involving him in their troubles. It usually takes several round of fisticuffs, a dead body or two and a gun battle before things get settled. This is the 15th episode.
Cruise ship purser David Hedison has a sweet sideline, he smuggles US dollars into Hong Kong and smuggles jewels back to Hawaii. He has grown tired of just getting a piece of the action from his boss, Simon Scott. He figures he has come up with the perfect plan to keep the latest shipment.
Hedison lands his latest bundle of cash to his Hong Kong contacts and picks up the jewels. He then hires a down on her luck lounge singer, Suzanne Pleshette. He pays her passage on the ship back to Hawaii. She is to smuggle the jewels off by simply wearing them. Hedison then hires a local strong arm type, Len Lesser to beat the crap of him. With the marks to prove it, Hedsion is going to tell his boss, Simon Scott, that he had been robbed of the jewels.
Our boy, newsman Rod Taylor has heard rumours of a smuggling racket involving cruise ships. He just happens to book passage on Hedison's ship. It does not take long for Hedison's plan to start springing leaks. It seems that Robert Carricart, another seaman on the ship, is also in the employ of Hedison's boss, Scott. He sees Hedison's battered face and figures out Hedison's play. He wants a piece of the action or he spills to their boss. A brisk exchange of fists and other blunt objects ensues with Carricart on the losing end. The body is dropped overboard after the ship leaves Hong Kong.
Taylor has taken a liking to Miss Pleshette and the two are soon clinking glasses in the bar. A most pleasant cruise is expected. Taylor is also keeping an eye on Hedison. Something about the man rubs him wrong and he smells a rat. Once in Hawaii, Hedison tells his story of being robbed to Scott. Scott does not swallow it for an instant and has his men work Hedison over. Hedison soon breaks and admits he tried a fast one. He then tells Scott and the boys that Pleshette has the jewels at her hotel.
Pleshette happens to be in the arms of Taylor when the nasty types come a calling. Fists and guns flash with several of the villains hitting the floor in a less than alive state. When Taylor reaches for the phone to call the Police, Pleshette cracks his skull with a handy vase. She has decided to keep the jewels for herself. Off to the airport where she books a flight to Sydney Australia.
The next day, with a bandaged head, Taylor flies back to Hong Kong. He is met at the airport by his buddy, Hong Kong Police Inspector, Lloyd Bochner. When asked about the bandage, Taylor responds, "It was one of those times where crime seems to have paid off." As they walk out of the airport, the camera zooms in on the headline of the latest paper. "Airliner to Sydney Australia crashes with all lost".
This entertaining episode moves along quite well under the capable direction of Boris Sagal. Journeyman helmsman Sagal worked in film and television from 1955 till his rather nasty death in 1981. He walked into the tail rotor of a helicopter he had just exited. His daughter, Katy Sagal, played Peg Bundy on the long running, MARRIED WITH CHILDREN series.
Look quick and you will see Roy Jenson in a bit part as a thug. Jenson was the fellow who helped Roman Polanski slice up Jack Nicholson's nose in, CHINATOWN
(b/w)
