S6.E24

The Danford File

Episode aired Mar 11, 1973
TV-PG
52m

IMDb RATING

YOUR RATING

Mike Connors and Arlene Martel in Mannix (1967)

Joe Mannix is invited to the home of Arthur Danford by an old friend, Barney Edmonds, who is managing Danford's campaign for governor of Hawaii. Mannix recognizes Danford's wife, Laura, as a... Read allJoe Mannix is invited to the home of Arthur Danford by an old friend, Barney Edmonds, who is managing Danford's campaign for governor of Hawaii. Mannix recognizes Danford's wife, Laura, as a woman who once had a shady past, which put her on the fringes of a mob killing. Laura con... Read allJoe Mannix is invited to the home of Arthur Danford by an old friend, Barney Edmonds, who is managing Danford's campaign for governor of Hawaii. Mannix recognizes Danford's wife, Laura, as a woman who once had a shady past, which put her on the fringes of a mob killing. Laura confides to Mannix that she is being blackmailed by her old boyfriend, who is threatening to ... Read all

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

8.0/10

YOUR RATING

7User reviews

See production info at IMDbPro

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Trivia
The Danford house interior is the same as The Brady Bunch (1969). Robert Reed (Mike Brady) co-stars in this episode.

Goofs
When Mannix was attempting the first blackmail payoff and the culprit was fleeing the sky seen was light blue even though it was supposed to be night.

Quotes
Joe Mannix: Mrs. Cornell?
Brooke Maxwell Cornell: Hi. If you're Fluffy the Clown, you can change your costume right in that room. Oh, and you better hurry, because the kids will be here directly from school.
Joe Mannix: I'm afraid I'm not Fluffy.
Brooke Maxwell Cornell: Oh.
Joe Mannix: My name is Joe Mannix.
Brooke Maxwell Cornell: Well, you must have the wrong address. Oh, but while you're here, would you mind handing me that tape?
[gets the tape from a nearby table and hands it to Cornell]
Joe Mannix: There you are.
Brooke Maxwell Cornell: Thanks.
[places the tape]
Brooke Maxwell Cornell: There. Do you like it?
Joe Mannix: Very, very nice.
Brooke Maxwell Cornell: Now you just tell me who you're looking for and I'll steer you to the right house.
Joe Mannix: I am at the right house, Mrs. Cornell. Laura Rand told me about you. I'm a private investigator.
[pause]
Joe Mannix: She really didn't want to give me your name. But you have my word that no one else will know why I came here.
Brooke Maxwell Cornell: There's been some mistake.
Joe Mannix: This is an emergency. Otherwise, I wouldn't have come. Someone is blackmailing Laura. They've already killed Roy Benson and Belle Hogan.
Brooke Maxwell Cornell: I don't want to hear any more.
Joe Mannix: All I want from you is a name. Any name you can remember from that time that you and Laura roomed together.
Brooke Maxwell Cornell: That was so long ago.
Joe Mannix: There's got to be someone you remember. Someone you might have accidentally told about Laura's past?
Brooke Maxwell Cornell: I never told anyone about Laura. You've got to believe me. Please, look, this is my daughter's eighth birthday. The children will be coming here. I swear, I don't know anything or anyone.
Joe Mannix: All right, Mrs. Cornell. I'm sorry if I interrupted. I won't bother you again.
[pause]
Joe Mannix: I got a feeling your daughter's a very lucky girl.
[walks towards the front and leaves]

Connections
References The Brady Bunch (1969)

User reviews7

Review

Featured review

5/10

Pretty good...but there are a few bone-headed scenes that spoil an otherwise excellent episode.

"The Danford File" is a decent episode. However, it also often illustrates a problem I've noticed more and more with the later "Mannix" episodes. After six seasons, the show is getting a bit sloppy--like they are coasting and not even trying very hard to make the episodes tight and logical. It's a shame, as otherwise it's pretty good.

When the show begins, an old army buddy* of Mannix has invited him to a fancy cocktail party. During this party he introduces Joe to Mr. and Mrs. Danford (John Gavin and Jessica Walter)--a power couple and possibly the next governor of Hawaii. However, as soon as Joe sees Mrs. Danford, he realizes he'd seen her a dozen years earlier on another case. Soon Mrs. Danford finds an excuse to meet with Joe privately and tells him she's being blackmailed and wants his help. It seems that long ago, she was a prostitute and someone who knows this has been pushing her to pay them hush money. Joe takes the case but soon everyone associated with Mrs. Danford is killed or nearly killed. What's going on here?!

Late in the show, Joe's trail leads to a woman who is preparing for a birthday party at her home for her 8 year-old and a bunch of other kids. Soon a killer attacks the lady and Joe draws his gun on the guy and tells him to put his hands up...but then Joe stands right next to the guy and the guy hits Joe and they struggle for the gun. That's really dumb as Joe is supposed to be a professional. What's dumber? The backyard is a cliff and the killer falls to his death when he and Mannix are fighting. What family lives with a cliff in their backyard and holds a party for kids only about five feet away?!?! Later, when Joe sees the killer, he doesn't draw his gun...even though the killer is brandishing his. Joe instead jumps on him from atop some crates. Perhaps this was because the killer was holding the gun on a woman....so why didn't Joe use his gun AFTER the woman got away?! Why didn't she or the other man do anything to help Joe as the two fought? And why did Joe continue NOT to use his gun to stop the guy?!?! Illogic like this make for a lot of big plot holes...and the show could have easily earned an 8 but instead gets a 5. Just a few simple changes in the script or direction would have made all the difference.