Production Information[]
| Production Number: | |
| Aired: February 8th, 1987 | |
| Teleplay by: Peter S. Fischer & Gerald K. Siegel
Story by: George Marks |
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| Directed By: Nick Havinga | |
| INSERT EPISODE SCREENSHOT HERE | |
| Created By: Peter S. Fischer, Richard Levinson & William Link | |
| Executive Producers: Peter S. Fischer | |
| Producer: Robert F. O'Neill | |
Summary[]
Jessica tells about a book was asked to proof read about a college composer named Michael. Michael's songs are stolen by his music professor and put under a different name. Michael is furious and goes to confront him. The Professor denies Michael and Michael leaves. Later the event triggers a campus wide protest led mostly by a young reporter and Michael's two best friends, Chad and Jenny. Michael sneaks into the professor's office but is stopped several times due to other's walking in and out. When Michael finally does get into the office, he tries to steal his original songs back but instead is caught and when the policeman turns on the light, they find the Professor dead with a tuning fork stuck in him (The same ones Michael had threatened the Professor with earlier). Michael is arrested and his friend Chad investigates and he drags Jenny into it by having her do things to please him and vice versa. Eventually Chad and Jenny recreate the entire murder and find the Professor's own wife guilty. Michael is released and he and the lyricist, the Professor had to add words to his songs, start going out. Jessica then ends the episode while getting ahead of herself talking about a sequel.
Trivia[]
Four of the actors all guest starred on The Golden Girls (1985) in important roles. Herb Edelman (Stan - Dorothy's ex-husband), George Grizzard (Blanche's husband George, as well as George's brother Jamie in another episode), Scott Jacoby (Dorothy and Stan's son Michael), and Dinah Manoff (as next door neighbor Carol - which lead to the spin-off Empty Nest (1988)).
The first of fourteen bookend episodes, mostly seen during the later seasons. Jessica tells us about her book and is only the narrator. You can see her at the beginning and at the end of the show, and a couple of times in between.
This is the first episode in which someone other than Jessica sets the trap and exposes the killer, in this case, Chad Singer.
Although Jessica suggests a potential sequel with Chad & Jenny at the end, these characters never appeared again.
Victim: Professor Tyler Stoneham
Killer: Christine Stoneham
Cause of death: Stabbed with a tuning fork.
Motive: The result of an argument, causing her to "snap" over his frequent mistreatment of her.
Starring[]
Regular Cast[]
Jessica: She doesn't appear in the plot of the episode. She appears only as the narrator—beginning the story, discussing it occasionally along the way, and ending it with a hint of a sequel.
Angela Lansbury as Jessica Fletcher
Recurring Cast[]
No recurring cast are present in this episode. Although Sheriff Amos Tupper and Grady Fletcher are mentioned only.
Guest Stars[]
Michael Prentiss: The murder suspect. He is known as Mike to his friends and a very good music composer. He only loses his temper once at the Professor but is very quiet for the rest of the episode.
Chad Singer: A young law student from the "deep south" (meaning he has a thick Texas accent). He is a good friend of Michael's and often talks about marrying Jenny. Chad investigates the murder right off the bat and with Jenny and the young reporter's help finds the murderer.
Jenny Coopersmith: Chad's girlfriend. It is shown that they live together in a small dorm. She often has Chad make out with her in order for her to do what he wants. Jenny helps Chad recreate the murder. Jenny sometimes calls Chad, "Cowboy".
Rene Auberjonis as Professor Harry Papazian
Shaun Cassidy as Chad Singer
Paul Clemens as Michael Prentiss
Herb Edelman as Max Hellinger
Karen Grassle as Christine Stoneham
George Grizzard as Professor Tyler Stoneham
Tom Hallick as Vice Chancellor August Simon
Jennifer Holmes as Reagan Miller
Scott Jacoby as Danny Young
Dinah Manoff as Jenny Coopersmith