Tue 27 Nov 2012
A TV Review by Michael Shonk: COOL MILLION (1972).
Posted by Steve under Reviews , TV mysteries[19] Comments
COOL MILLION , NBC / Universal, October through December 1972. Created by Larry Cohen. Cast: James Farentino as Jefferson Keyes.
Jefferson Keyes was a World renown detective, trained by an unnamed secret agency of the American government, and able to charge one million dollars per job. But Jeff was quick to point out he paid for all his expenses, and guaranteed to solve the client’s problem or the client would owe him nothing. Also, Jeff always denied being a detective or PI, instead he saw himself more of a trouble-shooter. “I’m not a detective,†said Jeff in “Mask of Marcella,” “I simply look for solutions to rather large problems.â€
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8n2JPO5SEhg
“Mask of Marcella.” (10/16/72) Executive Producer: George Eckstein. Producer: David J. O’Connell. Written by Larry Cohen. Directed by Gene Levitt. Guest Cast: Barbara Bouchet, Patrick O’Neal, John Vernon, and Christine Belford. *** TV Movie pilot. When a rich man is murdered, everyone is surprised to learn he had recently changed his will to leave his entire fifty million dollar estate to his daughter, Marcella…who had disappeared as a child and been missing and presumed dead for thirteen years.
The child’s former teacher whose negligence lead to her disappearance has seen Marcella alive and wants Jeff to find her so he can find redemption (and get his teaching credentials back). The lawyers for the estate agree to hire Jeff to find the proper heiress. He has one week to find Marcella before the probate court turns her inheritance over to charities.
Cohen’s pilot script sets up the character of Jefferson Keyes well. Jeff travels the world alone, solving people’s problems. Jeff makes no apologies for his fee or lifestyle, but he does care more about people than money. In this case, we learn he is a regular contributor to a London Children’s hospital, and he even gives one third of his fee to a person in need.
NBC picked up the pilot and added it as one of three rotating series on NBC Wednesday Mystery Movie, sharing the time period with Banacek and Madigan. The series aired between 8:30 to 10pm and was opposite of ABC Wednesday Night Movie and CBS’s lineup of the last half hour of Carol Burnett, and Medical Center.
Roy Huggins took over when Cool Million went series. Executive Producer George Eckstein stayed with his other TV Movie pilot Banacek. Producer David J. O’Connell at the time was the producer of Marcus Welby M.D. (where he won an Emmy in 1972). And Larry Cohen’s Bone (1972), the first theatrical film Larry Cohen directed (he also wrote and produced) had all ready been released. Black Caesar (1973) would soon follow.
I should note here the episodes I saw were collector copies of the edited reruns aired on CBS Late Show, the credits where Executive Producer Roy Huggins and his company the Public Arts Production title would normally appear were missing, but there is little doubt Huggins was responsible for the series episodes.
Huggins made some changes to Cohen’s original idea. Jefferson Keyes no longer wandered the world alone, now he had a staff to support as well as gratuitous over the top expenses such as a special car that is flown to him anywhere in the world.
Receptionist Elena (Adele Mara aka Mrs. Roy Huggins) lived in a house in Lincoln, Nebraska where a hidden panel let you into a room full of the latest in computers. Mother of at least one small never seen child (a “Big Wheel†blocking the secret entrance in one episode), she spoke at least two languages — English and Persian. Jeff didn’t want to miss a call, so he established a trunk line in Lincoln where the lines were always clear. She would ask security questions of possible clients to confirm their id before notifying Jeff.
Tony Baylor (Ed Bernard or Felton Perry) was the pilot for Jeff’s personal plane. In the pilot, Jeff flew commercial airlines or chartered a private plane he flew himself. Now, Jeff adds to the expenses and payroll with a smart-ass pilot.
“Hunt for a Lonely Girl.” (10/25/72) Written, directed, and produced by Gene Levitt. Associate Executive Producer: Jo Swerling Jr. Guest Cast: Kim Darby and Ray Milland. *** Rich spoiled Canadian businessman with anger management problems is on trial for murder. His lawyer hires Jeff to find proof of the man’s alibi.
Worst episode. Levitt had no clue about who Cohen’s Jefferson Keyes was. In this episode Jeff did the work of a PI legman while repeatedly denying he was a PI and constantly whining about money.
“Assault on Gavaloni.” (11/22/72) Teleplay by Juanita Bartlett. Story by John Thomas James (Roy Huggins). Directed by John Badham. Produced by Jo Swerling, Jr. Guest Cast: Nehemiah Persoff, Pamela Franklin, Wilfred Hyde-White, Joanne Barnes, Ilka Chase. *** Sir Bryan Howard had lent a painting to a man so he could keep his ex-wife from getting it. But now the man won’t return it. Sir Howard hires old friend Jefferson Keyes to get it back.
Good episode capturing the style of the NBC Mystery Movies (over the top adventure with romance and high living backed by the signature soundtrack of the Universal music library). This was the only episode besides the pilot to handle the money gimmick well. Jeff puts his concern for a woman before the money and the case. He is reluctant to charge his old friend his fee until Sir Howard admits he has made a profit despite Jeff’s million-dollar fee.
“The Abduction of Baynard Barnes.” (12/6/72) Teleplay by Richard Morris. Story by John Thomas James. Directed by Barry Shear. Produced by Jo Swerling Jr. Guest Cast: Barry Sullivan, Danielle DeMetz, Sharon Gless, and Nico Minardos. *** Jeff is hired to rescue a kidnapped millionaire who had left orders never to pay ransom.
Plot was typical 70s with a far-fetched rescue and long chase. The episode made good use of Jeff’s spy training and attempted to explain the need of Jeff’s fee with expensive gadgets and high priced help.
“The Million Dollar Misunderstanding.” (12/20/72) Teleplay by Juanita Bartlett. Story by John Thomas James. Directed by Daryl Duke. Produced by Jo Swerling Jr. Guest Cast: Elaine Giftos, Ina Balin, Joseph Ruskin, and John S. Ragin. *** After three months of work where he convinced a daughter of a President of a small Middle Eastern country to return home, Jeff gets paid, only to have the check bounce. Jeff wants his money and orders his pilot Tony (Felton Perry) to help him steal a two million dollar diamond from his former client and ransom it for his million.
Jeff is at his most unlikable in this episode. He works for three months to convince his client’s daughter to return home, yet despite Elena and the computers security check, Jeff did not know his client was a deadbeat dictator hated by his people. So does Jeff worry about the young daughter? No, all Jeff wants is his money, and he is willing to risk others lives to get it. This was the last episode of the series.
In Broadcasting (1/15/73) the ratings for all TV Movies from the beginning of the 1972-73 season until December 3, 1972 were listed. The NBC Wednesday Mystery Movie was ranked 23rd out of 66 shows with a 20.5 average. Each episode of NBC Wednesday Mystery Movie was also listed.
Most popular of the three was Banacek with five episodes (during the period covered) rated (in order) 21.2 – 22.3 – 20.9 – 19.4 – 23.5. Madigan had three episodes: 21.4 – 20.3 – 18.9.
“Mask of Marcella” was shown on NBC Monday Movie (9-11pm) and received a rating of 20.4 to finish 25th in the ratings for the week, but finished last in its time period. “Hunt for a Lonely Girl” received a rating of 19.0 for 28th in the ratings. “Assault on Gavaloni” dropped to 17.5. I was unable to find the ratings for the final two episodes.
During the 70s, PIs usually featured a gimmick to set them apart. “Cool Million” gimmick was Jeff’s fee. Too often in the series episodes Jefferson Keyes was a mercenary whining about expenses, risking others lives so he can collect his fee, and wasting too much money on unnecessary over the top expenses.
For those curious about NBC Mystery Movies I recommend you check out J. Kingston Pierce’s work in progress at his “Rap Sheet” blog. I beat him to Cool Million, but I look forward to read what he can add. While we wait, read his posts about Madigan, Banacek and McMillan and Wife.
November 27th, 2012 at 9:43 pm
Yes, Michael, you did beat me to reviewing Cool Million. But I hope to have my own take on that series posted soon. Meanwhile, I have to review something else that you HAVEN’T written about yet. 😉
Cheers,
Jeff
November 27th, 2012 at 10:45 pm
Jeff, this series shows signs of having problems behind the cameras. It is unusual to have two different actors play the same character (Keyes’ personal pilot) for a series that lasted four episodes.
Levitt had worked for Huggins before (THE OUTSIDER) and he directed the pilot, but he vanished after the first episode.
I wonder if Huggins involvement was due to his working with Farentino on BOLD ONES- LAWYERS and he was called in to do the show by Universal. He was not involved with the pilot.
We now know James Farentino was a troubled man during this time and I wonder how that effected the series.
I look forward to reading your take on COOL MILLIONS.
November 28th, 2012 at 10:33 pm
So we are saying that Larry Cohen created this show? And then moved on because of his burgeoning film career? Or is there no creator credit?
If so it would be interesting to examine Cool Million’s original concept in the context of Cohen’s other work. Whether his film career was taking off or not I doubt Cohen would have stayed, as it just wasn’t his MO to hang around, particularly if it meant sublimating his own creative impulses to a strong personality (like Quinn Martin or, in this case, Huggins) — Blue Light being an exception.
It is of course fascinating to see JTJ with all these “story by” credits, given the animosity Huggins often created between himself and his writers with respect to credit (and hence remuneration).
November 29th, 2012 at 2:20 am
#3. David, Cohen did get a created by credit. I have it hidden up at the top with the title of the review. Usually that is where we put all the credits but the only common credit for the show was Created by Larry Cohen, star James Farentino and Universal Studios. Even the music was different with Robert Prince for the TV Movie and Pete Rugolo for the series (NBC WEDNESDAY MYSTERY MOVIE theme was by Quincy Jones).
You are right Cohen refused to do meeting or get involved with executives. When he wrote for COLUMBO he would send his script to Richard Levinson and William Link and told them to do whatever they wanted with it. He was independent with BLUE LIGHT as well, refusing to join the production company over in Germany like the studio and network wanted.
As for JTJ, look at the writers. Juanita Bartlett, like Jo Swerling Jr., was part of Huggins regulars much like Stephen Cannell. Huggins was an typical Hollywood ego. Cannell would credit him as his mentor and credit thief.
I first noticed John Thomas James during ALIAS SMITH AND JONES where you can see his use of his regular writers.
There is a book out where he is interviewed and explains the noble reasons for John Thomas James…he didn’t want his name on the screen too many times…he wanted to give new people and friends a chance to get a screen credit. The interviewer was in awe and virtually called him a Saint. What Huggins didn’t say is John Thomas James got a paycheck. He does tell a story that JTJ is a member of the WGA and is listed with a different agent than Huggins has. I need to find that book.
November 30th, 2012 at 11:51 pm
Back in the 1970s when all I knew about TV and what went on behind the scenes was what I read in TV GUIDE, all that John Thomas James meant to me was he the the guy with three first names.
If I knew (or even suspected) that JTJ was a front for someone else, I don’t remember it now. It’s interesting now to learn that it was Roy Huggins, whom I knew was the author of the book that 77 SUNSET STRIP was based on.
I kind of hope 77 SUNSET STRIP will show up someday on officially released DVD. Or maybe it won’t be anywhere nearly as good as I remember it. Sort of like MAN FROM UNCLE, sad to say, and MISSION IMPOSSIBLE.
PS. Changing from computer from another, as I did over the holiday, has had its difficulties, but a big step was made last night, and I was able to add a couple of decent images to Michael’s review today.
December 1st, 2012 at 1:55 pm
The book is available at google books and a free preview allows you to read the Roy Huggins chapter and interview. It is really worth reading, especially for us John Thomas James fans. He tells you JTJ writing process and where the name came from.
The book is TV CREATORS: CONVERSATIONS WITH AMERICA’S TOP PRODUCERS OF TELEVISION DRAMA VOLUME TWO by James L. Longworth.
December 1st, 2012 at 2:12 pm
I wasn’t able to get the complete rating details but here is some partial ratings information.
MASK OF MARCELLA, the TV Movie pilot ratings are above in the review but here are the numbers for what was opposite the TV movie.
ABC’s MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL finished 24th and CBS’ lineup had LUCY SHOW at 14th, DORIS DAY SHOW at 19th, and (the TV Guide guys will correct me if I am wrong) Country Music Awards at 8th (normally NEW BILL COSBY SHOW would have aired here but I didn’t find it listed in the full ratings for the week).
HUNT FOR A LONELY GIRL 19.0 and 28th was versus ABC WEDNESDAY NIGHT MOVIE (FAMILY FLIGHT) 21.4 for 20th and CBS’ lineup of CAROL BURNETT (last half hour) full hour ranked 29th and MEDICAL CENTER ranked 27th.
ASSAULT ON GAVALONI 17.5 was opposite ABC WEDNESDAY NIGHT MOVIE (ALL MY DARLINGS) 25.9. I couldn’t find CBS’ numbers
December 1st, 2012 at 6:49 pm
Literally the only thing that I can remember about COOL MILLION is that James Farentino was in it. It’s a show that left practically no trace in my memory, which probably says something about either me or the show.
Steve’s comment about finding some stuff disappointing when coming back to it years later is interesting. THE MAN FROM UNCLE compilation movies were all that I saw as a kid,and I loved them. A few years back the BBC repeated some of the colour episodes and I really couldn’t get into them,which was rather sad. On the other hand, the early episodes of MISSION IMPOSSIBLE were an unexpected pleasure. As a kid I only saw the latter episodes, and it was fascinating to see Steven Hill as the original leader of the team. Seeing THE SIX MILLION DOLLAR MAN now is a bit of a shock, as it looks so cheap. At the time it seemed really lavish, but times have changed.
December 2nd, 2012 at 8:12 pm
BRADSTREET, our tastes do change over the years. I was pleased to see I still like HARRY O, I was surprised my reasons had changed.
I don’t remember COOL MILLION but I watched all the NBC MYSTERY MOVIES. BANACEK is the one of this group I remember best and still enjoy watching. It is surprising how many MYSTERY MOVIES series had a short life. NBC and Universal kept moving them in and out for one reason or another.
The first year of MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E. is the best, before the network started messing with it. As a kid I was a big fan of Illya (David Mccallum) and still am.
Looking at past TV my biggest disappointments tend to be sitcoms, but there were not a lot of dramas I liked as a kid.
December 3rd, 2012 at 11:37 am
#9:
The Mystery Movie wheel, when introduced in 1971, took NBC by surprise with its immediate success.
In the previous season, Four-In-One, wherein four different series ran for six weeks straight in succession, was a half-misfire: only McCloud and Night Gallery drew any kind of audience at all (the ratings bar was lower back then), and the rotation idea wasn’t highly thought of by the network brass.
The history has been written and rewritten many times; my recollection is that Columbo was an immediate breakout hit, while the Mc shows generally ran even or slightly ahead of CBS’s Medical Center (ABC was always out of the money during this period).
This situation prevailed when NBC switched the original MM trio to Sunday.
In the new Wednesday grouping, Banacek was the only clear winner; Madigan might have stuck, but I’ve heard that Richard Widmark didn’t like the TV pace and opted out after one season.
Cool Million, with the behind-the-scenes problems delineated above, was apparently given up for dead early on.
After the second season on Wednesday, Banacek was apparently earmarked to join Columbo and the Mcs on Sundays. What happened there was that George Eckstein, Banacek‘s showrunner, decided to leave the show, and George Peppard decided to leave with him (I recall Peppard saying just that to Johnny Carson on a Tonight appearance just after the announcement).
As for all the other short-run MMs, that was simply a matter of NBC and Universal throwing anything against the wall to see what would stick; only Quincy came close, and it was turned into a weekly in record time.
At the end, only the original trio was left standing, and after that, only Columbo kept going for a year after the wheel stopped.
And out of all the MMs, only Columbo was successfully revived years later.
I can’t recall if anyone wrote this tale up here before, but this is how I remember the Mystery Movie saga, so there too.
December 3rd, 2012 at 1:59 pm
#10. Mike, check out The Rap Sheet I linked to (if you have not all ready). Your memory matches mine. BANACEK’s end has been blamed on Peppard without the mention of Eckstein’s leaving causing it. I too remember the interviews of Peppard citing Eckstein as his reason.
From the ratings I found covering the period, the ABC Wednesday Movie did well. CBS’s CAROL BURNETT was moved rather than get cancelled and MEDICAL CENTER held its own. As you remember, this was the time when Movie Nights were a major success for all networks, but ratings could vary depending on the movie. I’d have to check more closely but I suspect BANACEK won the time period except when the ABC movie was good. COOL MILLION most likely was last in the time period, even getting beat by the last half hour of CAROL BURNETT. MADIGAN ratings fell with every showing, if that continued and considering how expensive the show was, I am sure NBC and Universal was happy to let Richard Widmark leave.
It is my speculation that it was the cost of the shows that helped create the heavy and quick turnover.
December 3rd, 2012 at 2:49 pm
The MYSTERY MOVIE wheel was pretty much replicated when shown in the UK (I can still remember the MM theme, with the shaded figure waving a flashlight about). Each time it came on I wondered which character would appear this week, since I was too young and stupid to realise that I just had to check the TV guide to find out. COLUMBO was the big breakout character, and supplied easy laughs for Celebrity Impersonators for years afterwards. The other ones that I remember particularly are MACMILLAN AND WIFE/BANACEK/THE SNOOP SISTERS and McCLOUD. The Dennis Weaver series was enormously popular in this country as I recall, and I still have memories of him coming to England sometime in the early 70s (He was interviewed on the BBC by a reporter whose name happened to be McCloud). COLUMBO has been repeated so often that one can just respond to it on its own terms, as with the original series of STAR TREK. On the other hand, I recently got to see some of the old MACMILLAN and McCLOUD films and I began to feel achingly nostalgic.
December 3rd, 2012 at 5:10 pm
#12. People forget there were two different NBC MYSTERY MOVIE themes. The one everyone can still hum or whistle was the Henry Mancini version that went with the COLUMBO group, while the NBC WEDNESDAY MYSTERY SERIES with COOL MILLION and BANACEK had a theme done by Quincy Jones.
MCCLOUD first began as an hour long show and part of FOUR-IN-ONE that Mike mentioned in #10. Those shows are available in America only as TV Movies where two episodes were edited together or on DVD available in Australia http://www.madman.com.au
Those are not available on NTSC. I don’t think I ever saw any of them.
Instead of putting each series out on its own DVD like they did COLUMBO, MCCLOUD, MCMILLAN & WIFE, and SNOOP SISTERS.It is a shame Universal doesn’t put out the NBC MYSTERY MOVIE out on DVD, packaging the series with only a few episodes together on one DVD box set. HEC RAMSEY lasted long enough to get its own DVD, but group together COOL MILLION, MCCOY, LANIGAN’S RABBI, FARADAY & COMPANY, AMY PRENTISS, and TENAFLY.
December 3rd, 2012 at 5:58 pm
Those McCloud “movies” were smooshed together by MCA (most likely by Harry Tatelman {“Tatelman’s Bargain Basement Bonanzas!”}) to fit in with the other “feature-length” shows, for ease of syndication sales.
Similiarly, the “feature-length” Quincy episodes were hacked down to a TV hour to conform with the rest of that series’s format, for the same reason.
The Universal DVD set of Quincy restores the movie-length of the earlier shows.
Why they didn’t do a like job with the hour-long McClouds – only God (or Harry Tatelman) knows.
The other “lost” Mystery Movies – Is Shout Factory still picking up MCA-Universal’s factory seconds, or has that deal ended, or passed to Timeless Media, or what?
January 16th, 2013 at 4:02 pm
Hi Michael
Really enjoyed your review.
This was one of my favorite shows
(short lived as it was) along with Banacek.
Haven’t seen it since it first aired and
don’t remember all the shows details.
You mentioned that he had a special car
that was flown to him anywhere in the world.
Do you know the type of car and
did it have any special features.
Thanks in advance
Dave
January 16th, 2013 at 11:16 pm
Dave, don’t remember the type, but in “Abduction of Baynard Barnes” Jeff placed a tracking device on a woman’s coat. Then in his car, the dashboard opened to reveal a monitor that showed where she was and going (a beeping dot). This was the only gadget I remember but it was implied there were more. The car was used in two episodes, “Hunt for a Lonely Girl” (where Jeff drove it during his case in Canada) and “Abduction of Baynard Barnes.”
The show can be found in the collector’s market such as iOffer.com and sell.com.
I doubt it will ever make the official DVD version but if SNOOP SISTERS can, any of the MYSTERY MOVIE series can.
If you find a copy, I hope you enjoy it as much as you did the first time.
January 22nd, 2013 at 8:00 pm
Hi Michael
Thanks Michael for your prompt reply.
Appreciate the info you were able to
provide and your suggestion.
Thanks again
Dave
November 16th, 2017 at 9:26 pm
I’m a fan of the Mystery Movies in general but this may be my least favorite of all the series. The pilot had great looking locations but some of the most hackneyed voice-over narration I ever want to hear. After two episodes in a similar vein (but more successful IMHO) the final two showed a drastic trimming of the budget. Instead of beautiful location shooting in Greece, Niagara Falls, or wherever, the last two stories are set in fictitious locales. So no eye-catching location filming, but lots of indoor scenes, talking, and slow-motion walking escapes that go on forever. Even with about 15 minutes cut out thanks to ultra-awkward CBS late movie edits, these are some of the most boring Mystery Movies ever.
BtW don’t know why the pilot actor changed, but he was barely present in the earlier episodes and only emerged from the periphery in the last episode (Keyes and the pilot were practically the entire cast for a long stretch of this ep as they stumbled around in another slow motion escape). All in all a real disappointment although the earlier episodes at least had nice scenery.
November 17th, 2017 at 9:04 pm
David, I am sure the cut in budget came about because it was obvious early this series would not survive long. Universal was not going to waste money on a soon to be dead series.