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Kojak
S2.E15
All episodesAll
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
IMDbPro

Loser Takes All

  • Episode aired Dec 22, 1974
  • TV-PG
  • 48m
IMDb RATING
7.6/10
157
YOUR RATING
Ja'net DuBois in Kojak (1973)
ActionCrimeDramaMysteryThriller

What a tangled web: a wife (Paula Thomas) who's having an affair with a classy crook (Michael Hagar), her husband Waverley who eavesdrops on them through a vent, a police informer (Benny) th... Read allWhat a tangled web: a wife (Paula Thomas) who's having an affair with a classy crook (Michael Hagar), her husband Waverley who eavesdrops on them through a vent, a police informer (Benny) that the husband feeds info to, and a scheme to rip off a million dollar diamond shipment. T... Read allWhat a tangled web: a wife (Paula Thomas) who's having an affair with a classy crook (Michael Hagar), her husband Waverley who eavesdrops on them through a vent, a police informer (Benny) that the husband feeds info to, and a scheme to rip off a million dollar diamond shipment. The husband is killed; the shipment is stolen, Kojak gets shot, and the classy crook gets a... Read all

  • Director
    • Allen Reisner
  • Writers
    • Abby Mann
    • Robert C. Dennis
    • William P. McGivern
  • Stars
    • Telly Savalas
    • Leslie Nielsen
    • Ja'net DuBois
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • IMDb RATING
    7.6/10
    157
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Allen Reisner
    • Writers
      • Abby Mann
      • Robert C. Dennis
      • William P. McGivern
    • Stars
      • Telly Savalas
      • Leslie Nielsen
      • Ja'net DuBois
    • 3User reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro

    • Photos1

    View Poster

    Top cast20

    Edit
    Telly Savalas
    Telly Savalas
    • Lt. Theo Kojak
    Leslie Nielsen
    Leslie Nielsen
    • Michael Hagar
    Ja'net DuBois
    Ja'net DuBois
    • Paula Thomas
    • (as Ja'net Du Bois)
    Roger Robinson
    Roger Robinson
    • Gil Weaver
    Dan Frazer
    Dan Frazer
    • Capt. Frank McNeil
    Kevin Dobson
    Kevin Dobson
    • Det. Bobby Crocker
    George Savalas
    George Savalas
    • Det. Stavros
    • (as Demosthenes)
    Antonio Fargas
    Antonio Fargas
    • Benny
    Quinn K. Redeker
    Quinn K. Redeker
    • Neff
    • (as Quinn Redeker)
    Ed Cambridge
    Ed Cambridge
    • Waverly
    • (as Edmund Cambridge)
    Al Stevenson
    • Tanner
    Jac Emel
    • Jojo
    Mark Giardino
    • Medical Examiner
    Mark Russell
    Mark Russell
    • Saperstein
    Vince Conti
    • Sgt. Rizzo
    Donald Chaffin
    • Det. Tracy
    • (uncredited)
    Running Deer
    • Commuter
    • (uncredited)
    Paul V. Picerni Jr.
    • Commuter
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Allen Reisner
    • Writers
      • Abby Mann
      • Robert C. Dennis
      • William P. McGivern
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews3

    7.6157
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    Featured reviews

    6bkoganbing

    Kojak wounded in the line of duty

    Some good guest tars takeover this episode of Kojak. Telly Savalas has to get shot during the episode to get some attention.

    Leslie Nielsen is having an affair with Janet Dubois and kills her husband when the husband finds out about Nielsen's plans to heist the merchandise a diamond courier is carrying. Trying to foil that is when Savalas is wounded in the line of duty.

    Nielsen is a dangerous opponent and no fool except in one matter which leads to his downfall,

    Antonio Fargas road tests his Huggy Bear character from Starsky&Hutch when he plays an informant that Savalas and Roger Robinson make good use of and he them.
    7planktonrules

    Kojak the indestructible!

    "Loser Takes All" is an unusual episode, as Lt. Kojak is shot. Naturally, being the title character of the show, you know he'll survive. Still...he was shot!

    Michael Hagar (Leslie Nielsen) is a master criminal who only pulls big heists every few years...otherwise he hangs out on the beaches in Jamaica. The police learn about this through one of their snitches (Antonio Fargas...playing his usual sort of character). But by then, he's already killed and seems more than ready to kill again in order to complete a diamond heist.

    This is a most unusual episode simply because of the shooting...and because although shot in the chest, Kojak is up and investigating the case amazingly fast! An interesting story and interesting villain...worth seeing.
    8ccthemovieman-1

    Not The Leslie Nielsen Character You Might Know!

    Like a number of actors (i.e. Raymond Burr, Abe Vigoda, Humphrey Bogart, etc.) who turned to play "good guys" or comedians, Leslie Nielsen played some rough characters, killers with no sense of humor.

    He plays one in this episode, and is fascinating to watch. It's just kinda of strange to see Neilsen play this rough a character but his performance as "Michael Hagar" gives a real edge to this episode (as if "Theo Kojak" didn't produce an "edge" with every story!).

    The story involves both a heist (of diamonds) and a murder plot with a nasty lady played by Ja'net DuBois.

    As we see, the two crimes are connected and Kojak and his crew have to solve this.

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Includes an appearance of Antonio Fargas as a Police Informant, before he became famous for playing Huggy Bear in Starsky & Hutch.
    • Quotes

      Capt. Frank McNeil: And what the hell, might I ask, are you doing here?

      Lt. Theo Kojak: C'mon, will ya Frank. You think I'd be here if the police surgeon didn't think I was all right?

      Capt. Frank McNeil: You were shot, Theo.

      Lt. Theo Kojak: [chuckles] My hero. C'mon, I've hurt myself worse opening a can of soup.

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • December 22, 1974 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Filming locations
      • 1st Ave & E 20th St, New York, USA(Kojak turns onto 1 ave from e 20 st; street scene)
    • Production companies
      • Universal Television
      • Universal Television
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      48 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 4:3

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