Magnum Mania!

Ghost Writer

Episode ID: 30
Episode Number: 2.12
Air Date: 12/24/1981
Writer: Caroline Elias
Director: Ray Austin
Producers: Rick Weaver, Andrew Schneider
Exec Producer: Donald P. Bellisario

Guest Stars

Patch Mackenzie (Virginia Fowler), Elisha Cook Jr. (Harold Farber), Jon Lormer (Barker), Alan Fudge (Arthur), Ed Sheehan (Emerson White), Louise Lewis (Mrs. Ballard)

Plot Outline

An attractive woman, who is ghost writing an autobiography of eccentric millionaire Harold Farber, hires Magnum after her research materials are stolen. Clearly, someone is trying to stop her from completing the book.

Rating

8.0 (11 votes) MM Episode Forum Thread & Poll

Notes

1 Elisha Cook Jr. plays eccentric millionaire Harold Farber. Elisha will later play the reccuring character of Icepick, starting with Season Three's "Past Tense" (3.5). Interestingly enough, he also guest starred with Tom Selleck in the 1970 made-for-tv movie The Movie Murderer, one of Tom's first film roles.

2 The script for this episode was written by Caroline Elias, who is presumably the same person as Magnum P.I. hair stylist Carolyn Elias. This is her first and only screenplay to receive an IMDB credit.

3 The location used for the "Maunalua Bay Resort" (where Virginia Fowler was staying) was filmed at a private residence on Hanapepe Place, near the Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve Park [map]. This same house was used in Season One's "All Roads Lead to Floyd" (1.13). (Noted by Sam and rubber chicken)

4 T.C. again mentions that he charges Magnum $100 an hour for chopper service, triple that if he's shot at. (Noted by Mike Barnes)

5 The scenes involving Harold Farber's office building, including the climactic rooftop fight scene, were filmed on location at the Honolulu Municipal Building at S. King St. and Alapai St. in downtown Honolulu [map]. (Noted by Sam and rubber chicken)

6 Alan Fudge will guest star in Season Five's "Murder 101" (5.8).

Quotes

1
(Magnum is conning Rick into helping him)
Rick: Alright, I'll do the favor, but let's get one thing straight – I'm not gonna put on ANY dumb disguise. I'm not playing garbage men, delivery men, sewer men, any other kind of men, is that clear?
Magnum: Of course.
(Cut to next scene, where Rick is dressed as a liquor store delivery man, delivering "muscatel for the penthouse")

Flubs

1 When Magnum, Virginia and Mrs. Ballard are stuck in the room with the impostor Harold Farber the security camera is on the ceiling, yet when we see the security guard watching on the monitor the shot on the monitor is far too low down to be taken from the ceiling-mounted camera – it's looking at Magnum sideways on.

2 Just before the bad guys open the door to the room where the real Harold Farber is frozen, the letters on the door are reversed! The film was "flipped" [pic]. (Noted by eeyore)

Wish to add something? Got a correction? Shoot me an email.

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