Burke’s Law
| Director | Byron Paul |
| Producer | Aaron Spelling |
| Production Company | Four Star Television, Barbety |
| Aired | February 14th, 1964, ABC |
| Cast | Gene Barry (Cpt. Amos Burke), Gary Conway (Det. Tim Tilson), Regis Toomey (Sergeant Les Hart), Leon Lontoc (Chauffeur Henry), Michael Ansara (Big Bwana Smith), Jim Backus (Pork Pie Hannigan), Fernando Lamas (El Greco), Diana Lynn (Marion Van Martin), William Shatner (Arthur Reynolds), Joanie Sommers (Pee Wee Wilson), Fred Barry (Robert), Percy Helton (Hudkins), Amzie Strickland (Woman), Michael Fox (Coroner), Diana Birk (Annabelle), James Secrest (Jennings), Bill Catching (Keeler), Maria Tsien McClay (Madam Butterfly/Amiko, a Japanese girl), Lou Byrne (Woman) |
Carrie Cornell, singer and model, is found murdered on a beach. A photograph of her in “Girlicue” magazine links her to sleazy millionaire Martin Van Martin and he has disappeared.
As always, almost-but-not-quite-James-Bond, captain of the LAPD homicide division and millionaire Amos Burke must leave a beautiful woman and hop into his waiting Rolls Royce to investigate a terrible crime. In this case the beautiful woman is Maria McClay in the role of a Japanese girl who left a message for Amos in lipstick on a mirror, signed “Madam Butterfly” and then another, signed “Amiko”.
Maria had played alongside Gene Barry 5 years earlier, in 1959, in the episode “To The Manner Born” of the Western television series “Bat Masterson”, in which Gene played the main character of the same name. Here her scene culminates in the exchange “You’re flitting away like butterfly?” – “I have to. Butterfly have short mating season.” “If it got any shorter butterflies will become extinct!”.
Other notable appearances in this episode include Diana Lynn as drunk millionaire’s wife Marion van Martin, trying to use one of those strange Walton Belt Vibrator machines that were supposed to shake loose and disappear body fat. And a strange beatnik folk performance in a dark club with everybody wearing sunglasses. And also William Shatner (yes, that William Shatner) as crazy artist and sculptor Arthur Reynolds.
Scenes Featuring Maria
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I can see why they wouldn’t show these clips today as cancel culture would say its sexist. But I do miss these old fashioned movies.