(The story so far - A refugee from the year 2015 - me –was listening at the door of the infamous BUCKET O'BLOOD Saloon, on the set of "Bonanza", in alternate-universe year 1972, to what SOUNDED like the voices of Michael Landon, Dan Blocker and Mitch Vogel - but how could that be? In this time stream, Michael Landon has supposedly JUST died, and Pernell Roberts was just arrested for his murder! I screw up my courage, step through the door, and see Dan, Mitch, Michael, and -- WHAAAA??)
I’d know that stern, hawk-faced, no-nonsense visage anywhere – it was none other than Ed Davis, Chief of the LAPD!
But – contrary to his predecessors (and some of his after-decessors, or ante-decessors, whatever the word was), Ed Davis hadn’t been accused of any *major* scandals (that I was aware of). And having lived through both the L.A. Riots AND the O.J. Simpson trial, I knew my L.A. scandal sheet pretty well.
So what was he doing, apparently helping Dan Blocker, Michael Landon and Mitch Vogel frame the ever-innocent Pernell Roberts – not to mention giving poor Lorne Greene such a hard time?
Could it be that they were ALL just a bunch of – outlaws?? Naw - Mitch and Davis, maybe; Michael, conceivably; but not my sweet Danny!!
I’d been on the verge of revealing myself, but now? Too dangerous. I shrank back into the shadows and listened.
“Chief Davis, I gotta thank you for helpin’ us out with this,” Michael Landon said warmly.
Davis shrugged. “Hey, it’s the least I can do – considering the favor you boys did for me.”
(A favor? for Police Chief Davis? now what in the world …)
“Why, that was, er, no trouble at all,” Dan Blocker chimed in, a little hesitantly. “We were more’n happy t’ help you find a job fer young Mitch here.”
He clapped the ugly redhead on the shoulder, just a little harder than necessary, and Mitch winced, but grinned anyway.
And, forgetting I was supposed to be hiding, I smacked my forehead, Three Stooges-style, and said aloud, “OF COURSE! That explains why they put Jamie in the show – it was blackmail! I knew it couldn’t have been talent!”
Oops. Four pairs of eyes – two handsome, one scary and one just plain weird (I’ll let you figure out which was which) – turned to stare at me.
I smiled wanly. “Uh, hi,” I said. “Anyone know where I can get a cappuccino?”
TO BE CONTINUED!
I’d know that stern, hawk-faced, no-nonsense visage anywhere – it was none other than Ed Davis, Chief of the LAPD!
But – contrary to his predecessors (and some of his after-decessors, or ante-decessors, whatever the word was), Ed Davis hadn’t been accused of any *major* scandals (that I was aware of). And having lived through both the L.A. Riots AND the O.J. Simpson trial, I knew my L.A. scandal sheet pretty well.
So what was he doing, apparently helping Dan Blocker, Michael Landon and Mitch Vogel frame the ever-innocent Pernell Roberts – not to mention giving poor Lorne Greene such a hard time?
Could it be that they were ALL just a bunch of – outlaws?? Naw - Mitch and Davis, maybe; Michael, conceivably; but not my sweet Danny!!
I’d been on the verge of revealing myself, but now? Too dangerous. I shrank back into the shadows and listened.
“Chief Davis, I gotta thank you for helpin’ us out with this,” Michael Landon said warmly.
Davis shrugged. “Hey, it’s the least I can do – considering the favor you boys did for me.”
(A favor? for Police Chief Davis? now what in the world …)
“Why, that was, er, no trouble at all,” Dan Blocker chimed in, a little hesitantly. “We were more’n happy t’ help you find a job fer young Mitch here.”
He clapped the ugly redhead on the shoulder, just a little harder than necessary, and Mitch winced, but grinned anyway.
And, forgetting I was supposed to be hiding, I smacked my forehead, Three Stooges-style, and said aloud, “OF COURSE! That explains why they put Jamie in the show – it was blackmail! I knew it couldn’t have been talent!”
Oops. Four pairs of eyes – two handsome, one scary and one just plain weird (I’ll let you figure out which was which) – turned to stare at me.
I smiled wanly. “Uh, hi,” I said. “Anyone know where I can get a cappuccino?”
TO BE CONTINUED!
Why did 'Bonanza', known for its nice looking actors, hire such an ugly redhead as Mitch Vogel to portray Ben Cartwright's adopted son? Were they looking to lose their once-devoted viewing audience?
ReplyDeleteHi, Linda - I hadn't checked on my blog for a while, but today I was going in to do some maintenance and found your comment (here and on some of the other posts). Thank you so much! I'm glad to know someone was reading this! :-)
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