The Streets of San Francisco: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Lunch by Tony Piazza
During the fourth season of “The Streets of San Francisco” we did a two parter which was going to write MICHAEL DOUGLAS’S character, Steve Keller, out of the show and introduce RICHARD HATCH as detective Dan Robbins. This episode had a stellar cast which included, JOSEPH WISEMAN, BARRY SULLIVAN, PATTY DUKE, SUSAN DEY, DICK VAN PATTEN, DORIS ROBERTS, NORMAN FELL, and was directed by VIRGIL VOGEL. This two-part episode was clearly inspired by the Patty Hearst kidnapping, and the “family” of the story (comprised in part by Duke and Dey) was a fictionalized version of the S.L.A. In the screenplay a busload of jurors are kidnapped by these revolutionaries, who demand the release of their imprisoned cohorts. It is then up to Stone, Keller, and Robbins to foil their plot.
Tony Piazza and Patty Duke
My little contribution to this episode (aside from my stand-in duties for Douglas and Hatch) was to act as one of the members of a S.W.A.T. team that was called in to keep an eye on the “family.” They had a boat out on the bay, and we were set up at various locations along the dockside. I was a sharpshooter atop of one of the warehouses, rifle in hand waiting for a signal to act. I never got that signal, and that is the basis for this story. To explain…I sat up there looking vigilant, gun at the ready, and waited, and watched…and waited…and watched…for a very long time. Meanwhile back at the main unit, the first assistant suddenly looks around and asks, “Where is Tony?” In response, the trainee assistant director jumps up in obvious panic to exclaim, “I forgot to tell him that we have broken for lunch!”
Susan Dey and Tony Piazza
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Tony Piazza is author of the 1930s Hollywood murder mystery novel, “Anything Short of Murder,” which had its roots on the TCM fan website. His second novel, “The Curse of the Crimson Dragon” was next released early 2012, and in July of 2013, his latest Tom Logan Mystery, “A Murder Amongst Angels” was published and is available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble websites. A new Tom Logan novel has been completed and is scheduled to be released in 2015. He was an actor/extra during the 1970s and worked with such legends as Steve McQueen, Paul Newman, and Karl Malden. His non-fiction e-book “Bullitt Points” is an in depth look at the making of “Bullitt” from a person who was there. Look for it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble websites, or at the link posted below. All profits go to the Boys Republic charity: www.bullittpoints.com.
Tony Piazza is a member of three prestigious writer’s organizations: Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, and the SLO NightWriters.
My earlier bestselling novels, “The Curse of the Crimson Dragon” and “Anything Short of Murder” now joins “A Murder Amongst Angels” on Amazon’s Kindle at a new, low price of $2.99. Now you can have hours of adventure, thrills, mystery, and romance for the price of a cup of coffee- and just as stimulating! Look for it on Amazon. Print versions have also been reduced.
Also: The new Tom Logan mystery thriller, A Murder Amongst Angels .
Find them all on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and wherever fine books are sold. Also available for $2.99 on Kindle.
Joseph Wiseman? Didn’t he play “Dr. No” in the first Bond film? BTW Ian Fleming met John Kennedy in Washington in the early 60’s. JFK was a fan of the Bond novels. Ian was invited to dinner at the Kennedys’ home in Georgetown. Ian’s love Blanche Blackwell is the mother of Chris Blackwell who made a bundle when he sold his “Island Records” to Polygram for 200 million pounds.
I was an extra in the movie “Traffic” the cocktail party scene, I think it was called, with Michael Douglas being introduced to the “Georgetown” gathering.