Jencyclopedia

Paul Williams is a rock star who witnessed a mob murder, and he wants to not die, so he masquerades as a butler for the weekend.
Michelle Phillips wants to be a singer, but she has stage fright, so Roarke sends her to hang out with Judge Roy Bean.

The quality of this episode on CTV seems quite bad compared to other recent episodes.

Michelle Phillips’ episodes are always good (well, except for 5×12 “Valerie” — but she didn’t show up ’til the end of that fantasy). Ah, and this is the one with Madlyn Rhue; I wanted to see the rest of that episode (because Star Trek) when I caught it on TV, but I never did.

Tattoo: You mean he’s running from the mob?
Roarke: I’m afraid so, yes.
Tattoo: Does he have a fantasy?
Roarke: Isn’t it obvious, Tattoo? The man wants to stay alive. “Does he have a fantasy…”

Paul Williams is playing a rock star who wears Elvis jumpsuits and Elton John glasses. He witnessed the mafia killing someone during one of his shows, and apparently, his first thought was, “I know, I’ll go to Fantasy Island.” He shows up wearing a trenchcoat and glasses and hat with his rock star uniform on underneath. Smart.

They’re re-using the 3×9 “The Dancer” marquee shot again, like they did last episode.

Andrea Barkley sings a bit of “They Say It’s Wonderful” from Annie Get Your Gun; I just saw the movie recently in movie roulette, and it’s little things like that that make me feel like movie roulette is worth it.

Andrea Barkley: You just give me the toughest audience you can find.
Roarke: The… toughest… audience… I can… find…?

Oh boy, you did it again, Michelle Phillips. I think Roarke knows this is all a TV show, and he always corrupts her fantasies just to get back at her for being Nyah.

Jimmy Jordan: My business manager, who knows everything, heard that there are two hoods looking for me to make sure I’m really dead.

I’m a bit suspicious of this business manager.

The guys who are looking for Jimmy Jordan show up on Roarke’s patio, so Jimmy Jordan hides behind a wall. Tattoo also hides behind the wall for some reason.

Andrea Barkley sounds very surprised to learn she’s talking to Judge Roy Bean… but his name’s on the door.

Jimmy Jordan is masquerading as a butler, and he chooses the name Godfrey, which I’m assuming is a reference to My Man Godfrey — movie roulette justifies its existence once again.

Taylor: Buchanan He’s kind of cute. I think I’ll have an affair with him.
Cassie Buchanan: Taylor!
Taylor Buchanan: It’s very chic to become sexually involved with your butler nowadays; if you would watch the soaps, you would know that.

Aggggh! This girl is 19, and she seems to be playing a character younger than that.

Wah! That Guy is the bartender! I don’t think he’s credited though.

Tracer: Hey, come over here a second.
[That Guy, the bartender, comes over.]
Tracer: The guy that just left with the girls… tell me about him.
[The scene fades out.]

No! Ah! You could have given him a line! He would have gotten a credit! He would have finally had a name!

Cassie asks Jimmy Jordan to write something on a paper and sign his name so she can analyze his handwriting. Of course, he accidentally signs the name “Jimmy”.

Khan snuck out of Andrea’s fantasy just before Marla McGivers showed up. Boo.

I just realized this episode has quite a few Trek guest actors. Madlyn Rhue appeared in TOS “Space Seed”, Michelle Phillips appeared in TNG “We’ll Always Have Paris”, and Paul Williams appeared in VOY “Virtuoso”.

Roarke: Legend does say that Lillie Langtry sang here once. Hm, I wonder how we could fulfill the legend as well as your fantasy…

What a strange turn of events; Michelle Phillips is holding up Lillie Langtry’s horse and carriage. Oh, she’s doing the exact same thing she did in “Lady Godiva” and masquerading as Lillie Langtry. I feel like that’s sort of unsatisfying in a way; like they aren’t changing history, because that’s supposedly what happened all along, but they’re changing our understanding of history, and I don’t like that. It’s sort of a cheat for Lady Godiva to have not done what Lady Godiva is famous for.

Haha, I love how the guy playing Charles, Michelle’s fiancé, doesn’t even get a line.

Michelle Buchanan: I’m sorry, Godfrey, but I’m going to have to fire you.
Jimmy Jordan: Fire me? Why?
Michelle Buchanan: Because I–
Me: ~I love you~
Michelle Buchanan: –well I’m starting to have this special feeling for you.
Jimmy Jordan: For me? What if, uh.. what if I’m having the same… special feeling for you?

Give me a break, they’ve hardly interacted with each other. The exact same thing happened yesterday in 6×2 “Dancing Lady”.

This appears to be the same outfit from 5×8 “Lillian Russell”. (Lillian Russell was also namechecked earlier in this story.)

Really? No one wonders why Lillie Langtry’s wearing a mask?

Jimmy Jordan drives himself to the final scene, and in a limo!

Ookay… so he’s keeping his identity as Godfrey the butler with the Whatever family… and he’s not telling his new girlfriend who he really is?

There are a lot of characters credited in this episode, and I don’t remember that many named characters, so maybe That Guy is credited? “Announcer” is the guy on the TV at 8:14. The guys who are after Jimmy Jordan appear to be “Killer” and “Tracer”. “Piano Player” is pretty obvious. “Harvey” looks like the guy in the coach with Lillie Langtry. Judge Roy Bean calls one of his friends “Amos” at 42:55. I’m thinking “Henry” is another one of Roy Bean’s friends. So… no go. That Guy is still a mystery.

• Guests:
  • Miss Andrea Barkley from St. Louis, Missouri
  • Jimmy Jordan, the famous rock singer
• Roarke’s drink: same old
• Ominous shot of Roarke drinking: no, he just looks at Tattoo annoyedly
• ‘Cause I gotta have faith:
  • Roarke: I can provide the opportunity for you to conquer your shyness and prove yourself on the stage if you will try very hard to have faith in yourself.
• Hypnosis:
  • Roarke: Imagine you are already the famous actress you want to be. Feel the confidence flowing through you…
    [Tattoo is waiting to hit the lights.]
    Tattoo: Now, boss?
    [Roarke shushes him.]
• Recurring phrases:
  • Roarke: I believe a new identity is in order, which means we have to do something about his appearance, Tattoo, uh… yes… yes, indeed…
• Costume change: Roarke and Tattoo wear dark grey pinstripe suits and black string bowties in Andrea Barkley’s fantasy.
• Time travel: Andrea Barkley time travels to the Old West (Langtry, Texas).
• Locations: Jersey Lily Saloon
• Disappearing act:
  • Andrea Barkley: Well, Mr. Roarke said… Mr. Roarke?
• Leaving with an extra guest: Jimmy Jordan with new girlfriend Michelle Buchanan and her little sisters Taylor and Cassie
• Drivers:
  • To the dock: Roarke
  • Jimmy Jordan’s departure: Jimmy Jordan!
  • Andrea Barkley’s departure: I think it was That Guy, but it was very fast
• Age gap:
  • Leslie Easterbrook: 33 / Paul Williams: 42 = 9 years
  • Claudia Lonow: 19 / Paul Williams: 42 = 23 years
  • Michelle Phillips: 38 / Andy Griffith: 56 = 18 years
  • Madlyn Rhue: 47 / Andy Griffith: 56 = 9 years