Magnum Mania!

All Thieves on Deck

Episode ID: 121
Episode Number: 6.15
Air Date: 1/30/1986
Writer: Reuben Leder
Director: Jerry Jameson
Producer: Chris Abbott
Exec Producer: Donald P. Bellisario

Guest Stars

Alan Hale Jr. (Russell Tate), Carole Cook (Sarah Tate), Paul Sand (Danny Frye), William Windom (Capt. James T. Lyle), Sarah Douglas (Jacklyn Fabre Dumout), Thaao Penghlis (Phillipe Dumout), Shelley Smith (Peggy Armbruster), Bob Fimiani (Dr. Simms)

Plot Outline

What begins as a luxury cruise truns into a dangerous adventure when Magnum's assignment is to guard a priceless wooden statuette of a Hawaiian god on it's way to a museum.

Rating

8.0 (17 votes) MM Episode Forum Thread & Poll

Notes

1 Most of this episode was shot on location aboard the ocean liner SS Constitution (commissioned in 1951), which operated out of Honolulu in the 1980s. The majority of scenes were shot when the ship was docked on the leeward coast of Kauai. This is the only MPI episode to be filmed at this Hawaiian island. On November 5th, 1997, the Constitution (recently retired), while under tow to an Asian breakers yard, about 700 miles north of Hawaii, began to take on water. She was cut loose and eventually sank on November 17th.

2 Stock aerial footage of Hong Kong is used for the opening scene. The guy with the Amakua who is being chased (then killed) is played by Tom Lupo (uncredited), Tom Selleck's longtime stunt double. (Noted by IslandHopper)

3 Capt. James T. Lyle (veteran character actor William Windom) is working on a "nautical thriller" novel called All Thieves On Deck, the same name as this episode.

4 T.C. is apparently a big fan of novelist James Michener. He names eleven Michener books as "good", implying that he's read them: Hawaii, Tales of the South Pacific, The Fires of Spring, The Floating World, The Bridges at Toki-Ri, The Bridges at Andau, The Drifters, Sayonara, Space, Texas and The Covenant!

5 The classic 1941 Bogart film The Maltese Falcon is again referenced, as T.C. names several of the guest stars, including Mary Astor and Peter Lorre.

6 Apollo is shot and critically wounded, but survives.

7 The house where Magnum finds the dead body of Phillipe Dumout is located in Waimanalo [map]. When Magnum goes around back, you can see Rabbit Island in the background. (Noted by rubber chicken)

8 Rick mentions a Cubs/Pirates baseball game that he went to with his Dad. With Pirates closer Elroy Face on the mound in the ninth inning, and Mr. Cub Ernie Banks at the plate, his "old man" caught a fly ball, which he gave to Rick!

9 This episode contains the famous Magnum "I Got Him" denouement [see quote #2 below]. Magnum's sipping brandy and smoking a cigar in Higgins' study, while reflecting on how he solved the complicated plot mystery, to which he ends with "I got him" and a smile. The camera then turns to reveal that he's been talking to the recently injured Apollo, whom he hugs and says, "Glad you made it pal". Great scene.

Quotes

1
(Magnum's greeting to guests on the ship)
Magnum: This is a Aumakua. It is owned by the famous novelist Robin Masters. It was originally given by the High Priest Kalaniopuu to his nephew King Kamehameha.

2
(Magnum is sipping Brandy and talking to an injured Apollo in Higgins' study)
Magnum: ... like me for instance, figuring out the Aumakua is a fake. All that King Kamehameha stuff was nothing but an out-and-out fabrication, told to Robin by that pawn broker in Hong Kong. (lights cigar) I mean, come on ... come on, the guy who sold it to him, the one who was killed, was really working for Danny Frye, who was really working for a rival toy company. So, it was obvious that he photographed the toy design, put the film in the fake Aumakua, and was about to deliver it to Danny Frye, before he was shot ... by Russell, only his name wasn't "Russell", but he is the guy who broke in here ... that's another story, anyway .... (puffs cigar) I got him. (smiles) (Walks over to Apollo and pets him) Glad you made it pal.

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

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