Gary Collins was one American actor used in the "Thriller" series who didn't out stay his welcome. He could always be relied upon for playing confidant, brash types who come unstuck halfway through ("The Double Kill" and "Only a Scream Away").
This episode is an absolute corker with Collins playing Dave Adams, an out of work American actor trying to survive in London. Well, he talks about going to auditions and just missing out on parts but his real talent seems to lie in loafing around and sponging on his flat mate, who has had enough. After a particularly nasty fight Dave is asked to pack his bags, but then the phone rings.....
It is distraught Helen Curry (Gemma Jones, who was fabulous in "The Duchess of Duke Street"), she has been given the number of an eminent psychiatrist by a good friend but by dialling one wrong number she has called the boy's flat by mistake!! Helen is troubled by horrific dreams which involve long knives, a man falling down stairs and lots of blood. Listening to Helen talk about her awful dreams Dave has no qualms about passing himself off as the doctor - once he realises Helen is extremely wealthy. His flatmate is appalled by Dave's unscrupulousness - but Dave just sees Helen's fears as those of a neurotic and is looking forward to a long stretch of easy money. He doesn't have the understanding or sensitiveness to realise Helen's fears are real and to question whether Ann, Helen's sister, is as normal as she appears.
He moves in with the sisters and soon forgets Helen as he begins a blatant affair with Ann (Linda Liles, who also appeared in "Nurse Will Make It Better"). Meanwhile the man in Helen's dream was real, he was a boyfriend of Ann's who disappeared the same time Helen's dreams started. His sister has now become involved but the policeman who she tells and who goes out to the house has also disappeared!!! Dreamy Dave is completely oblivious to all this (although he does wonder about the deerstalker hat on the hat-rack) until he runs out of wine and goes down to the cellar.....
This was such a fantastic episode. By this time "Thriller" was coming to an end, there were only 3 episodes left but the quality was still of a high standard.
Highly Recommended.
This episode is an absolute corker with Collins playing Dave Adams, an out of work American actor trying to survive in London. Well, he talks about going to auditions and just missing out on parts but his real talent seems to lie in loafing around and sponging on his flat mate, who has had enough. After a particularly nasty fight Dave is asked to pack his bags, but then the phone rings.....
It is distraught Helen Curry (Gemma Jones, who was fabulous in "The Duchess of Duke Street"), she has been given the number of an eminent psychiatrist by a good friend but by dialling one wrong number she has called the boy's flat by mistake!! Helen is troubled by horrific dreams which involve long knives, a man falling down stairs and lots of blood. Listening to Helen talk about her awful dreams Dave has no qualms about passing himself off as the doctor - once he realises Helen is extremely wealthy. His flatmate is appalled by Dave's unscrupulousness - but Dave just sees Helen's fears as those of a neurotic and is looking forward to a long stretch of easy money. He doesn't have the understanding or sensitiveness to realise Helen's fears are real and to question whether Ann, Helen's sister, is as normal as she appears.
He moves in with the sisters and soon forgets Helen as he begins a blatant affair with Ann (Linda Liles, who also appeared in "Nurse Will Make It Better"). Meanwhile the man in Helen's dream was real, he was a boyfriend of Ann's who disappeared the same time Helen's dreams started. His sister has now become involved but the policeman who she tells and who goes out to the house has also disappeared!!! Dreamy Dave is completely oblivious to all this (although he does wonder about the deerstalker hat on the hat-rack) until he runs out of wine and goes down to the cellar.....
This was such a fantastic episode. By this time "Thriller" was coming to an end, there were only 3 episodes left but the quality was still of a high standard.
Highly Recommended.
