Starsky and Hutch: The 'Lightbulb' Killer
('Vendetta')
November 27, 1976
While the show may seem cheesy to today's audiences, back in the mid-70s 'Starsky & Hutch' was a highly-rated series, and we never passed up a chance to catch it on the little 22" black and white TV at our house in upstate New York.
One of the creepiest episodes I remember seeing first aired on November 27, 1976, and was officially titled 'Vendetta', although I will always remember it as the 'Lightbulb' killer episode.
The killer is a young man named Tommy (played by Gary Sandy, who two years later would be cast as 'Andy Travis' in WKRP in Cincinnati).
Tommy is seriously, seriously fucked up; he lies on a dirty mattress all day, in a squalid apartment, staring at a naked light bulb dangling from the ceiling (!)
When sometime friend Jimmy Shannon comes calling...
...Tommy appears, maniacal and wielding a baseball bat....!
His erstwhile friend kisses this world goodbye.
Assigned to the murder of Jimmy Shannon, Starsky and Hutch check out the corpse at the city morgue: broken skull, shoulders, and legs.....
Assigned to the murder of Jimmy Shannon, Starsky and Hutch check out the corpse at the city morgue: broken skull, shoulders, and legs.....
It turns out that Tommy is being manipulated into serving as a 'hit man' by a sleazy, middle-aged bellhop named Artie.
Next on the Hit List: a middle-aged business man (played by M. Emmett Walsh), who needs to be beaten up, but not killed.
As Starsky and Hutch pursue their investigation, the increasingly nervous Artie decides it's best to eliminate Hutch's girlfriend Abby (Ann Foster).
As Starsky and Hutch pursue their investigation, the increasingly nervous Artie decides it's best to eliminate Hutch's girlfriend Abby (Ann Foster).
While Tommy gazes at his lightbulb, the order for murder is given. [These 'lightbulb' sessions featured an eerie - sounding synthesizer background track.]
Wearing Sunglasses At Night (like all stylish Psycho Killers are apt to do) Tommy makes his way to Abby's apartment....
Will Abby survive ? Will Starsky and Hutch catch the lightbulb killer and his evil mastermind Artie ?
I won't reveal any spoilers, but you can watch 'Vendetta' for $2 at amazon Prime video.
Love this post! I've never forgotten that guy staring up at a lightbulb on the ceiling—like it was supposed to mean something. I'm sure I've even questioned my own sanity just for looking up at the ceiling in bed, god forbid there was a light source up there.
ReplyDeleteI loved Starsky and Hutch as a kid. In hindsight, I think its secret strength was in modeling male friendship, its sense of humor combined with heroic action. It was pretty much all there in the opening credits. In my dim recall, episodes like this one became more common in later seasons and drove me away from the show.
@GROOVE25
ReplyDeleteI too remembered this lightbulb guy. But what I wanna know is where have I seen the weasel character who goads him on? He played a similar character that kept putting his pinkie to his lips. Ring a bell, anyone??
That said, I can't believe how much Starsky & Hutch sucks. It is GENIUS in the French dubbing! It is a COMEDY, so much fun, with poignant moments. It is stale and can't compare in English, starting with both their VOICES, UGH! Those accents!!! I watch it on COZI TV and its meh! I watched an episode in French on YT and it is FANTASTIC, hilarious, charming, dramatic, fun!
Same with Jerry Lewis: the guy who dubbed him is a FRENCH GENIUS! THAT is what WE French laugh at. No idea how he made it in USA, Nutty Professor is a MASTERPIECE of French commedy/humor when dubbed. It sucks in English and I did not laugh once, to the point I thought I had bad taste as a kid?? NOPE! Watched it in French, it is still a masterpiece.
We should have given La Legion d'Honneur to our French actor/dub artist instead of the arrogant Jerry Lewis who couldn't even bother himself to learn how to say "thanks" in French!