GLITTER DOME, THE (TV)
Summary
This made-for-television production, based on the novel of the same name by Joseph Wambaugh, is about two cops investigating a child pornography ring in Hollywood.
As the program opens, American Studios movie mogul Malcolm Sinclair is shot in his vintage Rolls-Royce. Elsewhere, Sgt. Al Mackey frequents the Glitter Dome club as he watches a report on Malcolm’s death and an interview with Malcolm’s nephew, Herman. The next day, Al and his partner Marty Wellborn are assigned to solve Malcolm’s murder by Captain Woofer, who takes exception to “punk” undercover cops Weasel and Ferret. On the way to interview Herman at American Studios, Marty tells Al about emotional problems caused by his divorce. At the studio, Herman, who has taken over for his uncle, fends off insults from actress Willie. After Al and Marty interview Herman, he invites them to a studio party with Willie. Later, the two talk to cameraman Griswold Veals, who saw Malcolm on the night he was killed, but get no new information.
At Herman’s party, Al hooks up with Willie when Marty goes home early. Al is turned off by Willie after she snorts cocaine, then insists that Al handcuff and blindfold her. Upon waking from a nightmare, Marty gets a tip from his surrogate son, snitch Elliot Raimeus, about the killer in a previously unsolved case. Al and Marty follow the lead to teenage suspect Chuey Verdugio. At jail, Chuey says he knows that Elliot fingered him. Meanwhile, Weasel and Ferret stake out ex-con Bozeman as he sells child pornography to an older couple. After a chase, Bozeman is arrested though colleague Minh Nguyen gets away. Inside Bozeman’s wallet is a phone number for American Studios. Al deduces that Bozeman was making porn films for Malcolm. Later, they find U.S. Marine Cooley, who had been recruited to star in a porn film to which Malcolm was connected.
Marty hears that Chuey has been released, after which he races to find Elliot and send him out of town. The detectives go to see bookie Farrell, another contact from Bozeman, who says that Bozeman is known on the street as “Lloyd.” Farrell says that Lloyd hooked up with his fifteen-year-old daughter, Peggy. Farrell also states that Peggy’s street name is Jill, which was the name that Cooley cited as his porn film co-star. At police headquarters, Peggy is interrogated by Al and confirms that she worked for Bozeman. Peggy’s lover, script consultant Lorna Dillman, tells Marty and Al that Peggy was propositioned to be in a child pornography film. Returning to see Griswold, Marty makes him admit that he made kiddie porno for Lloyd and Malcolm. He also gives out the location where the films were made. There, Al and Marty find the Rolls-Royce in which Malcolm was shot.
New evidence leads the pair to try to arrest Lorna for Malcolm’s murder, but she has an airtight alibi. That evening, Marty breaks down after hearing that Elliot was stabbed to death. Elsewhere, Bozeman makes a child porn film in which young Karen runs out of the studio. When Bozeman chases after her, he attracts the attention of two cops, who later collar Griswold, shoot Minh, and kill Bozeman. On his deathbed, Minh tells Al about his connection to Malcolm. Afterward, the emotionally distraught Marty drives his car over a cliff. At Marty’s funeral, Al sees Farrell, who gives him a note from Marty. Although Farrell admits that he killed Malcolm to protect Peggy, Al lets him go – following Marty’s wishes. Al returns to the Glitter Dome and runs into Willie, who read of Marty’s death, and goes to her apartment to put the case – and his sadness over Marty – behind him.
Details
- NETWORK: HBO
- DATE: November 18, 1984 8:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:34:55
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:04651
- GENRE: Drama, police
- SUBJECT HEADING: Drama, police; LGBT Collection
- SERIES RUN: HBO - TV, 1984
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Frank Konigsberg … Executive Producer
- Stuart Margolin … Producer, Director, Music by
- Justis Greene … Producer
- Barry Jossen … Associate Producer
- Stanley Kallis … Writer
- Joseph Wambaugh … Based on the book by
- James Garner … Cast, Al Mackey
- Margot Kidder … Cast, Willie
- John Lithgow … Cast, Marty Wellborn
- John Marley … Cast, Captain Woofer
- Stuart Margolin … Cast, Herman Sinclair
- Paul Koslo … Cast, Griswold Veals
- Colleen Dewhurst … Cast, Lorna Dillman
- Alex Diakun … Cast, Weasel
- Billy Kerr … Cast, Ferret
- William Taylor … Cast, Hand
- Dusty Morean … Cast, Phipps
- Christianne Hirt … Cast, Jill/Peggy Farrell
- Tom McBeath … Cast, Farrell
- Dixie Seatle … Cast, Amazing Grace
- Dale Wilson … Cast, Lloyd/Bozeman
- Julian Munoz … Cast, Elliot Reimeus
- Sal Lopez … Cast, Chuey Verdugio
- Real Andrews … Cast, Cooley
- Stephen Chang … Cast, Minh Nguyen
- Dawn Luker … Cast, Gladys
- Harvey Miller … Cast, Harvey Himmelfarb
- Erin Saunders … Cast, Eleanor St. Denis
- Alistair MacDuff … Cast, Malcolm Sinclair
- William Nunn … Cast, Detective Simon
- Preston Ford … Cast, Detective Schultz
- Christopher Martini … Cast, Danny Meadows
- Michelle Martini … Cast, Karen
- Max Martini … Cast, Steven
- Benson Fong … Cast, Wing
- Claudine Melgrave … Cast, Yacht Woman
- Colin Skinner … Cast, Yacht Man
- Clara Kamunde … Cast, Whore
- Beau Kazor … Cast, Hockey Playing Actor