In this Ironside episode we enter the world of nightclub improvisation theater. Ironside, Ed, Marc, and Fran (Elizabeth Baur) go out for dinner at a nightclub that has a nightly improvisation show reminiscent of "Second City". It's star is one Lennie Blake (Joey Forman) and he has four other actors on stage with him, including former child star Jamie Shannon (Roddy McDowall). Blake is the main attraction with his wit (or insolence - it depends on your point of view), and he shows it by quickly latching onto the appearance of the noted Chief Ironside in his office. He starts a skit with himself in a wheelchair, with stern looking face, and his fellow players as bungling detectives. The lighting starts flicking on and off at one point - as part of the sketch as Blake prepares to solve the "mystery". His cast march around him, supposedly jabbing at him. But we start noting that his face is changing and when the lights go on again the star of the show is dead in the wheelchair - stabbed to death. But the others all have regular fake knives (where the blades collapse into the handles). None have blood on them.
It turns out that Blake was not a nice guy. All of the other performers disliked him (he was an egotist and tried to force the women to bed with him). He was also having troubles with the owner of the club (Marsha Connell - played by Barbara Hale), as Blake kept threatening to go to another club unless he got more money. So besides the mystery of where the weapon went, there are plenty of suspects.
It is only when the law of gravity enters into the mystery that it begins to clear up - and is how the killer finally, unwittingly reveals himself to the Chief by showing he knows something that is criminally guilty. I won't mention anything else. It is a clever episode, as it is hard to guess how the murderer did hide the weapon so easily.
It turns out that Blake was not a nice guy. All of the other performers disliked him (he was an egotist and tried to force the women to bed with him). He was also having troubles with the owner of the club (Marsha Connell - played by Barbara Hale), as Blake kept threatening to go to another club unless he got more money. So besides the mystery of where the weapon went, there are plenty of suspects.
It is only when the law of gravity enters into the mystery that it begins to clear up - and is how the killer finally, unwittingly reveals himself to the Chief by showing he knows something that is criminally guilty. I won't mention anything else. It is a clever episode, as it is hard to guess how the murderer did hide the weapon so easily.
