KOLCHAK PAPERS: Episode #12 - MR R.I.N.G.

Airdate: Jan 10, 1975

Directed by Gene Levitt, Written by John Huff and L. Ford Neale

Guest Cast: Julie Adams, Corinne Camacho, Bert Freed, Don “Red” Barry, Henry Beckman, Robert Easton, Maidie Norman, Bruce Powers, Craig Baxley

From IMDB: Kolchak investigates a US military backed project called R.I.N.G. (Robomatic Internalized Nerve Ganglia), which is a robot that uses deadly force to defend itself against those who would harm it.

Another one that fits completely in the X-Files mode, this one starts with a dazed Carl trying to recount what has happened to him before he completely forgets. It’s also very subdued and played very “straight”— meaning the characters are not over the top which works against the whole idea of KOLCHAK— it’s the over the top aspects that make the show great. This is Gene Levitt’s only go as director for the series and it’s very likely he didn’t quite understand what made the show so great.

Julie Adams

We’re light on ODDBALL Characters too but the guest cast has some notable folks;

Julie Adams starred in the classic CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON (1955) and she looks great here too as the widow of a murdered scientist. She’s well cast here as an upper class woman with a serious drinking problem. She’s probably the best part of the episode.

Don “Red” Barry is a security guard in this episode, in reality he was a cowboy superstar in the 40s, and he’s got a back and forth with Carl that’s worth noting.

Robert Easton is a creepy cosmetician working for a mortuary whose shop is raided by the robot who hopes to make himself a face. Easton is a face and a voice you don’t soon forget. He’s been in many things including the infamous GIANT SPIDER INVASION. He’d also been in LOST IN SPACE, GET SMART and THE BEVERLY HILLBILLIES.

There is a brief bit with the office crew at the beginning, but not enough of them or Tony Vincenzo to make up for the lack of other interesting characters, again I fault the director.

HOW’S THE POLICE OFFICIAL? Bert Freed who plays Captain Atkins here played many police, gangsters, detectives, fireman, etc over the years in everything from HANG ‘EM HIGH with Clint Eastwood to SHAFT with Richard Roundtree. He’s good here but like all of the cast in this episode he’s a bit reserved with not much to make him memorable.

HOW’S THE MONSTER? Well, it’s a man shaped Robot— his creepiest moments are when he tries using a the morticians makeup to give him a normal human face, but his body is way too much a normal man, and he doesn’t move like a robot because he’s supposed to be so advanced. This works against him, as does the track suit he decides to steal to cover himself up with. Craig R. Baxley is the guy in the robot getup. He made his career as a stunt man for many years.

KOLCHAK DIALOGUE:

Carl: Do you know, in the old days they gave the obituaries to the lowest form of animal life in the news room? Do you know that?
Tony: Some things never change, Kolchak. You should take some comfort in that.

KOLCHAK RATING: 3.5- A real lack of humor in this one brings it down, coupled with the bad monster that is shown way too much gives us what might be the lowest rating in the series.