MAGGIE MALONE 1959
This was an unsold pilot made by Dick Powell's Four Star Productions. It was featured on the summer replacement series "The David Niven Show."
This one has Julie London and Steve Brodie as a pair of L.A. nightclub owners. Steve runs the business end while Julie belts out the tunes in the lounge. They are not making a bundle, but are doing OK. One night Brodie is called to his office where he finds Stacy Harris sitting at his desk. Harris informs Brodie that a "group" he represents is interested in acquiring the club. After a few less than polite words are exchanged, Harris is shown the exit.
Next day Harris pays a visit to London at her apartment for a similar conversation. London recognizes Harris from years before as a mob lowlife she knew in San Francisco. London asks, "Why do you want my place?" Harris responds with, "It will make a great investment ". London quips back, "You wouldn't invest in a shroud if you had a body in the closet"! Harris tells London that Brodie and herself had best sell or get leaned on. "Leaned on heavy."
That night at the club, Regis Toomey, the local police detective (what else?), pays the pair a visit. They have been keeping an eye on mobster Harris since his arrival in town. The police know who Harris is and warn Brodie and London to keep their distance. Later that night the "leaning" starts with a bar brawl and broken furniture. Brodie decides to pay a return visit to Harris. The visit goes less than well for Brodie. Harris has several thugs give Brodie a first class curb stomping which results in Brodie landing in the hospital.
When Brodie is released from the hospital he decides there must be a better way to fight Harris. He makes several calls to San Francisco and digs up all he can on Harris. He finds out that Harris had left San Fran with a bag of mob cash. Needless to say the owners of said cash would like a chat with Harris. Brodie just "happens" to let slip where Harris might be.
The next day Toomey comes in with some news. It seems a gunman had put a shotgun to the spine of Harris and blew him in half. "Really?" says Brodie. Toomey answers "We caught the guy who did it. Seems the mob was not happy with Harris for some reason." Problem solved.
Good little episode with tons of noir talent on display on both sides of the camera.
Brodie's credits include, "Desperate", "Crossfire", "Out of the Past", "Bodyguard", "Treasure of Monte Cristo", "Armored Car Robbery", "Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye" "The Steel Helmet" and "Arson for Hire".
Regis Toomey worked in "Spellbound", "The Big Sleep", "The Guilty", "High Tide", "I Wouldn't be in your Shoes", "Raw Deal", "Cry Danger", "People against O'Hara" and "The Human Jungle".
Stacy Harris was in "Appointment with Danger", His Kind of Woman" and "New Orleans Uncensored".
Julie London, who sings several songs in the episode, was in "The Red House", "Crime against Joe" and "The 3rd Voice". What a gorgeous woman!
Behind the camera we have d of p George Diskant. He shot "Desperate", "Riffraff", They Live by Night", "A Woman's Secret", "Port of New York", "Between Midnight and Dawn", "The Racket", "On Dangerous Ground", "The Narrow Margin", "Beware my Lovely" and "Kansas City Confidential".
The director is another noir vet, Lewis Allen, who helmed "Desert Fury", "So Evil my Love", "Chicago Deadline", "Appointment with Danger", "Suddenly", "A Bullet for Joey" and "Illegal".
A good half hour romp! It could have been a decent series IMO.
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