Written by Harry Winkler and Harry Dolan
Produced by Paul Junger Witt
Directed by Paul Junger Witt
Original Air Date: January 29, 1971
Booked for a weekend stint in Detroit, the Partridge Family and manager Reuben
Kincaid get quite a surprise when they see the club where they are supposed to
perform. Called "The Fire House," the club is just that -- an old
fire house in the ghetto. Owners Sam and A. E. Simon started the club as an
inexpensive place of entertainment for the people living in the black
neighborhood -- but they are in debt to a loan shark named Heavy, who can't
wait to take the club away from them and will use any gangster-tactic to do
it. When Shirley learns that "The Temptations" were supposed to
appear at "The Fire House" -- and not the family -- and after
discussing it with the Simons, it's apparent that Heavy deliberately had the
bookings mixed up so that Sam and A. E. wouldn't be able to make their last
payment. In an effort to help, Shirley and the kids give a free performance,
but Heavy and his boys see to it that there is no audience.
The next day, A.E. and Sam are without hope. Then Shirley comes up with the
idea of having a block party and asking for donations to save the club. Sam
gets the local businessmen to donate refreshments . . . Shirley takes care of
the legal permits . . . Keith works up a new song ("kind of an Afro
thing") with A.E. . . . even Reuben pitches in by getting the disc
jockeys to announce the event . . . and Danny charms a group of rough-looking
karate experts known as the Afro American Cultural Arts Society, into getting
an orchestra together. The block party is a complete success and the donations
give the Simon brothers more than enough money to take care of Heavy.
Song:
"Bandala," music and lyrics by Wes Farrell (on The
Partridge Family Album)
Guest Cast:
A. E. Simon ------------------------------------- Richard Pryor
Sam Simon -------------------------------------- Lou Gossett, Jr.
Heavy ------------------------------------------- Charles Lampkin
Black Leader ------------------------------------ Herbert Jefferson, Jr.
Baker -------------------------------------------- Morris Buchanan
Policeman ---------------------------------------- Ben Frank
Tube Trivia:
- Comedian Richard Pryor has starred in countless motion pictures
including "Lady Sings The Blues," "Silver Streak,"
"Car Wash," "The Wiz," "The Muppet Movie,"
"Superman III," and "Blazing Saddles."
- Lou Gossett, Jr. won an Academy Award as Best Supporting Actor for his role
in "An Officer and an Gentleman." He has appeared in numerous motion
pictures and guest starred on countless television series, including "The
Rookies," "Mod Squad," "Love American Style,"
"McCloud," "Daktari," and "Little House On The
Prairie."
- Herbert Jefferson, Jr. played Boomer on "Battlestar Galactica."
- Producer Paul Junger Witt joined Screen Gems in 1965 as an associate
producer and director on "Farmer's Daughter and "Occasional
Wife." In 1971 he co-produced the highly acclaimed telefilm,
"Brian's Song." He later went on to co-create and produce such shows
as "Soap," "Benson," "The Golden Girls,"
"Empty Nest," "Beauty and the Beast," "Blossom,"
"The John Larroquette Show," and many others. His feature credits
include "Dead Poet's Society," "Final Analysis,"
"Three Kings" and "Insomnia."
- Initially, Wes Farrell intended to use the song, "Warm My Soul"
for this episode, but producers opted to use "Bandala" instead. He
replaced "Warm My Soul" on the Up To Date album with "Doesn't
Somebody Want To Be Wanted," -- a smart move, as that song rose to #6 on
the Billboard singles charts.
