THE FORD TELEVISION THEATRE – The Menace of Hasty Heights – 1956
This episode is the 163rd outing of, THE FORD TELEVISION THEATRE. This anthology series ran between 1952 and 1957. The production run was 195 episodes. The series was fairly popular and featured many well-known guest stars, such as, Raymond Burr, Thomas Mitchell, Richard Denning, Teresa Wright, Kathryn Grant, Scott Brady, Howard Duff and Richard Conte.
In this one, it starts with a big breakout from a State Prison. The guards round up all the escapees except, Steve Cochran. Cochran hotfoots it to some nearby suburbs to hide out. He picks a house at random and knocks on the back door. Inside, is, Jean Hagen, a housewife who is overwhelmed with chores, a faulty washing machine, an over active 7 year old, and a new baby.
Hagen opens the door figuring it is the repairman for the washing machine. In barges Cochran and sticks a revolver under Hagen's nose. "Be quiet and everything will be OK, I just need a place to lay low for a while." Cochran tells Hagen. Now the baby starts wailing, Hagen just ignores Cochran and fetches the child.
Cochran waves the pistol again and repeats his previous statement. Hagen just looks at the man and says she does not have time to deal with him. She is preparing a dinner party for her husband's office. Again the pistol is raised as Cochran "suggests" Hagen call him and inform him the soirée is cancelled.
She calls hubby Kent Taylor at work. Taylor will not listen to Hagen and insists the event is on. She hangs up and shrugs. Now the doorbell rings and Cochran has Hagen answer. It is a neighbour dropping off some items for the evening shindig. Then there is another call, this time from the maid saying she is on the way. Now, Hagen's 7 year-old son shows. He looks at Cochran's gun and asks what it is for. Cochran is not a happy camper with all this.
Cochran now wants to get out of this madhouse. Hagen says no, but that she will drive him after the party. Next thing you know she has the convict fixing the washing machine. When the husband and the guests start arriving, Cochran is dressed up as a waiter. He is soon serving drinks to the growing crowd. One of the guests, Damien O'Flynn, turns out to be the local Chief of Police. Now the kid, Charles Hebert, comes into the room and asks why Cochran's picture is on the television? Cochran is at wits end and tells the child to take his hand. The two then walk over to the Police Chief. Cochran has Herbert tell O'Flynn that he has caught the escaped convict. Our man Steve has decided life was easier inside the pen.
Needless to say, this one was played as a comedy. Too bad, it would have worked better if the cast had played it straight. I thought I had a real corker going on till the attempted funny bits happened.
The director, Steve Tokar worked mostly on the Walt Disney lot. His films for Disney include such "classics" as, THOSE CALLAWAYS, A TIGER WALKS, FOLLOW ME BOYS, THE BOATNIKS, THE HORSE IN THE GREY FLANNEL SUIT and THE CAT FROM OUTER SPACE.
This episode is the 163rd outing of, THE FORD TELEVISION THEATRE. This anthology series ran between 1952 and 1957. The production run was 195 episodes. The series was fairly popular and featured many well-known guest stars, such as, Raymond Burr, Thomas Mitchell, Richard Denning, Teresa Wright, Kathryn Grant, Scott Brady, Howard Duff and Richard Conte.
In this one, it starts with a big breakout from a State Prison. The guards round up all the escapees except, Steve Cochran. Cochran hotfoots it to some nearby suburbs to hide out. He picks a house at random and knocks on the back door. Inside, is, Jean Hagen, a housewife who is overwhelmed with chores, a faulty washing machine, an over active 7 year old, and a new baby.
Hagen opens the door figuring it is the repairman for the washing machine. In barges Cochran and sticks a revolver under Hagen's nose. "Be quiet and everything will be OK, I just need a place to lay low for a while." Cochran tells Hagen. Now the baby starts wailing, Hagen just ignores Cochran and fetches the child.
Cochran waves the pistol again and repeats his previous statement. Hagen just looks at the man and says she does not have time to deal with him. She is preparing a dinner party for her husband's office. Again the pistol is raised as Cochran "suggests" Hagen call him and inform him the soirée is cancelled.
She calls hubby Kent Taylor at work. Taylor will not listen to Hagen and insists the event is on. She hangs up and shrugs. Now the doorbell rings and Cochran has Hagen answer. It is a neighbour dropping off some items for the evening shindig. Then there is another call, this time from the maid saying she is on the way. Now, Hagen's 7 year-old son shows. He looks at Cochran's gun and asks what it is for. Cochran is not a happy camper with all this.
Cochran now wants to get out of this madhouse. Hagen says no, but that she will drive him after the party. Next thing you know she has the convict fixing the washing machine. When the husband and the guests start arriving, Cochran is dressed up as a waiter. He is soon serving drinks to the growing crowd. One of the guests, Damien O'Flynn, turns out to be the local Chief of Police. Now the kid, Charles Hebert, comes into the room and asks why Cochran's picture is on the television? Cochran is at wits end and tells the child to take his hand. The two then walk over to the Police Chief. Cochran has Herbert tell O'Flynn that he has caught the escaped convict. Our man Steve has decided life was easier inside the pen.
Needless to say, this one was played as a comedy. Too bad, it would have worked better if the cast had played it straight. I thought I had a real corker going on till the attempted funny bits happened.
The director, Steve Tokar worked mostly on the Walt Disney lot. His films for Disney include such "classics" as, THOSE CALLAWAYS, A TIGER WALKS, FOLLOW ME BOYS, THE BOATNIKS, THE HORSE IN THE GREY FLANNEL SUIT and THE CAT FROM OUTER SPACE.