Matlock (1986–1995): Season 2, Episode 8 - The Network - full transcript
( upbeat jazz theme playing)
(bullets ricocheting)
(sirens wailing)
(tires screech)
(sirens wailing)
(tires screech)
(tires screeching)
(tires screeching)
The scenes you are watching
are from the highly-rated
action-adventure shows Mustang,
Chopper Squad and Highway Guys.
But now, in the
"life imitates art"
and "truth is stranger
than fiction" categories,
the producer of these
exciting shows, Paul J. Bartel,
stands trial for the
murder of the man
whose network they're on.
This man, Greg Titleman,
network programming chief,
who was found
stabbed in the back
at this exclusive Bedford hotel.
Hello, everybody.
I'm Terry McNeil.
And I'm Doug August,
welcoming you to
Hollywood Today,
where this evening's
entire hour will be devoted
to an event that has shaken
the Hollywood community
like no other before it.
Greg wasn't the cold-hearted,
impersonal executive
everyone thought him to be.
You know, the kind who
did everything on the phone.
To the contrary, he thrived
on the personal touch.
For instance, when he
canceled my first series,
he personally told his
assistant to call me.
An actress remembers that
kind of thoughtfulness, believe me.
Before Greg took over the
network a few years ago,
things were getting so
confused that, uh, executives
were going around stabbing
each other in the front.
Well, he changed that
all around, didn't he?
And now, after weeks of
evidence and argument,
the case of the People versus
Greg's accused murderer,
Paul J. Bartel, has
gone to the jury.
Why don't we tell our viewers
how and where it all began?
Greg Titleman came
into Los Angeles
the first weekend in
April for some meetings
at a Los Angeles hotel.
And that's when Paul J.
Bartel had a meeting with him?
Yeah, just around
2 in the afternoon,
Paul J. Bartel
came to the hotel.
(accordion music playing)
(people chattering)
Greg?
( mysterious theme
playing) Greg?
Greg?
Greg?
( dramatic theme playing)
( tense theme playing)
Hello, operator. Uh, yes.
I want you to connect
me with the police.
MAN: Well, you say
you came to the hotel
for a meeting with
the deceased at 2:00.
Mm-hm. It's just
somewhere around there.
I might've been a little early.
And then?
I saw him, uh, Greg,
on the floor with a
knife wound in his back.
And why are you so
sure it was a knife wound?
How do you know it
wasn't a bullet wound?
Lieutenant, I've been producing
TV cop shows for years.
I can tell the difference
between a knife and a
gunshot wound. This was a...
A-a gaping puncture...
All right, all right, all right.
All right, yeah.
All right, so you say you
were going to have a meeting
with Mr. Titleman.
What about?
Business.
Two of you were friends?
Absolutely. We've known
each other for years.
MAN: Hey, lieutenant.
Excuse me.
( mysterious theme playing)
Mr. Bartel, I'm gonna have
to ask you to come with us.
Why? What's goin' on?
It seems that one of my
officers found what appears to be
the missing murder weapon.
So?
Well, it seems it was found
in the glove
compartment of your car.
( dramatic theme playing)
So now we have a murder
and a prime suspect.
And now let's take a
look at Benjamin Matlock,
the attorney who handled
the case for the defense.
Terry?
For the last 30 years,
Ben Matlock has lived
and practiced law
in Atlanta, Georgia,
where he's well-known
for both his high prices
and the high
percentage of clients
he successfully defends.
(phone rings)
MICHELLE: Ben Matlock's office.
♪ Your mouth is
like A fireplace ♪
♪ With all the ashes out ♪
♪ Well, with all the
ashes out Boys ♪
MICHELLE: Just a minute.
♪ Your mouth is
like A fireplace ♪
Ben?
♪ Well, whoa, mule, whoa ♪
Ben?
♪ Whoa, mule, I say ♪
Ben!
What?
It's Paul J. Bartel.
Who's that?
MICHELLE: Big TV producer.
Produces Chopper Squad,
Highway Guys, Mustang.
Oh.
Lot of good-looking
women in Mustang.
Wanna take it?
(grunts, sniffs)
Hello?
Yes, sir.
Oh, why, thank you.
Well, uh, th-that...
That's interesting.
Yes.
(chuckles)
Well?
How about getting us a couple
of airplane tickets to Hollywood?
♪ Well, whoa, mule,
whoa Whoa, mule, I say ♪
♪ Grab your hat, Miss Lucy Jane
And hold on through the shame ♪
McNEIL: And so Ben Matlock
and his associate, Michelle Thomas,
jetted out to Los Angeles
to meet with Paul J. Bartel.
Stop me if I'm wrong,
but isn't your making money
dependent on people like, uh,
Greg Titleman buying your shows?
Uh, in network TV, there
are just three shops to sell to.
Uh, Greg runs... Uh,
ran the number one shop.
If there were a falling-out
and Greg Titleman had
canceled, say, Mustang,
well, then millions of dollars
would have been
at stake, wouldn't it?
Yeah, but as you can see,
I have lots of other shows.
MICHELLE: But it's common
knowledge that none of them have
lost as much money as Mustang
and that Greg Titleman
was ready to cancel it.
Mustang is a very
expensive show,
with a star who gets
six figures an episode
and insists it be
shot in Hawaii.
Um, the way I understand it,
if, uh, Greg Titleman had kept
Mustang on for another year,
then your losses
would've turned into profits.
Mm-hm. We would've
had enough episodes
to make a favorable
syndication deal work.
Greg was my friend.
I didn't kill him.
Why didn't you call
the police from his room
when you first
discovered his body?
Ah, I've produced
enough TV shows to know
you're not supposed to touch
anything, including the phone.
MATLOCK: Hm.
What about the knife?
I never saw the knife.
MATLOCK: The
prosecution is gonna contend
that the reason you didn't
use the phone in his room
is because you wanted to
hide the knife in your car first.
You don't seriously
believe that, do you?
No, that'd be pretty dumb,
but they will contend that.
You wait and see.
Well, is there anything
else you need to know?
Not right now.
I was always intimidated
by Greg Titleman.
Uh, he never smiled
and I always called
him Mr. Titleman.
Anyway, there was this
meeting in his office one day
and I was so scared
I wouldn't go in
without my agent and my lawyer.
Anyway, when we got inside,
he saw how intimidated I was,
and he said, "Son, as long as
you're a member of my network,
I want you to think of me
as your second father."
Well, from that
day on, actually, uh,
I had trouble distinguishing
between him and my real father.
MAN: Do you mean you went
to him with your problems?
Oh, well, unfortunately, he died
before I got a
chance to do that.
What I mean is, uh, now
when I go talk to my real father,
I can't go without my
agent and my lawyer.
How powerful was Greg Titleman?
Well, I don't know exactly,
but there's this rumor
that just after his death,
Highway to Heaven was
picked up for two more seasons.
And the network announced
that they were gonna do
a miniseries of the Creation
with the original cast.
It was just a joke.
Sort of.
Okay. So Ben Matlock
figured he had to find the person
who placed the knife
in Paul J. Bartel's car.
That was the idea, yes.
So how did he proceed?
Well, the first thing
he needed to know
was who knew Greg was in town.
So, as they say in show biz,
he made the rounds.
MAN: Jerry, don't
try to position me.
I'll see to it that none of
your clients do this show.
I promise you.
(phone clicks)
Yes? MATLOCK: E-excuse me.
I'm looking for a
Mr. David Martin?
That's me, but if
you're from Lorimar,
we've already called
your girl to cancel.
No, we're not from
Lorimar. We're from Atlanta.
Uh, we're lawyers.
I'm Ben Matlock.
This is my associate,
Michelle Thomas.
We represent Paul J. Bartel.
Oh, yes. Yes, I heard
you took the case, right.
Uh, how do you do?
Uh, this is my
associate, Linda Lewis.
Hello. How do you do?
Hi. Hi.
Oh, well, I see you're packing.
(chuckles): Where are you goin'?
New York.
Oh, that's right.
You're taking over
for the deceased.
Greg was a very
dear friend of mine.
What was he, a...?
What, some kind
of a...? A mentor?
Oh, much more. I owe...
I owe everything to him.
So you'd be more than willing
to bring his
murderer to justice.
Of course I would.
LEWIS: David, you do have
that 12:30 at the Polo Lounge.
MARTIN: Oh, right. Uh,
well... MATLOCK:
Uh... Uh, thi...
This will only take a moment.
Uh, I'm just trying to find out
who knew that Greg Titleman
would be coming into
Los Angeles that weekend.
Uh, Mr. Bartel seems to
think that you would know.
Why don't, uh...? Why
don't you have a seat here,
Mr., uh, Matlock and Miss...?
Thomas. Thomas, right.
Um, you don't mind
if, uh, Linda sits in?
Oh, of course not. Sure.
(clears throat)
Uh, my relationship
with Greg was very close,
so naturally I knew that
he was coming into town.
Did you know why?
Well, he had three
meetings that I was aware of.
One with, uh, Paul
Bartel about Mustang,
and one with Larry Davis.
Studio head.
MICHELLE: Oh.
And what would that
have been about?
Well, I'm afraid I
don't know exactly.
MATLOCK: And who was the third?
Lane Lockletter.
Oh. The actor.
Used to be Denning
for the Defense.
The lawyer who
never lost a case?
MARTIN: Yeah, that's the one.
I'm sure he was
trying to convince Greg
to give him a new show.
That's what Lane's meetings
were usually about.
Well, did you see Greg Titleman?
No, no. He would often,
uh, fly in, have his meetings,
and then, uh, call
me from New York
to, uh, fill me in later.
I had no reason to
take a meeting with Greg
at that particular time.
MICHELLE: So, aside from you
and those three, did anyone
else know he was here?
Well, I assume his wife
knew and his secretary,
but Greg was a
very secretive man,
so I doubt that
anybody else knew.
Well, I guess that's a start.
McNEIL: Ben Matlock
started finding things out
right away.
Like what, Terry?
Well, like out
here in Hollywood,
you don't go to
lunch, you do it.
And when you're doing
it, you don't just eat,
you also talk business.
And that's not having a
meeting, that's taking one.
And the first one he took
was with Lane
Lockletter, who's an actor.
(soft piano music playing)
Let me tell you, Ben,
I had a deep, abiding
affection and admiration
for Greg Titleman.
A brilliant programmer,
but he was only a kid.
He didn't remember
that Lane Lockletter
was the first star to
come over to the network.
Well, that was 25 years ago.
Ben, I put 'em on the map.
Denning for the Defense
was in the top ten
for six consecutive years.
It not only anchored
Friday nights,
it single-handedly changed
the dating habits of America.
And, uh,
Greg Titleman wouldn't
give you a show.
All he ever offered
me was guest shots
on other people's shows.
And that's why you wanted
to have a meeting with him
when he came out to Los Angeles?
Ben.
I have an idea for a
series that'll do a 45 share.
A spinoff of Denning,
where I marry a
younger girl lawyer
and then the two of us team
up to defend innocent people.
Oh, we'll call it
Mr. and Mrs. Defender.
Huh? What do you think?
Well, uh, I don't know.
Uh, what time was your
meeting with Greg Titleman?
Four o'clock. You
don't like my idea?
Well, uh...
Uh, so you...? You never
saw him? Did you talk with him?
Yeah.
We confirmed in the morning.
Ben, let me stop you.
I see very clearly
what you're doing.
I did it myself
every Friday night
for six years.
You're establishing
if I had a motive,
which, yes, I do.
And, yes, I knew what
bungalow he was in.
But if I may do a
critique of your work,
Ben, i-i-it's...
It's not a question
of right or wrong.
It's a question of... Of style.
Style.
A courtroom is a theater
and you gotta lighten it up.
I'm sorry.
Like I did in Denning
for the Defense.
You oughta try to
be more like Denning.
Well... Oh, I'll get that.
No. No, no.
It's... I'll take it.
Well, thank you.
(chuckles)
Um..
You know, there's a rumor
that the real reason
that you were
desperate for a new show
is that your last wife
took you to the cleaners.
But that's a lie.
And there's another rumor
that there was a long
history of bad blood
between you and Greg
Titleman, and with...
With him gone,
there are other
people at the network
who'd be more inclined
to put you on the schedule.
Uh, I... I enjoyed meeting you,
and I enjoyed
hearing about Denning.
Thanks. And I used
to enjoy Denning.
Thank you very much.
I enjoyed our meal.
I hope you did.
Thank you, sir.
(sighs)
Denning would have
left a much bigger tip.
McNEIL: And while Ben Matlock
was learning how to spend
like a Hollywood lawyer,
Michelle had returned
to the scene of the crime.
You see, the thing about Greg is
that he had a point
of view about pilots.
He understood the
kind of character
that America wants to watch.
That's why David wants
me to check over here
and see if his
notes are still there.
Oh. MAN: Hello, Miss Lewis.
Hi, Bill.
Well, everyone
seems to know you.
Oh, I do breakfast meetings
here three or four times a week.
Oh.
There's the
bungalow right there.
MICHELLE: Mm-hm. Do they
have weddings here very often?
LEWIS: Oh, you have to book
them six or eight months in advance.
MICHELLE: Oh.
You go on ahead. I
have to go into the hotel.
Thanks for the lift.
( mysterious theme playing)
( majestic theme playing)
Mr. Wolfson, are you in
charge of wedding receptions?
Yes. And when is
the happy day for you?
Oh, nothing immediate. Heh.
Well, that's good, because
we have nothing available
in the near future, anyway.
Well, actually, I'm
talking about the past.
Like if a wedding
took place here
the day Greg Titleman
was murdered.
Well, yes, there was
one, but, uh, who are you?
Oh.
Michelle Thomas, Attorney,
Matlock and Associates.
We're working on the case.
I was wondering if the
wedding was filmed,
and if it was, who filmed it.
It was the, uh,
Stillman wedding,
but nobody films
weddings anymore.
It was taped.
Oh. Yeah.
McNEIL: Maybe they don't film
weddings, but Ben Matlock learned
a whole lot of filming
still goes on in this town,
because they had him
waiting over 35 minutes
to see the studio
head, Larry Davis.
(door opens)
MAN: Uh, Mr. Matlock?
Yeah. Uh, sorry
to keep you waiting.
Mr. Davis? No.
Mr. Davis is busy.
I'm Jordan Sanders,
uh, head of development.
I handle all pitches. Uh, who
did you say your agent was?
I'm not in the
television business.
I'm a lawyer.
Oh. Heh. Nowadays,
Mr. Matlock, in this business,
being an attorney means
running this business.
No, no, no, no, no, no.
I represent Paul Bartel.
Oh.
I'm embarrassed.
I have to see Mr. Davis.
I assure you I can
speak for Mr. Davis.
My job is to know
all of his moves
even before he makes 'em.
There are no secrets between us.
Okay.
Where was he at the
time of the murder?
Oh, I can't tell you that.
Now, look.
(sighs)
I know this is a matter
of utmost importance,
but it's a little embarrassing.
I'll have to ask you
to keep it confidential.
I can't promise that.
That afternoon, Mr. Davis was
with a young woman, an actress.
Her name?
I have to know her name.
Kate Sawyer.
She did that comedy series
about an American-born girl
who was a domestic in Japan.
Um, it didn't last very long.
Look, she's doing features now.
She was the one that Mr. Davis
spent that afternoon with.
So he never saw Mr. Titleman.
No. He was very
specific about that.
Okay.
( somber theme playing)
( tranquil theme playing)
(machine rattling)
( mysterious theme playing)
Hello?
(door closes, rattling stops)
Hello?
Hello?
( tense theme playing)
What do you want? (gasps)
(Michelle exhales)
I'm Michelle Thomas. I
called a little while ago.
I was told I could come
and pick up the tape
of the Stillman wedding.
Was it you I spoke to?
Yeah, but someone
just picked it up.
What? No. That's
impossible. Who?
I don't know. Some woman.
She just went out the back door.
( mysterious theme playing)
(car engine starts)
( suspenseful theme playing)
Stop!
Stop!
Greg Titleman? Don't
look at me. I didn't do it.
I was in New York.
What was he like?
Well, you see, I didn't
see him that often.
Bill doesn't like us
talking to the executives.
He says it can
destroy your mind.
You see, 'cause first,
he'll promise you spinoffs,
then guest shots,
then you're hooked.
The next thing you know,
you're doing promotional spots
for the network for free.
Okay. So Linda Lewis
was trying to get away
with the tape of the wedding.
Right, but Michelle stopped her.
(tires screech)
(sighs)
What are you doing? I'm sorry.
How did you know to come here?
I know the people
at the Bedford Hotel.
I remember. You do lunch
there three or four times a week,
and they told you
I was coming here
to get the tape of the wedding.
That's right.
Why don't you want me to see it?
It's not that I don't
want you to see it.
Well, it sure seems like
it, considering you stole it.
It's just that I
wanted to see it first.
We'll both see it.
Try to understand, Michelle.
I started out at the network
as a page when I was 18.
I have inched my way up, and
now I'm a director of development.
This job is very
important to me.
If my suspicions are correct,
it was your boss, the man
taking Greg Titleman's job,
who told you to steal that tape.
I think I've said enough.
MATLOCK: Well, not quite.
You haven't said why
David Martin wanted
to see that tape.
And I'm not going to.
Miss Lewis,
my client is in
a lot of trouble.
His life is at stake,
and if you continue to
stonewall for the network,
this pretty little
career of yours
is going right out the window.
I promise you that.
Now, why did he
wanna see that tape?
(sighs)
David thought that Larry
Davis might be on the tape.
He's one of our biggest
suppliers of shows,
and he's a close
friend of David's.
David wanted me to see if
there was anything on the tape
that might have
incriminated Mr. Davis.
Did he say why he thought
something might be on the tape?
(sighs): Yes.
He said that Greg
and Larry Davis
had a big falling-out.
Over what?
That he didn't know.
(Matlock dials)
Hello? Ben Matlock.
I'd like to speak
with Mr. Davis.
I don't care how busy he is.
You tell him I've got
to see him right away,
and for his own good,
he'd better get unbusy.
I'm on hold.
I hate that. Hello?
That's fine. I'll
be right there.
( upbeat jazz theme playing)
(grumbles)
(clears throat)
Uh, Ben Matlock.
Mr. Davis is expecting me.
Oh, I'm so sorry, Mr. Matlock.
Uh, Mr. Davis got called
away unexpectedly.
He... He said he didn't
know where to reach you.
I don't believe this.
Well, I-I believe Mr. Sanders
is still here. I'll buzz him.
Mr. Matlock. So
good to see you again.
You're not gonna
think so in a minute.
Well, aren't we upset.
May I ask about what?
I'm tired of getting
the runaround.
Mr. Davis was
supposed to see me.
Yeah, something
important came up.
The only thing that's important
so far as I'm concerned
is that Greg Titleman was killed
and my client is on
trial for his murder.
Why don't we discuss this
in my office, Mr. Matlock?
Now, I know that Larry
Davis and Greg Titleman
had a bad falling-out,
and I know that David Martin
is trying to protect Larry Davis,
and I know for
sure that Larry Davis
is trying to avoid me.
Now, either... Either
he talks to me now
like a regular human being,
or I'm gonna put
every process server
in the whole damn state on
him and drag his can into court
where he has to answer
my questions in public
and the reporters
can print it in big letters
so the studio
people can read it.
You got that?
McNEIL: Ben found
out that sometimes
in this town, it
pays to overact,
because no more
than an hour later...
(flute music playing)
Mr. Matlock.
Yes, sir. Larry Davis.
And I'm terribly
sorry about before,
but it was totally unavoidable.
I have a $25 million
production with an actress
who wouldn't come
out of her trailer.
Something had to be done.
(rings)
Excuse me.
(clears throat)
Yeah?
(chuckles)
No, it's still in galleys.
Make an offer on an option,
but don't budge
on the turnaround.
So, what'd you do?
About what?
The actress.
The actress.
The one who wouldn't
come out of her trailer.
You know, the $25 million...
Production. Right. I
got her a dermatologist.
She didn't wanna admit it,
but the reason she didn't wanna
be filmed was she had a blemish.
She had a what?
A $25 million blemish.
(chuckles): Oh.
(both chuckle)
Oh, well. I'm glad
we finally got together.
Um, could I ask you
a couple of questions?
Why don't we order first?
WAITER: You ready, Mr. Davis?
Yes, indeed, Peter.
WAITER: A Cobb salad, no egg.
And sir?
I'll have that, but with egg.
Very good.
So no eggs?
Cholesterol. Don't
eat it for 100 years.
You'll live longer.
It's a thought.
Heh-heh. It's a thought.
Uh, could I ask you
a personal question?
No problem. Ask.
I heard that you
had a falling-out
with Greg Titleman
before he... Michael,
good to see you.
Larry, I thought
you'd like to know.
Steve made the deal.
We're all very happy.
We would be too, if you
hadn't robbed us blind.
Me? I'd never do that to you.
(chuckles)
Uh, a-about th-this rumor
that you had had a
falling-out with Greg Titleman...
MAN: Excuse me.
Sorry to interrupt, Larry,
but we have a major disaster.
Dimino has caused us
to go so far over schedule
that we either replace
him or pull the plug.
Uh, wait... Wait a minute.
Sorry, Mr. Matlock.
Call my secretary.
We'll set up a meeting.
Now... Oh, Ben.
We've been through all
the Stillman wedding tape,
and Larry Davis isn't on it.
Are you sure? I was
certain he was the one.
It's all right. I think we
got something even better.
Yeah?
David Martin wasn't
trying to protect Larry Davis.
He was protecting
himself. He lied. Look.
He was at the wedding.
That's David Martin?
Mm-hm. The miserable little...
(phone rings)
Hello?
Just a minute.
It's for you. Jordan Sanders.
Hello?
David Martin did what?
( mysterious theme playing)
Are you sure?
That's interesting.
MATLOCK: Mr. Martin,
what was your position
at the network when
Greg Titleman died?
Senior vice president of
series, movies and specials.
So you were pretty far up
the executive ladder, right?
I was second only to the
president of the network.
And you were
likely heir to his job.
I've already been promoted
to that job, which you know.
Yes, I do.
LAWYER: Your Honor, I don't see
where this line of
questioning is leading.
Mr. Martin is not on trial.
Your Honor, I'm just trying
to show that this witness
had a strong motive himself
and that his credibility
is questionable at best.
Wait a damn second!
You and everybody else here
knows how I felt about Greg.
(gavel bangs)
The witness will refrain from
outbursts in my courtroom.
I'm sorry, Your Honor,
but Greg Titleman
was like a brother to me.
No single person in this town
was more responsible
for my success.
I loved that man.
I certainly wouldn't harm him.
JUDGE: Mr. Martin, you are here
to answer questions
and not offer speeches.
Proceed, Mr. Matlock.
Thank you.
Mr. Martin, I appreciate
your strong feelings
for Greg Titleman, but I...
I must ask these questions.
Now, as a vice president,
you were a select
member of a small group
who decided what shows
went on the air, weren't you?
Objection. I fail to
see the relevancy.
MATLOCK: Uh, Your Honor,
uh, this will become
imminently clear
if the court will bear with me.
Overruled for now.
You may answer.
Okay.
At all of the networks,
there is a group of men
and women who can say no,
but only two or three who
have the power to say yes.
I was one of them.
And millions of
dollars are at stake
on those yeses, right? Yes.
But that one was for free.
(both chuckle)
You know, you're a comic.
And careers hang in the
balance on these, uh...
These scheduling
decisions, don't they?
You could say that.
And I understand that...
That some shows stay
on the air five or six years
and become worth
hundreds of millions of dollars.
Yes, that's true.
So I guess the people
who have shows to sell
try to exert a certain
influence on the people
who buy the shows
and put them on the air.
I suppose. I've heard rumors
of such things happening,
but I've never
actually seen it myself.
You've never been offered
a-a vacation or given a gift
when you knew that the purpose
was to influence your opinion?
MARTIN: Nothing that I consider
out of the ordinary
course of business, no.
Oh, so y-you would consider
a $100,000 loan to be in the
course of ordinary business.
Wait a minute. What
are you talkin' about?
I'm talking about a loan
you got from Larry Davis.
Larry Davis is a friend of mine.
A loan on which you have
not made one single payment.
Let me take that back.
You actually
paid it back in full
because you lobbied vigorously
for two of Larry Davis' shows.
I did no such thing!
Oh?
But after you got the 100,000,
isn't it true that two
of Larry Davis' shows
went on the network schedule?
One thing had nothing
to do with the other.
They were both good shows.
And isn't it true
that Greg Titleman
found out you were on the take?
I'm warning you.
And I'm reminding
you this is a courtroom.
You're not in a network
office threatening some agent
over the telephone.
And may I remind
you, Mr. Matlock,
no matter how
it's done in Atlanta,
I am the one
who issues the
orders in this court.
I'm sorry, Your Honor.
It got away from me.
Isn't that the way it happened?
Greg Titleman found
out you were on the take,
and he said to you he had
no choice but to let you go.
No.
And because Greg Titleman
was a very secretive man,
he told no one
what you had done,
and you knew that, and you
went to his hotel to plead with him.
I wasn't there.
Your Honor,
I would like to refresh
this witness' recollection
with a demonstration
that the court and counsel
discussed this morning.
Proceed.
Ahem. This tape...
has been identified
as Defense Exhibit G,
and it has been stipulated
to depict the Stillman wedding
at the Bedford Hotel
on the day of the murder.
Now, this...
This spot in the
tape right there,
this picture, has been blown up
so as we can
more clearly see it.
And whom do we see, Mr. Martin?
Well, this tape does
refresh your memory
about seeing Mr. Titleman
at his hotel, doesn't it?
All right, it's true.
Greg found out that Larry was
paying me off and he
said he was firing me,
and I did go to the hotel
and I did plead with him,
but when I left, he was alive.
We have only your word for that.
MARTIN: No.
No, you have more
than just my word on it.
When I left the Bedford Hotel,
I went directly to
my attorney's home.
And he... He's
sitting right over there.
Howard? Howard, stand up.
Howard Burke. Ask
him. He'll tell you.
He called Greg at
the Bedford Hotel
after I arrived at his house.
And he talked with Mr. Titleman?
Yes. Yes, he did. He...
He asked Greg if he
would allow me to resign
and not go public
with what I'd done,
and Greg said yes.
And he was still alive?
MARTIN: Oh, very much so.
Well, s-swear him in.
Swear him in.
He'll... He'll verify it.
No, I don't think
that'll be necessary.
( somber theme playing)
No further questions.
Well, Terry, Ben
must've been very upset
when David Martin's
alibi checked out,
and he knew he couldn't prove
David had killed Greg Titleman.
Well, not just upset, worried.
Everything pointed
back to his client again.
Things were looking very dark.
(knock on door, door opens)
Oh, Ben, I'm glad you
came by. MATLOCK: Yeah.
This is Mrs. Ida Stillman,
the mother of the groom.
Hello, Ms. Stillman.
How do you do?
We've been going over
the videotape of the wedding
to see if she can find someone
she doesn't recognize
besides David Martin.
Uh-huh. Anybody
who didn't belong.
Yeah, well, did you
find anything yet?
Not yet. Not yet.
(clears throat)
Ben? Hm?
I rechecked Lane
Lockletter's alibi.
It's solid.
One of the coaches of
the Pepperdine track team
was out there doing
laps with him that day.
MATLOCK: Oh. Kind
of a shame, isn't it?
Been simple if it was him.
(chuckles)
So,
Ms. Stillman, did your
boy find himself a nice girl?
(chuckles): Oh, yes.
He couldn't have done
better if I'd chosen her myself.
(chuckles): Good, good.
I think it's nice when
the in-laws get along.
Oh, yes. MATLOCK:
I always got along
with my mother-in-law.
We used to do things together,
go to ball games, hunt.
She was a great shot.
Wait a minute.
Stop it right there.
What is it?
No. Who is it?
Can you back that up?
Hold it. Look right there.
( mysterious theme playing)
All right.
( upbeat jazz theme playing)
MATLOCK: Uh, Mr. Davis,
you are the top man
at Westland Studios.
When I last checked. Ha-ha.
You know, uneasy lies the crown.
(both chuckle)
Now, it's... It's
common knowledge
that, uh, you were friends
with Greg Titleman for years,
e-even going back to the
days when you were an actor.
Please, please. I'll have to
touch up my 8-by-10 glossies.
(both chuckle)
Yes, I knew Greg,
and we did business
together for years.
And you knew that
he had come into town
for meetings that weekend.
I was one of them, yes.
But you never saw him.
That's right.
You never even
got over to his hotel.
That's correct.
According to,
uh, your assistant,
Mr. Jordan Sanders,
you spent most of
that day with a, uh...
A young actress, a Kate Sawyer.
(sighs)
Why drag her into it?
I didn't do the dragging.
Just answer the question.
Yes, I was with that young lady.
Can, uh...?
Can anyone confirm
that you were with her
at the time of the murder?
Miss Sawyer herself, but she's
out of the country right now.
What if someone called
her on the telephone
at location in East Africa,
and she said that
she was not with you
the day of the murder?
Well, if she did,
she'd be lying.
I was with her.
She wasn't even in Los
Angeles that weekend.
She was in Acapulco
with another fella.
(chuckles)
Mr. Matlock, I think
Lane Lockletter
has been giving you lessons.
(Matlock chuckles)
DAVIS: If that were the truth,
you'd have Kate
Sawyer here in court,
and I don't see her today,
so you can try and
trick me all you want,
but I know I'm
telling the truth.
Yeah.
Well, you're right.
Uh, I did try to trick you,
and if that were true
and she were here today,
I would have her
in the courtroom.
(crowd murmuring)
That is Kate Sawyer, isn't it?
Now, I won't tell you
it didn't take some doing,
but that is Kate Sawyer.
Shall I put her on
the stand? All right.
So I wasn't with her that day,
but that doesn't prove anything.
No, but it's a start. Thank you.
You remember the other day
when we ordered
lunch? DAVIS: Yes.
We didn't get a chance to eat.
I had to leave.
Yeah, you had
multimillion-dollar problems.
Uh, pull the plug
on one picture,
another picture had a pimple,
but we did order.
You ordered Cobb salad, right?
That's right.
And no egg. I'm allergic.
Is that a typical order for you?
Uh, frequently,
that's what I have.
Uh, Your Honor,
uh, at this time,
I'd like to enter into
evidence Defense Exhibit H.
This is a computerized
luncheon order
taken from Greg Titleman's
room the day of the murder.
Cobb salad, no egg.
What do you think?
I think, so what?
All these little things add up.
When Jordan Sanders called me...
You didn't know that, did you?
When he called me to tell me
about the loan you
made to David Martin,
I missed the point. I... I...
I didn't realize right off
that he was gunning for you.
But a man as smart
as Greg Titleman
had to get the point right away.
He was a lot of things
to a lot of people,
but above all, he
was an ethical man,
and when he found
out about this money,
you knew it was all over.
He would never buy
another show from you.
You'd lose your
power, your authority.
That's the end of it.
You couldn't handle that,
so you killed Greg Titleman.
That isn't the truth.
Your Honor, uh, at this time,
I'd like the court's permission
to replay a part of
Defense Exhibit G.
Objection. We've
already seen that tape.
We know Davis isn't on it.
This is a new witness,
I have that right,
and we may have
missed something.
Overruled. I'll permit it.
Thank you.
Yeah, the tape was shot
at such an angle
that the bungalows
are not in the background,
just the scenic woodsy
part, as you can see.
But look, look, look right here.
There. There's a fellow
with a little Super
8 movie camera.
He shot his own
version of the wedding.
He got everything in,
the kitchen, the parking
lot and the bungalows.
So now, let's see
what's on the film.
There you go, buddy.
There's some micro...
The screen. We got that.
Okay. Can we just, uh...?
Okay.
There.
Okay, now here it's in focus.
There's the mother
and... That there...
There's my client
Paul Bartel on his way
to Greg Titleman's bungalow.
And here's more
pictures of the wedding.
The bride, of course,
and... (chuckles)
A picture of the cake.
And there is Mr. Bartel
leaving after he
witnessed the victim's body.
Your Honor, what
does this prove?
We already know that
he entered and he left.
Now, wait, wait, wait, wait.
Now, look at this, look at this,
look at this. Look. See? There.
There. Look at that.
That's you, Mr. Davis.
I took the liberty of having
this little piece
of film blown up
so we could prove that was you.
You had already
murdered Mr. Titleman
by the time my client
arrived at his bungalow.
You hid, waited
for him to leave,
and then you decided to
take advantage of his presence
and frame him for the murder
by planting the
knife in his car.
I guess you figured
what the hell.
Get another competitor out
of the way at the same time.
Kill two birds with
one knife, so to speak.
( mysterious theme playing)
No further questions.
( somber theme playing)
So to bring us up-to-date,
concluding arguments
were made this afternoon,
and now everyone's
waiting for the jury.
I spoke with Ben
Matlock earlier today,
and I asked him how did he feel.
He said, and I quote,
"Same as I always do when
waiting for a jury of 12 people.
Nervous because you never know."
Heh-heh. Well, Terry,
we can appreciate that,
having waited for
overnight ratings.
Has the jury reached a verdict?
We have, Your Honor.
We find the defendant,
Paul J. Bartel,
not guilty. JUDGE: Thank you,
ladies and
gentlemen of the jury.
Court is adjourned.
(chuckles): Well, I
don't know what to say.
I had a speech
prepared, but I don't think
"I'd like to thank the
Academy" covers it.
(both chuckle)
I'll tell you the truth.
I enjoyed myself.
(all chuckle)
Well... (sighs)
Well, why don't we, uh,
take lunch or, you know,
do a meeting, or is that...?
Or is that do a
meeting and take lunch?
Either one.
Let's do both. Okay.
Okay.
( upbeat jazz theme playing)
And that concludes
this evening's segment
of Hollywood Today.
Greg really cared
about the quality of his shows,
and he had a temper.
I remember one time he
was so upset with a script,
he started pounding it
on the wall, tearing it up,
yelling, "An Alien Life
Form wouldn't say that."
So I calmly asked him,
"Greg, do you wanna
help us rewrite this script,
"or would you rather
take it back to your office
and slap it around a little?"
He didn't laugh.
( upbeat jazz theme playing)
( upbeat jazz theme playing)
(bullets ricocheting)
(sirens wailing)
(tires screech)
(sirens wailing)
(tires screech)
(tires screeching)
(tires screeching)
The scenes you are watching
are from the highly-rated
action-adventure shows Mustang,
Chopper Squad and Highway Guys.
But now, in the
"life imitates art"
and "truth is stranger
than fiction" categories,
the producer of these
exciting shows, Paul J. Bartel,
stands trial for the
murder of the man
whose network they're on.
This man, Greg Titleman,
network programming chief,
who was found
stabbed in the back
at this exclusive Bedford hotel.
Hello, everybody.
I'm Terry McNeil.
And I'm Doug August,
welcoming you to
Hollywood Today,
where this evening's
entire hour will be devoted
to an event that has shaken
the Hollywood community
like no other before it.
Greg wasn't the cold-hearted,
impersonal executive
everyone thought him to be.
You know, the kind who
did everything on the phone.
To the contrary, he thrived
on the personal touch.
For instance, when he
canceled my first series,
he personally told his
assistant to call me.
An actress remembers that
kind of thoughtfulness, believe me.
Before Greg took over the
network a few years ago,
things were getting so
confused that, uh, executives
were going around stabbing
each other in the front.
Well, he changed that
all around, didn't he?
And now, after weeks of
evidence and argument,
the case of the People versus
Greg's accused murderer,
Paul J. Bartel, has
gone to the jury.
Why don't we tell our viewers
how and where it all began?
Greg Titleman came
into Los Angeles
the first weekend in
April for some meetings
at a Los Angeles hotel.
And that's when Paul J.
Bartel had a meeting with him?
Yeah, just around
2 in the afternoon,
Paul J. Bartel
came to the hotel.
(accordion music playing)
(people chattering)
Greg?
( mysterious theme
playing) Greg?
Greg?
Greg?
( dramatic theme playing)
( tense theme playing)
Hello, operator. Uh, yes.
I want you to connect
me with the police.
MAN: Well, you say
you came to the hotel
for a meeting with
the deceased at 2:00.
Mm-hm. It's just
somewhere around there.
I might've been a little early.
And then?
I saw him, uh, Greg,
on the floor with a
knife wound in his back.
And why are you so
sure it was a knife wound?
How do you know it
wasn't a bullet wound?
Lieutenant, I've been producing
TV cop shows for years.
I can tell the difference
between a knife and a
gunshot wound. This was a...
A-a gaping puncture...
All right, all right, all right.
All right, yeah.
All right, so you say you
were going to have a meeting
with Mr. Titleman.
What about?
Business.
Two of you were friends?
Absolutely. We've known
each other for years.
MAN: Hey, lieutenant.
Excuse me.
( mysterious theme playing)
Mr. Bartel, I'm gonna have
to ask you to come with us.
Why? What's goin' on?
It seems that one of my
officers found what appears to be
the missing murder weapon.
So?
Well, it seems it was found
in the glove
compartment of your car.
( dramatic theme playing)
So now we have a murder
and a prime suspect.
And now let's take a
look at Benjamin Matlock,
the attorney who handled
the case for the defense.
Terry?
For the last 30 years,
Ben Matlock has lived
and practiced law
in Atlanta, Georgia,
where he's well-known
for both his high prices
and the high
percentage of clients
he successfully defends.
(phone rings)
MICHELLE: Ben Matlock's office.
♪ Your mouth is
like A fireplace ♪
♪ With all the ashes out ♪
♪ Well, with all the
ashes out Boys ♪
MICHELLE: Just a minute.
♪ Your mouth is
like A fireplace ♪
Ben?
♪ Well, whoa, mule, whoa ♪
Ben?
♪ Whoa, mule, I say ♪
Ben!
What?
It's Paul J. Bartel.
Who's that?
MICHELLE: Big TV producer.
Produces Chopper Squad,
Highway Guys, Mustang.
Oh.
Lot of good-looking
women in Mustang.
Wanna take it?
(grunts, sniffs)
Hello?
Yes, sir.
Oh, why, thank you.
Well, uh, th-that...
That's interesting.
Yes.
(chuckles)
Well?
How about getting us a couple
of airplane tickets to Hollywood?
♪ Well, whoa, mule,
whoa Whoa, mule, I say ♪
♪ Grab your hat, Miss Lucy Jane
And hold on through the shame ♪
McNEIL: And so Ben Matlock
and his associate, Michelle Thomas,
jetted out to Los Angeles
to meet with Paul J. Bartel.
Stop me if I'm wrong,
but isn't your making money
dependent on people like, uh,
Greg Titleman buying your shows?
Uh, in network TV, there
are just three shops to sell to.
Uh, Greg runs... Uh,
ran the number one shop.
If there were a falling-out
and Greg Titleman had
canceled, say, Mustang,
well, then millions of dollars
would have been
at stake, wouldn't it?
Yeah, but as you can see,
I have lots of other shows.
MICHELLE: But it's common
knowledge that none of them have
lost as much money as Mustang
and that Greg Titleman
was ready to cancel it.
Mustang is a very
expensive show,
with a star who gets
six figures an episode
and insists it be
shot in Hawaii.
Um, the way I understand it,
if, uh, Greg Titleman had kept
Mustang on for another year,
then your losses
would've turned into profits.
Mm-hm. We would've
had enough episodes
to make a favorable
syndication deal work.
Greg was my friend.
I didn't kill him.
Why didn't you call
the police from his room
when you first
discovered his body?
Ah, I've produced
enough TV shows to know
you're not supposed to touch
anything, including the phone.
MATLOCK: Hm.
What about the knife?
I never saw the knife.
MATLOCK: The
prosecution is gonna contend
that the reason you didn't
use the phone in his room
is because you wanted to
hide the knife in your car first.
You don't seriously
believe that, do you?
No, that'd be pretty dumb,
but they will contend that.
You wait and see.
Well, is there anything
else you need to know?
Not right now.
I was always intimidated
by Greg Titleman.
Uh, he never smiled
and I always called
him Mr. Titleman.
Anyway, there was this
meeting in his office one day
and I was so scared
I wouldn't go in
without my agent and my lawyer.
Anyway, when we got inside,
he saw how intimidated I was,
and he said, "Son, as long as
you're a member of my network,
I want you to think of me
as your second father."
Well, from that
day on, actually, uh,
I had trouble distinguishing
between him and my real father.
MAN: Do you mean you went
to him with your problems?
Oh, well, unfortunately, he died
before I got a
chance to do that.
What I mean is, uh, now
when I go talk to my real father,
I can't go without my
agent and my lawyer.
How powerful was Greg Titleman?
Well, I don't know exactly,
but there's this rumor
that just after his death,
Highway to Heaven was
picked up for two more seasons.
And the network announced
that they were gonna do
a miniseries of the Creation
with the original cast.
It was just a joke.
Sort of.
Okay. So Ben Matlock
figured he had to find the person
who placed the knife
in Paul J. Bartel's car.
That was the idea, yes.
So how did he proceed?
Well, the first thing
he needed to know
was who knew Greg was in town.
So, as they say in show biz,
he made the rounds.
MAN: Jerry, don't
try to position me.
I'll see to it that none of
your clients do this show.
I promise you.
(phone clicks)
Yes? MATLOCK: E-excuse me.
I'm looking for a
Mr. David Martin?
That's me, but if
you're from Lorimar,
we've already called
your girl to cancel.
No, we're not from
Lorimar. We're from Atlanta.
Uh, we're lawyers.
I'm Ben Matlock.
This is my associate,
Michelle Thomas.
We represent Paul J. Bartel.
Oh, yes. Yes, I heard
you took the case, right.
Uh, how do you do?
Uh, this is my
associate, Linda Lewis.
Hello. How do you do?
Hi. Hi.
Oh, well, I see you're packing.
(chuckles): Where are you goin'?
New York.
Oh, that's right.
You're taking over
for the deceased.
Greg was a very
dear friend of mine.
What was he, a...?
What, some kind
of a...? A mentor?
Oh, much more. I owe...
I owe everything to him.
So you'd be more than willing
to bring his
murderer to justice.
Of course I would.
LEWIS: David, you do have
that 12:30 at the Polo Lounge.
MARTIN: Oh, right. Uh,
well... MATLOCK:
Uh... Uh, thi...
This will only take a moment.
Uh, I'm just trying to find out
who knew that Greg Titleman
would be coming into
Los Angeles that weekend.
Uh, Mr. Bartel seems to
think that you would know.
Why don't, uh...? Why
don't you have a seat here,
Mr., uh, Matlock and Miss...?
Thomas. Thomas, right.
Um, you don't mind
if, uh, Linda sits in?
Oh, of course not. Sure.
(clears throat)
Uh, my relationship
with Greg was very close,
so naturally I knew that
he was coming into town.
Did you know why?
Well, he had three
meetings that I was aware of.
One with, uh, Paul
Bartel about Mustang,
and one with Larry Davis.
Studio head.
MICHELLE: Oh.
And what would that
have been about?
Well, I'm afraid I
don't know exactly.
MATLOCK: And who was the third?
Lane Lockletter.
Oh. The actor.
Used to be Denning
for the Defense.
The lawyer who
never lost a case?
MARTIN: Yeah, that's the one.
I'm sure he was
trying to convince Greg
to give him a new show.
That's what Lane's meetings
were usually about.
Well, did you see Greg Titleman?
No, no. He would often,
uh, fly in, have his meetings,
and then, uh, call
me from New York
to, uh, fill me in later.
I had no reason to
take a meeting with Greg
at that particular time.
MICHELLE: So, aside from you
and those three, did anyone
else know he was here?
Well, I assume his wife
knew and his secretary,
but Greg was a
very secretive man,
so I doubt that
anybody else knew.
Well, I guess that's a start.
McNEIL: Ben Matlock
started finding things out
right away.
Like what, Terry?
Well, like out
here in Hollywood,
you don't go to
lunch, you do it.
And when you're doing
it, you don't just eat,
you also talk business.
And that's not having a
meeting, that's taking one.
And the first one he took
was with Lane
Lockletter, who's an actor.
(soft piano music playing)
Let me tell you, Ben,
I had a deep, abiding
affection and admiration
for Greg Titleman.
A brilliant programmer,
but he was only a kid.
He didn't remember
that Lane Lockletter
was the first star to
come over to the network.
Well, that was 25 years ago.
Ben, I put 'em on the map.
Denning for the Defense
was in the top ten
for six consecutive years.
It not only anchored
Friday nights,
it single-handedly changed
the dating habits of America.
And, uh,
Greg Titleman wouldn't
give you a show.
All he ever offered
me was guest shots
on other people's shows.
And that's why you wanted
to have a meeting with him
when he came out to Los Angeles?
Ben.
I have an idea for a
series that'll do a 45 share.
A spinoff of Denning,
where I marry a
younger girl lawyer
and then the two of us team
up to defend innocent people.
Oh, we'll call it
Mr. and Mrs. Defender.
Huh? What do you think?
Well, uh, I don't know.
Uh, what time was your
meeting with Greg Titleman?
Four o'clock. You
don't like my idea?
Well, uh...
Uh, so you...? You never
saw him? Did you talk with him?
Yeah.
We confirmed in the morning.
Ben, let me stop you.
I see very clearly
what you're doing.
I did it myself
every Friday night
for six years.
You're establishing
if I had a motive,
which, yes, I do.
And, yes, I knew what
bungalow he was in.
But if I may do a
critique of your work,
Ben, i-i-it's...
It's not a question
of right or wrong.
It's a question of... Of style.
Style.
A courtroom is a theater
and you gotta lighten it up.
I'm sorry.
Like I did in Denning
for the Defense.
You oughta try to
be more like Denning.
Well... Oh, I'll get that.
No. No, no.
It's... I'll take it.
Well, thank you.
(chuckles)
Um..
You know, there's a rumor
that the real reason
that you were
desperate for a new show
is that your last wife
took you to the cleaners.
But that's a lie.
And there's another rumor
that there was a long
history of bad blood
between you and Greg
Titleman, and with...
With him gone,
there are other
people at the network
who'd be more inclined
to put you on the schedule.
Uh, I... I enjoyed meeting you,
and I enjoyed
hearing about Denning.
Thanks. And I used
to enjoy Denning.
Thank you very much.
I enjoyed our meal.
I hope you did.
Thank you, sir.
(sighs)
Denning would have
left a much bigger tip.
McNEIL: And while Ben Matlock
was learning how to spend
like a Hollywood lawyer,
Michelle had returned
to the scene of the crime.
You see, the thing about Greg is
that he had a point
of view about pilots.
He understood the
kind of character
that America wants to watch.
That's why David wants
me to check over here
and see if his
notes are still there.
Oh. MAN: Hello, Miss Lewis.
Hi, Bill.
Well, everyone
seems to know you.
Oh, I do breakfast meetings
here three or four times a week.
Oh.
There's the
bungalow right there.
MICHELLE: Mm-hm. Do they
have weddings here very often?
LEWIS: Oh, you have to book
them six or eight months in advance.
MICHELLE: Oh.
You go on ahead. I
have to go into the hotel.
Thanks for the lift.
( mysterious theme playing)
( majestic theme playing)
Mr. Wolfson, are you in
charge of wedding receptions?
Yes. And when is
the happy day for you?
Oh, nothing immediate. Heh.
Well, that's good, because
we have nothing available
in the near future, anyway.
Well, actually, I'm
talking about the past.
Like if a wedding
took place here
the day Greg Titleman
was murdered.
Well, yes, there was
one, but, uh, who are you?
Oh.
Michelle Thomas, Attorney,
Matlock and Associates.
We're working on the case.
I was wondering if the
wedding was filmed,
and if it was, who filmed it.
It was the, uh,
Stillman wedding,
but nobody films
weddings anymore.
It was taped.
Oh. Yeah.
McNEIL: Maybe they don't film
weddings, but Ben Matlock learned
a whole lot of filming
still goes on in this town,
because they had him
waiting over 35 minutes
to see the studio
head, Larry Davis.
(door opens)
MAN: Uh, Mr. Matlock?
Yeah. Uh, sorry
to keep you waiting.
Mr. Davis? No.
Mr. Davis is busy.
I'm Jordan Sanders,
uh, head of development.
I handle all pitches. Uh, who
did you say your agent was?
I'm not in the
television business.
I'm a lawyer.
Oh. Heh. Nowadays,
Mr. Matlock, in this business,
being an attorney means
running this business.
No, no, no, no, no, no.
I represent Paul Bartel.
Oh.
I'm embarrassed.
I have to see Mr. Davis.
I assure you I can
speak for Mr. Davis.
My job is to know
all of his moves
even before he makes 'em.
There are no secrets between us.
Okay.
Where was he at the
time of the murder?
Oh, I can't tell you that.
Now, look.
(sighs)
I know this is a matter
of utmost importance,
but it's a little embarrassing.
I'll have to ask you
to keep it confidential.
I can't promise that.
That afternoon, Mr. Davis was
with a young woman, an actress.
Her name?
I have to know her name.
Kate Sawyer.
She did that comedy series
about an American-born girl
who was a domestic in Japan.
Um, it didn't last very long.
Look, she's doing features now.
She was the one that Mr. Davis
spent that afternoon with.
So he never saw Mr. Titleman.
No. He was very
specific about that.
Okay.
( somber theme playing)
( tranquil theme playing)
(machine rattling)
( mysterious theme playing)
Hello?
(door closes, rattling stops)
Hello?
Hello?
( tense theme playing)
What do you want? (gasps)
(Michelle exhales)
I'm Michelle Thomas. I
called a little while ago.
I was told I could come
and pick up the tape
of the Stillman wedding.
Was it you I spoke to?
Yeah, but someone
just picked it up.
What? No. That's
impossible. Who?
I don't know. Some woman.
She just went out the back door.
( mysterious theme playing)
(car engine starts)
( suspenseful theme playing)
Stop!
Stop!
Greg Titleman? Don't
look at me. I didn't do it.
I was in New York.
What was he like?
Well, you see, I didn't
see him that often.
Bill doesn't like us
talking to the executives.
He says it can
destroy your mind.
You see, 'cause first,
he'll promise you spinoffs,
then guest shots,
then you're hooked.
The next thing you know,
you're doing promotional spots
for the network for free.
Okay. So Linda Lewis
was trying to get away
with the tape of the wedding.
Right, but Michelle stopped her.
(tires screech)
(sighs)
What are you doing? I'm sorry.
How did you know to come here?
I know the people
at the Bedford Hotel.
I remember. You do lunch
there three or four times a week,
and they told you
I was coming here
to get the tape of the wedding.
That's right.
Why don't you want me to see it?
It's not that I don't
want you to see it.
Well, it sure seems like
it, considering you stole it.
It's just that I
wanted to see it first.
We'll both see it.
Try to understand, Michelle.
I started out at the network
as a page when I was 18.
I have inched my way up, and
now I'm a director of development.
This job is very
important to me.
If my suspicions are correct,
it was your boss, the man
taking Greg Titleman's job,
who told you to steal that tape.
I think I've said enough.
MATLOCK: Well, not quite.
You haven't said why
David Martin wanted
to see that tape.
And I'm not going to.
Miss Lewis,
my client is in
a lot of trouble.
His life is at stake,
and if you continue to
stonewall for the network,
this pretty little
career of yours
is going right out the window.
I promise you that.
Now, why did he
wanna see that tape?
(sighs)
David thought that Larry
Davis might be on the tape.
He's one of our biggest
suppliers of shows,
and he's a close
friend of David's.
David wanted me to see if
there was anything on the tape
that might have
incriminated Mr. Davis.
Did he say why he thought
something might be on the tape?
(sighs): Yes.
He said that Greg
and Larry Davis
had a big falling-out.
Over what?
That he didn't know.
(Matlock dials)
Hello? Ben Matlock.
I'd like to speak
with Mr. Davis.
I don't care how busy he is.
You tell him I've got
to see him right away,
and for his own good,
he'd better get unbusy.
I'm on hold.
I hate that. Hello?
That's fine. I'll
be right there.
( upbeat jazz theme playing)
(grumbles)
(clears throat)
Uh, Ben Matlock.
Mr. Davis is expecting me.
Oh, I'm so sorry, Mr. Matlock.
Uh, Mr. Davis got called
away unexpectedly.
He... He said he didn't
know where to reach you.
I don't believe this.
Well, I-I believe Mr. Sanders
is still here. I'll buzz him.
Mr. Matlock. So
good to see you again.
You're not gonna
think so in a minute.
Well, aren't we upset.
May I ask about what?
I'm tired of getting
the runaround.
Mr. Davis was
supposed to see me.
Yeah, something
important came up.
The only thing that's important
so far as I'm concerned
is that Greg Titleman was killed
and my client is on
trial for his murder.
Why don't we discuss this
in my office, Mr. Matlock?
Now, I know that Larry
Davis and Greg Titleman
had a bad falling-out,
and I know that David Martin
is trying to protect Larry Davis,
and I know for
sure that Larry Davis
is trying to avoid me.
Now, either... Either
he talks to me now
like a regular human being,
or I'm gonna put
every process server
in the whole damn state on
him and drag his can into court
where he has to answer
my questions in public
and the reporters
can print it in big letters
so the studio
people can read it.
You got that?
McNEIL: Ben found
out that sometimes
in this town, it
pays to overact,
because no more
than an hour later...
(flute music playing)
Mr. Matlock.
Yes, sir. Larry Davis.
And I'm terribly
sorry about before,
but it was totally unavoidable.
I have a $25 million
production with an actress
who wouldn't come
out of her trailer.
Something had to be done.
(rings)
Excuse me.
(clears throat)
Yeah?
(chuckles)
No, it's still in galleys.
Make an offer on an option,
but don't budge
on the turnaround.
So, what'd you do?
About what?
The actress.
The actress.
The one who wouldn't
come out of her trailer.
You know, the $25 million...
Production. Right. I
got her a dermatologist.
She didn't wanna admit it,
but the reason she didn't wanna
be filmed was she had a blemish.
She had a what?
A $25 million blemish.
(chuckles): Oh.
(both chuckle)
Oh, well. I'm glad
we finally got together.
Um, could I ask you
a couple of questions?
Why don't we order first?
WAITER: You ready, Mr. Davis?
Yes, indeed, Peter.
WAITER: A Cobb salad, no egg.
And sir?
I'll have that, but with egg.
Very good.
So no eggs?
Cholesterol. Don't
eat it for 100 years.
You'll live longer.
It's a thought.
Heh-heh. It's a thought.
Uh, could I ask you
a personal question?
No problem. Ask.
I heard that you
had a falling-out
with Greg Titleman
before he... Michael,
good to see you.
Larry, I thought
you'd like to know.
Steve made the deal.
We're all very happy.
We would be too, if you
hadn't robbed us blind.
Me? I'd never do that to you.
(chuckles)
Uh, a-about th-this rumor
that you had had a
falling-out with Greg Titleman...
MAN: Excuse me.
Sorry to interrupt, Larry,
but we have a major disaster.
Dimino has caused us
to go so far over schedule
that we either replace
him or pull the plug.
Uh, wait... Wait a minute.
Sorry, Mr. Matlock.
Call my secretary.
We'll set up a meeting.
Now... Oh, Ben.
We've been through all
the Stillman wedding tape,
and Larry Davis isn't on it.
Are you sure? I was
certain he was the one.
It's all right. I think we
got something even better.
Yeah?
David Martin wasn't
trying to protect Larry Davis.
He was protecting
himself. He lied. Look.
He was at the wedding.
That's David Martin?
Mm-hm. The miserable little...
(phone rings)
Hello?
Just a minute.
It's for you. Jordan Sanders.
Hello?
David Martin did what?
( mysterious theme playing)
Are you sure?
That's interesting.
MATLOCK: Mr. Martin,
what was your position
at the network when
Greg Titleman died?
Senior vice president of
series, movies and specials.
So you were pretty far up
the executive ladder, right?
I was second only to the
president of the network.
And you were
likely heir to his job.
I've already been promoted
to that job, which you know.
Yes, I do.
LAWYER: Your Honor, I don't see
where this line of
questioning is leading.
Mr. Martin is not on trial.
Your Honor, I'm just trying
to show that this witness
had a strong motive himself
and that his credibility
is questionable at best.
Wait a damn second!
You and everybody else here
knows how I felt about Greg.
(gavel bangs)
The witness will refrain from
outbursts in my courtroom.
I'm sorry, Your Honor,
but Greg Titleman
was like a brother to me.
No single person in this town
was more responsible
for my success.
I loved that man.
I certainly wouldn't harm him.
JUDGE: Mr. Martin, you are here
to answer questions
and not offer speeches.
Proceed, Mr. Matlock.
Thank you.
Mr. Martin, I appreciate
your strong feelings
for Greg Titleman, but I...
I must ask these questions.
Now, as a vice president,
you were a select
member of a small group
who decided what shows
went on the air, weren't you?
Objection. I fail to
see the relevancy.
MATLOCK: Uh, Your Honor,
uh, this will become
imminently clear
if the court will bear with me.
Overruled for now.
You may answer.
Okay.
At all of the networks,
there is a group of men
and women who can say no,
but only two or three who
have the power to say yes.
I was one of them.
And millions of
dollars are at stake
on those yeses, right? Yes.
But that one was for free.
(both chuckle)
You know, you're a comic.
And careers hang in the
balance on these, uh...
These scheduling
decisions, don't they?
You could say that.
And I understand that...
That some shows stay
on the air five or six years
and become worth
hundreds of millions of dollars.
Yes, that's true.
So I guess the people
who have shows to sell
try to exert a certain
influence on the people
who buy the shows
and put them on the air.
I suppose. I've heard rumors
of such things happening,
but I've never
actually seen it myself.
You've never been offered
a-a vacation or given a gift
when you knew that the purpose
was to influence your opinion?
MARTIN: Nothing that I consider
out of the ordinary
course of business, no.
Oh, so y-you would consider
a $100,000 loan to be in the
course of ordinary business.
Wait a minute. What
are you talkin' about?
I'm talking about a loan
you got from Larry Davis.
Larry Davis is a friend of mine.
A loan on which you have
not made one single payment.
Let me take that back.
You actually
paid it back in full
because you lobbied vigorously
for two of Larry Davis' shows.
I did no such thing!
Oh?
But after you got the 100,000,
isn't it true that two
of Larry Davis' shows
went on the network schedule?
One thing had nothing
to do with the other.
They were both good shows.
And isn't it true
that Greg Titleman
found out you were on the take?
I'm warning you.
And I'm reminding
you this is a courtroom.
You're not in a network
office threatening some agent
over the telephone.
And may I remind
you, Mr. Matlock,
no matter how
it's done in Atlanta,
I am the one
who issues the
orders in this court.
I'm sorry, Your Honor.
It got away from me.
Isn't that the way it happened?
Greg Titleman found
out you were on the take,
and he said to you he had
no choice but to let you go.
No.
And because Greg Titleman
was a very secretive man,
he told no one
what you had done,
and you knew that, and you
went to his hotel to plead with him.
I wasn't there.
Your Honor,
I would like to refresh
this witness' recollection
with a demonstration
that the court and counsel
discussed this morning.
Proceed.
Ahem. This tape...
has been identified
as Defense Exhibit G,
and it has been stipulated
to depict the Stillman wedding
at the Bedford Hotel
on the day of the murder.
Now, this...
This spot in the
tape right there,
this picture, has been blown up
so as we can
more clearly see it.
And whom do we see, Mr. Martin?
Well, this tape does
refresh your memory
about seeing Mr. Titleman
at his hotel, doesn't it?
All right, it's true.
Greg found out that Larry was
paying me off and he
said he was firing me,
and I did go to the hotel
and I did plead with him,
but when I left, he was alive.
We have only your word for that.
MARTIN: No.
No, you have more
than just my word on it.
When I left the Bedford Hotel,
I went directly to
my attorney's home.
And he... He's
sitting right over there.
Howard? Howard, stand up.
Howard Burke. Ask
him. He'll tell you.
He called Greg at
the Bedford Hotel
after I arrived at his house.
And he talked with Mr. Titleman?
Yes. Yes, he did. He...
He asked Greg if he
would allow me to resign
and not go public
with what I'd done,
and Greg said yes.
And he was still alive?
MARTIN: Oh, very much so.
Well, s-swear him in.
Swear him in.
He'll... He'll verify it.
No, I don't think
that'll be necessary.
( somber theme playing)
No further questions.
Well, Terry, Ben
must've been very upset
when David Martin's
alibi checked out,
and he knew he couldn't prove
David had killed Greg Titleman.
Well, not just upset, worried.
Everything pointed
back to his client again.
Things were looking very dark.
(knock on door, door opens)
Oh, Ben, I'm glad you
came by. MATLOCK: Yeah.
This is Mrs. Ida Stillman,
the mother of the groom.
Hello, Ms. Stillman.
How do you do?
We've been going over
the videotape of the wedding
to see if she can find someone
she doesn't recognize
besides David Martin.
Uh-huh. Anybody
who didn't belong.
Yeah, well, did you
find anything yet?
Not yet. Not yet.
(clears throat)
Ben? Hm?
I rechecked Lane
Lockletter's alibi.
It's solid.
One of the coaches of
the Pepperdine track team
was out there doing
laps with him that day.
MATLOCK: Oh. Kind
of a shame, isn't it?
Been simple if it was him.
(chuckles)
So,
Ms. Stillman, did your
boy find himself a nice girl?
(chuckles): Oh, yes.
He couldn't have done
better if I'd chosen her myself.
(chuckles): Good, good.
I think it's nice when
the in-laws get along.
Oh, yes. MATLOCK:
I always got along
with my mother-in-law.
We used to do things together,
go to ball games, hunt.
She was a great shot.
Wait a minute.
Stop it right there.
What is it?
No. Who is it?
Can you back that up?
Hold it. Look right there.
( mysterious theme playing)
All right.
( upbeat jazz theme playing)
MATLOCK: Uh, Mr. Davis,
you are the top man
at Westland Studios.
When I last checked. Ha-ha.
You know, uneasy lies the crown.
(both chuckle)
Now, it's... It's
common knowledge
that, uh, you were friends
with Greg Titleman for years,
e-even going back to the
days when you were an actor.
Please, please. I'll have to
touch up my 8-by-10 glossies.
(both chuckle)
Yes, I knew Greg,
and we did business
together for years.
And you knew that
he had come into town
for meetings that weekend.
I was one of them, yes.
But you never saw him.
That's right.
You never even
got over to his hotel.
That's correct.
According to,
uh, your assistant,
Mr. Jordan Sanders,
you spent most of
that day with a, uh...
A young actress, a Kate Sawyer.
(sighs)
Why drag her into it?
I didn't do the dragging.
Just answer the question.
Yes, I was with that young lady.
Can, uh...?
Can anyone confirm
that you were with her
at the time of the murder?
Miss Sawyer herself, but she's
out of the country right now.
What if someone called
her on the telephone
at location in East Africa,
and she said that
she was not with you
the day of the murder?
Well, if she did,
she'd be lying.
I was with her.
She wasn't even in Los
Angeles that weekend.
She was in Acapulco
with another fella.
(chuckles)
Mr. Matlock, I think
Lane Lockletter
has been giving you lessons.
(Matlock chuckles)
DAVIS: If that were the truth,
you'd have Kate
Sawyer here in court,
and I don't see her today,
so you can try and
trick me all you want,
but I know I'm
telling the truth.
Yeah.
Well, you're right.
Uh, I did try to trick you,
and if that were true
and she were here today,
I would have her
in the courtroom.
(crowd murmuring)
That is Kate Sawyer, isn't it?
Now, I won't tell you
it didn't take some doing,
but that is Kate Sawyer.
Shall I put her on
the stand? All right.
So I wasn't with her that day,
but that doesn't prove anything.
No, but it's a start. Thank you.
You remember the other day
when we ordered
lunch? DAVIS: Yes.
We didn't get a chance to eat.
I had to leave.
Yeah, you had
multimillion-dollar problems.
Uh, pull the plug
on one picture,
another picture had a pimple,
but we did order.
You ordered Cobb salad, right?
That's right.
And no egg. I'm allergic.
Is that a typical order for you?
Uh, frequently,
that's what I have.
Uh, Your Honor,
uh, at this time,
I'd like to enter into
evidence Defense Exhibit H.
This is a computerized
luncheon order
taken from Greg Titleman's
room the day of the murder.
Cobb salad, no egg.
What do you think?
I think, so what?
All these little things add up.
When Jordan Sanders called me...
You didn't know that, did you?
When he called me to tell me
about the loan you
made to David Martin,
I missed the point. I... I...
I didn't realize right off
that he was gunning for you.
But a man as smart
as Greg Titleman
had to get the point right away.
He was a lot of things
to a lot of people,
but above all, he
was an ethical man,
and when he found
out about this money,
you knew it was all over.
He would never buy
another show from you.
You'd lose your
power, your authority.
That's the end of it.
You couldn't handle that,
so you killed Greg Titleman.
That isn't the truth.
Your Honor, uh, at this time,
I'd like the court's permission
to replay a part of
Defense Exhibit G.
Objection. We've
already seen that tape.
We know Davis isn't on it.
This is a new witness,
I have that right,
and we may have
missed something.
Overruled. I'll permit it.
Thank you.
Yeah, the tape was shot
at such an angle
that the bungalows
are not in the background,
just the scenic woodsy
part, as you can see.
But look, look, look right here.
There. There's a fellow
with a little Super
8 movie camera.
He shot his own
version of the wedding.
He got everything in,
the kitchen, the parking
lot and the bungalows.
So now, let's see
what's on the film.
There you go, buddy.
There's some micro...
The screen. We got that.
Okay. Can we just, uh...?
Okay.
There.
Okay, now here it's in focus.
There's the mother
and... That there...
There's my client
Paul Bartel on his way
to Greg Titleman's bungalow.
And here's more
pictures of the wedding.
The bride, of course,
and... (chuckles)
A picture of the cake.
And there is Mr. Bartel
leaving after he
witnessed the victim's body.
Your Honor, what
does this prove?
We already know that
he entered and he left.
Now, wait, wait, wait, wait.
Now, look at this, look at this,
look at this. Look. See? There.
There. Look at that.
That's you, Mr. Davis.
I took the liberty of having
this little piece
of film blown up
so we could prove that was you.
You had already
murdered Mr. Titleman
by the time my client
arrived at his bungalow.
You hid, waited
for him to leave,
and then you decided to
take advantage of his presence
and frame him for the murder
by planting the
knife in his car.
I guess you figured
what the hell.
Get another competitor out
of the way at the same time.
Kill two birds with
one knife, so to speak.
( mysterious theme playing)
No further questions.
( somber theme playing)
So to bring us up-to-date,
concluding arguments
were made this afternoon,
and now everyone's
waiting for the jury.
I spoke with Ben
Matlock earlier today,
and I asked him how did he feel.
He said, and I quote,
"Same as I always do when
waiting for a jury of 12 people.
Nervous because you never know."
Heh-heh. Well, Terry,
we can appreciate that,
having waited for
overnight ratings.
Has the jury reached a verdict?
We have, Your Honor.
We find the defendant,
Paul J. Bartel,
not guilty. JUDGE: Thank you,
ladies and
gentlemen of the jury.
Court is adjourned.
(chuckles): Well, I
don't know what to say.
I had a speech
prepared, but I don't think
"I'd like to thank the
Academy" covers it.
(both chuckle)
I'll tell you the truth.
I enjoyed myself.
(all chuckle)
Well... (sighs)
Well, why don't we, uh,
take lunch or, you know,
do a meeting, or is that...?
Or is that do a
meeting and take lunch?
Either one.
Let's do both. Okay.
Okay.
( upbeat jazz theme playing)
And that concludes
this evening's segment
of Hollywood Today.
Greg really cared
about the quality of his shows,
and he had a temper.
I remember one time he
was so upset with a script,
he started pounding it
on the wall, tearing it up,
yelling, "An Alien Life
Form wouldn't say that."
So I calmly asked him,
"Greg, do you wanna
help us rewrite this script,
"or would you rather
take it back to your office
and slap it around a little?"
He didn't laugh.
( upbeat jazz theme playing)
( upbeat jazz theme playing)