10 Plus Stars.
Barry Trivers wrote this tense episode, and that's an understatement. He handled many adventures and westerns. Hold on to your hat.
Wealthy businessman Mr. Calder (convincingly played by Hugh Beaumont) hires Joe to find his daughter who vanished. Nobody knows a darn thing. Her abrupt disappearance is actually tied to a sinister group who --are you ready? ---want to hold a small town hostage for a cool million bucks. If they don't receive the money in an allotted time, they will unleash a deadly nerve gas on the residents.
This sounds like a MISSION IMPOSSIBLE-type story that could have taken place in some small European country, influenced by a dictator. This may have been re-written for Mannix, but it nevertheless is good, and perhaps one of the series' very best earlier episodes. It's offbeat, even campy, and the acting is right on target.
This was one of Hugh Beaumont's last tv roles, who retired to Minnesota where he owned an island. He appeared on the series in two other excellent episodes and is little grayer, but a memorable actor. He was a minor movie star in B films in the 1940s, playing detectives, long before becoming the famous tv dad on LEAVE IT TO BEAVER.
Veteran actor Alan Baxter plays deadpan Major Lewis. Baxter played some neat bad guys in his time, and Paul Picerni is cast as the town sheriff. Familiar comedy actor Johnny Silver plays Jed and that's Arthur Space, playing the stable owner, who appeared in many classic films, including working with Laurel and Hardy.
Rowe Wallenstein is to be credited for directing, who served as assistant director for almost the entire series run. He earned his stripes, and a record in that position.
Joe sweats this one out to the end, no kidding. This production was a labor of love and should have been Emmy nominated. No question.
Super late night entertainment. SEASON 3 EPISODE 24 remastered CBS dvd box set.