Combat! episode reviews by Jo Davidsmeyer
Episodes are rated from 0 to 4 bayonets 


(072) The Impostor

RATING: 2 bayonets

Written by Kay Lenard and Jess Carneol
Directed by Sutton Roley
First aired 24-Dec-1964
Episode 10 of Season 3


SYNOPSIS:

This Hanley outing has the Lieutenant on an intelligence mission he'd rather avoid, shepherding two sergeant specialist on an assignment to steal information from a German headquarters. Along the way, he discovers that an escaped German officer has infiltrated their group disguised as a sergeant. When they pick up a third "sergeant" the accusations fly and the suspicions interfere with the mission.

REVIEW:

For those who have not seen this episode, I won't spoil the ending. Hanley, though, should have been smarter than this script. After, once again, losing a superior officer in the field, Hanley takes over an intelligence mission.

The entire snow-bound episode is filmed on a warm sound stage, and no breaths are seen in the winter air. Though their mission is through the snow, the squad members have no great coats, just field jacket, sweater, scarf, and gloves.

NOTES, ODDITIES, AND BLOOPERS:

· Actor Skip Homeier, who also appears in "Entombed" is listed as G. V. Homeier.

· Hanley cites his blood type as A in this episode. It was O in "I Swear by Apollo."

· Same waterwheel from "Forgotten Front."

· Very odd overlay of map superimposed over the shot of the squad crossing a minefield.

ABOUT FILMING THE EPISODE:

The most notable blooper of the series is in this episode. In the wheelhouse, Rick Jason turns to Dick Peabody and addresses him by his real name, saying "Peabody, bring up the rear." No one on the set or in post production noticed the error. But, according to Dick Peabody, his sister in Denver caught it the night the show aired and called him immediately.

CAST:

Rick Jason as Lt. Hanley
Vic Morrow as Sgt. Saunders [does not appear]

Jack Hogan as Kirby
Pierre Jalbert as Caje
Dick Peabody as Littlejohn

James Dobson as Pvt. Henderson
Edward Kemmer as Lt. Tracey
Alan Baxter as Capt. Roberts
Charles Walsh as Soldier #1
Ralph Thomas as Soldier #2

Special Guests
G. V. Homeier as Sgt. Morgan
and
Warren Stevens as Sgt. Walter