BENSON: SOLID GOLD (TV)
Summary
One in this comedy series about Benson DuBois, who manages the chaotic household of the state's honest yet inept governor. In this episode, the gang travels to Las Vegas for the Lieutenant Governor's Conference, and Kraus is excited to run into an old friend, the stage performer/hypnotist Zelda. Clayton objects to all the "disgusting" gambling going on, though he soon finds himself intrigued by a slot machine. Benson is amused to encounter two squabbling musician brothers in the elevator, and the Governor spends time with Katie as Clayton proves himself "a natural" at the tables. Kraus ushers Benson through a tiring series of engagements and functions as Clayton heads for the craps table, and when Kraus awakens an annoyed Benson for a breakfast with another governor, they are surprised to see that Clayton has begun adopting a degenerate-gambler persona.
The Governor struggles to find common ground for conversation with Katie, though he is touched when she asks to hear about his life and interests. Clayton is stunned when his luck runs out and he loses all of his winnings, and Kraus is starstruck when she runs into Bobby Vinton, "the Polish prince." Later, the gang attends Zelda's show, and when she asks for volunteers, Kraus drags a very reluctant Benson onstage. Zelda easily entrances Kraus into believing that she is once again a young fräulein in Bavaria, and though Benson is highly skeptical, he admits that he once longed to be a performer and she hypnotizes him into singing an energetic song, "Tonight It's My Party," onstage with the help of the Solid Gold dancers. Later, he claims that he does not remember the performance, leaving Kraus to wonder if he was truly hypnotized after all. Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: ABC
- DATE: November 30, 1999 8:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:25:10
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:14927
- GENRE: Comedy
- SUBJECT HEADING: African-American Collection - Comedy
- SERIES RUN: ABC - TV series, 1979-1986
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Paul Junger Witt … Executive Producer
- Tony Thomas … Executive Producer
- Rob Dames … Producer
- Bob Fraser … Producer
- Gilbert Junger … Associate Producer
- Gary Brown … Director, Co-Producer
- Susan Harris … Created by
- Bill Boulware … Writer
- George Aliceson Tipton … Music by
- Kevin Carlisle … Choreographer
- Robert Guillaume … Cast, Benson DuBois
- James Noble … Cast, Governor Eugene Xavier Gatling
- Inga Swenson … Cast, Gretchen Wilomena Kraus
- Missy Gold … Cast, Katherine 'Katie' Olivia Gatling
- Billie Bird … Cast, Mrs. Rose Cassidy
- Rene Auberjonois … Cast, Clayton Runnymede Endicott III
- Marty Allen … Cast, Blackjack Dealer
- Peter Barbutti … Cast, Craps Dealer
- Ruta Lee … Cast, Zelda
- Dick Smothers … Cast, Elevator Musician
- Tom Smothers … Cast, Elevator Musician
- Bobby Vinton … Cast, Himself