Roddy MacDowall shines as a skid row bum, a former teacher down on his luck, who gets tangled up in a murder case when his best friend is accused of having slain the wife of a department store magnate. MacDowell is convinced his buddy, now deceased, could not have done the crime, and pursues the matter. In the process, he finds redemption. The episode was shot in part on the gritty streets of downtown Los Angeles and boasts a sterling supporting cast, many of whom play fellow derelicts. The ending comes as a pleasant and unexpected surprise. For those of you who only know MacDowell for his childhood roles, playing opposite Flicka and Lassie, his part here will astound you.
5 Reviews
Your committing suicide in slow motion!
sol-kay16 October 2011
Warning: Spoilers
(Some Spoilers) Down and out on skid row former math & physics professor Robert Benson, Roddy McDowell,only looks forward to make a few cents to by a bottle of his favorite as well as cheapest, at .45 a bottle, drink "Old Muskie" wine. Shearing a rat infested alley with his good friend and also wino Blinky Hewitt, Robert Bell, and with the winter setting in the two become desperate for money so they can have enough wine to keep themselves warm during the cold days ahead.
It's later when Benson is informed by the local liquor store owner that Blinky was killed in an armed robbery that ended up with Mariam Drake the wife of department store magnet Forster Drake, John Larkin, murdered a light lit up in his head. Knowing that the story of the harmless and non-violent Blinky being involved in a violent crime was totally out of character for him what also puzzled Benson is that Blinky was found shot some 30 miles away from where he lived with him on skid row!
Still hitting the bottle Benson watching the TV gossip news at the local bar sees the announcement of Mr. Forster Drake engaged to Liz Taylor look alike Honora Malone, Myrna Fahey, and something clicks in his head! It was Drake's wife who was murdered just a few days ago and now he's engaged with this gorgeous babe before his dead wife's body was even cold! Tying to warn Honora, who threw him out of the house,that her fiancée Mr. Forster Drake is very possibly a wife killer Drake later pays Benson a visit at his dinky skid row hotel room. Mad as a hornet Drake threatens to have Benson killed, since suing Benson who was penniless was out of the question, if he even tries to see Honora again!
***SPOILERS***Now more then ever determined to clear his dead friend Blinky of the murder of Mrs. Drake Benson goes all out to clean himself up and stop drinking even getting a good paying job as a construction site. Benson soon hires a private detective in order to get to the bottom of Mrs.Drake's murder and clear his dead friend Blinky Hewett of committing it. In the end Benson's suspicions were confirmed by a local wino,like he and Blinky once were, that in fact Drake did get to know Blinky and took him for a ride in his limousine to do a job for him. A ride, or last ride, that ended the lives of both Blinky and Mrs. Drake.
It was in his friend Blinky's tragic death or murder that motivated Benson to get off the bottle and finally clean himself up and get himself a job. Not just satisfied to became a productive and taxpaying citizen again Benson still had to bring Blinky's, as well as Mrs.Drake's, murderer to justice. And he did that with the same drive and determination that he had in getting himself a bottle of "Old Muskie" back in his skid row days.
It's later when Benson is informed by the local liquor store owner that Blinky was killed in an armed robbery that ended up with Mariam Drake the wife of department store magnet Forster Drake, John Larkin, murdered a light lit up in his head. Knowing that the story of the harmless and non-violent Blinky being involved in a violent crime was totally out of character for him what also puzzled Benson is that Blinky was found shot some 30 miles away from where he lived with him on skid row!
Still hitting the bottle Benson watching the TV gossip news at the local bar sees the announcement of Mr. Forster Drake engaged to Liz Taylor look alike Honora Malone, Myrna Fahey, and something clicks in his head! It was Drake's wife who was murdered just a few days ago and now he's engaged with this gorgeous babe before his dead wife's body was even cold! Tying to warn Honora, who threw him out of the house,that her fiancée Mr. Forster Drake is very possibly a wife killer Drake later pays Benson a visit at his dinky skid row hotel room. Mad as a hornet Drake threatens to have Benson killed, since suing Benson who was penniless was out of the question, if he even tries to see Honora again!
***SPOILERS***Now more then ever determined to clear his dead friend Blinky of the murder of Mrs. Drake Benson goes all out to clean himself up and stop drinking even getting a good paying job as a construction site. Benson soon hires a private detective in order to get to the bottom of Mrs.Drake's murder and clear his dead friend Blinky Hewett of committing it. In the end Benson's suspicions were confirmed by a local wino,like he and Blinky once were, that in fact Drake did get to know Blinky and took him for a ride in his limousine to do a job for him. A ride, or last ride, that ended the lives of both Blinky and Mrs. Drake.
It was in his friend Blinky's tragic death or murder that motivated Benson to get off the bottle and finally clean himself up and get himself a job. Not just satisfied to became a productive and taxpaying citizen again Benson still had to bring Blinky's, as well as Mrs.Drake's, murderer to justice. And he did that with the same drive and determination that he had in getting himself a bottle of "Old Muskie" back in his skid row days.
Unusual story
cbmd-3735222 December 2022
Roddy McDowell gives an incredible performance as a down and out alcoholic bum who still has a little bit of sense left. He knows his equally down and out friend could not have robbed and murdered a upscale woman miles away, he didn't even have bus fare to get there.
He had to have been driven there and set up. The setting is really gritty, a real LA slummy neighborhood. Trying to prove his friend s innocence gives meaning to his life, and starts his on the long road to sobriety and return o a decent life. Another review named John Larch as the husband of the slain woman, but it was really John Larkin, more often seen as a cop or general. The show ends in an interesting fashion- roddy has rehabilitated himself, and his efforts to clear his friends name had not yet lead to an arrest, but he he set things in motion. By trying to clear his friend he saved himself.
He had to have been driven there and set up. The setting is really gritty, a real LA slummy neighborhood. Trying to prove his friend s innocence gives meaning to his life, and starts his on the long road to sobriety and return o a decent life. Another review named John Larch as the husband of the slain woman, but it was really John Larkin, more often seen as a cop or general. The show ends in an interesting fashion- roddy has rehabilitated himself, and his efforts to clear his friends name had not yet lead to an arrest, but he he set things in motion. By trying to clear his friend he saved himself.
Down And Out In L.A.
telegonus25 July 2010
Warning: Spoilers
This is probably the best straight dramatic episode of the Kraft suspense series that I've seen. Extremely well written by Harold Browne, expertly directed by the soon to make it to the big leagues Elliot Silverstein, it tells the story of a skid row bum whose best pal is killed in what the newspapers report as an attempted robbery, and who knows that this can't be true. His friend had neither the temperament nor the bus fare to have committed the crime. He goes to the police station, where he's humiliated by the desk cops, then thrown in jail for thirty days for trying to hit a cop who tried to push him away.
As we soon learn, this bum is a former mathematics professor who turned to drink when his attempt to wire his house went wrong and his wife and children died in a fire as a result. At least he still has one good friend on the faculty, however as even his professor friend tells him, he has to get out of his cycle of drunkenness and poverty by himself, is not going to subsidize his habit. What helps drive the former professor to sobriety is his desire to avenge his friend's death, which he knows is murder. As the man responsible for the murder is a wealthy department store owner, the police are unwilling to offer much help. The by now clean and sober professor does the best he can to get the police involved, and thanks to his loyalty to his dead friend, his desire to see justice done, his idealism is reawakened, his connection to the human race restored.
The plot of this episode is in itself not new or original, however the way it unfolds is interesting; and the photography, the scenes of the real Los Angeles skid row, filled with real bums, is of feature film caliber. So too are the performances. Roddy McDowall really throws himself into the lead role as the down and out professor. David Sheiner is wholly believable as his one true friend left in the world. He plays his part with a combination of empathy and restraint. John Larkin is more one dimensional as the big shot murderer, but that's the way his character is written. Myrna Fahy is effective as the woman with a conscience he kills for. As the owner of the liquor store where the professor buys his hooch, Dick Wessel is marvelous. It's a supporting part, and the actor makes the most of it; tough as nails one minute, compassionate the next, he comes off in one scene as a villain, a few minutes later as a decent man: overwhelmed by the tragedy of ruined lives, yet deeply human at the core. The same could be said for the entire episode.
As we soon learn, this bum is a former mathematics professor who turned to drink when his attempt to wire his house went wrong and his wife and children died in a fire as a result. At least he still has one good friend on the faculty, however as even his professor friend tells him, he has to get out of his cycle of drunkenness and poverty by himself, is not going to subsidize his habit. What helps drive the former professor to sobriety is his desire to avenge his friend's death, which he knows is murder. As the man responsible for the murder is a wealthy department store owner, the police are unwilling to offer much help. The by now clean and sober professor does the best he can to get the police involved, and thanks to his loyalty to his dead friend, his desire to see justice done, his idealism is reawakened, his connection to the human race restored.
The plot of this episode is in itself not new or original, however the way it unfolds is interesting; and the photography, the scenes of the real Los Angeles skid row, filled with real bums, is of feature film caliber. So too are the performances. Roddy McDowall really throws himself into the lead role as the down and out professor. David Sheiner is wholly believable as his one true friend left in the world. He plays his part with a combination of empathy and restraint. John Larkin is more one dimensional as the big shot murderer, but that's the way his character is written. Myrna Fahy is effective as the woman with a conscience he kills for. As the owner of the liquor store where the professor buys his hooch, Dick Wessel is marvelous. It's a supporting part, and the actor makes the most of it; tough as nails one minute, compassionate the next, he comes off in one scene as a villain, a few minutes later as a decent man: overwhelmed by the tragedy of ruined lives, yet deeply human at the core. The same could be said for the entire episode.
A very unusual role for Roddy McDowell...
planktonrules15 October 2015
Roddy McDowell plays a VERY unusual character compared to what you'd expect. He is the Professor...a skid row bum who spends all his time drinking and wasting his life with his buddy, Blinky. However, when Blinky is killed during the commission of a crime, the Professor is determined to get the man justice. The police and newspapers are reporting that Blinky was involved in a murder and he was shot in the process--though he was just a harmless alcoholic and the crime just didn't make any sense.
The Professor's quest for justice takes him a place he hasn't been in a very long time--sobriety. He manages to pull himself together enough to investigate and try to clean up the image of his dead friend...as well as to warn a woman that the killing might have been a set-up to hide another murder. But in doing so, he might be setting himself up to be killed as well.
This is a very compelling episode of "Kraft Suspense Theatre"--well written and an interesting look at alcoholism. The only problem, and it's not a huge one, is that the ending doesn't wrap everything up perfectly--and I am sure many will balk at that. But, considering the show is striving for a realistic story, I was okay with this.
The Professor's quest for justice takes him a place he hasn't been in a very long time--sobriety. He manages to pull himself together enough to investigate and try to clean up the image of his dead friend...as well as to warn a woman that the killing might have been a set-up to hide another murder. But in doing so, he might be setting himself up to be killed as well.
This is a very compelling episode of "Kraft Suspense Theatre"--well written and an interesting look at alcoholism. The only problem, and it's not a huge one, is that the ending doesn't wrap everything up perfectly--and I am sure many will balk at that. But, considering the show is striving for a realistic story, I was okay with this.
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