ROUTE 66: WHERE THERE'S A WILL, THERE'S A WAY {SERIES FINALE} {PART 2 OF 2} (TV)
Summary
The finale of this series of dramas about the adventures of two young men who travel across the country in a Corvette.
A large-scale search ensues for Tod, but he is nowhere to be found. Lincoln and Margo are at the scene, and he tries to give her some small comfort. Michael proposes that he and his three siblings divide Alexander’s estate equally among the four of them. Margo arrives with Lincoln and the police, accusing them of ordering Tod to be murdered. Lincoln recognizes Michael as the “general” who tried to send him off to South America. The family contests Margo and Lincoln’s accusations and Margo explains the circumstances of the past week to the police officer. However, her story does not constitute sufficient proof for the police to investigate the family further. Tod, alive and well, sneaks into Lincoln’s hotel room and is attacked when Lincoln mistakes him for an intruder. He soon realizes who he is and discovers that Tod somehow survived his fall, although he blames Margo for the incident. Lincoln reveals that he was nearly arrested in South America but was released when he gave away Michael’s location to the authorities. Lincoln tries to convince Tod that Margo did not plan his assassination and that her grief over him was genuine. Tod rushes off to save Margo when he realizes that her life may be endangered via her family members.
They meet with Monty and ask him not to reveal that Tod is still alive, as well as for his help in getting revenge on the Tiffin family for attempting to kill him. He will not aid them but agrees not to tell them about Tod; he says that Margo is boarding a flight back to Houston at that very moment and they rush to see if they can catch her. They find her at the airport and she is overjoyed to see Tod alive. Margo returns to the Tiffin residence, claiming that she will drop her accusations in hopes of receiving Alexander’s estate. Meanwhile, Tod and Linc put out a want ad in the local paper, claiming to be a pair of foreign naturalists looking to pay handsomely for a wildlife guide. Leon makes a secret deal with Monty to purchase a large tract of swampland from him. He also claims that if he receives Alexander’s fortune, he will make a provision in his own will to give the money to help protect various endangered African animals. Samantha makes her own attempts to win over Monty by preying on his affections for her. Leon sees Tod and Linc’s want ad and becomes interested.
Monty takes Samantha back to his trailer home for a date, and she tries to conceal her disgust at his home. He believes she is only interested in him due to his role as executor of Alexander’s estate, but she convinces him that she is unhappy with her life working at a European diamond exchange and that she wants to be able to stay in Florida. They both become inebriated and play horseshoes together until Samantha passes out. Leon takes Tod and Linc, both in disguise, on a riverboat tour. They get into a discussion about the surrounding land and Leon believes he can sell it to them, trying to convince them of its worth. During the demonstration, Leon becomes trapped in thick mud and is apparently eaten by alligators.
Samantha tells Margo that she and Monty are to be married. Otis attempts to convince Monty to give Alexander’s money to him, hinting that has friends in the KGB and could do much to accomplish “world peace” if he had the money. Monty tells Otis about his upcoming marriage to Samantha, much to Otis’s displeasure. Margo tells Tod and Linc, disguised as South American revolutionaries, about Monty and Samantha’s impending marriage, but they assure her that the situation is well in hand. Linc and Tod visit Michael and try to convince him that they are fellow soldiers from one of Michael’s old campaigns. They request his leadership and a supply of weapons to aid in their latest struggle. They convince him to make travel arrangements to go back to their country and lead the people once more; unbeknownst to him, the local authorities have vowed to kill him if he steps foot there again as retaliation for faking his own demise. Michael tries to use this as leverage to sway Monty by offering him presidency of the country in exchange for the money, but Monty is unmoved.
Otis visits Tod and Linc while they are preparing to trick him in a similar manner, and Tod decides to reveal that he is alive to him. Otis enters along with a pair of Russian sailors, and informs them that one of his earlier scams has been uncovered and he is being ordered to report back to Russia to face punishment. He also informs them that the Russian government has decided to return Tod’s car. Tod offers his signature for official documents as Otis is dragged away by the sailors. Monty and Samantha are married, and they meet with Tod and Margo for the final decision regarding the appropriation of Alexander’s estate. Monty reasons that he cannot give it to Otis, Michael, or Leon, and that Tod and Margo have no real need of the money. He also says he cannot give it to Samantha, as “it wouldn’t look right” since she is now his wife. He decides to give the money to Interpol, and Samantha faints and is carried off by Monty. Linc tells Tod that he’s going back home to Texas, and that they must part ways now. He takes one last look at the car as he packs Tod and Margo’s things, and walks away alone. Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: CBS
- DATE: March 13, 1964 8:30 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:50:04
- COLOR/B&W: B&W
- CATALOG ID: B:06146
- GENRE: Drama
- SUBJECT HEADING: Drama
- SERIES RUN: CBS - TV series, 1960-1964
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Herbert B. Leonard … Executive Producer, Created by
- Leo Davis … Producer
- Alvin Ganzer … Director
- Stirling Silliphant … Created by, Writer
- Nelson Riddle … Music by
- Martin Milner … Cast, Tod Stiles
- Glenn Corbett … Cast, Lincoln Case
- Barbara Eden … Cast, Margo
- Roger C. Carmel … Cast, Otis
- Alex Viespi … Cast, Michael
- Nina Foch … Cast, Samantha
- Patrick O'Neal … Cast, Leon
- Chill Wills … Cast, Monty Musgrave