The Fugitive (TV Series) Glass Tightrope (1963) User Reviews

most implausible episode?

[miriamwebster · 7/10 · 2 September 2007]

One of the more interesting--though implausible--episodes, if only because it breaks with the more realistic low-key template of most other segments. (As usual, viewers are still left in the dark as to how Kimball, who always works at minimum wage jobs apparently without supplying any ID or social security info, maintains a snazzy wardrobe replete with well-pressed slacks and sports coats.)

In this far-fetched (though intriguing) episode, Kimball is working as a deliveryman at a large department store who witnesses his boss accidentally kill a man when he (Kimball) goes to pick up a stag movie the department store head has shown to friends--at a public nightclub! (Since when did heads of department stores arrange porn movie screenings for their buddies--particularly in 1963? Isn't that what underlings were for?)

Later, when an elderly vagrant is arrested for the crime because he rolled the corpse, Kimball alerts police that the department store head is the real killer--but his tip is ignored because, we're told, police don't investigate leads from anonymous sources. Huh? Since when?

And, of course, the newspaper headlines ridiculously overstate the case: Instead of naming the well-known victim in the front page headline, the banner includes the name of the unknown vagrant instead of the famous deceased.

Truly ridiculous. But a welcome relief from the by-the-numbers plots of too many other episodes.

Plot summary

[ynot-16 · 8/10 · 23 December 2006]

Kimble works as a driver and stockroom clerk at Denshaw's department store. He overhears Pascoe needling Martin Rowland (actor Leslie Neilsen) about Rowland marrying the daughter of the founder of the store, Ginny Rowland (actress Diana Van der Vlis), to achieve his position at the top. When Pascoe, out in the parking lot, suggests that he has been fooling around with Ginny, Martin hits Pascoe in the face. Unfortunately, Martin is a former sports hero, and Pascoe dies from this single punch. Unknown to Martin, Kimble is a witness.

Vagabond Arthur Tibbets comes along, finds Pascoe on the ground, and steals his wallet and watch. Tibbets is arrested for murder. Kimble anonymously contacts the Rowlands to get Martin to tell the truth and clear the innocent man. Ginny, seeking to avoid embarrassment, employs Angstrom (actor Edward Binns), a former policeman and now store security chief, to get to the bottom of it and eliminate the threat to Martin and herself. Kimble should leave town, but he cannot allow an innocent man to be convicted of murder.

Kimble is positive they caught the wrong man...but what can he do?!

[planktonrules · 8/10 · 9 March 2017]

Howie is an obnoxious jerk. He begins making some very crude and suggestive remarks to his co-worker, Martin Rowland. Rowland justifiably dislikes the guy and when Howie won't shut up and starts making cracks about Rowland's wife, Martin's had enough and decks the jerk. Unfortunately, it's a heck of a punch and not only is Howie knocked out...he's DEAD!! And, the fugitive, Richard Kimble, saw it happen. What's worse, a vagrant, Mr. Tibbets, came along and picked the body of a watch and wallet...and the cops found it on Tibbets and have charged him with murder! Sure, he's a thief...but he's no killer...and Kimble is trying to figure out what to do short of exposing himself to arrest. To make any appeals to Rowland is difficult, as Mrs. Rowland figured out what happened and begs him NOT to tell the truth!

All in all, this is a very good episode...made more so because the writer had Mrs. Rowland such a cynical, conniving and awful person! I enjoyed seeing Diana Van der Vlis playing her with such gusto!!

12/3/63: "The Glass Tightrope"

[schappe1 · 7 April 2015]

Here Leslie Nielsen plays an executive with a department store who owes his position to his marriage but has worked hard at it. A fellow executive who has been drinking too much begins to mock him as someone who has had success handed to him and Nielsen decks him in a parking lot. The man hits his head against a car and dies. A panicky Nielsen drives away, leaving him there. Richard Kimble, who has a job as a delivery man, is a witness. He comes over to help the man but when he realizes he's beyond help, he decides to leave to avoid the inevitable questions. A derelict comes upon the body and takes the guys' wallet but is caught by the police He's being held for what the police presume to be am murder. Kimble, feeling that he can't turn his back on an innocent man accused of murder, starts making anonymous phone calls to Nielsen urging him to turn himself in and save the guy. Nielsen's cynical wife figures out what has happened and urges Nielsen to let the derelict get blamed for the crime.

Another really good performance by Leslie Nielsen, who long before he became a comic figure in the "Airplane" and "Naked Gun" series, was one of the finest dramatic actors on television.

Sure it's implausible.

[dukeb0y · 9/10 · 5 May 2023]

Sure it's implausible, but it is really a darned interesting episode. Again or Richard Kimble is working some low-wage job. This time it's at a store.

But what I like about these 1960s TV shows is we got a nice view of a stockroom and how people weren't so rushed back then like Amazon today haha.

Other reviewers, really did a better job in my review. But since it was directed by Ida Lupino which surprised me I thought I'd give it a watch. And I think that's where the direction really brings us episode out as a very good one.

And it's always good seeing Leslie Nielsen because I sure liked him in the old Forbidden Planet movie that was really good. And that's my review for this one.

More super-genius directing from Ida Lupino

[ColonelPuntridge · 9/10 · 11 July 2022]

Ida Lupino directs her second installment of "The Fugitive", and shows once again why they called her the "First Lady of Film Noir". She had what you might call the "Film Noir Midas touch": everything she touches turns into the stuff dreams are made of. I could write a book just about the work she did for this show, but I think I'll leave it here.

No glass tightropes were harmed, or used, in the making of this episode.

[jsinger-58969 · 10/10 · 11 July 2022]

The doc is working for a department store as a driver and stock guy when he is drawn into a sticky situation. He is picking up something, a porno film perhaps, when he witnesses an altercation that leaves a man dead. The guy had been needling Leslie Nielsen, who married the owner of the store's daughter. So Les hauls off and hits the guy, who staggers until Les leaves, and then dies. What a punch! Kimble checks on the guy and then drives off to call an ambulance. An old drunk wanders by and lifts the corpse's valuables and is then arrested. Dick sees a newspaper headline saying the guy claims to be innocent. Kimble knows he's innocent, and it brings back memories of his own plight. Even though William Conrad tells him to forget about it and move on, Kimble is made of nobler stuff, and calls Nielsen. He tells him he saw what happened and says surely you don't want to see an innocent man convicted. Nielsen says he doesn't care about the guy. And don't call me Shirley. Anyways, Kimble keeps pestering Nielsen to do the right thing. Les's wife, a real piece of work, wants him to just pay Kimble off. They get the store detective involved, and eventually he finds the wanted poster. Now, the problem here is how the cops could ever believe that the feeble old drunk could have hit the guy so hard as to kill him. But nobody, not even the brilliant Dr Kimble, questions how the drunk could have done the guy in. But in the end, Les is impressed that a convicted murderer would stick his neck out for some drunk, and calls the cops to confess his part. His wife tries to stop him, and he slaps her in the face. Fortunately, or not, she's not killed or even injured. This time, it's not a woman who helps Kimble get away, but a guy. Leslie Nielsen!

For an Innocent man likes Kimble just a matter of justice!!

[elo-equipamentos · 7/10 · 26 February 2021]

Just remember the jargon used on the beginning of all episodes, "seems ironic that Dr. Kimble is innocent" in this one applied the same premise, He knows who is the real guilty and was bearing in mind even knowing that is taking risk to expose himself for the justice given his statement as witness to save a drunk old innocent man.

The walker Kimble finds a job at department store, he witnessed an accidental death, committed by his Boss Martin Rowland (Leslie Nielsen) after be flouted concerning an unsuitable extramarital bad behavior of his wife Ginny (Dianna Van der Vlis) by the jealous and old contender Howard Pascoe (Robert Quarry), freaking out and punch Pascoe fiercely ends up knocked out, Kimble witnessing the whole thing, leaving the place quickly and warning the hospital about the man seriously wounded, when appears a boozer old man who stolen the wallet and a wrist-watch of the Pascoe, later catch nearby by the police and arraigned by the murder.

Through an anonymous phone call straight to Martin Dr. Kimble demands a full confession to save the old man of the jail, also explains and reinforces that was accidental, without further implications, Martin is about agree when enters his prideful wife pressing him to not involves in the awful case, it can blemish the family's image towards society, also Ginny tries bribe Kimble to keep his mouth shut, worst she put a former cop inquires into his past, sadly later he brings Kimble's wanted poster, nevetheless our hero isn't to sell!!

Thanks for reading.

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First watch: 2021 / How many: 1 / Source: DVD / Rating: 7.5