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# 113 <5.15> Checkmate
 
 
(revised 07/18/2022)
 
 


 
 
Shortcuts to this episode's
 
Script | Credits | Filming Locations
 
 

 
 
Opening, closing and end credits are back to what they looked like before the change in post-production in # 111. Obviously, post-production of this episode was done on real film again.
 
The building Robin drives past in the opening scene is the eastern side of the Duchess Ranch, an exterior set on the backlot of CBS-MTM STUDIOS (now RADFORD STUDIO CENTER). In # 082 (see there) and 084, it was used as the old B & G gas station in the Tuscany Valley.
Click here for a sketch of the multi-purpose use of this exterior set and its surroundings. LORIMAR's original map of this part of the studio lot is available for DFCF members in the Show – Production Office – Filming Locations – Movie Studios – Exterior Sets section.
 

A bend is featured shortly after that scene. It is quite close to that building on the CBS-MTM backlot (now RADFORD STUDIO CENTER) — behind stage 4. It was also seen in # 084 and 089 and will be used for various purposes in future episodes; see # 121, 135, 137, 148, 172, 174, 176, 180, 191, 192, 196, 207 and 213.

 

The car Robin almost crashes into is a beige 1983 Mercury Colony Park Station Wagon with exterior wood trim.

 

Product placement: The gasoline pump used by Robin is made by Wayne.

 
The gas station (scene with Robin) is on the lot of CBS-MTM STUDIOS (now RADFORD STUDIO CENTER); it is the transportation department. It will also be featured in # 117. Later, this part of the studio complex will be used as the Gioberti Winery (see # 114); at the end of season 7 and the beginning of season 8, it will be used as Cresant / Fixx / Tuscany Trucking (see # 176); in season 9, it will be a gas station again (see # 210).
 
The radio announcer talking about the search for Robin is MARK WALLENGREN, ERNIE WALLENGREN's brother. Also see # 107.
 
License plate number of Cole's jeep, which — this season — is a red / brownish 1984 Jeep Grand Wagoneer with exterior wood trim: 21MW635.
Mistake in the radio announcement with the search for Cole's car: The license plate number is incorrectly quoted "21MW635", i.e. with the figure "1" instead of the letter "I", which was wrong in the script already.
The same license plate used to be on the Chrysler New Yorker Fifth Avenue used by Spheeris and Crane in # 065. Reusing such props does not seem appropriate.
 
Phone number of Tuscany Sheriff's Department: (707) 555-6314.
 

The establishing shot of San Francisco (filmed during season 1) is an aerial view of Financial District with Geary Boulevard in the foreground (right); it is filmed in eastern direction.

 
Early script drafts suggested for the scene with Richard's discussion about Terry's fortune another accountant named Bert — besides Ernie. The choice of the names would have been an allusion to Ernie and Bert, the "Sesame Street" characters. The rôle of Bert was omitted in rewrites.
 
Mistake: In the scene between Richard and Ernie in the New Globe executive office, Richard places one of his toy soldiers (a cavalier) on his desk. In the subsequent frame filmed from across, however, he is still holding that soldier in his hands.
This is a mistake caused by the particular close-up filming technique — check # 001 (Chase and Maggie at the Gioberti Family Cemetery) for details.
 

The interiors of Richard's New Globe office have slightly changed: the red doors were re-done blue (compare # 109).

 
Mistake: In the scene with Jordan angrily placing the draft layout of the New Globe newspaper on Richard's desk, the subsequent shots filmed from across angles are from various takes that were combined in the editing process. This becomes apparent because the mockup of the paper is placed in completely different angles on the desk.
Again, this is the typical mistake caused by the particular close-up filming technique — check # 001 (Chase and Maggie at the Gioberti Family Cemetery) for details.
 

Prop mistake: Jordan's first name is misspelled "Jordon" in the New Globe draft layout for the newspaper's front page — not only in the spot where her picture is awaiting publication, but also in the printed caption.

 

The lobby of the Carlyle of Nob Hill, the San Francisco hotel where Sofia and Philippe have been staying, is actually the lobby of the Holiday Inn Burbank — Media Center in Burbank, CA.

 

Uncredited extra KATHRYN JANSSEN appears as the gray-haired lady from the Tuscany Valley again — this time in the lobby of the Carlyle of Nob Hill.
Compare # 227 for a list of appearances throughout the series.
For details about the extra, compare # 021.

 
Uncredited extra WALTER M. SPEAR appears as the bald and bearded Tuscany Valley gentleman again — this time in the lobby of the Carlyle of Nob Hill, again alongside the lady played by KATHRYN JANSSEN, his real-life partner (see above).
Compare # 148 for a list of appearances throughout the series.
For details about the extra, compare # 048.
 
Uncredited extra PAUL VAN appears in his usual rôle as the mustached Tuscany Valley doctor again — this time in the lobby of the Carlyle on Nob Hill.
Compare # 227 for biographical details about this minor rôle and a list of all his appearances throughout the series.
For details about the extra, compare # 014.
 

Sofia and Philippe's rental limousine is a stretched silver Lincoln Town Car.

 

Right in front of the entrance to the San Francisco pawnshop (scene with Robin), the usual light yellow Ford Pinto Runabout, a well known picture car, is parked. Compare # 001 for details.

 

The San Francisco pawnshop is actually the store to the left of the main entrance of the former Weddington Building in North Hollywood, CA. Lau's Restaurant (see below) was located to the right of the main entrance in the same building, which was demolished in 1987.

 
Different footage in the sneak preview and the scene itself: "We are going to become a family again!" — Angela's announcement shortly before Julia arrives in the Falcon Crest Victorian Mansion is presented in a wide angle shot during the sneak preview while the scene itself features a pan of reaction shots from Lance to Emma while Angela's voice is heard.
In the usual process of making a movie or a TV show, scenes are shot at least twice — as a wide angle shot and in close-up, which bears the risk of inconsistencies. Compare # 001 (Chase and Maggie at the Gioberti Family Cemetery) for the advantages and disadvantages of this shooting procedure.
 
Julia's favorite Johannisberg Riesling is the 1981 Falcon Crest Johannisberg Riesling.
The term "Johannisberg Riesling" is awkwardly used in the USA. Americans commonly refer to the Riesling grape variety as "Johannisberg Riesling", which is derived from Schloss Johannisberg (Johannisberg Castle), a prestigious vineyard in the Rheingau region in Germany; it is the oldest surviving Riesling vineyard in the world. "Johannisberg" is actually a protected brand and trademark, which strangely does not seem to bother American companies to add "Johannisberg" to their Riesling product names anyway.
 

The two trucks parked next to Ursula when Emma visits Dwayne are yellow Peterbilt 352 models.
These are two of several identical studio trucks carrying production equipment to the set. One of them was used in # 102 (compare there).

 
Mistake: In the scene with Emma and Dwayne in Ursula's cab, the close-ups are from various takes that were combined in the editing process. This becomes apparent because Emma's left hand is nowhere near Dwayne first, but touches his shoulder in the subsequent frame filmed from across.
This is a mistake caused by the particular close-up filming technique — check # 001 (Chase and Maggie at the Gioberti Family Cemetery) for details.
 
Prop: The chair at Chase's small lab desk in his office at the Gioberti Estate Guest House is one of the chairs previously used in the tasting room at the Falcon Crest Winery Building. One of these chairs was also used in Gustav's office (compare # 071). These chairs are also used in the turret area of the Gioberti House living room (compare # 062).
 
There seems to be some kind of patio behind the back door of the Falcon Crest Victorian Mansion set: When Julia and Lance enter the sun room through the back door, a brick wall can be seen. This seems odd since the back door is actually supposed to lead directly to the backyard if compared with the real Villa Miravalle.
The brick wall is actually one of the walls of the Agretti Residence patio because the set of Melissa's den and patio was built right behind the Falcon Crest Victorian Mansion sun room on stage 10 of CBS-MTM STUDIOS (nowadays RADFORD STUDIO CENTER).
 
Robin wants to travel from San Francisco to Boston on the number 5323 bus (a GMC PD 4107 — "Buffalo Bus") of Transway Bus Lines. This entity was first introduced in # 025 and will be seen again in # 131.
 
The depot of Transway Bus Lines is what used to be the Tanner Gray Lines bus terminal at South Boylston Street between Miramar and West 3rd Street in downtown Los Angeles. The bus depot was demolished in 2005. The Visconti, a building with mixed use (commercial and residential), was contructed on this site.
 

Uncredited extra KEVIN G. TRACEY appears as the thick-eyebrowed Tuscany Valley gentleman again — this time at the Transway Bus Lines depot in San Francisco.
Compare # 185 for a list of all his appearances throughout the series.
For details about the extra, compare # 001.

 

The S.F.P.D. patrol car at the bus depot is a Dodge Diplomat.

 
Season time frame:
Maggie's novel, "Sudden Friendship", is published as a book. In # 111, the release was announced for "next month". It is December 1985 now (compare # 112).
According to Angela, Greg threatened to quit his job "about a month ago" (in # 109). This is a completely inaccurate estimation because # 109 depected the events around September.
 
Early script drafts contained a scene in act 3 with Jordan's counseling session for Frannie, Jordan's pro bono client (known from # 111), at the Lomax Halfway House for Abused Girls (known from # 112). The scene was omitted.
 
The lake in the scene with Chris and Julia is portrayed by the lagoon at CBS-MTM STUDIOS (now RADFORD STUDIO CENTER), which had been built as an exterior set for the TV show "Gilligan's Island". In 1995, the lagoon was removed from the backlot. The lagoon building (an office structure named after the lagoon) sits now where the lagoon used to be.
It was used for a different purpose in # 089 and will be used again in # 124, 131, 135, 144, 146, 152, 153, 163, 168 and 188 (see there).
LORIMAR's original map of this part of the studio lot is available for DFCF members in the Show – Production Office – Filming Locations – Movie Studios – Exterior Sets section.
 

The cupboard and the sideboard in the Falcon Crest Victorian Mansion dining room switched their places.

 
Season time frame: Emma announces she and Dwayne are going to get married on Valentine's Day — February 14, 1986.
 
The picture near the bar in the living room of Jordan's duplex apartment is the same prop as the one used right next to the door to Maggie's executive office in the New Globe in season 4 after Terry redecorated it in # 095.
 
Strange prop inconsistency: Next to the door in Richard's bedroom are some shelves now — but only this episode. In previous and later episodes, there was / will be a unique-looking armoire in that place.
 
Fictional entity: An issue of another newspaper, San Francisco Register, is featured.
 
Maggie and Robin meet at Lau's Restaurant in San Francisco; according to Robin, it is located at the corner of Eddy Street and Leavenworth Street. It has been known from # 009 (details there) and 017.
The restaurant by the same real-life name used to be situated in North Hollywood, CA.
 
Uncredited stand-in GORDON HODGINS appears as an extra again — this time in his usual rôle as a Tuscany Valley gentleman, who passes by in front of Lau's Restaurant.
Compare # 182 for a list of appearances throughout the series.
For details about GORDON HODGINS, compare # 001.
 
 

 
 
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