Post by owlcroft on May 31, 2015 14:06:50 GMT -5
On his way home from a visit to Las Vegas, McCormick hears a familiar voice on the radio. He detours in an effort to track down a familiar DJ of his youth: Nick Damion, the Midnight Prince of Rock and Roll. He locates the man, sitting in the transmission booth of a low-watt station in Lost Springs, Arizona, but the guy who sounds just like Damion claims his name is Joe Cross.
Mark departs, still puzzled, and continues his journey home, where an unsympathetic Hardcastle is caught up his own project: hosting the planning committee for the grand opening of a new music museum. Mark hangs around for the meeting. The first person to be enshrined in the museums's Hall of Fame will be dead rock'n'roller Danny Phillips. But who's to give the award?
Mark impulsively nominates Nick Damion. No-go, says record company exec Joey Kello. Damion dropped off the map years ago. Mark tells them about his encounter from the night before. The other committee members are excited; resurrecting Damion would be a real coup. Mark volunteers to deliver the invite personally.
Later that day, Joey Kello is in conference with his partner, Walter Rutledge. Rutledge assures Kello that Damion has been paid off and will stay out of sight.
In Lost Springs, Mark and Milt visit the station and talk to the manager, Jeanine Alexander. She tells them Joe Cross is on vacation and, anyway, he isn't Nick Damion. She takes them to a local café where they conveniently discuss the Danny Phillips back story: his tragic death in a car accident just as his career was taking off.
Curiously, Mark asks the cashier where Cross lives. Being a small town, this random inquiry bears fruit. Cross has a semi-permanent room at a local motel. Mark wants to check in there, too, still hoping to get the low-down on Cross. Jeanine offers them her own spare room (apparently it's a very friendly small town). Mark takes a pass.
Later, outside the motel, Jeanine is seen telling a couple of guys that she's worried about Cross being involved with drugs again. Mark and Milt are settling into their room for the night when Mark gets a sudden urge to do some looking around (one of those urges that involves a pen light and lock picks). While investigating the motel's registration cards, he hears a brouhaha. It's Cross being hustled out by the two guys Jeanine talked to earlier. Mark intervenes. Turns out that they're cops. Mark and Cross/Damion are busted.
In the lock-up, Mark talks to Cross and provides additional back story. He says Damion was a lifeline for him when he was growing up. Joe Cross finally admits to having been that man, but says he isn't any more.
In the morning, Hardcastle gets Mark out of jail. Mark tells him he still wants to help Damion. Hardcastle is doubtful. Mark elaborates on the theme of how much he owes Damion, on account of once when he was a desperate fourteen-year-old, Damion took a phone call from him and convinced him that life was worth living. Mark asks Milt to help him spring the DJ.
Back in LA, Kello's not happy. Hardcastle has custody of Damion, who has now publicly admitted he *is* Damion. Kello wants Damion dead because the DJ knows Kello killed Danny Phillips. Rutledge promises to talk Damion into leaving town again.
At Gull's Way, Hardcastle tells Damion he has to stay clean and do his bit at the ceremony. Damion agrees, but later calls Jeanine and tells her what's what. He also takes the opportunity to fill in the back story blanks, telling her that Danny wanted out because he'd become aware of Kello's involvement with payola. Damion has a recording that implicates Kello in Danny's death.
As is typical in these situations, Damion wants a couple of days to get his head straight before revealing the evidence and thereby taking the target sign off his back. What can I say? It's traditional. Anyway, dear Jeanine says she is rushing to his side.
But that night, as Damion and Mark review a couple details of the back story, Damion lets slip that he accepted payola and is responsible for Danny Phillip's death.
Working from this, Milt and Mark visit Frank Harper, who tells them Danny Phillips did, indeed, die in a car crash, and that Damion's career has been circling the drain since then. The guys discover that Kello's company's songs had the most air time on Damion's station (now *that's* some record-keeping). The guys differ over what all this means, but Mark doesn't believe Damion killed anyone.
Rutledge meets with Damion and tries to get him to leave town.
Mark and Milt visit the museum foundation's file room and find an old picture of Kello with Jeanine.
Jeanine tells Kello that Damion has evidence. She offers to provide the DJ with a lethal dose of drugs.
At the estate, Damion is MIA, also the Corvette is missing.
At the marina, Damion meets with Jeanine. He entrusts her with the evidence tape. She offers him some drugs to tide him over.
At Kello's office, Rutledge stops by and reassures Kello that Damion is no risk. Kello shoots him.
At the ceremony, Damion is a no-show so far. Kello arrives, Hardcastle confronts him with his suspicions. Kello brushes it off.
In the `Vette, Damion is about to avail himself of the drugs Jeanine provided, when he fortuitously hears the radio report of Rutledge's death. Damion tosses the drugs aside and drives off.
At the ceremony, Frank arrives and tells Mark about Rutledge's death and that he was Damion's brother. Damion pulls up, heads for the podium, and gives an impassioned speech that reveals the whole Kello/Phillips/payola/murder connection. Kello flees; Mark pursues; Frank provides the handcuffs.
Nick goes to Jeanine. Milt and Mark show him the photo of her and Kello. A sadder but wiser man, Damion tells them the evidence tape is in Jeanine's purse.
In the epilogue, Mark and Milt visit Damion at his new job at an LA station. On the way out the door, they hear him launch a special request from his old buddy, Mark. It's the Jazzmaster's infamous cover of "When the Saints Go Marching In".
Script by: Tom Blomquist
Premiered on March 31, 1986
Mark departs, still puzzled, and continues his journey home, where an unsympathetic Hardcastle is caught up his own project: hosting the planning committee for the grand opening of a new music museum. Mark hangs around for the meeting. The first person to be enshrined in the museums's Hall of Fame will be dead rock'n'roller Danny Phillips. But who's to give the award?
Mark impulsively nominates Nick Damion. No-go, says record company exec Joey Kello. Damion dropped off the map years ago. Mark tells them about his encounter from the night before. The other committee members are excited; resurrecting Damion would be a real coup. Mark volunteers to deliver the invite personally.
Later that day, Joey Kello is in conference with his partner, Walter Rutledge. Rutledge assures Kello that Damion has been paid off and will stay out of sight.
In Lost Springs, Mark and Milt visit the station and talk to the manager, Jeanine Alexander. She tells them Joe Cross is on vacation and, anyway, he isn't Nick Damion. She takes them to a local café where they conveniently discuss the Danny Phillips back story: his tragic death in a car accident just as his career was taking off.
Curiously, Mark asks the cashier where Cross lives. Being a small town, this random inquiry bears fruit. Cross has a semi-permanent room at a local motel. Mark wants to check in there, too, still hoping to get the low-down on Cross. Jeanine offers them her own spare room (apparently it's a very friendly small town). Mark takes a pass.
Later, outside the motel, Jeanine is seen telling a couple of guys that she's worried about Cross being involved with drugs again. Mark and Milt are settling into their room for the night when Mark gets a sudden urge to do some looking around (one of those urges that involves a pen light and lock picks). While investigating the motel's registration cards, he hears a brouhaha. It's Cross being hustled out by the two guys Jeanine talked to earlier. Mark intervenes. Turns out that they're cops. Mark and Cross/Damion are busted.
In the lock-up, Mark talks to Cross and provides additional back story. He says Damion was a lifeline for him when he was growing up. Joe Cross finally admits to having been that man, but says he isn't any more.
In the morning, Hardcastle gets Mark out of jail. Mark tells him he still wants to help Damion. Hardcastle is doubtful. Mark elaborates on the theme of how much he owes Damion, on account of once when he was a desperate fourteen-year-old, Damion took a phone call from him and convinced him that life was worth living. Mark asks Milt to help him spring the DJ.
Back in LA, Kello's not happy. Hardcastle has custody of Damion, who has now publicly admitted he *is* Damion. Kello wants Damion dead because the DJ knows Kello killed Danny Phillips. Rutledge promises to talk Damion into leaving town again.
At Gull's Way, Hardcastle tells Damion he has to stay clean and do his bit at the ceremony. Damion agrees, but later calls Jeanine and tells her what's what. He also takes the opportunity to fill in the back story blanks, telling her that Danny wanted out because he'd become aware of Kello's involvement with payola. Damion has a recording that implicates Kello in Danny's death.
As is typical in these situations, Damion wants a couple of days to get his head straight before revealing the evidence and thereby taking the target sign off his back. What can I say? It's traditional. Anyway, dear Jeanine says she is rushing to his side.
But that night, as Damion and Mark review a couple details of the back story, Damion lets slip that he accepted payola and is responsible for Danny Phillip's death.
Working from this, Milt and Mark visit Frank Harper, who tells them Danny Phillips did, indeed, die in a car crash, and that Damion's career has been circling the drain since then. The guys discover that Kello's company's songs had the most air time on Damion's station (now *that's* some record-keeping). The guys differ over what all this means, but Mark doesn't believe Damion killed anyone.
Rutledge meets with Damion and tries to get him to leave town.
Mark and Milt visit the museum foundation's file room and find an old picture of Kello with Jeanine.
Jeanine tells Kello that Damion has evidence. She offers to provide the DJ with a lethal dose of drugs.
At the estate, Damion is MIA, also the Corvette is missing.
At the marina, Damion meets with Jeanine. He entrusts her with the evidence tape. She offers him some drugs to tide him over.
At Kello's office, Rutledge stops by and reassures Kello that Damion is no risk. Kello shoots him.
At the ceremony, Damion is a no-show so far. Kello arrives, Hardcastle confronts him with his suspicions. Kello brushes it off.
In the `Vette, Damion is about to avail himself of the drugs Jeanine provided, when he fortuitously hears the radio report of Rutledge's death. Damion tosses the drugs aside and drives off.
At the ceremony, Frank arrives and tells Mark about Rutledge's death and that he was Damion's brother. Damion pulls up, heads for the podium, and gives an impassioned speech that reveals the whole Kello/Phillips/payola/murder connection. Kello flees; Mark pursues; Frank provides the handcuffs.
Nick goes to Jeanine. Milt and Mark show him the photo of her and Kello. A sadder but wiser man, Damion tells them the evidence tape is in Jeanine's purse.
In the epilogue, Mark and Milt visit Damion at his new job at an LA station. On the way out the door, they hear him launch a special request from his old buddy, Mark. It's the Jazzmaster's infamous cover of "When the Saints Go Marching In".
Script by: Tom Blomquist
Premiered on March 31, 1986
