Eugene Roche was a versatile and good actor performer, usually in comedy. Perhaps his best know stints on television were in continuing roles on ALL IN THE FAMILY as a neighbor of Archie Bunker who constantly outsmarts him (although in one memorable instance he is publicly humiliated by a friend of Archie and his family who was a transvestite). He also was the "St. Looie" Detective who popped up in several episodes of MAGNUM, helping Magnum solve his cases. But he also could play darker figures, and none was darker than in this episode of Kojak.
Bruno Kirby is a killer who shoots a bullying businessman. Roche happens to be the employee of the businessman (an accountant) being threatened with dismissal by the bastard when Kirby shows up on a mission of personal vengeance. Thus from the start, although horrified by the act he witnessed, Roche is sympathetic to the killer. When Telly Savalas and his men show up to see the crime scene, they question Roche who gives his version of what happened, but Savalas is less than impressed by the story...he can tell that Roche is not telling the full truth.
Kirby manages to run to Roche's apartment, and hides there. Roche, instead of trying to get the cops, starts protecting him. They discuss their lives - Kirby's family was hurt by the dead man, and Roche is a broken middle aged man - no family and now no job (due to the death of his boss). But the two click...like a father and son.
Savalas keeps an eye on Roche, and also pressure on the man to get the full story of who shot the businessman. Finally Kirby decides to flee the apartment, and he does get away to an extent, but he is cornered by Savalas and his men and Savalas shoots him in self-defense. Roche happens to see this.
SPOILER COMING UP:
Shortly afterward Savalas is amazed to find evidence that he is being threatened by some unknown person who may have been connected to the killing of the businessman. He has his suspicion, and willingly goes into a trap in an apartment that the trail leads to. We see Roche setting himself up with the rifle that Kirby had used, planning to kill Savalas in the darkened apartment and then see Savalas enter it very slowly and deliberately. Savalas notes the darkness and the weak light from the nighttime street outside, and realizes there is a method to smoke out Roche. I won't explain how it is done - but it is clever and works.
When he confronts Roche at the end to find out why this law-abiding milquetoast did what he did, Roche, in tears, explains what he has just lost due to Savalas. His behavior is indeed the act of a desperate man, as Savalas suggested earlier in the episode.
It was a fine episode, and an interesting study in unexpected psychological complexity and even a little of the "Stockholm" syndrome experienced by some crime victims and hostages. If they rerun the episodes of KOJAK, or have them out on DVD, try to catch this one.
Bruno Kirby is a killer who shoots a bullying businessman. Roche happens to be the employee of the businessman (an accountant) being threatened with dismissal by the bastard when Kirby shows up on a mission of personal vengeance. Thus from the start, although horrified by the act he witnessed, Roche is sympathetic to the killer. When Telly Savalas and his men show up to see the crime scene, they question Roche who gives his version of what happened, but Savalas is less than impressed by the story...he can tell that Roche is not telling the full truth.
Kirby manages to run to Roche's apartment, and hides there. Roche, instead of trying to get the cops, starts protecting him. They discuss their lives - Kirby's family was hurt by the dead man, and Roche is a broken middle aged man - no family and now no job (due to the death of his boss). But the two click...like a father and son.
Savalas keeps an eye on Roche, and also pressure on the man to get the full story of who shot the businessman. Finally Kirby decides to flee the apartment, and he does get away to an extent, but he is cornered by Savalas and his men and Savalas shoots him in self-defense. Roche happens to see this.
SPOILER COMING UP:
Shortly afterward Savalas is amazed to find evidence that he is being threatened by some unknown person who may have been connected to the killing of the businessman. He has his suspicion, and willingly goes into a trap in an apartment that the trail leads to. We see Roche setting himself up with the rifle that Kirby had used, planning to kill Savalas in the darkened apartment and then see Savalas enter it very slowly and deliberately. Savalas notes the darkness and the weak light from the nighttime street outside, and realizes there is a method to smoke out Roche. I won't explain how it is done - but it is clever and works.
When he confronts Roche at the end to find out why this law-abiding milquetoast did what he did, Roche, in tears, explains what he has just lost due to Savalas. His behavior is indeed the act of a desperate man, as Savalas suggested earlier in the episode.
It was a fine episode, and an interesting study in unexpected psychological complexity and even a little of the "Stockholm" syndrome experienced by some crime victims and hostages. If they rerun the episodes of KOJAK, or have them out on DVD, try to catch this one.
