| "Bad Medicine" | |
|---|---|
| |
| Air date | November 29th, 1974 |
| Writers | L. Ford Neale; John Huff |
| Director | Alex Grasshoff |
| Producers | Cy Chermak |
| Starring | Darren McGavin Simon Oakland |
| Episode guide | |
| Previous "The Devil's Platform" |
Next "The Spanish Moss Murders" |
"Bad Medicine" is the eighth episode of the supernatural mystery series Kolchak: The Night Stalker. It was directed by Alex Grasshoff with a teleplay written by L. Ford Neale and John Huff. It first aired on ABC on Friday, November 29th, 1974 at 8:00 pm.
Plot[]
Members of Chicago social elite are turning up dead and their Jewelry stolen..and the only clue is black bird feathers. Kolchak learns that the killer is a shapeshifting Native American sorcerer who, under a centuries old curse for trying to steal a sacred treasure, must gather precious stones. Kolchak almost becomes a victim until he tricks the shapeshifter into looking at his own reflection...the supernatural being dissolves into ashes/nothing at the sight of his own moral ugliness.
Trivia[]
As "Body Counts" go this is one of the highest in "The Night Stalker " Series:
1 auctioneer 1 chauffeur 3 wealthy women 3 ultra rich Jewelry buyers 4 Security guards
For once Kolchak is seen at the end of the episode writing and finishing his story of how 300 years of missing precious stones are recovered.
Cast[]
Starring[]
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Darren McGavin | Carl Kolchak |
| Simon Oakland | Tony Vincenzo |
Guest Stars[]
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Ramon Bieri | Joe Baker |
| Richard Kiel | The Diablero |
| Alice Ghostley | Agnes Temple |
| Victor Jory | Charles Rolling Thunder |
Co-Starring[]
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Jack Grinnage | Ron Updyke |
| David Lewis | Auctioneer |
| Marvin Kaplan | Delgado |
| Ruth McDevitt | Emily Cowles |
With[]
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| James Griffith | Schwartz |
| Dennis McCarthy | Ballistics man |
| Morris Buchanan | Guard |
| Keith Walker | 1st reporter |
| Madilyn Clark | Hostess |
Notes & Trivia[]
- Kolchak: The Night Stalker was created and developed for television by Jeff Rice.
- "Bad Medicine" and "Kolchak: Bad Medicine" both redirect to this page.
- This episode is alternatively known as "The Diablero".
- This episode is included on disc two of the Classic Television: Kolchak: The Night Stalker DVD collection.
- Director Alexander Grasshoff is credited as Alex Grasshoff in this episode.
- Actress Marilyn Clarke is credited as Madilyn Clark in this episode.
- Victor Jory is the only guest star who is identified by his character's name.
- Stunt performer Paul Baxley plays a cop on the stairs in this episode. He is uncredited for his participation in this capacity.
- The events chronicled in this episode begin on November 12th, 1974.
- Actor Dennis McCarthy is also known for playing the role of Jason McGuire on the 1960s Gothic soap opera Dark Shadows.
Quotes[]
- Carl Kolchak: F. Scott Fitzgerald once wrote, "The rich are different than you and me." They sure are. They got more money. But there wasn't enough money in the world to save some of the members of Chicago's upper crust from a fiendish force so dark, it can only be called diabolic.
....
- Carl Kolchak: [Grabbing his hat and jacket] Okay. If clothes make the reporter around here, then Carl Kolchak can play that game too!
- Tony Vincenzo: Where are you going?
- Carl Kolchak: I'm taking the rest of the afternoon off. I am going out and buy myself some new clothes, okay?
....
- Carl Kolchak: If a man dresses up like an Indian to rob the Gem Exchange, I say he's strange. If he also bring his pet coyote along, I say he's an Indian.
....
- Carl Kolchak: Doctor Temple, I seek information about Indians. Now, I don't know the difference between a Chippewa and a Chippendale...
....
- Carl Kolchak: Those prized stones, worth millions, billions, over 300 years of treasure claimed by the Diablero, the crown jewels of Queen Elizabeth, the Star Sapphire of Nicholas the First, the Firestone Diamond of Bonaparte and Josephine, to name but a few. None of them have ever turned up in any market in this world. Only one thing remains. The detectives won't admit it, of course, but somewhere, locked deep in the evidence files of the Chicago Police Department, is a handful of black feathers.