Created by Bruce Kalish & Sam Bobrick
“Being dead ain’t easy…”
–official tagline
A reboot of a failed pilot from the previous year, Landon, Landon and Landon, Quick and Quiet aired on August 8th, 1981. It was CBS’ second pilot to feature William Windom playing a dead private eye, but this time his name was THADDEUS CHARLES “T.C.” COOPER. And unlike his previous gig as a spectral sleuth, Windom’s character wasn’t trying to make amends out of any genuine sense of regret over his life–rather, he was just afraid of spending Eternity in Hell.
But this time, the star of the show wasn’t actually Windom–that honour went to Rick Lohman, who got to play T.C.’s loser son, ELLIOT COOPER, who inherits the Quick & Quiet Detective Agency. Unfortunately, selling the run-down agency wouldn’t be enough to cover his numerous gambling debts.
Like father, like son, I guess. Dear old Dad wasn’t exactly an angel, either–he was more of a scoundrel, a sucker for the ponies, and a detective with a less than stellar rep. Nor was he murdered in this one–rather, he died of a heart attack while boinking his secretary, Camille (played once again by Millie Slavin).
With the wolf (or at least the creditors) at the door, and no other way out, Elliot reluctantly decides to keep the agency going and become a P.I. himself. T.C., meanwhile, eschewing eternal damnation, decides to stick around to help his son out, and to lead a better life.
Naturally, Elliot’s the only one who can see T.C. (shades of Randall & Hopkirk [Deceased]!), although the old reprobate can manifest himself enough to give Camille, who’s decided to stick around, a few good pinches on the butt.
Oh, the hilarity!
Plus… glasses and bottles apparently floating in mid-air!
Elliott talking to himself!
Ghostly butt pinches!
How could this not be a hit?
Easily, it turns out. The pilot episode turned out to be the only episode.
TELEVISION
- QUICK AND QUIET
(1981, CBS)
1 30-minute episode
Premiere: August 8, 1980
Written by Bruce Kalish & Sam Bobrick
Directed by Don Weis
A Quinn Martin Production
Starring Rick Lohman as ELLIOT COOPER
and Millie Slavin as CAMILLE
with William Windom as T.C. COOPER
Also starring Lynda Day George, Henry Jones, Warren Berlinger, Lois Areno, Joan Roberts
Respectfully submitted by Kevin Burton Smith.
I love your recaps. I have Quick and Quiet in my collection. I wish I had seen Landon, etc. I do think TC was trying to make amends, with a catch. He was likely more of a horn ball than Ben. I’m surprised Bill called it a good idea since he called his own appearance on Star Trek, crap. He wasn’t a fan of the boob tube. QM really wanted this to work. It was his last before the entity was taken over by Taft .