Starsky and Hutch (1975–1979): Season 0, Episode 0 - Pilot - full transcript

The two detectives, investigating a double homicide, discover that the man and woman who died in a car identical to Starsky's were mistakenly murdered - it was the detectives themselves who were the intended targets.

I hope we get back
to the place by 1:00.

Why 1:00?

There's a picture on the tube

that I didn't see the end of.

Red River.

John Wayne.

You never saw the end of it?

No.

Ah-ah.

Don't tell me.

Oh, what's to tell?



He wins.

He always wins.

Besides, it's on
every night this week.

There's a car coming.

Oh, come on.

Let's have a good time.

Thought you'd never ask.

Come on.

I'm really way past
doing numbers in cars.

Isn't that smoking illegal?

Yeah.

I think we ought to stop them.

Tell that to John Wayne.

Beautiful!



You're late.

Excuse.

You know,

coming down here
to watch you sweat

is not the high point in my day.

Go ahead.

Hey, I got coffee and a Danish.

You want to share?

Have I ever?

No, but I keep hoping.

You shouldn't drink that crap.

It rots your guts away.

Mama, I just met a doctor.

I think he loves me.

Funny. Very funny.

You're a big comedian, right?

No, Frankie, I'm not a comedian.

Try again.

Ah...

Hey, Frankie,

aren't you ever curious

about what me and
Hutch do for a living?

I got no questions.

Keeping your head
in the sand, huh?

Better my head in the sand

than my tail in a sling.

You guys know what you're doing?

That's good enough for me.

Yeah, Frankie, we
know what we're doing.

I'll be damned if I know why.

Hey, whose car?

Mine.

Why yours?

The suspension of yours

makes this thing ride

like a rock in a washer.

What are you talking about?

I'm ashamed of that car.

Threatens my image.

Why don't you get it washed?

Get in. Get in.

All right, let's check.

Shells?

Shells.

Your Beretta?

My Beretta.

Your .38?

My .38.

Flares?

Six flares.

Tear gas grenades?

Tear gas grenades.

One, two, three, four.

Shotgun?

Shotgun.

Racked and loaded.

Two radios?

Two radios with fresh batteries.

S'all right?

S'right.

Uh, flashlight?

One flashlight.

And the book?

And the book.

Okay, let's get out of here.

Zebra Three here.

Go ahead, Zebra Three.

Show us out and
about at 1600 hours.

10-4, Zebra Three.

How'd it go with
Cindy last night?

Acceptable.

Acceptable.

You still seeing
what's-her-name?

Sure.

Still seeing what's-her-name.

Took her to the whatchamacallit,

and gave her my thingamajig.

I didn't know it
was that serious.

It's not...

but that might be.

Hmm?

Oh, that's a familiar face.

Coley.

Thought he was in
the junk one to five.

Coley,

Coley, Coley, Coley.

"Was" is the word.

Paroled two months ago.

Put that in your pocket,
you pull out a stump.

What are you two
guys doing around here?

We work here, Coley,

only our work is legal.

Now, why don't you

give that nice man
back his wallet?

Uh, pardon me, sir.

Did you, uh, drop your wallet?

Oh, yeah.

Hey, this is mine.

Let's take a walk.
Hey, thank you.

Let me give you a little
something for your trouble.

No, no. Keep it.

Thank you. Thank you.
Hey, how about that?

A great big city like this...

I thought we had
an understanding,

Coley.

You disappointed me.

You promised

you'd never work in our district

while we were here, remember?

Now, why did you
go back on your word?

It's not nice

to go back on your word, Coley.

All right, spread them out.

You know how to do this.

That's immoral, Coley.

I would hate

to close the door
on our relationship.

Come on, fellas, let me go, huh?

Now, I promise, I
won't work your...

your district at all.

Straight.

Okay? I promise.

It'll take you a whole
day to book me.

Why do you want
to waste your time,

a whole day,

to book a two-bit
canner like me?

You don't want to do that,

do you?

Coley?

Next time you put your hand

in somebody else's pocket,

the two of you
better be engaged.

Ain't today the 17th?

All day, Coley.

Somebody's birthday?

No.

Coley must be
taking hormone shots.

He never would have
crossed us like that

a year ago.

What's with this date thing?

Since when did it make
any difference to Coley

what day he picked
somebody's pocket?

Captain Dobey.
Captain Dobey, I...

I'm here.

Captain Dobey,

I appreciate your
coming down here

on your day off.

Oh, don't misunderstand,
Counselor.

I'm here, but I am not happy.

I was enjoying doing
what I was doing

when I got your call,

and my son was enjoying it too.

Well, I don't know if I
can make you happy,

Captain,

but I doubt that
you'll be bored.

It concerns two of your men.

Detectives Starsky
and Hutchinson.

Yeah, what about
Starsky and Hutch?

Well, our office has
reason to believe

that someone is
trying to kill them.

All right, what's bugging you?

I'm starting to feel like
salt in the sugar bowl.

Still can't get over Coley.

How surprised he was to see us.

He ain't the only one.

That hooker on Third...

Creepy Charlie...

and the other one.

They all acted like we
were from another planet.

Maybe somebody put the
word out that we got transferred.

Hey,

everybody can't think
we were transferred.

Maybe not, but check 2:00.

Fat Rolly thinks so.

Spotted us and took right off.

Hey, you think we've
got ring around the collar?

Probably be the same thing

that's got everybody
else so uptight.

Zebra Three, come in please.

Zebra Three, come in.

What do they want?

Zebra Three here. What is it?

Zebra Three,

the following from
Captain Dobey.

He wants you back in here,

urgent and immediate.

Dispatch,

you'd better say that again.

Our radio's been acting up.

Roger, Zebra Three.
The following message...

Sometimes we can't
hardly make out a thing.

Zebra Three, I repeat...

Hey, how's it going, Rolly?

Great, Hutch.

Yeah, super sensational.

How's it going
with you guys, huh?

Fine, Rolly, fine.

Here's your dime.

Thanks.

So anxious to talk to us,

you couldn't wait

to finish your
conversation, huh?

Yeah.

Well, uh...

I forgot the number.

In the middle of dialing?

That's a little
unusual, isn't it, Rolly?

Dig that.

I mean, I can
take looks like this

from one or two people,

but this is getting out of hand.

All right, folks. All right.

It's time we set up

some new lines of
communication here.

Now, you all know
me and Hutch...

That's Hutch

over there with Fat Rolly...

And you all know we're cops.

And we know you know.

And we know that
you don't like us,

but gang, that's the way it is.

Come here, green eyes.

So, all day long,

everybody's been looking at us,

like we were
Lazarus the day after,

and it's starting to get to us.

You follow?

So that's the question.

What's so special

about two cops
patrolling the same district

they've been patrolling
for the past three years?

Now, somebody in here
has got the answer...

Come on, wake up.

Wake up.

And that's what
we want to find out.

See?

So...

Thank you.

Charlie.

If each one of you
will be good enough

to write down what you
think might be the answer...

No names are necessary,

25 words or less will do.

Neatness and originality

will be taken into
consideration.

What's for first prize?

100,000 units of
penicillin, sweetheart.

Share it with your friends.

You know, Starsk,

we'll have to close
this place down,

we don't get what
we're looking for.

Close it down? On what grounds?

Public Safety Code 2377 says

every open sewer has
to have a manhole cover.

Thank you.

All right, folks, time's up.

Thank you, blondie.

Very good.

Does your mommy know
you use language like this?

Thanks for the pencil, Charlie.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Oh, everybody's being so nice.

There you go, Rolly.

Well, let's see
what we've got here.

French. That's good.

What is this, a bus stop?

Ah.

Here it is.

Pay dirt.

Says I was supposed
to have been wasted

last night.

Yeah, it says it in ink...

just like the pen I
loaned Fat Rolly.

Really?

Come on, Come on.
What are you guys pulling?

You said no names.

I didn't say that. He said it.

You win first prize, Dumbo.

Come on.

Okay, Rolly,

who was supposed to kill me?

I don't know, Starsky.

On my mother's
life, I don't know.

You don't have a mother.

You were found in a garbage can

behind Weight Watchers.

Again, who?

I don't know. Really.

Just that...

that everybody
heard that there was

a contract out on you,

that it was supposed
to be last night.

I don't know who
or what or where.

It was just...

You know, it was just a rumor.

Yeah.

Why don't you
have a drink, Rolly?

Go on. Thanks, Hutch.

You know something, Starsk? Hmm?

I don't think that Rolly here

is being completely
honest with us.

No. Really?

Oh, come on. Would
I lie to you guys?

I don't know, because
when you saw us,

you headed straight
for that phone,

and I sure as hell
would like to know

who you were talking to.

Yeah, I was calling my bookie.

Yeah? Have another drink.

No kidding?

What were you betting on?

Basketball game.
Lakers and Knicks.

Hmm.

What kind of spread
did he give you?

Knicks, plus four.

Not bad.

How'd you know that, Rolly,

when you didn't
complete the call?

You know,

there's something
you ought to know

about Starsky and me.

We're not like most partners.

You know, usually,
there's the...

there's the one guy
who's kind of folksy.

And who wants the
best for everybody.

The Pat O'Brien kind of guy.

Yeah. Yeah.

And then there's the other guy.

The rough 'em up,
hard-nosed kind of guy.

Well, that doesn't work
for Starsky and me.

See, we're both
hard-nosed, Rolly,

and we don't like it

when people don't give
us everything we want.

I'm telling you

all that I'm going to tell you.

Okay, Rolly.

I'm afraid we're going to
have to put you under arrest.

Under arrest? What for?

Open drunkenness.

You've had over six scotches

in five minutes.

Get over here!

Come on, huh?

Hey, that didn't take long.

Ah, you'd think

he was being booked
for the first time.

Screamed like a stuck pig.

Hey, Starsk.

What?

Hey, that's just like my car.

It's no wonder they
were surprised to see you.

Looks like they
got it point blank.

Sure didn't take any
chances on missing.

That is a stinking crime.

Trying to kill you, you mean?

Yeah.

Not to mention screwing
up a great car like that.

We have reason to believe

that someone tried to
kill Detective Starsky

last night,

and according

to the Internal Affairs report,

the Torino was stolen

in the Ottawa Hills
section of town,

and then driven
out to the beach,

where the murders occurred.

It's the I.A.'s contention
that they spotted the car

and thought Starsky
here was out with a girl.

He, uh, has that reputation,

as we all know,

and then they
followed the Torino

and killed the two young people,

thinking they were
getting Starsky.

Wait a minute.

Who is "they"?

Someone hired by Frank Tallman

to stop you from
testifying against him

at the trial Wednesday morning.

I know it sounds like
a long shot, Captain,

just because the car involved

was the same as
Starsky here drives.

I'm Hutch.

He's Starsky.

Well, anyway,

what Henderson
is trying to point out

is that you're not the only
one to drive that kind of car.

No, I'm not,

but it's not exactly
a Model T either.

Not with that paint job,

and the shocks
set it up on its nose

more than most.

I'd say

it might be a case
of mistaken identity,

but, uh...

it wouldn't be Tallman.

Together,

your testimony can convict him

of eight counts of bribery.

Don't you think that's
sufficient motive?

Yeah.

Yeah, I think that's
sufficient motive.

I also think he's
sufficiently bright

not to try to get
at us that way.

Then who else?

Who else?

Who else?

The Coleman brothers.

They'd mulch us if
they got the chance.

Hey, what about that
guy with the bad breath?

You know? With the... Yeah.

Uh, Pucker. Pucker.

Pucker. He'd take a shot.

What about the Clancy brothers?

Yeah.

They might take a crack
at splashing us again.

Yeah, and Poindexter...

All right, fellas. Knock it off.

Look, one thing is definite.

I want you two
men off the street

till after Tallman's trial,

for your own good.

Look, Counselor,

our department has a
schedule to meet too.

Maybe you don't know that,

and there's a lot of places
these guys got to be.

For openers,

we have a very important

narco stakeout to run,

and it's taken six months

to set it up,

and besides all that,

I'll tell my men
in this department

when to go,

and I'll tell them where.

Now look, Captain...

Yeah?

And you said

he was just another pretty face.

All right, I'll tell him that.

Drunk you just busted.

The bondsman is
processing him out now,

Mike said you wanted
to know about it.

Got it.

I'll cover him. Let's
exchange cars.

You get your car. Gotcha.

Nice to have met
you, Mr. Henderson,

and Lieutenant Steele,

always a laugh talking to you.

No, wait! Just a minute!

Will that be all?

Yeah.

May I ask why
you're changing cars?

Sure.

To let whoever it is
know that it didn't work.

Hey.

You see, what you
guys don't realize

is that Hutch and me

are willing to get
burned out in the street,

but it would hurt like hell if
we lost sitting on our tails.

Yeah, who's this?

Charlie,

I want to leave a
message for Huggy Bear.

Yeah, would you tell him

that Starsky and Hutch want
to see him tomorrow night.

Yeah.

No, he'll know where and when.

That's Hutch and Starsky.

Thank you.

Calling your
bookie again, Rolly?

No, no.

Calling my mother.

I wanted her to
know I might be, uh...

a little bit late for din-din.

What's wrong?

I don't know.

It's like when I was married.

Nancy and I'd go out
and we'd leave the house.

She'd go running back,

sure she'd left
the water running

or something...

And?

And I get that feeling
about Fat Rolly.

He did something.

He said something
that wasn't right,

and I'll be damned

if I know what it is,

but I saw it.

I was there and I saw it.

Fix my mirror, will you?

Yeah.

Hello?

It's me.

I've got more instructions.

Yeah?

You've got to do
it one more time.

When?

I'll tell you...

I'll tell you when and where

later.

All right. You got it.

All right. Bye-bye.

You'd better stop packing.

We've got to do it again.

We've got to do it again?

Yeah, we've got to do it again.

Not much of a take
today, huh, Lijah?

Not enough to keep
body and soul together.

Yeah, well, I guess
there aren't a lot of people

who'd like to think the
end of the world is coming.

I think it's already happened,

brother,

and we're all in hell.

Lijah?

Just in case,

put in a good word
for us, will you?

You didn't have to do that.

I know.

Take it easy, Lijah.

Charles? Charles? I...

I'll buy you some
coffee, Charles.

I...

I'll treat you to some coffee.

It's a toilet bowl.

That's what it is.

What are you talking about?

This.

What we do, where we do it.

You and me are like little
bugs, waiting to crawl up,

and every time we
try, someone flushes.

Yeah, well,

you and me can be thankful

that we're a couple of
bugs who know how to swim.

Yeah...

especially since we've
got a shark on our tail.

You think he's following us?

Let's find out.

How about that alley?

That's a fine idea, Ollie.

He's still with us.

I think he probably
wants to make friends.

You get the driver!

Get out of there.

Come out here. Come out here.

Who are you and
what do you want?

Take it easy.

He's got a message for you.

What is it?

Tallman,

he wants to meet with you.

When? Why?

I don't know why,
but the word is now.

Is this the Tallman residence?

We're Starsky and Hutch.

We've got an appointment

with Mr. Tallman.

Uh, he's Hutch, I'm Starsky.

Hello.

I'm Mr. Hutchinson,
this is Mr. Starsky.

We're expected.

He's right here.

All right, that's far enough.

Joseph,

Mr. Starsky and Mr. Hutchinson.

Would you please
take off your clothes?

Uh, why do we have
to take off our clothes?

Because Mr. Tallman
is in the steam bath

and he expects
you to join him there.

See,

if you got no clothes on,

Mr. Tallman knows

you're not wired for sound.

Mr. Tallman doesn't like people

who are wired for sound.

Well, there goes
his political career.

If you don't mind,

we'll just take your hardware.

Not nice, Joseph.

Not nice.

Now, tell me,

where is this steam room?

Door...

three.

Thank you.

You know,

my mother always used to tell me

to wear clean underwear,

in case I was
ever in an accident,

so I wouldn't shock the nurses.

As I recall,

this particular situation

didn't enter into
the conversation.

Would either of you
like anything to drink?

Uh, no, thank you, ma'am.

We're on... We're on duty.

Couldn't tell, honey.

You ain't wearing a badge.

Nice, huh?

You see?

Crime does pay.

Mr. Tallman?

Yeah.

Mr. Tallman,

does it pay enough

to make you want to kill us?

No,

but crime creates wealth
and wealth begets envy,

and someone who envies me

is attempting to frame
me with your murder.

Well, we haven't
been murdered yet,

so, uh, you're in the clear.

I know.

I know,

but they'll try again.

Cigar?

No, thanks.

No, thank you very much.

Havana.

Oh.

Yes, they'll try again.

Some time.

Today, tonight,

because if they kill
you after the trial,

I don't have a motive

and they can't frame me,

and that's what this
is really all about.

In other words,

we'll be dead, and you'll
be the injured party?

Exactly.

But Mr. Tallman,

you know damn well

that if we testify against
you in court tomorrow,

you're in for a very heavy fall.

Not really.

Let me tell you
how it will work.

If you testify, I
will be found guilty,

because as we all
know, I am guilty,

but then

my lawyers will ask
the judge to fix bail,

which will be an outrageous sum,

but not so outrageous that I...

I couldn't pay it,

so I'll be home in
time for cocktails,

then my lawyers will appeal,

and the appeal will be denied,

then they will appeal higher up,

then that appeal will be denied.

Very shortly,

this case will drag
through the courts

for five or six years.

Now I'm 61.

I have high blood pressure.

My father died at 58.

By any actuarial projections,

I won't make it to 65,

so you see,

the courts will find me guilty
two years after I'm dead.

I think I'll be able to
weather the disgrace of it all.

So help us stay alive
so you don't get framed.

Tell me,

you know a team

of hit men,

two guys who work
together at point blank range?

Yes, I do.

What are their names?

Ah, no, no, no, no, no.

I wouldn't give you their names.

They didn't do it,

because if they did,

you'd be dead.

You're that sure?

That sure...

and more,

so why don't you
spend the night here

and tomorrow morning

we'll have a big breakfast

and go to the trial together?

And there's no way

they could blame
me for your murder.

Oh, thank you very
much, Mr. Tallman,

but we've got appointments.

Gentlemen...

are these appointments
worth dying for?

Even dying's a living.

Yes, sir. Yeah.

They're all ready.

Yeah.

Right.

Move over.

Yeah, okay. Hold on.

"423 North Elm."

Yeah, I got it.

Okay.

All right,

they're all yours.

Right now?

Oh, geez.

You know, I'm never going
to see the end of this picture.

Are you sure they're
going to be there?

Are you kidding?

Starsky and Hutch
miss a narco bust?

Uh-uh.

Listen, Cannell. Listen to this.

"Thy hand, great Anarch,
lets the curtain fall,

and universal
Darkness buries all."

That's terrific.

It's Voltaire, 1744.

I knew that.

Gesundheit.

Thanks.

What's he doing, Starsky?

Looks like he's
waiting for somebody.

Well, so are we.

Hey, remind me to thank Dobey
for keeping us on the streets.

He didn't say anything
about monsoons, that fink.

How about that
I.A. creep, Steele?

Now there's a beaut.

I'll bet he's smart enough

to stay out of this rain.

And I'll bet you 20 he's
in some doll's house,

warm and snug,

like our friend up on
the second floor there.

You think he's got
the stuff up there?

If he does, we can't prove it

or even get enough
cause to get a warrant.

We've got to nail him with it.

Well, I hope it's soon, buddy.

I think I'm shrinking.

Oh!

Hey, look at those legs.

Where? Oh, yeah.

Come on,

I'm taking you to
your favorite tree.

Ooh. Brr. Whoo!

The ugly one's yours.

Naturally.

Ooh, it's pouring.

Come on.

Come on, Tiger.

This is your favorite
tree, now. Hurry up.

Hey, Starsky, you're
not going to believe this,

but they found
their favorite tree.

It's me.

Will you stop fooling around?

Go on, Tiger.

Get out of here.

I'm not looking, so hurry up.

Go get 'em, Tiger.

You want to be naughty? Go on.

Okay, come on,

but you better not
wake me up later.

Aren't you glad
she sold her pony?

Ha-ha.

Starsky, check your left.

We've got company.

You make him?

I know our book
from front to back.

He ain't in it.

Bingo.

Is he carrying anything?

No.

Not that I can tell.

I don't think they made a pass.

Then how are they
going to get the junk out?

Patience, patience.

I don't know.

Here comes Santa Claus,

and I think he's
carrying our present.

What do you think?

Beats the hell out of me.

I guess we wait.

Not very long.

Check the upper balcony.

Cute. Real cute.

Police! Freeze!

You, hold it!

Hold it!

Come on out of there.

Mayday!

One of you men, call the police!

Wonder who he is?

Was.

How much longer
you guys going to be?

Why?

Well, 'cause you're
not the only ones

with a job to do, you know?

Like, uh, what should I do
about the swimming pool?

You think the filter
will handle it all?

Handle what all?

Blood. All that blood's

liable to throw that
chemical balance off

something fierce.

I don't know nothing
about swimming pools.

You're a cop, ain't you?

I figured you know
all about blood.

Uh, the...

the telephone's over there

if you want to call headquarters

and it's probably
on the switchboard,

but you've got
to dial eight first.

Yeah. Thank you. Fine.

Damn.

What?

That's it.

That's what Fat Rolly didn't do.

He didn't dial for
an outside line.

What are you talking about?

When Fat Rolly was released,

he made a phone call,

but he didn't dial eight

for an outside line.

He dialed four numbers.

Now don't you see?

That's an extension
inside the building.

Well, maybe he made a mistake.

No. No way.

He's been in that slammer

more times than he can remember.

He knows what you've got
to do to get an outside line.

Well, he could have
forgotten, you know.

He was under a lot of pressure.

Sure.

Sure, he was under
a lot of pressure.

He knows who
the trigger men are,

and he knows

there's somebody
in the department

that's setting us up.

What are you building?

Nobody in the department's
setting anything...

How did they know

we had taken over
on the stakeout?

We called it in to headquarters,

that's how they know,

and somebody's feeding
them our whereabouts

every time we call it in.

Wait a second.

What you're saying

is that Captain
Dobey or Henderson

or Dobey and Henderson

or Dobey and Steele

or Henderson and Steele

or any one of nine
million other guys

who might be trying to kill us

has got a direct pipeline
to the department?

That's right. That's right.

Who we supposed
to report this to?

I mean, who in the hell
are we supposed to trust?

The same people we always trust.

Us.

You believe it?

What?

No rain.

Yeah, it's clear as a bell.

Couldn't have stopped
two hours ago, huh?

Hey, Starsky.

Yeah?

Maybe somebody's
trying to tell us something.

Let's hope it's Huggy Bear,

or we're in a lot of trouble.

Hey.

Isn't that the chick
we busted last week?

Yeah.

She didn't say she
was a movie star.

Hey, I know that guy
with the brown socks.

Shh.

What does he think
this is? An art museum?

Excuse me.

You know something, Starsky?

Hmm?

She looked better dressed.

Here comes Huggy.

What it is?

What's happening?

Huggy,

we thought maybe
you could tell us...

About what?

Well, let's start at the top.

Do you know two hit men,

probably imported recently,

that tried to burn us?

And anything else

you might happen to know

about Dobey or Henderson

or Steele

or any other brother cops

that might be moonlighting

as bad guys?

Starsky,

I don't like to talk
to cops about cops.

Huggy,

they tried to kill us.

Us.

They tried to put
holes in our bodies

where our bodies

were not intended to have holes,

so will you talk to us now?

Huh?

Dobey's a pretty good cop,

but he likes the
ponies too much,

but he ain't on the take,

and besides,

he won't try to lay off
or anything like that.

What about Henderson?

Henderson?

Henderson has got too
much bread to be on the take.

Besides,

he's engaged to some
pretty high-class money.

The D.A.'s thing
is like slumming,

as far as he's concerned.

Henderson's eye
is on higher office.

Hey, can't you dig that?

How do they do that?

They... Did you...

Huggy.

What about Steele?

Steele?

He's a pretty bad cat, man.

I mean, he is very fond
of a few working girls

in the district,

and let me tell you,

he don't care for you two guys

at all.

Yeah, well, he hasn't
kept that a secret.

Huggy, what about the hit men?

The only two new
guys I heard about

were Zane and Cannell,

but if they were after you,
they would have got you.

Huggy, we owe you.

Get it on, mama.

You know...

Tallman said the same thing

about those hit men.

So?

I'll tell you something, Hutch.

When I was in high school,

I played defensive back

for the football team,

and by the end of the season,

we were unbeaten,

and the team we were playing

was unbeaten.

You got a dime?

Yeah.

And they had a black kid

playing end for them.

Um, what was his name...

He ran 100 in 9.9.

I couldn't keep up with him

if I was riding on a cannonball,

so the thing was,

I couldn't afford

to let this kid
sucker me in, okay?

And they kept

sending this kid
out into my area.

He'd go, whoosh, running by me

and I'd go running after him,

and then I'd stop
to listen, Hutch,

because there's a sound

that the crowd makes

when the ball's in the air.

It's kind of like 10,000 people

getting hit in the
gut at the same time.

Hello.

Mr. Tallman, please.

Detective Starsky
here, and it's urgent.

And he'll want to be woken.

Right. Thanks.

And I could tell by that sound

that the ball was in the air

and that I'd been suckered.

Mr. Tallman?

Yeah, Detective Starsky here.

One quick question.

Those two guys you
said couldn't miss us...

Their names, are
they Zane and Cannell?

Thank you.

I just heard that sound, Hutch.

We've been suckered.

What do you mean?

Everybody says those
two guys couldn't miss.

Okay.

I say they don't miss
unless they're supposed to.

Why were they supposed to miss?

Because whoever it was
wanted to kill not you and me,

but one or both
of those two kids

that did get splashed.

Nobody's investigating
those two murders,

'cause they've got
everybody believing

that it was a case
of mistaken identity.

There are two dead bodies

down there in the
coroner's cooler

that nobody gives a damn about.

They were never after you.

Never.

Well, do you buy it?

I buy it.

Well, let's see. 16.

16, 16...

Oh, here we are.

Neat little figure she had.

I wonder what her
face looked like.

I tell you,

these young people today

are really something...

Was identification made

through her fingerprints?

Yes, sir.

Patricia Talbot,

age 19, female, Caucasian.

We used to call them "white."

I can remember back in 1941...

The autopsy turn anything up?

Well, only that she was killed

with a heavy
weapon at close range

and she was two months pregnant.

No wedding or engagement ring.

You fellas seen enough?

Yeah.

Thank you.

Can we see her personal effects?

Oh, I don't think so.

Her roommate was checking
them out at the front desk

when you two pulled in.

She's probably gone by now.

Oh, miss? Uh, miss?

Are you Patricia
Talbot's roommate?

Yeah.

Are those her personal effects?

Why?

Police officers, ma'am.

We'd like to take a
look at 'em, please.

Well, I don't know.

I mean, I signed a
receipt for them back there.

Miss, let me try to
explain something to you...

Uh, miss, uh...

What's your name?

Kneble.

Gretchen Kneble.

Well, Miss Kneble...

Ms.

Uh, Ms. Kneble,

we never knew Patricia,
but she was murdered,

and we'd like to
find out who did it.

I think that makes
us her friends too.

Lots of cops say
things like that.

Uh, yeah.

A lot of cops also say, "Oh,
what a beautiful morning,"

but I hope you
know the difference

between the ones that
really know the melody

and those that are
just saying the words.

Well...

Thank you.

Hey, how come the police
didn't hang on to Patty's stuff?

That's a good
question, Gretchen.

Why didn't the police

hold on to Patty's stuff?

Hey, Starsky. Hmm?

I got a notion. Tell me.

We've just been assuming

the department ran makes
on the two kids that were killed.

What if they didn't? On my way.

And check on Zane
and Cannell too.

Gotcha.

Got to dial eight
for an outside line.

Thank you.

Were you close personal
friends with Miss Talbot?

Nah.

They just assigned us.

We didn't take the same
courses or anything.

I'm a phys ed major.

She was taking pre-law.

Yeah, I want a priority one make

on the following individuals.

Patricia Talbot, deceased.

Mm-hmm.

You said pre-law, right?

Yeah. Not that she was a
big book drudge, though,

but because lawyers are rich

and she said she always
wanted a rich husband.

She said that, huh?

And me, I prefer a
guy that's physically fit.

You know what I mean?

There's probably a long one

on both Zane and Cannell.

Yeah, probably both a red file.

Gretchen, do they ever have

guest instructors
at the university?

Hmm, hardly ever in phys ed.

How about pre-law?

I don't know.

I take phys ed.

Oh, yeah.

What's this?

Uh...

class schedule.

It's Henderson.

Yeah, it's Henderson.

How'd you know that?

Well, I don't know how
he got to the girl, but...

I do. I do. Listen to this.

Thanks, Gretchen. Thank you.

He instructs a class

that she took twice a week.

Okay.

Love happens.

She blooms.

She won't go away.

She won't get rid of the kid.
He's got a marriage coming up.

He's got to get rid of the girl.

What about Zane and
Cannell? What did you find out?

He had them up on murder
two. That's a tight rap.

Charges were dropped
on recommendation of...

guess who?

District Attorney Henderson.

The kid. The kid
who stole the Torino.

What about him?

On probation at request of...

Henderson.

So, he gets the
kid to steal the car...

Uh-huh.

And drive the girl
down to the beach,

where he's got Zane and Cannell
waiting for them to kill them.

And Henderson gets
everyone in the department

thinking that I was
the intended victim.

The Tallman trial has
nothing to do with this.

That's right.

The whole thing,

backing each other up,
corroborating evidence,

it's all hogwash.

That was all a front
just to get rid of the girl.

It fits.

It fits. It all fits.

I heard that sound, Hutch.

The ball's in the air.

There's our boy.

Good morning, Charles.

Morning, Miss Forsythe.

Good morning.

Oh, Mr. Henderson,

there's a message for you
here somewhere. Oh, here it is.

A Mr. Zane Cannell called
about half an hour ago.

He said he must renegotiate

for a new trial.

Oh, uh, thank you.

Oh, we should have
stuck with my car.

If he starts to take off,

we'll never stick
with him in this tub.

I mean, you know
what happens to us

if this doesn't work?

It'll work. It'll work.

Come on. Come on.

He's getting too far ahead.

We've got to bust the light.

Come on. Right.

Will you look at that guy?

I wonder what colors
he don't like besides red.

Let's get him.

Starsky, I don't believe it.

Oh, boy.

Yeah, will you tell those yo-yos

who we are?

A lot of good
that's going to do.

Hey!

Hold it.

We're cops.

Are you ready for this?

Okay?

I'm sorry, Sergeant Hutchinson.

Look, I'm Starsky,

he's Hutch.

We're never going to get
them now. We lost them.

It's all right.

I got him two blocks
up on the left. The hotel.

I'll take the back.
Stay in touch.

I'm at the back.

Elevator's heading up.

I'm taking the stairs.

I've got the fire escape.

He's on his way to three.

He's yours on four.

On my way to five.

I'm coming.

He's headed for the next floor.

Passing five.

Looks like there's only
a couple more stories.

Remember how I
said it was a toilet?

Yeah.

Well, somebody
up there's flushing.

Past six.

Seven's the lucky number.

Seven. Seven.

Come on, seven.

Thank God.

Who is it?

Henderson. Let me in.

Making me come here was stupid.

You two are dumb.

Look, Prissy, you told us

to contact you through Fat Rolly

and that's what we did.

Then who sent me the note?

What note?

He's inside. Where are you?

In position, Starsk.

Police, open up!

You lousy shyster creep!

Get over there.

Hold it, police!

Use him to block.

You set?

Set.

No, wait! Don't fire!

They're in the elevator,

heading down!

Move!

They're headed for the garage!

Gotcha.

Hey, Frankie. What's happening?

What happened to the car?

Hey, Frankie, don't criticize.

Custom job like
this takes hours.

It ain't cheap.

Neither is running a gym.

Hey, Hutch?

Here's your bill.

Pay the man.

Not again.

I owe you.

I don't even belong to this gym.

Well, I'll make it
up to you, Starsk.

I'll take you to dinner.

Can't afford it.

Besides, I can't stand

soybean steaks
and wheat germ pies.

They're good for you.

Hey, I know this
great chili place.

The chili is so hot, it
makes your ears smoke.

You feel it going
all the way down.

That's how you
know it's so good.

Sounds terrific.

Well, look, it's on Broadway

and it's kind of hard to find,

so you're going to have
to follow me, dig? Hmm?

Yeah, I'll follow you. Good.

Hey, Hutch.

You wouldn't...

No, I'll follow you, Starsk.

Trust me.

I'll follow you.

Hey, you'll love it.

Hey, man!

Wait! Wait!