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 The bail for Lee Webber was revoked and he was re-jailed after having spoken to Allison.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. PREV HOME NEXT