![]() Perhaps viewers in 1960 had not considered the possibility that one could steal a sum of money and later give it back, keeping the interest. I suspect that the twist ending, which seems very familiar when seen today, must have seemed fresh at the time. Yet these elements are not substantially different than those found in most any mid-level episode of the series. ![]() Robert Bray is straight as an arrow as Fisher and Bert Freed is tough as nails as Captain Ellison, giving an air of authenticity to the interrogation scenes, light as they are. The acting is very good, with Paul Hartman quite believable as the unexpectedly clever embezzler. Why did this episode prove so popular? The script by Sohl is straightforward, keeping a light touch without trying too hard for humor and failing, like "The Right Price." Director Arthur Hiller, who also directed "The Right Price," does nothing special with the camerawork or setups but does manage to keep a steady hand on the action and the story is told clearly and cleanly. When asked how he accumulated enough money to invest, he wryly replies that he borrowed it! He drinks champagne with another man and explains that he is traveling around the world, having retired on the interest he made from investments-$154,862.25 in all. The final scene is memorable-Potter relaxes in a deck chair on an ocean liner as two leggy women play shuffleboard in front of him. Fisher visits Potter at a shabby boarding house room and Paul Hartman, as Potter, is especially convincing here as he returns the money, much to the surprise of Fisher. Their efforts are a complete failure, however, since Potter is unfailingly polite, stubborn and unflappable.Īnother stock shot with voice over narration bridges the gap as the scene shifts back to the present. A neon sign blinks outside the window and crumpled paper cups are strewn on the detective's desk as the men yell at Potter and threaten him with jail time, getting close to his face and trying to sweat the location of the money out of him. One of the episode's best scenes is a direct spoof of the typical scene where the cops try to force a confession out of a suspect. Potter turns himself in and is questioned by Fisher and Ellison, whose role is expanded in the show. Fisher investigates and questions Newton and Halverson Newton has a voice like Wally Cox and is contrasted with Halverson, who speaks loudly and with confidence even when contradicting his own statements. The background music reinforces the sense that we are watching a comedy. Newton, who appears to be a middle manager, meekly reports to Halverson, the blustering bank president, that Potter's books don't add up and that he has embezzled a large sum of money. Potter is shown working at his desk before he suddenly disappears from the scene by means of trick photography. A large part of the show is an extended flashback that follows Fisher's investigation twelve years before and Potter's unexpected confession. This is filler that sets up what is essentially a half-hour of light comedy satirizing a police procedural. The show opens with stock footage of modern police work, with voice over narration explaining scientific methods. Once again, a very short story is expanded to half-hour length by using tried and true techniques. The story was adapted for television by Jerry Sohl and the episode was directed by Arthur Hiller. Later, he buys tickets on a round-the-world cruise, having invested the money and kept the $84,000 in interest that it had earned while he was in jail. Potter agrees with him and turns the money in. He said he did not want to live a life on the run, pled guilty, and was sent to prison, never telling the police where he put the money stolen loot.Ĭaptain Fisher visits Potter at a boarding house and tells him he cannot keep the money. When he was jailed, he was 34 years old, single, "short and kind of owlish-looking." He stole about $200,000 from his employer and disappeared, then suddenly turned himself in and confessed. It begins as Police Captain Fisher tells Lieutenant Hogan the story of Milt Potter, who embezzled money from Metro Investment twelve years before and was released from prison two days ago. The source story, also called "Not the Running Type," was first published in the January 1959 issue of Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine. Norman Lloyd was quoted as saying that "Not the Running Type" was "one of the most popular shows we ever did." What was it about this, the first Slesar story to be adapted for season five of Alfred Hitchcock Presents, that made it a favorite of viewers in 1960?
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