PAUL LYNDE SHOW, THE: HOWIE COMES HOME TO ROOST {SERIES PREMIERE} (TV)
Summary
The first in this comedy series starring Paul Lynde as a harried Massachusetts lawyer and father of two, trying to cope with work, family and his new son-in-law. In this episode, Paul comes home from a long day at the office and is greeted by his wife, Martha, bearing a martini and some unwelcome news: their older daughter, Barbara, has eloped with a young man named Howie. Paul is displeased by the news, although he is slightly cheered by the fact that Howie is apparently a genius who graduated college at seventeen. When he meets his new son-in-law, however, he learns that he is an eccentric who works as a golf caddy, despite his intelligence, and makes very little money, leading Martha to invite him to move into the family home. After three months, Howie still has no steady job, and Paul is further stressed by a work assignment for which he must go to a movie theatre and confirm that the owner is violating his lease by showing adult films. Once he arrives “incognito,” he is embarrassed by the explicit movie, particularly when he runs into a co-worker, Joe. However, Joe says that he might have a job for Howie, and Paul immediately accepts on his behalf.
At the office, Paul’s boss compliments his job on the cinema case, and Paul asserts his “moral commitment” to stopping the films. Howie arrives, having gotten a job in the mailroom, and when he is left alone in Paul’s office, he meets Mr. Wollner, the man renting the movie theatre. He protests that the owner cannot break his lease over the types of movies he shows, and Howie supports him, citing the Massachusetts state law on privacy. When Paul returns, Wollner stands up to him and says that he will not give in to the eviction notice. Paul is furious with Howie for ruining his case and causing him to lose a big bonus check. Later, back at home, Paul stresses over the situation until his boss suddenly arrives, congratulating him and explaining that Howie spoke to Wollner again and talked him out of showing the dirty pictures, saying that there was little market for it anymore, and causing the law firm to win its case. Dumbfounded, Paul agrees that his son-in-law did well and accepts his bonus. Howie, believing that Paul no longer wants him there, packs his things to leave and return to the Navy, but at his wife and daughter’s request, Paul grudgingly asks him to stay. He then receives a phone call from Joe saying that Howie came up with a brilliant plan to increase productivity at the office by replacing certain workers with computers—including himself, meaning that he was fired. Paul realizes that Howie may live with them for years and even start a family with Barbara in their home, and he collapses in a panic all over again. Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: ABC
- DATE: September 13, 1972 8:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:27:00
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:50322
- GENRE: Comedy
- SUBJECT HEADING: Comedy; Fathers
- SERIES RUN: ABC - TV series, 1972-1973
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Harry Ackerman … Executive Producer
- William Asher … Producer, Director
- Ron Clark … Writer
- Sam Bobrick … Writer
- Paul Lynde … Cast, Paul Simms
- Elizabeth Allen … Cast, Martha Simms
- John Calvin … Cast, Howie Dickerson
- Jane Actman … Cast, Barbara Simms Dickerson
- Pamelyn Ferdin … Cast, Sally Simms
- Dick Van Patten … Cast, Wollner
- Hope Summers … Cast