"To Play or Not to Play" touches on a serious issue, workers striking against management, both sides correct about what's wrong with the other. The Partridge Family are due to perform at the Town House Tavern, the most important venue in the (unspecified) state, according to Danny, who assures the owner Marino (Harvey Lembeck) that the group habitually breaks the house record by between 11-16 percent. Laurie is greeted by one of the kitchen help, a former classmate named Marc (Michael Lembeck), among a huge throng of college students hired on the cheap by Marino, who continuously calls Marc 'bum.' While the Partridges rehearse, the workers have it out with management, deciding to go out on strike with their grievances. The sympathetic Laurie wonders if she should perform with the family, as it would mean breaking rank with the striking workers, so the savvy Danny takes it upon himself to become a 'binding arbitrator!' Harvey Lembeck is very funny, here performing opposite real-life son Michael, best remembered for his role on ONE DAY AT A TIME, who eventually gave up his acting career for a far more prolific one as a director (this was only his second television appearance). Both songs come from the just released second LP UP TO DATE- "There's No Doubt on My Mind," composed by Wes Farrell and Gerry Goffin, and "Umbrella Man," composed by Wes Farrell, Mike Appel, and Jim Cretecos (this performance spotlights a small laceration on David Cassidy's left cheek).
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
