Interesting show. Cassavetes plays a hyperactive, high-strung jazz pianist who does good deeds on the side. In the premier show, he's engaged by a singer's manager ("Senator" Bly, based loosely on Presley's "Colonel" Tom Parker) to prevent a scandal sheet from publishing a damaging story about his charge (a youthful Michael Landon as a crooner). It has lots of gritty, noir shots of New York City (even though the interior shots were taped in LA). A couple of nice jazz tunes, played by some "cats" of the day. Ruta Lee, better known for the years she put in as a plug-in celebrity on various TV game shows, plays a flirtatious secretary. Only a half-hour show, the action is jammed in and it all ends rather quickly.
3 Reviews
Takes a thief
darbski3 June 2017
Warning: Spoilers
Yeah, I liked it. Ya gotta be honest, though. Johnny sorta forgot about breaking and entering when he was tearing up Templer's files, didn't he? Also, his friend, the cop sorta overlooked the idea that two dead guys might mean an investigation was needed,, don't you think? What Johnny DIDN'T forget, though, was sexetary Ruta Lee. She was always helpful whenever the story had to be bolstered with beauty.
I thought it was great the way Johnny squashed the gorilla with the delivery truck, and then tricked Templar with the "no bullets left gag", but I think Templar's gun was out of ammo, too. Never mind, because....
Something really important is the fact that the "other pianist" at Waldo's is none other than John Williams. That's right;; THE John Williams. Award winning writer, conductor, pianist; just thought you'd like to know. Look him up in IMDb and on line it's very cool.
I thought it was great the way Johnny squashed the gorilla with the delivery truck, and then tricked Templar with the "no bullets left gag", but I think Templar's gun was out of ammo, too. Never mind, because....
Something really important is the fact that the "other pianist" at Waldo's is none other than John Williams. That's right;; THE John Williams. Award winning writer, conductor, pianist; just thought you'd like to know. Look him up in IMDb and on line it's very cool.
My baby left and that ain't right the days are bad it's worse at night!
kapelusznik1821 December 2013
Warning: Spoilers
***SPOILERS*** Private eye and part time piano player at Waldo's Greenwich Village nightclub and bar Johnny Staccato, John Cassavetes, is contacted by big time music agent Senator Bly, Robert H. Harris, in regards to his top performer rock & roll idol Freddie Tate, Michael Landon, who's being blackmailed up to the tune of $2,000.00 a month. The person doing the blackmailing is scandal magazine editor and owner A. J Templer, Stacy Harris, who, if he doesn't get paid off, will bring up the shocking fact that the clean cut and happily married Freddie's was in fact an anti-social juvenile delinquent. Johnny who at first makes a play for Templer's sexy secretary Dee Dee, Ruta Lee, gets down to business in telling an outraged Templer, who feels that Johnny is invading his space, to desist in blackmailing his now client Freddie Tate or he'll put the hurt on him by pining his both ears and a** to the wall.
Getting his #1 henchman as well as fencing partner Lotsie, Nick Carvat, to knock off Johnny Templer's grand plan misfires when Lotsie ends up stabbing Freddie in a public steam-bath mistaking him, with all that steam clouding his vision, for his intended victim. With Freddie now in stable condition at a local hospital Johnny makes a night time visit to Templer's office trying to get evidence, in his secret files, of his blackmail attempts against the hospitalized Freddie Tate.
***SPOILERS*** With Templer's goon Lostie trying to whack Johnny he in fact ends up crushed to death when the car Johnny was driving,, in an underground garage, spun out of control when he took a shot at the car's windshield. With only Templwer left to duel it out with Johnny Staccato the final results aren't exactly in his favor. Thinking that Johnny is out of bullets Templer made the fatal mistake of exposing himself in order to gun down what he thought was a defenseless man but ended up on the wrong side of the gun barrel.
Getting his #1 henchman as well as fencing partner Lotsie, Nick Carvat, to knock off Johnny Templer's grand plan misfires when Lotsie ends up stabbing Freddie in a public steam-bath mistaking him, with all that steam clouding his vision, for his intended victim. With Freddie now in stable condition at a local hospital Johnny makes a night time visit to Templer's office trying to get evidence, in his secret files, of his blackmail attempts against the hospitalized Freddie Tate.
***SPOILERS*** With Templer's goon Lostie trying to whack Johnny he in fact ends up crushed to death when the car Johnny was driving,, in an underground garage, spun out of control when he took a shot at the car's windshield. With only Templwer left to duel it out with Johnny Staccato the final results aren't exactly in his favor. Thinking that Johnny is out of bullets Templer made the fatal mistake of exposing himself in order to gun down what he thought was a defenseless man but ended up on the wrong side of the gun barrel.
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