Original air date: 5 November 1972
This episode rerun 29 July 1973
In the 200th episode of the series, Inspector Lew Erskine takes a crash course in Braille and in the game of chess, in order to impersonate a blind Eastern Bloc scientist and chess master. The man has been disabled in an accident after offering to act as a double agent to catch foreign spies.
A very timely episode, given that detente was under way and that American chess player Bobby Fisher (1943-2008) became world chess champion in August 1972! It was a big deal at the time, because it marked the first time that an American was the champion, not a Soviet.
- Napoleon Whiting, who played Silas in The Big Valley (ABC, 1965-69), makes a guest appearance here!
Credits:
Directed by: Philip Leacock
Teleplay by: Warren Duff
Story by: Mark Weingart
Performer | Role
- Patrick O’Neal | Howard Raymond
- Alfred Ryder | Kessler
- David Frankham | Sterling Grant
- George Nader | Alex Rydell
- Charlotte Stewart | Helen Sims
- Lew Palter | John Nelson
- Russ Conway | Jordan McLure
- Erik Holland | Henry
- Ron Pinknard | Jim Vincent
- Brick Huston | Scientist
- Napoleon Whiting | Red Cap
- Paul Harper | Cabby
- Brian Wood | Conductor
- Matthew Knox | Johnson
- James MacKrell | Howard Schaal
- Dave Morick | Guard