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# 207 <9.02> Charley   In the recap, Sharpe's line in the scene with Chalo is longer than in the previous episode where he just said: "Channing cannot testify." This episode, he adds: "Take care of it by Tuesday." — This sentence was edited in # 206 to remain in the usual time frame for the episode.
 Falcon Crest Victorian Mansion set — inconsistency: When the family gets into the limousine, it becomes apparent that nobody has to step down from the veranda although there are four steps altogether in the real house down to the driveway. The reason is that the current Mansion set, which has been in use on stage 10 at CBS-MTM STUDIOS (nowadays RADFORD STUDIO CENTER) since season 4 and which includes both the interiors and the veranda, has no stairs at all, but has been built at ground level.This was different in the previous Mansion set, which was built at THE BURBANK STUDIOS (WARNER BROS. STUDIOS) for the first three seasons; there used to be two steps (instead of three steps as in the real Villa Miravalle) up to the veranda (compare # 040). While the current set contains further details (e.g. the tile pattern in the entryway, compare # 088 in particular), the steps were dropped. Sectional elevation drawings of the Victorian Mansion's set (veranda and foyer) are available in # 001 (illustrating the former steps) and in # 121 (current set without the steps). LORIMAR's original blueprints of this set and many others are available for DFCF members in the Show - Production Office - Filming Locations - Movie Studios - Interior Sets section. With regard to the steps, however, some rarely used other Mansion sets built outside the sound stages are different again. In # 120 (see there), parts of the veranda set were taken to Will Rogers State Park and contained a few steps. In # 209 (compare there), 210, 213 and 215, there will also be three steps in the set, which is the specifically redressed Walton House at WARNER BROS. STUDIOS and which is not identical with the usual veranda set on the sound stage.
  The gate pillars on the driveway near the Falcon Crest Victorian Mansion — as # 213 will show, near the pond — are different props from the ones known from # 186.The prop department surprisingly dressed these pillars with the falcon coat of arms (engraved on the dark plaques). The logo is visible a bit more clearly in # 224 (see there). The filming location for that driveway is the road to the Heavenly Pond in Franklin Canyon in Beverly Hills, CA. In # 010 (compare there), another spot farther south in Franklin Canyon served as a dirt road at the Gioberti Estate.   Mistake: In the scene at the Falcon Crest gate, Lance's hand is at the rear door of the limo first, but nowhere near that door in the subsequent frame photographed from across.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. It seems rather odd how the new writing staff turned the characters' features around. When Charley appears for the first time, Angela — as known from the old days — would rather have had Lance or Frank remove the intruder from the limo.
 Uncredited extra PAUL VAN appears in his usual rôle as the mustached Tuscany Valley doctor again — this time at Maggie's funeral service.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.  Uncredited extra SHIRLEY ANTHONY appears as Dr. Lee Walkling again — this time at Maggie's funeral service.It is her last appearance on the show. She was featured on various occasions in previous episodes (compare # 016, 028, 060, 066, 078, 085, 087, 097, 098, 112, 117, 132, 134, 136, 138, 140, 143, 144, 156, 175, 176, 181, 182, 183, 185, 189, 200 and 201). These episodes reveal that she is a doctor who first worked at the Tuscany Valley Hospital (# 060) and is a well-respected member of the high society in the Tuscany Valley an San Francisco. She is present at many social events there. # 181 and 182 (where her nameplate is legible) reveal that, in the meantime, she has become one of the two Senators representing the State of California in the U.S. Senate. She played a different rôle only once: in her second appearance in # 097 (see there). For details about the extra, compare # 016.
Product placement: Michael Sharpe mentions the Newsweek magazine.  LORIMAR hiring too few extras for this episode, director REZA BADIYI has to have the church scene shot from different angles with the position of all the extras constantly being rearranged from the left side of the aisle to the right one over and over again to create the illusion the whole church is full of mourners.
In contrast to what LORIMAR had published in the media and what SUSAN SULLIVAN was forced to confirm in those days, the actress did not leave the show voluntarily. It was the new producers' decision to write her off. Although they could get three or four other cast members for the salary they had paid her, this decision was more than silly because the new crew will fail to attract viewers to the strange new characters they bring in this season.   Mistake: In the scene with Angela, Frank, Emma and Charley in the Falcon Crest Victorian Mansion living room, when Charley feeds Emma with the grape during Maggie's funeral reception, Frank is looking towards Angela's direction first. In the subsequent frame filmed from across, however, he is looking towards Charley.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.  The painting by CLAUDE MONET entitled "Woman with a Parasol (facing right)" ("Femme à l'ombrelle"), which was hanging above the fireplace in the Falcon Crest Victorian Mansion living room between # 130 and 140 and in another spot in the living room until # 171, was on the wall between the study and kitchen hallway in the foyer after the Mansion was rebuilt until the season 8 finale. This season, it is on the wall between the study and the living room.For details about the picture itself, compare # 130.   The interiors of the building where Richard testifies against Sharpe — the Philip Burton Federal Building in San Francisco — are the same as in # 201 (SEC investigation), the foyer of Building 2 at CBS-MTM STUDIOS (now RADFORD STUDIO CENTER). The office of the attorney general is suite 204.When Richard testifies, it is "almost midnight" in Singapore according to Brian. A few moments later, it is about 9:50 AM on Sharpe's watch. Brian apparently misinterpreted the time zones because there is a 16-hour time gap between San Francisco and Singapore; so the Singapore time would rather have to be about 1:50 AM the next morning.
Real-life allusion: Charley mentions BRUCE LEE. Inconsistency in Lance's reference about tae-kwon-do, in which he holds a black belt according to Emma: Lance calls Chao-Li his "sensei", which is the Japanese term for "master" or "teacher" in Japanese martial arts, such as karate or judo. Tae-kwon-do is Korean though, which is why a tea-kwon-do teacher would be referred to as "sabom". It seems awkward also that what Chao-Li teaches Lance — besides tai-chi-chuan — is supposed to be tae-kwon-do because the actor CHAO-LI CHI was a master in judo and aikido besides tai-chi-chuan, but not in tae-kwon-do. Inside joke: Angela is called "Angie-Babe" by Charley. "Babe" is one of JANE WYMAN's nicknames on the set.
 License plate number of Sharpe's limousine, a black stretched 1981 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham: 980 UTW (old blue California plate with yellow lettering).It is a stock shot licensed from a film library. This is the reason why the exterior footage does not match with the interior scene — which was shot inside the stretched 1985 Lincoln Town Car, the picture car that is usually filmed for scenes with Sharpe this season (see # 206), which is, by the way, the same picture car used as Angela's rental limousine for her and the family's way to Maggie's funeral earlier in this episode.
Real-life allusion: Sharpe mentions PAUL REVERE (1735 – 1818), an American silversmith, early industrialist, and Patriot in the American Revolution. Deleted scene: The director's cut contained a scene in act 2 on the grounds of the Tuscany Valley Tennis Club with Sharpe and judge Connor Stewart playing doubles against another duo. Ed is seated on a courtside bench, watching the match. It transpires that Sharpe and Connor have been playing doubles successfully for ten years, having won a number of trophies. Towards the end of the scene, it is hinted that Sharpe demands a favor from Connor (apparently a court order taking away custody for the boys from Richard), which Connor vehemently refuses. This propmts Sharpe to have Ed dig up dirt against the judge. This scene was removed in post-production. It was filmed on one of the tennis courts at the Balboa Sports Center in Encino, CA. The photo of Sharpe and Stewart, which will be featured in # 208 (compare there), was taken while this deleted segment was filmed. Judge Connor Stewart was named Connor Walker or Tom Stewart in early script drafts. Deleted scene: The director's cut contained a scene in act 2 in the foyer of the Falcon Crest Victorian Mansion with Richard picking up Michael and Kevin from Pilar, who took care of them between Maggie's funeral and Richard's release from prison. Chao-Li brings the boys' luggage and toys. When Richard thanks Pilar and embraces her in friendship, Lance enters the house and reacts with brewing tension. This scene was removed in post-production, probably because its message was similar to the scene in act 1 when Richard and Pilar embraced during Maggie's funeral feast in the Victorian Mansion.
  The upstairs hallways and rooms in the Falcon Crest Victorian Mansion have changed, compared with all previous seasons, as it can be seen in this episode for the first time and as it will be shown in even more detail in the following episodes. Where the "usual" L-shaped upstairs hallway from seasons 7 and 8 had a wall niche in the corner, there is now a completely new addition of another hallway leading to Lance and Pilar's bedroom.Explanation: In the reconstruction of the mansion during season 8, the upper floors were designed in a new layout. The weird thing about this set, however, is that the windows do not match the real Villa Miravalle's architectural style (e.g. the casement window in Lance and Pilar's bedroom). Neither do the new rooms fit into the real floor plan of Villa Miravalle; in particular, Lance and Pilar's bedroom is awkwardly diamond-shaped, as # 211, 212, 220 and 227 will reveal in detail. The reason is that the set designers simply tried to squeeze that bedroom into available space on the sound stage and decided to build it right behind the study and sun room. It is also strange that, on the same floor, some doors are white (e.g. to Emma's and Angela's bedrooms and bathrooms) while others — the newly added ones — are brown (e.g. to Lance and Pilar's bedroom as well as the two neighboring doors leading to rooms that will remain unseen).
 The antique bonnet-top highboy with many drawers on the wall between the door and the fireplace in Angela's bedroom in the Falcon Crest Victorian Mansion (screen grab 3 from # 209 since the piece is only visible in the dark in the current episode) is an elaborate Queen Anne style piece of furniture. This was a prop owned by LORIMAR, which was previously used in other productions.For LORIMAR's further use of this picture, check out the Beyond the Show – Props – Set Dressing – Cabinets & Chests section.
  As it can be seen in this episode — and even more detailed in # 209 (compare first and second screen grabs in the second group of pictures) — the interior set of Emma's current bedroom in the Falcon Crest Victorian Mansion is the same as the set of Angela's current bedroom. The furniture, however, is different; besides, a fireplace was installed in Angela's bedroom in the place where the second door is in Emma's bedroom. This habit will result in the problem discussed in # 213. Also compare # 220 concerning the set.The usual multi-purpose bedroom set of the Falcon Crest Victorian Mansion (compare Emma's bedroom in # 193 and the Agretti Residence bedroom — redressed from it — in # 200) was slightly modified and redressed for the current bedroom set.  Product placement: The grand piano at the Del Oro Spa Restaurant is made by piano manufacturer Schafer & Sons.Charley sings "Everybody Loves Somebody", the 1947 song written by SAM COSLOW, IRVING TAYLOR and KEN LANE, which got its biggest popularity through singer DEAN MARTIN's performance.   Mistake: In the scene with Charley singing and playing the piano at the Del Oro, a white female patron in an olive-colored dress and a black male patron (uncredited extra MARCELLO CLAY) are descending the stairs from the restaurant's mezzanine level (screen grab 1). Right after the cut to the lobby, the same patrons are suddenly standing at the front desk already (scene capture 2) although they would have needed a lot more time to walk there from the restaurant.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.
 The northern terrace of the CBS-MTM (RADFORD STUDIO CENTER) administration building — mostly used as Coit Café — poses as the terrace of the Tuscany Valley Tennis Club in this episode. Especially compare # 074 for this filming location.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.
Inside joke: This location is very familiar to DAVID SELBY because Arden Villa used to be Michael Tyrone's (his character's) home on the LORIMAR series "Flamingo Road". Inconsistency: Concerning the Gioberti Family Cemetery, it seems a mystery where are all the graves usually featured in previous scenes (compare # 183, e.g.) are now. The cemetery in this episode can only be regarded as the — maybe renovated — Gioberti cemetery because there is absolutely no reason why Maggie should not have been buried at that private cemetery. The producers might have intended to hint the main part of the Gioberti cemetery be situated behind the white banisters (closer screen capture from the following episode). Apparently the result of a disastrous prop and location policy this season! Click here for sketches of how the Gioberti Family Cemetery changed over the years.
  Richard and Maggie's bedroom still looks pretty much the same as in season 8 — another hint this set might be supposed to portray the ranch.The kitchen, however, looks totally different, and when the corridor is seen for the first time, it becomes obvious this set is hardly more than a two-bedroom cottage. The exterior scene (Mrs. Deutsch from the Department of Social Services takes the boys), however, looks more like the ranch again because of the long wing of the house behind the trees. Despite the note in the bible (see # 206), it seems odd that this interior set is supposed to be a part of the ranch.
The patrol car used by Mrs. Deutsch from the Department of Social Services and the two deputies to take Michael and Kevin away is a 1983 Ford LTD Crown Victoria Sedan.It is, by the way, the same picture car that was used earlier in this episode in the scene with Richard arriving at Maggie's funeral service and at the end of # 206.  New offices in the Falcon Crest Winery Building (interior sets) are featured for the first time.The set designers did an awkward job here though: Compared to the high-quality and expensive winery interiors seen before (e.g. Julia's enology lab with Spanish tiles on the floor, stained glass window and solid interior doors), the new office space looks quite shabby, especially as if it had not been renovated since the 1960's or 1970's.   Mistake: In the scene with Pilar and Lance in the Falcon Crest Winery Building office, she is looking at some papers on her desk. She holds one page in her hand in the long shot. In the subsequent frame filmed from across, that sheet is no longer in her hand though. The shots are from various takes combined in the editing process.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.
 An error in the director's stage direction happens just a few moments later: Pilar looks through the window in her office in the Falcon Crest Winery Building (screen capture 1). The shot from her point of view through that window shows a view of the barrel room beneath, with the company logo to the right (screen grab 2). It is apparently meant to be the barrel room known from season 8 (screen capture 3). As later episodes will reveal (screen grab 4 is from # 225), the interior set was modified for season 9 by adding two windows (yellow arrows) and a door from the catwalk to the office space (red arrow). The only interior window that offers the view presented in this episode is in the front office though; it is the one marked with the left yellow arrow on picture 4 (this window would be located behind Lance's back on the screen capture in the first paragraph about this set above). Pilar's desk, however, is in the back office, which has its window to the opposite side, so she cannot look down to the barrel room as this scene suggests. It remains a mystery why the director did not advise KRISTIAN ALFONSO to go to the front office and look through the correct window. Screen capture 5 from # 221 illustrates that the window near Pilar's desk is not an interior window, but actually a window to the outside.By the way, the interior set of the Falcon Crest Winery Building office area is not built on the same elevated level as the catwalk. The movie industry usually avoids multi-story sets whenever possible. Only a few rudimentary architectural parts behind the door next to catwalk in the barrel room set (built on stage 12 at CBS-MTM, nowadays RADFORD STUDIO CENTER) suggest that there are offices located there. The office space itself was built separately on the ground level of CBS-MTM stage 12. Compare # 215 where the construction of this set on the stage's ground level is apparent and # 225 for another inconsistency in context with the separately constructed set parts.
 The small road where Charley walks along is the same location as the bend seen in # 073, 084, 089, 113, 121, 135, 137, 148, 172, 174, 176, 180, 191, 192, 196, 197, 199 and 203 (see there) — behind stage 4 on the backlot of CBS-MTM STUDIOS, nowadays RADFORD STUDIO CENTER. Click here for a sketch of the multi-purpose use of this part of the studio grounds.
  The shot of Angela at the doorway of the study in the Falcon Crest Victorian Mansion in this season's current main title (right screen capture) is from an unused version of the scene in this episode (compare the left screen grab for the version used in the current episode).
  The shot of Emma in her Del Oro suite in this season's main title (right screen capture) is from a scene in this episode; the scene itself, however, only contains the first part of the full sequence of Emma used for the main title (compare the left screen grab for the part used this episode — ending with the rose much closer to the chin).
  Mistake: This book mysteriously changes places on Angela's bed. She first puts it on the duvet when she reaches into her bedside table to grab for her gun (screen grab 1). In a later wide angle shot of the bedroom, the book is lying on the bed in a different angle and much farther away from Angela (screen capture 2) although she has not touched it in the meantime — although various cuts occurred between these two frames, the scene suggests that Angela never put away her gun she was pointing at Charley with both her hands before she grabbed at the phone receiver.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.  Various takes of the scene when Charley tries to kill Angela are shot from different angles. An extraordinarily brutal shot of just the silhouettes of both people will not be used for the final version of this episode. This particular shot, however, will be seen for a short moment in the revamped main titles of this season (beginning in # 212).The reason for Angela being written off the show is primarily JANE WYMAN's frail state of health; doctors advised her to quit working. Besides, the new producers consider this as the perfect opportunity to enhance their idea to lead the program into a new direction — another bad decision, as the rest of the season will prove. Before LORIMAR and JANE WYMAN mutually decided Angela would be going into a coma for the major part of the season, the new producing and writing staff had even crazier ideas for season 9. According to a crew member, who wants to remain unnamed, JANE WYMAN was so shocked about the first draft of the seasonal bible that she angrily demanded her character rather be killed in order not to have to play what she felt was disgusting. The idea about the coma was the final compromise.
Episode time frame: The current episode opens on the day of Maggie's funeral, i.e. a few days after the end of # 206. The final night of the episode when Charley attempts to kill Angela is a full moon night. Giving respect to the time of the year (# 206: before the grape harvest), the tight time frame of the events in the following episode and Halloween being celebrated in # 210, the phase of the moon leads to the conclusion the current episode closes on Friday 09/15/1989.
HARVEY J. GOLDENBERG receives credit as Martin, Savanna Sharpe's lawyer, but has no on-screen appearance in this episode. According to an early script draft, this episode originally included a scene in front of Sharpe's house (filming location: Arden Villa again) with Sharpe, Savanna and Martin; this scene, however, was taken out in the editing process and will be put into # 212. This original draft is obviously the reason for the credit the crew failed to change. ← Previous episode... → Next episode... |
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The book Angela is reading in bed is "The Early Greeks" from 1977, a real nonfiction work written by British archaeologist R.J. HOPPER (1910 – 1987).
