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A former spy, Colonel Alec Nivin, is in New York for a book signing of his memoirs in which he accuses numerous people of war crimes and treasonous acts. Ellery's galpal, Jenny O'Brien, Nivin's publicist, finds the author stabbed to death in his club office with an antique Kashmir dagger and becomes the primary suspect.
Episode Info
|
Episode number: 1x7 Production Number: 43617 Airdate: Thursday October 23rd, 1975 |
 Rene AuberjonoisAs Marcel Fourchet  Lloyd BochnerAs Colonel Alec V. Niven |
Main Cast
Recap
A man with a cane gets out of a taxi outside the Gotham Book Store, where former spy and current author, Colonel Alec Nivin, is signing copies of his new book Memoirs of a Spy. His publicist, Jenny O'Brien, is supervising the signing, and Nivin tries to hit on her without success. Once she steps away, the man with the cane places a book before Nivin with a message inside saying that they have to talk. They step aside and Jenny notices them arguing. The man with the cane leaves and Ellery arrives and wonders why Jenny, his girlfriend, didn't show up for lunch. She reminds him that their lunch date was a day ago and says she has to go to a literary cocktail party in honor of her client. Jenny explains that it's her publicity that has made Nivin popular, and introduces Ellery to Nivin. Nivin signs his last book and suggests that he and Jenny go out to celebrate at the Safari Club at his private room. Thinking quickly, she gets Ellery to agree to a dinner date, but Nivin insists on business first. Switching gears, Jenny tells Nivin that she's invited Ellery to the cocktail party that night, and tells him to be on time for once...Read the full recap
Episode Notes
Gretchen Corbett, who plays Ellery's sometime galpal in this episode, is best known as Beth Davenport, the sometime galpal to Jim Rockford on The Rockford Files.
Pernell Roberts had previously starred as Adam Cartwright on Bonanza and would go onto star as the title character on Trapper John, M.D.
Lloyd Bochner would go onto play nasty tycoon Cecil Colby on Dynasty.
Rene Auberjunois played Clayton Endicott from 1980-86 on Benson.
Episode Quotes
Niven: I had no idea I was so well-known in America.
Jenny: Good publicity helps, Colonel
Jenny: Good publicity helps, Colonel
Ellery: Jenny. Jenny. Jenny, I've been waiting at Alexander's for about an hour. Now dDidn't we have a lunch date?
Jenny O'Brien: Oh, yes. But that was yesterday, and I waited an hour.
Ellery: But yesterday... was Tuesday.
Jenny O'Brien: And today is Wednesday, And tomorrow is Thursday. And anyway, I've already eaten.
Jenny O'Brien: Oh, yes. But that was yesterday, and I waited an hour.
Ellery: But yesterday... was Tuesday.
Jenny O'Brien: And today is Wednesday, And tomorrow is Thursday. And anyway, I've already eaten.
Inspector Queen: Ellery, you better hurry or you're gonna be late--again.
Inspector Queen: Yeah, yeah, he's the one who wrote that Memoirs of a Spy. Well, of course I know about it. What do you think I do, just read detective stories?
Jenny: Ellery, if you had been on time here I wouldn't be in this mess.
Jenny: Is Ellery up?
Inspector Queen: I think he's in the kitchen. I smell toast burning.
Inspector Queen: I think he's in the kitchen. I smell toast burning.
Ellery: My dad does not think you killed Colonel Alec Nivin.
Jenny: He's about the only one.
Jenny: He's about the only one.
Jenny O'Brien: Oh, Ellery, I am so embarrassed. Calling that poor man a liar and then that girl. Well, I have learned my lesson. From now on it's completely up to you.
Ellery: But I thought you were the one...
Jenny I'm not cut out for detective business. I'm gonna stick to my press clippings and stop playing Torchy Blaine.
Ellery: But I thought you were the one...
Jenny I'm not cut out for detective business. I'm gonna stick to my press clippings and stop playing Torchy Blaine.
Inspector Queen: (about the vandalized apartment) Holy Hannah, look at this!
Inspector Queen: I'm not even going to ask you why you put those files in the refrigerator.
Ellery: Well, I was cleaning up after dinner, I had the turkey in one hand, the files in another, and then the phone rang.
Ellery: Well, I was cleaning up after dinner, I had the turkey in one hand, the files in another, and then the phone rang.
Dubrenskov: I trust you have no listening devices in this room.
Inspector Queen: I beg your pardon! This is America!
Inspector Queen: I beg your pardon! This is America!
Inspector Queen: I wonder what the penalty is for starting World War III.
Jenny: Gee whiz, nylons on sale for $1.09 a pair!
Ellery: (to the viewers) No, it was not Jenny.
Ellery: 5:00 on the dot. You see, I am improving.
Alexei Dubrenskov: Defecting, I dream about it every night.
Ellery: Uh, Dad, you think you can take care of this for me? Now, I got that while I was working on the case.
Inspector Queen: Ellery, you want me to fix a parking ticket? Pay the two dollars.
Inspector Queen: Ellery, you want me to fix a parking ticket? Pay the two dollars.
Analysis
Good episode with an especially good performance from Gretchen Corbett as Ellery's galpal of the week. Corbett and star Jim Hutton had great chemistry together so it's a shame that she never made a second appearance on the series. Maybe she just preferred Jim Rockford over Ellery Queen.:)
Other Episode Crew
| • Executive Producer | Richard Levinson | William Link |
| • Producer | Peter S. Fischer (1) | Michael Rhodes (2) |
| • Music | Elmer Bernstein |
| • Music Supervisor | Hal Mooney |
| • Costume Designer | Charles Waldo |
| • Set Decorator | John M. Dwyer |
| • Director of Photography | John M. Nickolaus, Jr. |
| • Story Editor | Robert Van Scoyk |
| • Art Director | William L. Campbell |
| • Main Title Design | Jack Cole (2) | N. Lee Lacy |
| • Film Editor | John Elias | Chuck McClelland |
| • Sound | Melvin M. Metcalfe, Sr. |
| • Assistant Director | Phil Bowles |
| • Unit Manager | Jack Terry |
| • Based On Characters Created By | Ellery Queen |
| • Editorial Supervisor | Richard Belding |
| • Developed By | Richard Levinson | William Link |
| • Theme Music | Elmer Bernstein |
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