The Elmo Ziller Story (2.21)

[J.J. Walters]

This is the official MM thread for The Elmo Ziller Story (2.21). All discussions and reviews for this episode should go here. If you wish to rate the episode, please do so with the poll. The avg. score will be the official 'community rating', which will be used on the episode page (updated monthly).

This thread is also linked in the episode page of the Episode Guide.

Original Air Date: 3/25/1982
Magnum meets Higgins' illegitimate half-brother, a swaggering Texan named Elmo Ziller, who was supposedly murdered. Now, Ziller's daughter asks Magnum to protect her father from ruthless killers, while Ziller asks Magnum to prove that his wife is trying to murder him. Meanwhile, Magnum can't help thinking that Higgins and Elmo are one and the same.

[Magnum92]

Ahhh ..... Robin Dearden plays such a great part in this, finally she is a goodie instead of a baddie that tries to kill the Brigadier General!

[Doc Ibold]

I actually preferred her in "No Need to Know".

But, goodie, baddie, I'll take either!

[mc25a]

I really liked this one. You get to see some different looks at the inside of the estate. The living room off to the left of the entrance and the study straight ahead. I wonder if that shot was really in the estate? It's a long distance (from the front door to the window behind Higgins' desk) and I envisioned the soundstage just made up of individual rooms.

[Carol the Dabbler]

One might think that Magnum -- who was already nearly certain that "Elmo" was actually Higgins -- would have been absolutely positive the whole thing was a hoax when he saw Agatha Chumley pretending to be Sylvia the front-desk clerk!

[Carol the Dabbler]

It's always seemed to me that big cities mentioned in tv shows are generally real (notable exceptions being Metropolis and Gotham City), but small towns are typically fictitious. Oddly enough, there really *is* a Hondo, Texas. It's a small town just west of San Antonio. (Is that in "Texas Hill Country"? Odd how it looked an awful lot like Oahu!)

Has anyone every heard the word "poke" used as "Elmo" used it ("I poke from Hondo, Texas")? My best guess is that it means "to be a cowpoke," or "to engage in activities suitable to a cowpoke," but I have not found any confirmation.

After seeing how this episode turns out, I was going to object to the statement that John Hillerman plays both Higgins and Elmo. But Hillerman was presumably the shadowy real Elmo in the pickup truck at the beginning of the show, at least in the closeups.

[J.J. Walters]

This is a really fun episode. Love the rodeo theme and "Elmo". Rick and T.C. in clown outfits is absolutely hilarious.

I really liked this one. You get to see some different looks at the inside of the estate. The living room off to the left of the entrance and the study straight ahead. I wonder if that shot was really in the estate? It's a long distance (from the front door to the window behind Higgins' desk) and I envisioned the soundstage just made up of individual rooms.

Yeah, the scene where Magnum is searching for Higgins at the main house offers some rare shots of the sets. The camera follows Magnum as he goes from room to room. You can really see how everything lines up.

One might think that Magnum -- who was already nearly certain that "Elmo" was actually Higgins -- would have been absolutely positive the whole thing was a hoax when he saw Agatha Chumley pretending to be Sylvia the front-desk clerk!

LOL! This is even more strange when you consider that the bellhop was played by the same guy who would later play the first Icepick (for one episode only, in "Past Tense")! You would think Magnum would have thought, "Hmm, these guys look just like Icepick and Agatha. Something is fishy here."



I found another famous Hawaiian musical artist in this episode. For a split second (and a very brief line of dialog), Henry Kapono (of Cecilio & Kapono fame) can be seen as a rodeo worker....



Cecilio & Kapono music samples

I like them. Pretty darn good Contemporary Hawaiian Pop music.

[J.J. Walters]

Oh, and I almost forgot. The rodeo scenes. Where were they filmed?



I thought it was at that place right across the street from the Anderson Estate (here), but now I'm not so sure.

And how about the "Belvedere Club"?



Thanks

[IKnowWhatYoureThinking]

I find it ironic that Hillermna, a native Texan, has a better British accent than he does a Texas one.

[Sam]

James..I think you are correct that it's not across the street,That is some kinda kiddie pony ranch.There are however 3 or 4 riding stables in Waimanalo and for some reason and I don't know why...Hilltop Ranch comes to mind.

As far as the "Belvedere Club",it looks to me to be a private residence on Kahala Ave...Paging Rubber Chicken.

[rubber chicken]

The rodeo takes place at New Town and Country Stables (couldn't find a website), which is in Waimanalo as Sam thought. (gm link)

Here's an article:
Rodeo! Hawaiian Style (about the 4th of July, 2002 rodeo at the stables)

This same location was used in Adelaide (1.14)


And it was also used in Home From the Sea (4.1). The polo field used in that episode was the field just south east of the stables.


Also as Sam thought, "The Belvedere Club" is actually a home in Kahala. The same which was used in Foiled Again ( 3.8 ) as the home of Velma Troubshaw. She must have moved in after The Belvedere Club went out of business due to that ugly scene with Marcella Ziller.


Foiled Again ( 3.8 )


I actually found both of these previously, although I hadn't got around to posting. I'm still working on my google earth project, and it's still in an unfinished state. I was going to post it so that golf could use it for her trip, but now that she isn't going, I think I'll wait longer. Hope people understand, it's just hard for me to put it out when it isn't fully presentable. But it's coming along nicely and for the locations that I'm done with, I'm pretty happy with the look. In the pop-up window, the location info is provided with links to related web sites, and a collage of thumbs nails shows pictures from the scene. And of course the name of the location and the episode name and number is also displayed.

[J.J. Walters]

The New Town and Country Stables and another Kahala mansion ...... fantastico RC! Much thanks!

Can't wait to see your filming locations project! I'm sure it's going to be great.

[AJL]

What a great episode, one of my favourites. I remember watching this the first time, and just constantly changing my opinion regarding Higgins being Elmo or not. Great stuff

[golfmobile]

Don't forget MGI and Elmo Ziller (this was before MGI got his parrot shirt, which really got ruined on his trip to Mexico so I need to make him a new one):



golf

[Agatha]

You're right about Icepick, James! I didn't recognize him with his clothes on!!

(I LOVE opportunities to say that!!)