SECOND SEASON - 1978-1979
REGULAR CAST:
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(Lou Grant) |
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(Joe Rossi) |
(Billie Newman) |
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(Charlie Hume) |
(Art Donovan) |
(Dennis "Animal" Price) |
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(Margaret Pynchon) |
OTHER RECURRING CAST:
Allen Williams (Adam Wilson)
Sidney Clute (National Editor)
Emilio Delgado (National Editor)
Laurence Haddon (Foreign Editor)
Peggy McCay (Marian Hume)
Guide to the author's ratings
EXTRA! Special episode
Front page, above the fold
Regular coverage
Not quite as good as it should have been
Why did they make it? (n.b. no episodes are rated one star)
EPISODE 23 - Pills (25 September 1978)
Written by: Michele Gallery; Directed by: Jay Sandrich
SYNOPSIS: Rossi investigates an unethical doctor who overprescribes pills for his patients, but Rossi himself must confront an ethical dilemma when offered stolen medical records.
GUEST CAST:
Steve Nevil (Peter Tomasso)
Richard Bull (Dr. Bonham)
Jean Rasey (Gerry)
Dean Santoro (Walt Krasner)
Joey Aresco (Arthur Locatelli)
Michael Mullins (Neal)
Al Ruscio (Detective Rather)
June Dayton (Eileen)
Dan Spector (Paul)
Sidney Clute (National Editor)
Michael Irving (Jayson)
Laurence Haddon (Foreign Editor)
Allen Williams (Financial Editor)
Daniel Chodos (Doctor)
Nick Angotti (Cop #1)
Robert Rothwell (Cop #2)
Micheal Goodrow (Boy)
Sam Kwasman (Pharmacist)
AUTHOR'S REVIEW: The ultimate tribute to Rossi as an aggressive reporter who stops at nothing to get the story and stands by his word.
EPISODE 24 - Prisoner (2 October 1978)
Written by: Seth Freeman; Directed by: Gene Reynolds
SYNOPSIS: Charlie is cold to Mrs. Pynchon's guest, the wife of a Latin American dictator who once imprisoned him. Mrs. Pynchon tries to reconcile the two.
GUEST CAST:
Silvana Gallardo (Amanda Baroja)
Peggy McCay (Marian Hume)
Frank Ramírez (Bazan)
Jorge Cervera Jr. (Blanco)
Enrique Novi (Flores)
Tony Perez (Vargas)
Tonyo Meléndez (Perez)
Charles Cooper (Bus Driver)
Sidney Clute (National Editor)
Robert Kya-Hill (Foreign Editor)
Bobs Watson (News Editor)
Allen Williams (Financial Editor)
Nocona Aranda (Bodyguard)
Naomi Caryl (Saleswoman)
Barbara Lindsay (Woman)
Brian Moore (Mod Man)
Clint Young (Worker)
Ron Castro (Juan Luis)
AUTHOR'S REVIEW: Not a heartwarming plot by any means. The Central American theme is premonitory of Asner's political agitation that led to the series's demise.
EPISODE 25 - Hooker (16 October 1978)
Written by: Seth Freeman; Directed by: Alexander Singer
SYNOPSIS: Billie's investigation of the murder of a prostitute leads her to profile a hooker who wants to get out of the business.
GUEST CAST:
Dee Wallace (Patti)
Paul Lambert (Congressman Phelps)
Gail Edwards (Karen)
Michael Alldredge (Sergeant Roche)
Mary-Robin Redd (Ellen)
Earl Boen (Vice-Cop)
Jeffrey Chandler (Customer)
Barbara O. Jones (Cathy)
Michael Bond (Sam)
Hugh Gillin (Man)
Gerry Black (Felton)
J. Kenneth Campbell (Jones)
Allen Williams (Wilson)
Rod Masterson (Policeman)
AUTHOR'S REVIEW: Once again Billie is sidetracked from her story into the subject's personal life, trying to create a happy ending.
EPISODE 26 - Mob (23 October 1978)
Written by: Leon Tokatyan; Directed by: Corey Allen
SYNOPSIS: While Lou plans the paper's annual tennis tournament, he discovers that the resort venue is a mob haven at that moment heavily occupied by a large-scale meeting of gangsters.
GUEST CAST:
Nicholas Colasanto (Patsy Reese)
Mary Ann Chinn (Charlene)
Carmen Argenziano (Anthony Leone)
Phillip Pine (Paul Thackery)
Dennis Robertson (Assistant Manager)
Dennis Holahan (Jack Patterson)
Gary Pagett (Financial Editor)
Barry Cahill (Maury Donaldson)
Merrie Lynn Ross (Rossi's Girl)
Nick Angotti (Deputy D.A.)
Patti Been (Female Guide)
Dan Chambers (Male Guide)
Jack Grinnage (Clerk)
Michael Twain (Director)
AUTHOR'S REVIEW: Lou's indecision about the dessert is a lame writer's gag and not at all in character.
EPISODE 27 - Murder (30 October 1978)
Written by: Gary David Goldberg; Directed by: Mel Damski
SYNOPSIS: Billie has to deal with her story about the murder of a young ghetto mother getting less-prominent coverage than Rossi's story about an elderly woman who fought back against a home invasion.
GUEST CAST:
Alan Fudge (Detective Collins)
Jane Rose (Mrs. Walker)
Ketty Lester (Sara Marshall)
Thalmus Rasulala (Si Chandler)
Ralph Wilcox (Mr. Thomas)
Saundra Sharp (Becky Hartman)
Veronica Redd (Aunt Barbara)
Ray Oliver (Carl Watson)
Sidney Clute (National Editor)
Michael Irving (Jayson)
Laurence Haddon (Foreign Editor)
Gary Pagett (Financial Editor)
David Moody (Walter Tanner)
Davis Roberts (Unknown)
Gail Cameron (Marla Evans)
Betty Cole (Sara Marshall's Mother)
Betty Cole (Sara's Mother)
Edward Garrabrandt (William Nash)
Harvey Gold (Reporter)
Laird Stuart (credited as Robbyn Stuart) (Policeman)
Alene Wilson (Lisa Evans)
AUTHOR'S REVIEW: An interesting juxtaposition of circumstances, but why did no one mention "man bites dog"?
EPISODE 28 - Dying (6 November 1978)
Written by: Michele Gallery; Directed by: Alexander Singer
SYNOPSIS: Donovan is in denial about his mother being terminally ill; Billie does a story about her illness.
GUEST CAST:
Geraldine Fitzgerald (Peggy Donovan)
Larry Gates (Dr. Ralph)
Joan Hotchkis (Dr. Rita Chase)
Stephen Johnson (Matt Calloway)
Raleigh Bond (Arty Wilcox)
Lois Foraker (Nurse)
Allen Williams (Wilson)
Steve Avery (Fifth Grader)
Lauri Hendler (2nd Fifth Grader)
Robert Rolofson (Fifth Grader)
Tarumi Tagaki (Fifth Grader)
AUTHOR'S REVIEW: A strong script about a troublesome subject, carried off well by the players. The only problem is that Donovan's keeping his caring co-workers share his grief was out of character for the series.
EPISODE 29 - Schools (20 November 1978)
Written by: Gary David Goldberg; Directed by: Burt Brinckerhoff
SYNOPSIS: The paper covers the nascent problem of violence in an inner-city high school; Lou works to promote a student from the same school for a Tribune scholarship to college.
GUEST CAST:
Lee Chamberlin (Jenny Davis)
Kevin Hooks (Wesley)
Jesse Jackson (Himself)
Lloyd Hollar (Neil Mahaffey)
Justin Lord (Haskell Wynn)
Lorry Goldman (Larry Dawson)
Mary Carver (Eileen McCormick)
Veronica Redd (Wesley's Mother)
Sidney Clute (National Editor)
Michael Irving (Jayson)
Laurence Haddon (Foreign Editor)
Allen Williams (Financial Editor)
Rudy Challenger (Stan Sherman)
Richard Beauchamp (Danny Lopez)
Jackie Millines (Walter)
Dennis Haysbert (Victor)
Marty Davis (Bartender)
AUTHOR'S REVIEW: The Jackson speech completely disrupted the flow of the episode and was unnecessary to the plot.
EPISODE 30 - Slaughter (27 November 1978)
Written by: Bud Freeman; Directed by: Roger Young
SYNOPSIS: Lou goes off for a fishing vacation with his old boss who now runs a small-town newspaper and uncovers a mysterious illness plaguing the town.
GUEST CAST:
Stephen Elliott (Chip Murphy)
Sandy McPeak (John Harper)
Sally Kirkland (Dr. Eilene Peterson)
Danny Goldman (Professor Pober)
Sybil Scotford (Lucy Harper)
John Petlock (Henry Dreyfuss)
Arthur Space (Earl Girton)
Mel Gallagher (Karl Mueller)
Patricia Conklin (Sara)
Tony Becker (Jerry Harper)
Allen Williams (Wilson)
Stephen Keep (Guard)
AUTHOR'S REVIEW: A lot of "Lou Grant" episodes touched on themes like this one. Seeing Lou as an investigative reporter was a nice change of pace. Stephen Elliott's portrayal of the editor seemed to belong to an earlier school of acting.
EPISODE 31 - Singles (4 December 1978)
Written by: Gina Frederica Goldman & Sally Robinson; Directed by: Michael Zinberg
SYNOPSIS: Rossi and Billie do a series of stories on the L.A. singles scene in an effort to make the Tribune more appealing to younger readers; Lou locks horns with a newspaper consultant with a very different vision of what a newspaper should be.
GUEST CAST:
Peter Donat (Michael Barton)
Frances Lee McCain (Susan)
Sam Freed ()
Philip Charles MacKenzie (Philip)
Karen Landry (Erin)
Michael Alaimo (Nick)
Melodie Johnson (The Blond Woman)
Paul W. Davidson (Hal)
AUTHOR'S REVIEW: The singles angle was an interesting touch on what could have been a boring remake of the "Mary Tyler Moore Show" episode where a consultant was brought in to bring up the ratings.
EPISODE 32 - Babies (11 December 1978)
Written by: David Lloyd; Directed by: Alexander Singer
SYNOPSIS: Rossi's investigation into a baby-selling syndicate goes nowhere until Billie is tapped to pose as his wife in an undercover sting operation.
GUEST CAST:
Joseph Mascolo (McIntyre)
John Carter (Dr. Davidson)
Russell Johnson (Karlan)
Judyann Elder (Mrs. Hatch)
Robert Broyles (Motel Clerk)
Anna Mathias (Mary)
David Brandon (Carl)
Virginia Bingham (Vicky)
Allen Williams (Adam Wilson)
Lucetta Jenison (Nurse #1)
Dorothy Dells (Nurse #2)
Bill Dearth (Driver)
AUTHOR'S REVIEW: One of the ten best episodes. Billie confiding her divorce in Rossi was a nice touch at character development.
EPISODE 33 - Conflict (18 December 1978)
Written by: Michele Gallery; Directed by: Mel Damski
SYNOPSIS: Rossi is appointed an in-house ethics czar and his finding of many conflicts of interest roils nearly everyone at the Tribune, including Mrs. Pynchon.
GUEST CAST:
Peggy McCay (Marian Hume)
Normann Burton (Franklin Nash)
Helen Kleeb (Mildred Colbert)
Fred Holliday (Ferguson)
Barbara Edelman (Donna)
Eve Roberts (Mary Alice Roper)
Michael Alaimo (Nick)
John Gilgreen (Worker)
Rod Gist (Harley)
Alan Haufrect (National Editor)
Michael Irving (Jayson)
Laurence Haddon (Foreign Editor)
Allen Williams (Financial Editor)
AUTHOR'S REVIEW: An entertaining presentation about what is usually a rather dry issue.
EPISODE 34 - Denial (1 January 1979)
Written by: Leonora Thuna; Directed by: Charles Dubin
SYNOPSIS: Finding help for Lou's grandson's impending deafness is obstructed by Lou's daughter's refusal to acknowledge the problem. Meanwhile, after Rossi is thwarted in his efforts to get an exclusive story published, he commits an act Charlie and Lou regard as unthinkable.
GUEST CAST:
Ann Sweeny (Ellen)
Robert Pine (Burt)
Fred Beir (Dr. Wyatt)
Dennis Redfield (Kevin Marshall)
Meeno Peluce (Nick)
Alba Francesca (Wendy)
Ric Mancini (Ken Worth)
Art Batanides (Bartender)
AUTHOR'S REVIEW: The focus on private lives rather than stories detracts from the power of this episode.
EPISODE 35 - Fire (8 January 1979)
Written by: Seth Freeman; Directed by: Roger Young
SYNOPSIS: The Tribune connects a series of apartment building fires and exposes a scandal within a suburban fire department, but not before a Tribune staffer is seriously disaffected by the scandal.
GUEST CAST:
Tom Atkins (Frank Durning)
Tom Bower (Lind)
Ann Ryerson (Debbie Dexter)
William Joyce (Fire Marshal)
Ellen Blake (Emmaline)
Richard Balin (Carlo)
G.W. Bailey (Arlo Karp)
Janet Brandt (Ella)
Hal Bokar (Kelly)
Clarke Gordon (Mason Cunningham)
Thomas W. Babson (Fireman)
AUTHOR'S REVIEW: One of the ten best episodes. The teamwork approach to solving the mystery is well-played here.
EPISODE 36 - Vet (15 January 1979)
Written by: Leon Tokatyan; Directed by: Alexander Singer
SYNOPSIS: Animal deals with fallout from his service in the Vietnam War; meanwhile, Lou tries to help an unemployed vet find work.
GUEST CAST:
Lionel M. Smith (Sutton)
George Pentecost (Dangler)
Charlie Robinson (Don)
Joe Spano (Larry)
B.J. Bartlett (Jack)
John Wyler (Howard)
Frank Lugo (Store Owner)
Sidney Clute (National Editor)
Michael Irving (Jayson)
Laurence Haddon (Foreign Editor)
Allen Williams (Financial Editor)
Eddie Hailey (Vet #1)
Hank Ross (Vet #2)
Maurice Sneed (Vet)
Shepherd Sanders (Zoo Official)
AUTHOR'S REVIEW: The first episode to develop Animal as more than a one-note character.
ERROR! Animal is still living in the same building that burned in the previous episode.
EPISODE 37 - Scam (22 January 1979)
Written by: Gary David Goldberg; Directed by: Gerald Mayer
SYNOPSIS: Lou comes into a $15,000 windfall, and his quest to place it leads to an investigation of Charlie's financial adviser.
GUEST CAST:
John Considine (David Milburn)
J. Pat O'Malley (Patrick Terhune)
Peggy McCay (Marian Hume)
Barney Phillips (Dr. Barnes)
Booth Colman (Judge)
Hal England (Larry)
William Beckley (Car Salesman)
Sidney Clute (National Editor)
Michael Irving (Jayson)
Laurence Haddon (Foreign Editor)
Allen Williams (Financial Editor)
Carolyn Calcote (Linda)
AUTHOR'S REVIEW: One of the ten best episodes. The scenes involving Lou's windfall are good for light comedy.
EPISODE 38 - Sweep (5 February 1979)
Written by: Steve Kline; Directed by: Charles Dubin
SYNOPSIS: The Tribune examines the huge problem of illegal immigration in Los Angeles; meanwhile, Lou hires Mrs. Pynchon's college-aged niece as a flunky but soon uncovers her shocking secret.
GUEST CAST:
Maureen McCormick (Tiffany)
Rafael Campos (Jesus)
Jonathan Banks (Cyrus)
Cynthia Avila (Consuela)
Maria-Elena Cordero (Rosa)
Arthur Rosenberg (Edward Randall)
James Gallery (Walter)
Rene Enriquez (Owner)
Eric Server (Sergeant Holmby)
Allen Williams (Adam Wilson)
Ron Godines (Raul)
Felipe Turich (Old Man)
Jose Flores (Kid)
AUTHOR'S REVIEW:
EPISODE 39 - Samaritan (12 February 1979)
Written by: Eliot West; Directed by: Paul Leaf
SYNOPSIS: The Tribune and the whole city are set abuzz by the return of a psychopathic serial killer who was never captured.
GUEST CAST:
Richard B. Shull (Jack Towne)
Ben Piazza (Jim McCrea)
Marcia Rodd (Nancy Rhoden)
John Larch (Bill Bergin)
James Gammon (Skorig)
Lorna Patterson (Girl)
William Watson (Newsome)
Lloyd McLinn (Wilcox)
Sidney Clute (National Editor)
Michael Irving (Jayson)
Laurence Haddon (Foreign Editor)
Allen Williams (Financial Editor)
AUTHOR'S REVIEW: A compelling script. Lou's conversation with the hitchhiker was very much in character, and the result was entirely predictable.
EPISODE 40 - Hit (19 February 1979)
Written by: Michele Gallery; Directed by: Peter Levin
SYNOPSIS: Rossi wants to write a story about a woman obsessed with finding her son's hit-and-run killer and becomes personally involved with the woman's search. Lou is taken aback by the increasing level of violence surrounding ordinary behavior in society, including a fight in the newsroom, a confrontation in the elevator, and what later became known as road rage.
GUEST CAST:
Allyn Ann McLerie (Martha Emmett)
Ed Harris (Warren)
Ivan Bonar (Judge Cromwell)
Michael Champion (Red Keough)
Paul Sorensen (McPhee)
Edwin Owens (Gary)
Allen Williams (Adam Wilson)
Louis Felder (Chief Delacorte)
Bart Burns (Ernie Womack)
Janice Carroll (Clerk)
Kenneth White (Driver)
AUTHOR'S REVIEW: One of the five best episodes and the best one of this season. Every scene is memorable, making this perhaps the most unforgettable episode of the series.
ERROR! This episode contains the only significant continuity error in the series. Rossi and Martha check with Billie on the original story she did about the accident in 1976. But Billie only became a news reporter in episode #4 in 1977.
EPISODE 41 - Home (26 February 1979)
Written by: Gary David Goldberg; Directed by: Alexander Singer
SYNOPSIS: Billie goes undercover to investigate a slipshod nursing home which recently kicked out an elderly woman; meanwhile, Lou examines the plight of the elderly through a neighbor who was involuntarily retired.
GUEST CAST:
Jack Gilford (Fred Horton)
Edward Grover (John Bertram)
Patricia Smith (Dr. Kalman)
Lee Kessler (Leslie)
Meshach Taylor (Calvin)
Eve McVeagh (Elizabeth Benson)
Nina Wilcox (Barbara Corwin)
Erica Yohn (La Cresta Nurse)
Jessamine Milner (Mrs. Keaton)
Mari Gorman (Evelyn Morgan)
John Devlin (Dr. Kaleston)
Lisle Wilson (Counselor)
Allen Williams (Adam Wilson)
Jed Mills (Orderly)
Rory Stevens (Teenager)
Curt Ayers (Teenager)
Bryan Gordon (Little Boy)
Ann Nelson (Sara Ford)
AUTHOR'S REVIEW: Only average by "Lou Grant" standards, but this episode illustrates how even middling "Lou Grant" is better than much television drama.
EPISODE 42 - Convention (5 March 1979)
Written by: David Lloyd; Directed by: Charles Dubin
SYNOPSIS: Lou, Charlie, and Mrs. Pynchon attend a newspaper convention where rumor has it someone will be kidnapped; Billie looks up an acquaintance from college who is now suspected as a terrorist.
GUEST CAST:
Kenneth McMillan (Jack Riley)
Laurie Heineman (Sandra)
Amanda McBroom (Lois Craig)
Ivor Francis (Mr. Nelson)
Joe Bratcher (Petruzzi)
Robert Rothwell (Hanlon)
James Mitchell (Hildenbrand)
Fred Slyter (Clerk)
Robert Snively (Jarvis)
Paul Tuerpe (Waiter)
Tain Bodkin (Delegate)
AUTHOR'S REVIEW: The whole episode is kind of a letdown when it turns out the bomb threat was nothing but a hoax.
EPISODE 43 - Marathon (19 March 1979)
Written by: Gene Reynolds; Directed by: Alexander Singer
SYNOPSIS: The episode focuses on a single hectic day in the city room. The staff is most occupied by a breaking story about a tunnel collapse at an excavation; meanwhile, Donovan considers a job offer from the governor.
GUEST CAST:
Peter Hobbs (George Driscoll)
Michael Warren (Andrew Turner)
Emilio Delgado (Castillo)
John Petlock (Dreyfus)
Lee Delano (Magliacci)
Peter Bourne (Guide)
Rebecca Stanley (Moyers)
John Finnegan (Tim Butterfield)
Sidney Clute (National Editor)
Michael Irving (Jayson)
Laurence Haddon (Foreign Editor)
Allen Williams (Financial Editor)
AUTHOR'S REVIEW: An excellent portrayal of the consummation of the staff by a breaking news story.
EPISODE 44 - Bomb (26 March 1979)
Written by: Seth Freeman; Directed by: Gene Reynolds
SYNOPSIS: The Tribune has to evaluate the credibility of a set of plans for a nuclear bomb, which a terrorist group has threatened to explode in the city.
GUEST CAST:
Dinah Manoff (Joanie Hume)
Joe Spano (Jack Ridgeway)
Frank Marth (Robert Oguns)
Norbert Weisser (Bovic)
Paul Kent (Roger Winant)
Terry Wills (Sloan)
Richard Doyle (Paul Glover)
Allen Williams (Adam Wilson)
John Finnegan (Tim)
Gail Bowman (Woman)
Ken Letner (Phillip Strock (uncredited))
AUTHOR'S REVIEW: A very well-crafted episode.
EPISODE 45 - Skids (2 April 1979)
Written by: Steve Kline; Directed by: Burt Brinckerhoff
SYNOPSIS: The paper's coverage of a series of murders of alcoholic bums leads Lou to his old doctor, who now lives on Skid Row; meanwhile, Rossi worries about the sobriety of his alcoholic father.
GUEST CAST:
Andrew Duggan (Doc)
Virginia Gregg (Dirty Donna)
Al Ruscio (Carmine)
Scoey Mitchell (Minister)
Don Hanmer (Sal)
Tom Spratley (Smokey)
James O'Connell (Mission Manager)
Allen Williams (Adam Wilson)
Jed Mills (Bum)
Eric Helland (Strangler)
James Hong (Lee Wong)
AUTHOR'S REVIEW: An attention-grabbing personification of an element in society most would rather ignore.
EPISODE 46 - Romance (7 May 1979)
Written by: Michele Gallery; Directed by: Roger Young
SYNOPSIS: Billie gets involved with a story about a high-school girl intentionally trying to get pregnant as a means of gaining independence; meanwhile, Rossi covers a rock star being sued for "palimony" by a figure skater, and Lou and his girlfriend discuss moving in together.
GUEST CAST:
Frances Lee McCain (Susan Sherman)
Terri Nunn (Wendy)
Devon Ericson (Cheryl)
Craig Wasson (Aaron)
Robert Costanzo (Tannenberg)
Virginia Bingham ()
James Dale Ryan (John Kennerly)
Sharon Kelly (Colleen Brennan)
Allen Williams (Adam Wilson)
Shannon Terhune (Lindsey)
Lark Geib (Jill)
Christian Juttner (Michael)
Deanna Martin (Sarah)
AUTHOR'S REVIEW: An excellent weaving of three subplots on a related theme. The reference to Lou's divorce on "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" was rare for this series. The rock star pelting Rossi with food was beneath the dignity of the series.
Filmography links and data courtesy of The Internet Movie Database.