Written by Dale McRaven
Produced by Paul Junger Witt
Directed by Mel Swope
Original Air Date: March 5, 1971
Tall, handsome Lester Braddock transfers to Keith and Laurie's high school and
within two weeks he has taken out half the girls and developed quite a
reputation. Keith and the other boys are having fits! Meanwhile, Laurie comes
home very excited one day and announces that Lester has asked her out.
Keith tells Shirley about Lester's Don Juan reputation at school, but Shirley
replies that the rumors could be false. Besides, she has enough trust in her
daughter -- but, Shirley talks to Laurie anyway. Laurie assures her that
Lester is very shy and the girls are annoying him.
Keith goes up to Lester at school and introduces himself. He asks if Lester
would like to double date with him and a girl when he takes Laurie out. Lester
says yes -- but when he hears who the girls are that Keith would invite, he
refuses because he has already taken them out.
Laurie goes on the date and Keith and Danny follow in the bus! When Lester and
Laurie are sitting in his parked car talking, Danny panics that something is
going on and he goes up to the car, knocks on the window and asks for a match!
Needless to say, Laurie is humiliated and furious. She refuses to talk to
Keith and Danny and they feel rotten. Lester also refuses to talk to Keith so
he can't even make amends. Danny makes matters worse by repeating his act when
Lester is parked with another girl.
Keith finally manages to apologize to Lester and gives him a ticket to the
Partridge Family concert so that he can take Laurie out afterward. Laurie is
delighted -- until she discovers that Lester in not the shy boy he seemed to
be. She ends up walking home after twisting Lester's arm as she fights him
off! Poor Keith gets the blame again for fixing them up. He then meets a
beautiful girl at school, but can't ask her out. It turns out she is Lester's
sister!
Song:
"I'll Meet You Halfway," music and lyrics by Wes Farrell and
Gerry Goffin (on Up To Date)
Guest Cast:
Lester Braddock ----------------------------------- Michael Ontkean
Bob ------------------------------------------------ Mike Rupert
Archie --------------------------------------------- Jeremy Burke
Doris ---------------------------------------------- Cindy Crosby
Tube Trivia:
- Michael Ontkean is best known for his roles on "The Rookies"
and "Twin Peaks." The son of Canadian actors, Michael made his stage
bow at four years old in his dad's repertory company. A busy child performer
in his own country, Ontkean appeared on such TV series as "Hudson's
Bay" and played juvenile roles at the Stratford Shakespeare Festival.
Having attended the University of New Hampshire on a hockey scholarship,
Michael Ontkean was given ample opportunity to display his prowess on ice in
the 1977 Paul Newman film "Slap Shot." He has also appeared in
"The Stepford Husbands," and "Making Love," with Kate
Jackson and Harry Hamlin, among others.
- Dale McRaven was the Story Editor for "The Partridge Family." He
went on to produce and co-create such shows as "Mork & Mindy,"
"Laverne & Shirley," and "Perfect Strangers."
- Mel Swope was the Associate Producer for "The Partridge Family."
He has also worked on such shows as, "The Flying Nun," "Police
Story," "David Cassidy: Man Undercover," "Fame,"
"Good Heavens," and "The Monkees," His daughter,
Tracy Brooks Swope appeared in Episode 90.
- Happy Birthday, Tracy! Suzanne Crough had a birthday the week this episode
aired.
- "I'll Meet You Halfway" was The Partridge Family's third single,
hitting stores in May, 1971 when the series was on hiatus. It soared to #9 on
the Billboard charts a month later. It was the last Partridge Family single to
reach the top 10.
