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Title

The Many Names of Death

Plot

A trust officer in a bank hires a sexy secretary. She charms him to take a few rash steps and walk the wilder side of things. The ride may turn out more bumpy for him than he expected.

Episode

0196

Air Dates

  • First Run - January 5, 1975
  • Repeat - March 1, 1975

Actors

Writer

Listen

Rating

219
168     51


16 Responses to Episode 0196

The teaser at the beginning where the wife coolly shoots the husband doesn't fit in the story AT ALL.

REB

Why Gerald falls for Elaine is beyond me. Obvious her elevator doesn't go to the top floor from the start. Maybe by Act Three all will be explained but I doubt it...

Mike in Grand Rapids

A stodgy trust manager faces a mid-life crisis when his new secretary introduces him to her belief in the power of names, and his life spirals out of control. What could have been a thoughtful look at indecision, anxiety, and fear of aging takes a sharp left turn near the end of the third act and never really recovers. It quickly turns into a by-the-numbers morality play, and gives the impression of a smart script that was tampered with to suit the format by adding a few CBSRMT staples. While the tepid performances are appropriate for the protagonist and his wife, the young 'other woman' also underacts in a part that should've been much more eccentric. Disappointing.

Matt Sandwich

Gerald (strong leader of men), hires a new secretary who flatters him. Soon, he enters an adulterous relationship with her and begins to take chances he wouldn't normally take. He sees his old personality in the mirror as things begin to fall apart.

Clayton

A busy executive is in need of a new secretary and one appears who quite quickly and forcefully imposes herself into his office, and his life. She advises him on his appointments, his work, and his life. She suggests ways he can make himself look younger, be more forceful, and more successful by changing his appearance and his attitude. He is not one to be easily swayed and holds on to his character with vigour. Eventually, she wears him down and as he begins the metamorphosis, his old self cries out from the mirror to stop, not to kill his old self, to rid himself of this new influence.

Jessie

Not one of my favorite episodes. I didn't really feel the draw of the "stodgy" 45 year old man falling for an eccentric secretary, even if she flattered him. I suppose if she was very attractive it could happen, but her voice has never given me that impression (although we all should know how voices rarely seem to match the face, see Rick Astley as an example). I did find it strange at the end that his wife had been warned by his reflection, but after the shooting seemed not to think about it anymore.

Alec

Well! Gerald fell into it big time, didn't he? He pulled out of his rut, and fell right into a ditch. Marian Hailey's voice is so -- interesting. It's very hard to resist listening to, but definitely doesn't come off as belonging to any sort of sexpot. Her voice didn't quite match the character, in my opinion, but was great for the role she played in "Mirror, Mirror." Because of how she came off, I imagine Gerald to be very lacking in self-esteem and confidence, falling for Miss LaRue just because of the flattery. Anyway, I like this episode. It's not among the greats, but it's good, as are most CBSRMT shows.

Tracy

Secretary's voice sounds like a unattractive, superstitious, desperate woman not a sexpot.The wife sounds like a good woman but has to shoot him in the end after Gerald wasted their life's savings gambling and plans on killing her to pay his gambling debt. This is a good story of how you have to sit back and stop yourself once you get in a bad situation instead of continuing on a path that only gets worse and worse. This is also a good lesson as to not fall for someone much younger than yourself when there is no future in that relationship even if they flatter you.

d

Just not very good. Gerald is an idiot who couldn't see that Elaine was a whackjob from the moment they met, when she first began taking non-stop. Are we then supposed to feel any sort of empathy or care for him? Elaine sounds nothing like a seductive, young sexy woman, instead sort of lilting a raspy, rambling airheadedness. Each of the cast have done excellent work elsewhere in the series, but not here, in a thoughtful, almost amusing start to what turns into a boring morality play filled with CBSRMT cliches. Unsatisfying.

Mike C

This is one the better episodes. It is a straight-forward entertaining plot.

phil

I enjoyed. Here to be entertained, not interested in credibility. After all, many of you like science fiction so get off your collective high horse. Sam Dann one of my favorites.

Anastasia

This may be well-worn material, but it's very well done. I really liked Marian Hailey's portrayal. Who says an alluring woman has to sound like a vamp?

Marc

Helene Leroux, bank trust officer Gerald Furlong’s new attractive secretary and a student of what she calls nomenology, the science of names, tells her boss he’s in a rut and that, though 45, he looks 55 and could look 35. Timid at first, Gerald ultimately falls for Helene’s line, rents her an apartment, buys her clothes, furs and jewelry, starts gambling and even thinks of leaving his wife. Only his alter ego, Jerry, whom he keeps seeing in a mirror, warns Gerald of the consequences of his folly — but Gerald pays no attention

John

An excellent story detailing the antics of the spirit of Jezbelle. Intimidation, manipulation, control, and self-worship. They are all around us. Beware. When it comes for you, will you have the eyes to see it?

John

This is not one of the better storylines. A pretty typical aging old man falls for flattery from younger woman, midlife crisis. He hears his image (conscious) talking till him but ignores it for the last ditch effort to feel young again. Interesting part where wives sees him in the mirror and learns what he is doing, but that really does not pan out well in the story. Sound effects, commercials and news at least make it worth getting to the end.

Nancy

35:51 The original quote is "A picture is worth a thousand pieces of gold."

JoJo


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