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Director

1970's

Television and Films

 

 

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Bloodbath (Starsky & Hutch)
Sweet Revenge (Starsky & Hutch)
Class in Crime (Starsky & Hutch)
Ballad for a Blue Lady (Starsky & Hutch)
Deckwatch (Starsky & Hutch)

 

Bloodbath


Directorial Debut!

   

Storyline: On the day of trial of Simon Marcus, a murderous cult leader that Starsky and Hutch arrested, Starsky is snatched away by the cult leader's followers just before judgement is passed. The vengeful followers will only release him safely if their leader is released without charge – if Simon Marcus is sentenced to prison, then Starsky is sentenced to death. Hutch must find his partner before he is subjected to a deadly "religious" ritual, as foreseen in the deranged leader's visions...

Air date...January 1, 1977

"Class in Crime"

 

Storyline: Investigating a series of immaculately executed murders, the case leads Hutch back to school as a college student, to get the low-down on a brilliant college professor who teaches a senior student course on the "philosophy of crime" and specializes in murder.

Air date...February 15, 1978

Deckwatch

Storyline: A serial killing seaman, who preys on prostitutes, is badly shot during his latest attack. Wounded and on the run, he resorts to holding Hutch's friend and her wheelchair-bound mother hostage in their home. Hutch poses as a paramedic to get inside the house as he and Starsky try to apprehend the desperate killer and safely free the hostages.

This was a great episode right down to the clock ticking as if it represented everyone's heart beat.

Air date...May 17, 1978


Ballad for a Blue Lady

Storyline: The detectives are called when a witness is found dead before he can testify against a notorious racketeer. Hutch begins to suspect that his girlfriend's brother may be involved.

Paul also wrote the teleplay for this episode.

Air date....January 23, 1979

 

Sweet Revenge

Storyline: Starsky is gunned down in the series final episode. A vengeful power broker, Gunther, hires a hit man who critically wounds Starsky in the lot of the BCPD. While he's lying comatose in the hospital with 4 bullet wounds in his upper body, a second attempt is made to finish him off. Foiled by Hutch, the hit man pushes him to the ground and escapes. Hutch and Huggy go after the people responsible and discover a larger criminal network tied into past cases that killed the father of Starsky's old neighborhood friend as well as a drug syndicate, crooked DA and Judge. Meanwhile, Starsky suffers a cardiac arrest. A tense filled scene the first time you watch that thinking that this is the end of our Bay city hero. But, not to be.. as Hutch charges through the doors at the news, Starsky is finally revived. Still not out of the woods, but he is alive! As Hutch digs deeper into Gunther he comes to a crossroad and doesn't know what else to do. Sitting next to Starsky who is still unconscious, he is tired, worn and grieving for his friend. As Hutch talks to him, asking him what to do, Starsky regains consciousness, even if only briefly, it's enough to fuel Hutch with excitement and hope. Of course, Hutch solves the case and after a tense moment in Gunther's home, he arrests him.

The episode ends with Hutch bringing Starsky a late night dinner of veal and champagne. All served in his hospital bed, at 2 AM in the company of Doby and Huggy. Huggy hangs a lantern form the fire sprinkler above Starsky's bed..candle light, if you will. Starsky, very happy and content with his pain killers, makes a toast to his friends "I will remember this night for a long time to come". End of scene: Sprinkler goes off and drenches everyone! Loved it!

In the original script, Starsky was to have died as a result of the machine gun fire but fortunately, they changed it. This really should have been a two hour final. There was a lot more they could have done here.

Paul did a great job directing the final episode. I'm sure it was very bitter sweet for him and everyone else.

Air date...May 15, 1979

 

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