PEYTON PLACE
Episode 268. first color episode
09-12-66
Opening Dorothy Malone as Constance Mackenzie,
Credits: Ed Nelson as Michael Rossi,
Ryan O'Neal as Rodney Harrington,
Barbara Parkins as Betty Anderson,
Tim O'Connor as Elliot Carson,
Christopher Connelly as Norman Harrington,
Patricia Morrow as Rita Harrington, and
James Douglas as Steven Cord.
WA: Betty Anderson [Cord], occupation, housewife. But today, she
is actively employed. While Constance Mackenzie's husband is
in New York, Betty has been staying with her, taking care of
her book shop, for Constance is soon to have a baby. Betty's
husband, Steven Cord, occupation counselor-at-law, now
defending a man named Lee Webber, on a charge of murder. A
heavy world. But this morning in Peyton Place, Betty Anderson
attempts to lighten it.
MEL: This is the first of 247 episodes in color. Allison Mackenzie
had disappeared between episodes 263 and 264, only a few days
earlier. The bail for Lee Webber was revoked and he was
re-jailed after having spoken to Allison. She had been a
potential witness against Lee. [The sci-fi series Star Trek
debuted 09-08-66, four days earlier. A number of guest actors
in "Star Trek" also appeared in Peyton Place, commencing with
the train conductor in episode 1. Two regular cast members of
Star Trek had minor roles. Scotty as Thomas the chauffeur,
and Uhura as a nurse in Boston Memorial in episode 234.
"The Fugitive" was in the midst of a four year run at this
time. It made the transition from B&W to color. Bewitched
made the transition to color also. It ran from Sept. 17, 1964
to July 1, 1972. Kasey Rogers who played Julie Anderson in
Peyton Place, played the role of Louise Tate in "Bewitched".
About this time, "Gilligan's Island" also made the transition to
color.
Intro: A couple is sitting on a bench, in the square. There are
several children playing. Betty drives up in her light blue
four-door sedan, parks in front of the Book Gallery, crosses
the square, and goes into the Peyton Place Bank and Trust
Building, also referred to as the Chamber of Commerce building.
Scene 1: In Steven Cord's outer office, miss Nolan has just poured a cup
of coffee as Betty comes in. Betty intercepts the cup of
coffee and carries it into Steven. Without looking to see who
it is, Steven says, "Thank you, miss Nolan." They playfully
engage in a little husband-wife banter. Betty sits in Steven's
lap. After a few moments, Chris Webber barges into Steven's
inner office to complain about Steven representing Lee. Steven
dismisses [excuses] Betty from the office by saying, "See you
at lunch." Betty leaves without acknowledging Chris. Chris
angrily demands to know why Steven is representing Lee. Chris
recalls that Steven was on the bluff when Chris plummeted to
his blindness. Steven says that Lee had previously admitted to
him that he, Lee, had pushed Chris off the bluff 17 years ago.
Scene 2: Meanwhile, back at the Peyton mansion, Hannah Cord is sorting
through the contents of the late Brian [Cord] Colby's trunk.
Martin Peyton comes over to observe and to impose his wisdom
upon her. Hannah tosses an artist's pallette into the
fireplace. Peyton asks, "What madness is this?" Hannah says
that she doesn't want any of Brian's papers to fall into the
wrong hands and that she wants to destroy any evidence that
Brian ever lived. [Typical of any grieving widow who had gone
through Hannah's experiences.] She burns a sketch of
Catherine. [Rachel Welles, who appears a few days later would
most likely have described Hannah as being bereft]. Hannah
tells Peyton that he is cruel.
Scene 3: Sandy Webber comes home to find Chris sitting on the sofa
brooding. She asks Chris if he has had lunch and if he would
be interested in going fishing. Sandy says that she had a bad
day today. She dropped a pot of coffee and gave a woman too
much change for a five dollar bill. Chris asks Sandy why she
hasn't been to visit Lee since he has been in jail. And he
asks if she thinks that Lee murdered Ann Howard.
Scene 4: Rodney is working in the Shoreline Garage as Norman and Rita
come in to visit. Rodney totes an automobile battery over to
the car that he is working on. Rita tells Rodney he is just
like Dr. Rossi. That Rossi is working day and night trying to
forget about Ann Howard. Rodney is working day and night
trying to forget about Allison. Rodney responds that Allison
needed him. Rita tells Rodney that "We need you." Rita says
she knows that Allison will be back. [Wishful thinking.]
Rodney hugs Rita.
Scene 5: At the Carson house, Betty is cooking hamburger patties and is
putting food on the table for Constance. They all sit down to
eat. Because Constance is expecting, she is eating rabbit food.
Constance complains about the diet she is reluctantly trying
to follow. Betty counters that she has gained 5 pounds after
she married Steven. [A lot of women let themselves go after
getting married. However, some travel a lot farther than
others.] Betty says she misses her mother. [Julie had left
Peyton Place shortly after episode 252.] Betty confides in
Constance that she was always envious of Allison. The phone
rings and Betty offers to answer it. Constance says it may be
Elliot so she goes to the livingroom to pick up the phone.
Scene 6: From his New York City hotel room, Elliot is calling Constance.
The scene switches back and forth between the hotel room in New
York City and the Carson livingroom in Peyton Place. Elliot
says that he has checked in with the New York City police, the
hospitals, and the publishers. Constance has a white phone and
Elliot is using a black phone.
MEL: [With the coming of color TV, more attention was paid to the
color of phones and other props. Several offices upgraded to
10-line and 15-line speaker-phones, but touch-tone® did not
make it to the series.]
Constance tells him that she has thought up a new name for the
baby. Matthew, "Gift of God." Elliot says he likes it. After
some more chit-chat he says goodbye and hangs up. Betty brings
Constance a cup of tea. Constance feels a kick from the baby
who will become Matthew. [Back in those days fetae were
referred to as "unborn babies.]
Scene 7: Steven bumps into Rodney near the entrance to the Police
Station. Rodney had been talking with police Sgt. Edward
Goddard about Allison. Steven tries to convince Rodney that
Lee Webber may not be responsible for Allison's disappearance.
Rodney is far from convinced. Steven walks the few steps into
the courthouse. Rodney walks toward the bandstand on the
square.
Preview: In his cell in the Peyton County jail, Lee Webber talks with
Steven Cord. Constance, in early labor, talks to miss Choate
and Betty. Rodney complains to Martin Peyton.
LW: You get him here.
SC: I just talked to Chris this morning. I got the impression
he didn't want to see you.
LW: He's all mixed up and he needs me out there with him.
SC: You need him.
CM: Betty, call the hotel. Try to reach Elliot.
RH: You disect me. You run little tests on me in your
laboratory, to find out what I'm made of and how you can
use me.
MEL: Hannah Cord, Anna Chernak, and Judge Otto Crutcher are the only
palindromic characters in Peyton Place. That is, if you don't
count all the Bob's. There are Dr. Robert B. Morton, Bob
Franklin, and a few other Bob's of minor import.
Barbara Parkins is in the early weeks of realizing that the
story of Peyton Place is really about her, not Allison nor
Martin Peyton. She realizes that she was very fortunate not to
have been killed off in an early episode as was one of the
proposed story-lines. If she had been killed, this would have
seriously diminished her on-screen time.
Police Sgt. Edward Goddard-Garry Walberg.
The actor playing Edward Goddard was also in the Fugitive series
playing a police officer.
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