CTVA
The Classic TV Archive - US Crime Series
Bill Bixby series:
My Favorite Martian (Jack Chertok/CBS)(1963-66) starring Ray Walston, Bill Bixby
The Courtship of Eddie's Father (MGM/ABC)(1969-72) starring Bill Bixby
The Magician (Paramount/NBC)(1973-74) starring Bill Bixby
The Incredible Hulk (Universal /CBS)(1977-82)(Super Hero series) Bill Bixby, Lou Ferrigno, Jack Colvin
The Magician (1973-74)
Episode Guide compiled by The Classic TV Archive
with contributions by: Rina Fox
references:
TV Guide / Library of Congress (telnet://locis.loc.gov)
Internet Movie Database (https://us.imdb.com)
UCLA Film and Television Archive
------------
THE MAGICIAN
------------
Paramount Pictures Television
for
NBC (Tuesdays 9:00 PM ET)(2Oct73-8Jan74)
NBC (Mondays 8:00 PM ET)(14Jan74-20May74)
Executive Producer, Laurence Heath
Produced by Barry Crane

US Crime Adventure Series 1973-74 90 min pilot + 21 episodes x 60 min color
Starring:
Bill Bixby as Anthony Blake (series)/Anthony Dorian (pilot)

Keene Curtis as Max Pomeroy (Blake's Manager) (Format 1)
Todd Crespi as Dennis Pomeroy (Max's young son) (Format 1)

Jim Watkins as Jerry Anderson (series)/Jerry Wallace (pilot)
(pilot of Blake's full-size jet plane) (Mainly Format 1)

Joseph Sirola as Dominick (owner of the "Magic Castle Club") (Format 2)

Premise:
Ten years after he is imprisoned on a trumped up espionage charge Anthony Blake
and his cellmate escape from a South American prison. The dying cellmate grateful
for the few months of freedom Blake has given him, rewards him with a vast
weatlth. Stories relate Blake's exploits as he uses his wizardry as a magician
to help people who are seeking escape but who are unable to turn to the police.

Format 1 - Blake operates out his Jet Plane
Format 2 - change of locale. Tony lives on the top floor of the "Magic Castle Club" in LA.

 "The Magician " theme music by Patrick Williams

########## The Magician #########
############## Pilot ############
#################################

"Movies of the week" episode 022.
THE MAGICIAN [90 min Pilot TV Movie]
17Mar1973 NBC
Paramount Television production;
produced in association with B & B Productions, Inc.
Producer Barry Crane
Directed by Marvin J. Chomsky
Teeplay by Laurence Heath / Story by Joseph Stefano
Director of photography Robert Hoffman
Music by Patrick Williams
cast:
Bill Bixby .......... Anthony Dorian
Keene Curtis ........ Max Pomeroy
Joan Caulfield ...... Lulu
Kim Hunter .......... Nora Cougan
Elizabeth Ashley .... Sally Baker
Barry Sullivan ...... Joseph Baker
Allen Case .......... Adams
Signe Hasso ......... Madam Parga
Jim Watkins ......... Jerry Anderson
Anne Lockhart ....... Mary Rose Cougan
Todd Crespi ......... Dennis Pomeroy
Don Reid ............ Lucian Baker
Nancy Stephens ...... Francine
Richard Van Vleet
Robert Mandan
Tol Avery
Jeff Morris
Bill Quinn
Hollis Irving
Johnny Haymer
Lorelei Sebring
Cami Sebring

################ The Magician ################
############## season 1973-74 ###############
##############################################
NBC (Tuesdays 9:00 PM ET)(2Oct73-8Jan74)
Opposite "Hawaii Five-O" on CBS

1.01 The Magician: THE MANHUNTERS
02Oct1973
Guest cast:
Stephen McNally .... Manning Hargrove
Marlyn Mason ....... Diane Thompson
Vincent Beck ....... Stanley Owens
Jerry Quarry ....... Al
Lenore Stevens ..... Edith
Mort Thompson ...... Driscoll
Scott Walker ....... Hit man
David Brandon ...... Reporter #1
Synopsis:
Tony's friend Max is doing jury duty for illegal gambling and comes under attack.

1.02 The Magician: THE VANISHING LADY
09Oct1973 (rerun 11Mar74)
Guest cast:
Amanda McBroom ..... Julie Carter
Peter Brown ........ Ray Weaver
John Carlin ........ Jim Russel
Lilyan Chauvin ..... Anna
Byron Mabe ......... Eddie Tarlow
Ramon Bieri ........ Lt. Corcoran
Lenore Kasdorf ..... Jane Roberts/Scheherazade
Craig Morton ....... Sgt. Drake
Patti Elder ........ Woman Driver
Synopsis:
A young singer appearing with Tony in Las Vegas has been kidnaped by
sinister thugs who plan to collect a ransom - and then dump their captive
into Lake Mead. Filmed on location in Las Vegas and at Hoover Dam.

1.03 The Magician: ILLUSION IN TERROR
23Oct1973 (rerun 26Aug76)
Guest cast:
Cameron Mitchell ... Walter C. March/Canfield
Brenda Benet ....... Joanna Marsh
Macdonald Carey .... Rich Kortner
Claudio Martinez ... Luis
Thomas A. Geas ..... Malcolm Gregorian
Bill Zuckert ....... Matt Osborne
Barbara Collentine.. Hannah Osborne
Carleton Young ..... Minister
Synopsis:
A hospital administrator swears that Tony's girlfriend has died after
a hit-and-run accident, but no one knows where the body is. [RF]

1.04 The Magician: LIGHTNING ON A DRY DAY
30Oct1973 (rerun 16Sep76)
Written by Walter Brough
Directed by Reza Badiyi
Guest cast:
Mark Hamill ........ Ian Keefer
Neville Brand ...... Sheriff Platt
Susan Foster ....... Maggie Platt
Frances Reid ....... Mrs. Eleanor Gilpin
Geoffrey Deuel ..... Vic
Gwyn Sebring ....... Connie Camiey
Quinn Redeker ...... Dr. Sebring
Beah Richards ...... Mrs. Thatcher
Synopsis:
Tony is seeking the mysterious cause a teenager's sudden mental breakdown. [RF]

1.05 The Magician: OVATION FOR MURDER
06Nov1973
Written by Walter Brough
Directed by Barry Crane
Guest cast:
Jack Kruschen ...... Albie Allikolos
Susan Oliver ....... Susanna
Roy Jenson ......... Frank Letterman
Walter Brooke ...... Orin Conover
Wesley Lau ......... Captain Gottschalk
Sid Grossfeld ...... Ulricht
Dennis Cross ....... Guard Colton
John Craig ......... Guard Morrison
Eddy C. Dyer ....... Guard Troy
Synopsis:
Tony witnesses a beating after a benefit performance at the Los Angeles County Fair.

1.06 The Magician: MAN ON FIRE
20Nov1973
Written by Samuel Roeca & James L. Henderson
Directed by Reza Badiyi
Guest cast:
Carl Betz .......... Paul Ryerson
Jane Merrow ........ Carol Spain
Lloyd Bochner ...... Matt Matthews
Brad David ......... Danny
Erik Holland ....... Gruber
Wayne Heffley ...... Sheriff Harris

1.07 The Magician: LADY IN A TRAP
27Nov1973
Teleplay by Frank Telford, Marion Hargove; Story by Frank Telford
Directed by Leslie H. Martinson
Guest cast:
Robert Webber ...... Mr. Zellman
Kristina Holland ... Stacey McGlanahan
William Jordan ..... Sheriff R. Sanders
Anthony Eisley ..... Ralph Turner
Rob Townsend ....... Haney
Brad Trumbull ...... Lt. Moore
Tom Denver ......... Teddy
Gail Bryant ........ Receptionist

1.08 The Magician: THE MAN WHO LOST HIMSELF
11Dec1973
Written by Marion Hargrove
Directed by Sutton Roley
Guest cast:
Yvonne Craig........ Dr. Nora Zbriesk
George Murdock ..... Tim Dunnagan
Joe Flynn .......... George/Sam
Joseph Perry ....... Matchek
John Milford ....... Lubie
Yuki Shimoda ....... Father
Johnny Lee ......... Grandson
Allen Joseph ....... Ticket Seller
Hal Williams
Pamela Britton
Russell Thorsen
Synopsis:
Magician Anthony Blake is setting up for a fund raising performance outside a church when a man, chased by two pursuers,
stumbles onto the stage, trips over a piece of the rigging, and causes a scaffolding to collapse..

1.09 The Magician: NIGHTMARE IN STEEL
18Dec1973 (rerun 01Apr76)
Written by Walter Brough & Barry Crane
Directed by Sutton Roley
Guest cast:
Leif Erickson ...... Nicholas Olsen
Christopher Stone .. Gary Allmont
Robyn Millan ....... Laurie Allmont
Frank Christi ...... Jack
Anne Randall ....... Cindy Adams
Charles Picerni .... Melton
Robert J. Priest ... Schnell
J.P. Burns ......... Captain
Jim Driskill ....... Foreman
Glenn Wilder ....... Purcell
Robert Herron ...... Scuba Diver
Synopsis:
Tony's new assistant is having a hard time keeping alive. Her husband's
employer wants her out of the way so she won't interfere with a $4,000,000 robbery. [RF]

1.10 The Magician: SHATTERED IMAGE
08Jan1974 NBC Tue
Written by Richard Hesse
Directed by Michael O'Herlihy
Guest cast:
Joseph Campanella ... Frank Mitchell
Leslie Parrish ...... Lydia
Ed Gilbert .......... Larry Malone
Tara Talboy ......... Paula Mitchell
Todd Crespi ......... Dennis Pomeroy
Wesley Lau .......... Captain Gottschalk
Tommy Madden ........ Willoughby
Betty Anne Rees ..... Malina
Robert F. Hoy ....... Brenner
Daniel Selby
Synopsis:
A little girl trying to help her fugitive father puts herself in danger. Hoodlums have been trying to abduct
her since her father killed on of their cohorts.

---------------------------------------------
"The Magician" moves to NBC Mondays 8:00PM ET
opposite "Gunsmoke" on CBS
---------------------------------------------
Format 2 - Change of locale. Tony lives on the top floor of the
"Magic Castle Club" in LA.
Joining the regular cast:
Joseph Sirola as Dominick (owner of the "Magic Castle Club")

1.11 The Magician: THE ILLUSION OF THE CURIOUS COUNTERFEIT [Part 1]
14Jan1974 NBC Tue
Written by Laurence Heath
Directed by Sutton Roley
Guest cast:
John Colicos ........ Paul Gunther
Carol Lynley ........ Janet Keegan
L.Q. Jones .......... Johnson
Lloyd Nolan ......... Charles Keegan
Joe Maross .......... Alan Burke
Joan Shawlee ........ Trudy
Jack Perkins ........ Gilbert
Charles Picerni ..... Johnny Kroll
Lassie Ahern ........ Emil
Cherie Latimer ...... Sharon
Synopsis:
Tony Blake has taken up residency at The Castle, an exclusive club for magicians, when his old girlfriend Janet Keegan
comes to visit--not to get back together with him, but because she is being pursued by two men and doesn't know why.

1.12 The Magician: THE ILLUSION OF THE CURIOUS COUNTERFEIT [Part 2]
21Jan1974 NBC Tue
Written by Laurence Heath
Directed by Sutton Roley
Guest cast:
Lloyd Nolan ......... Charles Keegan
L.Q. Jones .......... Johnson
Carol Lynley ........ Janet Keegan
John Colicos ........ Paul Gunther
Eddy Dono ........... Lomas
Charles Picerni ..... Johnny Kroll
Jack Perkins ........ Gilbert
John Devlin ......... Simmons
Barbara Rhoades ..... J.J. Walters
Wesley Lau .......... Captain Gottschalk
Joe Maross .......... Alan Burke

1.13 The Magician: THE ILLUSION OF THE STAINLESS STEEL LADY
28Jan1974 NBC Tue
Teleplay by Paul Playdon & Richard Hesse; Story by Richard Hesse
Directed by Alexander Singer
Guest cast:
Nina Foch ........... Irene Denore
Edward Winter ....... Ted Winters
Beth Brickell ....... Victoria Hunter
Anthony Zerbe ....... Brad Nicholson
Jim Burke ........... Hubbard
Penny Santon ........ Shirley
Mark Lenard ......... Foley
Ian Wolfe ........... Jacob
John S. Ragin ....... John Booker
Dolores Quinton ..... Miss Pitts
Biff Elliot ......... Hotel Manager
Synopsis:
Irene Denore, a famous film actress of the silent era, is being held
hostage in her own home by her ruthless business manager.

1.14 The Magician: THE ILLUSION OF THE QUEEN'S GAMBIT
04Feb1974 NBC Tue (rerun 06May74)
Written by Edward J. Lakso
Directed by Don Weis
Guest cast:
William Shatner .... Ed Cassidy
Brooke Bundy ....... Virginia Miles
Katherine Justice .. Sandy Cassidy
Paul Mantee ........ Joe Taggert
Heath Jobes ........ Hanson
Jack Rader ......... Kobick
Byron Morrow ....... Lt. Lund
William Vaughan .... Cole
Barry Brooks ....... Security Guard
Synopsis:
The precision robbery of a charity fund-raiser ends in quite a surprise
for the clever theives when they discover that the moneybags are filled with paper.

1.15 The Magician: THE ILLUSION OF BLACK GOLD
11Feb1974 NBC Tue
Written by Edward J. Lakso
Directed by Arnold Laven
Guest cast:
Eric Braeden ....... Nelson Paradine
Lynda Day George ... Stacey Hyatt
Milton Selzer ...... Alex Pochek
Norman Burton ...... Malloy
Curt Lowens ........ Carl Pochek
David Cryer ........ Taylor
Michael Christopher ..... David Webster
Ben Andrews ........ Alan Bateman
Abraham Soafer ..... Hassid
Anthony Mason ...... Mike
Alan Gibbs ......... Larry
Bob Okazaki ........ Oriental Man
Bob Golden ......... Spencer
Richard Reed ....... Glen
Michael St. Angel .. Minister
Ed Fury ............ Secret Service Man
Robert Beau-Geste .. Reporter #1
Wallace Earl ....... Reporter #2
George Jordan ...... Reporter #3
Glen Wilder ........ Henchman
Peter Hellman ...... German Man

1.16 The Magician: THE ILLUSION OF THE LOST DRAGON
18Feb1974 (rerun 06May76)
Written by Howard Berk
Directed by Alexander Singer
Guest cast:
Joseph Wiseman ..... Hahn Shakai
France Nuyen ....... Dawn
Philip Ahn ......... Chao Liu
Nobu McCarthy ...... Mrs. Ti
Lester Fletcher .... Mr. Cooper
Soon-Teck Oh ....... Sheng
Pat Li ............. Flower of Wisdom
Frank Michael Liu .. Tom
Adele Yoshioka ..... Oriental Girl
Joycelyne Lew ...... Girl #1
Ruth Ko ............ Girl #2
Susan Ikeda ........ Girl #3
Synopsis:
A Chinese warlord is the formidable adversary in Tony's search for a stolen jade dragon. [RF]

1.17 The Magician: THE ILLUSION OF THE DEADLY CONGLOMERATE
25Feb1974 NBC Tue
Written & Directed by David Moessinger
Guest cast:
Eugene Roche ....... Rev. Wally Schneider
Charles Wagenheim .. Johnny McVey
Russ Grieve ........ Wallenstein
Crane Jackson ...... Dr. Reston
Peggy Rea .......... Emma
Michele Marsh ...... Sister Janet
William Sylvester .. Peter Hayden
Jack Ging .......... Frank Denbo
Ralph Montgomery ... Alex Land
Bill McLean ........Joe Miggins
Damon Douglas ...... Hippie
Synopsis:
Tony is contacted by an old Magician Friend who is down on his luck, living out of a shelter.

1.18 The Magician: THE ILLUSION OF THE FATAL ARROW
04Mar1974 NBC Tue
Written by Paul Playdon, David Chase
Directed by Leslie H. Martinson
Guest cast:
Tim Matheson ....... Jerry Purcell
Jeremy Slate ....... Ross Hazlitt
Pamela Franklin .... Linda Casey
Murray Matheson .... Walter Moran
Fred Sadoff ........ Lt. Ed Gold
Grace Gaynor ....... Shirl, Mother
James Victor ....... Artie, Father
Sheila English ..... Magician's Assistant
Nino ............... Guest Magician
Nani Darnell ....... Magician's Assistant
Larry Anderson ..... Magician
Robert Ruth ........ Sgt. Pike
Ford Lile .......... Lobby Attendant
Billy Livingston ... Boy
Michele Livingston.. Girl

[--] 11Mar1974 rerun of #1.02  The Vanishing Lady 09Oct73.

1.19 The Magician: THE ILLUSION OF THE LETHAL PLAYTHINGS
18Mar1974 NBC Tue
Guest cast:
Simon Scott ........ Jackson Wyndham
Lewis Hayward ...... Tillotson
Scott Hylands ...... Hal
Joanna Miles ....... Maggie
John Devlin ........ Kalcheim
Ivor Francis ....... Emmett
Argentina Brunetti.. Landlady
Synopsis:
A toyshop owner is playing a deadly game with a gruff and stubborn businessman. He says the nearly fatal attempts
on the rich man's life will become lethal if he's not paid $500,000.

1.20 The Magician: THE ILLUSION OF THE CAT'S EYE
25Mar1974 NBC Tue
Written by David Chase & Paul Playdon
Directed by Paul Stanley
Guest cast:
Marianna Hill ...... Leila Russell
Joseph Ruskin ...... Hassid
Don Gordon ......... Larry Ford
John Dehner ........ Simon Russell
Claudette Nevins ... Suzanne Kelly
Joseph Maher ....... Sheffield
David Frankham ..... Derek Sheffield
Philip David ....... Giorgio
Vic Vallero ........ Mustafa
Shelley Hines ...... Danielle
Jay Saunders ....... Lt. Jerry Kendricks
Joseph Mel ......... Security Guard
Synopsis:
The search for a stolen Egyptian cat sculpture involves Tony with an ingenious thief, a beautiful and deadly young
woman who has trainer her black panther to kill on command.

1.21 The Magician: THE ILLUSION OF THE EVIL SPIKES
15Apr1974 NBC Tue
Guest cast:
Jessica Walter ..... Marian

--------------------------------------
Reruns: NBC Tuesdays (22Apr74-20May74)
--------------------------------------

################ The Magician ################
################## the end #################
##############################################

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