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"And They Painted Daisies on His Coffin," an early 1st season episode of the original Hawaii Five-O. It begins with a rather modern situation: McGarrett's right-hand man, Danny Williams (James Macarthur), the famous "Danno" of the series, has to draw and fire his gun in a police situation. He accidentally kills the 18-year-old boy who has been shooting at him. But the kid's gun has vanished, spirited away by the dead boy's junkie girlfriend, and Danno cannot prove his story.
I watched this because it featured the first appearance of Gavin Macleod as "Big Chicken," a 3-time loser ex-con who is now a very careful fence for stolen goods -- and a drug pusher. If you have never seen Macleod in anything but his cuddly roles, like witty newswriter Murray on Mary Tyler Moore or Captain Steubing on Love Boat, you will be surprised. Macleod spent a lot of his career before the big MTM break playing criminals, and Big Chicken is particularly slimy and scary.
Chicken appears again in an episode later in this season, facing McGarrett in a prison hostage situation. I suspect there's a good reason I've remembered the episode and the character all these years.
I watched this because it featured the first appearance of Gavin Macleod as "Big Chicken," a 3-time loser ex-con who is now a very careful fence for stolen goods -- and a drug pusher. If you have never seen Macleod in anything but his cuddly roles, like witty newswriter Murray on Mary Tyler Moore or Captain Steubing on Love Boat, you will be surprised. Macleod spent a lot of his career before the big MTM break playing criminals, and Big Chicken is particularly slimy and scary.
Chicken appears again in an episode later in this season, facing McGarrett in a prison hostage situation. I suspect there's a good reason I've remembered the episode and the character all these years.