CHICO AND THE MAN: LOUIE'S RETIREMENT (TV)
Summary
One in this comedy series about a cantankerous garage owner and his wisecracking Chicano assistant. In this episode, Chico prepares a gift for Louie's retirement and Ed expresses envy of his friend's newfound leisure time, though Chico feels that retirement causes one to age prematurely and lose passion for life. Louie seems content with his plans, particularly when Ed gives him a lifetime guarantee of free service for his old clunker, Rosebud, though he is less pleased when he meets his inept replacement, a former stockbroker who does not share his finesse for garbage-collecting. Louie soon takes to hanging around the garage and annoying Ed and Chico with his offers to help them with their work, clearly not ready to "just relax."
After three days, Ed is desperate to oust the meddling retiree from the garage, and Chico attempts to distract Louie with suggestions of interesting things to do elsewhere. When Louie's pal Bernie comes in for a wax, a service that Ed does not ordinarily offer, Ed finally kicks Louie out, prompting an offended Louie to declare their long friendship over. Chico, upset at the conflict, tries to force Ed to apologize to his friend and eventually drags him to Louie's apartment with flowers, but both parties stubbornly stand their grounds. Later, Louie arrives at the garage and announces that he is headed to Palm Springs for vacation, and he is touched when Ed voices his concerns about his safety in making the long drive in the notoriously unreliable Rosebud. The two make up, and Louie decides to go back to his beloved job after all. Ed then experiences a strange dream and wonders if it is a sign that he himself should consider retirement, but Chico's encouragement and a well-timed phone call from Shirley push him in another direction. Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: NBC
- DATE: March 7, 1975 8:30 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:25:11
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:47917
- GENRE: Comedy
- SUBJECT HEADING: Comedy
- SERIES RUN: NBC - TV series, 1974-1978
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- James Komack … Executive Producer, Created by, Director
- Alan Sacks … Producer
- Ray Andrade … Associate Producer
- Art Baer … Writer
- Ben Joelson … Writer
- José Feliciano … Music by
- Janna Merlyn Feliciano … Music by
- Jack Albertson … Cast, Ed Brown
- Freddie Prinze … Cast, Chico Rodriguez
- Scatman Crothers … Cast, Louie
- Damian London … Cast, Garage Man
- Herbie Faye … Cast, Bernie